I am the MOB

On the bench this time were the MOB (man overboard cranes).  I used the 4mm styrene tube as per the kit instructions and the plans are spot on.  As a belt and braces though I used brass rod to pin the parts together.

I also made up the retaining brackets which hold the cranes to the side of the cabin when not in use using reference photos.  I'm not sure they're 100% accurate but close enough.  This is a photo or one crane nearing completion and the parts cut for the other.

Although I'm not entirely sure, the cranes appear to have a moving stay behind to secure the crane in position when deployed.  I simply glued brass rod to the back of the cranes to replicate this.  I also glued .25 styrene to the bottom of each pivot bracket.  This serves 2 purposes.  First it gives a larger and more secure gluing surface for attaching the cranes.  Secondly, it makes painting the cranes easier as I won't have to fill the ends of the vertical tube and go can insert brass rod in one end as a handle while painting.

Next job, is the flying bridge and rear of the wheelhouse.

Basket Case

My soldering skills have been steadily improving so I decided it was time to tackle the fender basket.  I first soldered the sides and base together flat and then bent the completed assembly around a former.  Next I soldered the middle and top parts into which the fenders fit.  A little filing of some excess solder and hey presto!

Next up was the flybridge rail which runs up the starboard side of the step and then to the back of the flybridge.  I used some left over aluminium rod for the stair rail so that it could be drilled to pin the pieces together.  From my reference photos, I also spotted that the rail is a slightly different shape to the kit plan; the two vertical ends and top rail are all one piece.

This meant several attempts were needed to form it into the right shape so several pieces of ali rod ended up in the scrap bin!  Hopefully the photos show how it all went together.   The rail along the back of the flybridge is styrene tube with brass rod inside.

I'm planning to finish off the back of the wheelhouse next.