Scott Foster emailed me from his ship in the Barents Sea and asked if Ralph or I would be interested in making a more accrate HMS Abdiel hull. He's not happy with the shape of the hull he bought and wants to get a better one and transfer the gear to it. Abdiel is short enough to ship by Canada Post and have shipping insurance to the U.S. so I've volunteered to make the mold. I was able to make the mold for the Z23 Class DDs over 3-4 weekends so the Abdiel hull mold should be a quick project. The hull plug will be started when I get plans from Scott (early December). Bob
I'm going to order the Profile Morskie booklet on Abdiel if Scott Foster doesn't already have it. PM's booklets are usually quite accurate and have lots of photos and plans. Bob
Scott is back from sea and emailed me today. I'm leaving it to him to find a copy of the Profile Morskie book on Abdiel but he's had no luck so far. Once he gets it I'll do the mold and give him a hull. I think he may scrap his first version of the Abdiel. He still has cruiser USS Little Rock under construction. Bob
Yes it seems to be a hard version to track down. I've got a couple leads though just waiting to hear back on them. I'll keep the superstructure from my first Abdiel, but that first hull has to go, just way too inaccurate(especially the bow)
I have a copy. It's not to their usual stabdard though. There are only 8 sections. However, the hull form is simple and these may be enough. The superstructure detail looks good.
Good to know before I purchase it(If I find it).I even tried the Profile Morskie homepage but they don't even have it listed for sale.
well, it's one of the older ones. It is the size of a magazine, the new ones are the size of a booklet.
I was looking at the HMS Ariadne ones, I think that's my best bet if 8 sections won't do it. Those HMS Manxman ones are the set that came with the hull, right on the plans it says 'A semi-scale model based on the Abdiel Class Minelayer' the dimensions are right so is the superstructure(although it's just the main shapes, almost no detail)and on the bottom it shows you how to construct a hull using balsa wood and 4 ribs per side. I think that is why the fiberglass hull I have is inaccurate,they used these plans for the mold/plug. On the plans they took all the nice curves out of the hull so everything is flat(bottom and sides)and the bow is way too long and pointy.
Hi, Well 8 sections might be enough. The hull is slab sided and the stern is simple. There is no knuckle, no bulge, and no armour belt. You should be able to interpolate some more sections.
I ordered the HMS Ariadne plan set this morning. It's 1/192 so will have to be scaled up. Hopefully they will be usable.
Scott emailed me last night. He's got the 1/192 plans and is happy with the quality. We'll get them enlarged to 1/144 scale and I'll start the hull plug in January. The hull shape is simpler than the Z23 and that mold took only a few weeks to complete. Hulls should be available in April when the weather warms up enough to make them outside. (I'm getting complaints about the smell from the Ibuki project!!) Bob
(I'm getting complaints about the smell from the Ibuki project!!) Bob That's what you get for building a Jap Bob. haha. Mikey
You might want to consider building something less offensive to the senses. A nice Frenchie (smells like perfume), or even a Brit. Mikey
Scott dropped in this afternoon and gave me the plans for the Abdiel. They'll be enlarged to 1/144 scale this week. It's a simple hull form so it'll be a faster build than the Z23 was. The hull plug will be finished before warm weather arrives. I should have the mold made by mid-April. Bob
Kim will be working in Europe from mid-Feb. to mid-March so I can fiberglass in the basement. If I can finish the Abdiel hull plug by the end of Feb. the mold can be finished before she gets home. Bob
