Peter Sutton's model of the QE2

[Peter Sutton]

Alan just looked at the video great model so classy I hope mine has just as much class when she takes to the water, Model boats Magazine did an article  about the QE2 and a Steam Driven model and the owner wanted to get more speed  out of her to scale as it was only doing I think if my memory Is right 28knots scale , now that is dedication

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Can I still post pictures just a smaller amount or not?                                 

Great to see your pictures, Peter! Please feel free to post as many as you like. There is a limit as to how many may be attached to each post, but once you reach that limit, you can just create another post and attach more.

I hope this helps .

[Peter Sutton]

Thank you Isabelle
I am still trying to get the hang of this (old dog new tricks eh )
                                                                 Peter

[June Ingram]

Great work, Peter !  Will you video record the sea trials ?   

[Peter Sutton]

Hi JUNE
I will do my best , but its going to be some time yet until the weather picks up , I have to sort out the ballast, A, position the batteries and radio gear , and B that has to be done in a paddling pool in the garden the bath is to small , due to the slope at one end
 

[June Ingram]

Hi Peter -

Please do keep us informed with progress reports all along the way.

June. 

[Peter Sutton]

another picture,

[Peter Sutton]

Hi all I will attempt to add pics as I go , the priming and filling stopped  now it was time to cover with tissue then dope it , this will do two things pull the hull tight and hide any imperfect or bad flaws in the hull (this turned the hull creamy white ) then when dry primmer was again applied , it was left to dry , the walkways are again balsa to be covered with plastic card  further on, now for the superstructure, this had to be removable, so it was made in three parts , 1) to cover the rudder section 2)mid section 3) forward section , all so as gain access to radio hear and engines , but the option was do I remove the life boats with it or leave them on the ship , remove the was the best option then its easy get hands inside without worrying about damaging the life boats. first pic shows the superstructure just placed and not fixed .

[Lachlan]

Hi Peter,
You have obviously put a huge amount of work into your model and you sound as though you are having a great time building it. I have enough trouble making a static model without trying to make it watertight and seaworthy. Congratulations on a great build and I can't wait to see her at sea.

[Peter Sutton]

pics of the hull near completion.

[Peter Sutton]

the shape of the hull is shown in pics , Lachlan and many others know how complex the shape of the hull is  (thank you for you nice comments Lachlan), the build on the bow that brakes the water  has been made more bulbous on the model for a reason , 1) it will not tend to steer the ship in the water acting like a rudder, and 2) on other models with sharper bulbs on the bow, the shape in the water had to be so spot on or it would push the bow one way or the other , so making the rudder work overtime ,in turn this would make her crab in the water  , I have tried before with models using a sharper bulb and it was a nightmare to get is as it should be , the margin for error was small , I had to remember ,its not a speed boat but at a scale speed she would react like a knife through water  , the wrong angle  of attack and the knife would turn in that direction the hull would act the same  , so a lower attack line the lower the reaction , if that make sense ,

[Peter Sutton]

Stern end  view of rudder/ prop

[Peter Sutton]

The hull had to have prop tubes supports put in place inside and out as this is a working model all movement had to be at a minimum, this was done by using epoxy putty shaped by hand in the first place then using a sanding disc on a mini drill , primed and painted using an air brush to blend in with the rest of the hull , then props were masked and the first coat of the hull in black was given and left to dry, while the hull is drying i started to look at the supper structure , and plastic card was the thing to use as this gave flexibility , and strength and most of all it added very little weight , the Funnel , mast , and rear top deck showing her name will be lit ,so wiring had to be made ready to be placed as and when the build progressed , a wire harness was made with plugs ready for each section made , total 3 sections , the superstructure was now drawn out on plastic card for the entire sides of the ship up to the boat deck, from the bridge section to the stern dropping at each deck, then cut out accordingly, the boat deck was first done in wood the plastic card placed on top , now , do we use plastic cement or epoxy (I am told Blocks of Resin was used on the QE2 herself  joining the steel to alloy due to reaction of the metals if they made contact, I am sure Some one will know if this is right or not )  well i used resin faster stronger and more adhesion , after roughing the plastic card on the rear the strips for the boat deck are epoxy coated on one side the clamped in place before the hull side was put in place , supports were then glued in place to except the sides , checking all the time the distance from the sides when fitted will be the same and square . the pictures are when I had almost completed the superstructure, the filling had just started in the pictures .

[Peter Sutton]

Hi all , just to let you know how far things are going , so far , I have put in place a bow thruster and removed and replaced all the lifeboats and davits with more stronger davits and better lifeboats (not knowing off the happenings with the real ones at this point) adding more detail to them as well, I also found Drawings on eBay only the other day for sale but the price whent above £100 so I gave in ,if anyone know who got them I would buy a copy if ever they came up , but on we go , it has taken so long for the strip down and installation of thruster I lost all concept of time , also did not help braking my glasses in the process , the making of molds for the lifeboats took some time with planning , pouring ,cureing sanding then repainting and now one by one placed back on board and fixed in place ,this is still on going , so as yet no sea test yet plus she who must be obeyed keeps giving me jobs to do, I have also removed the top of the supperstructure  and have put in balconies were as before they were painted on the side, so I have not been sitting still , more to come and some pics hopefully

[June Ingram]

Hi Peter - Thanks very much for your update and what a tremendous amount of work you have done. It is great to hear about your work on QE2 and I look forward to more news and photos when you can ! June