The 1919 Treaty of Versailles, prevented Germany from producing any warships but the building of small patrol and pleasure craft were allowed. In 1927 a rich German named Otto Kahn commissioned a ship builder, Lürssen, to build him a private yacht, the Oheka II. She was to be the design that gave birth to the Schnellboot a few years later. More details about the Schnellboot can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-boat#Development

The British nicknamed them 'E Boat', presumably, E denoted Enemy.

 

Italeri manufactures a 1/35 Scale kit of the boat. It is magnificient and it costs about Rs.10,000/-.

I have been fascinated by Motor boats and Torpedo Boats ever since I was a child. As I grew older and read Commando Comics, I learnt about the German E Boat or Schnellboot. It was love at first sight.

As with the RC Hovercrafts and the PT 109, I had to be besotted with a model where detailed plans are not available anywhere on the net. Scour available photographs, research and arrive at/guesstimate the required dimensions. I’ve been doing that for the last 18 months for the Schnellboot.

The reason why I am starting this thread is to totally commit myself to this project, to force myself to continue despite all odds and to threaten myself with ignominy if I let this thread die without maidening this boat.

“Scratch building is all about simplicity, creativity, ingenuity, an art of utilizing least resources, making do with whatever little available and creating a masterpiece.” Sandy.

I agree with all of the above and have set out on yet another endeavour. Don’t know about the ‘masterpiece’ bit.  That remains to be seen. I would like to add some more definers to Sandy’s parameters – belief, passion, courage and persistence.  You must have the belief that you can do it and the passion to make it happen – the courage to jump into it and, finally, the persistence to carry on despite the multiple frustrations (especially for Indian scratchbuilders) and see it to the end.

What can compound the frustrations of a modeller is if he/she is aiming at building a Scratchbuilt Scale Model.

We have seen a lot of self designed/scratchbuilt thermocole / not to scale boats that are simple yet awe inspiring. This time around, however, I wanted to build a scale boat using the good old fashioned strip planking method that would result in a 1:48 Scale Kriegsmarine Schnellboot and be a worthy partner for my PT 109 Motor Torpedo Boat built to the same scale.

Please wish me luck.

Step 1 : Get the line plans, reduce them to an approximate 1:48 scale and cut out the keel from 6mm ply and a deck template from 4mm ply.

Step 2 : Draw out the bulkhead templates and trace them out on paper - take them to a photocopier shop and keep reducing it till they roughly match the required dimensions. In this case reduced to 83%.

Step 3 : Cut these out from the photocopy paper and paste them on 3mm Foam Board.

Now that my bulkheads are ready, I need to form my 'skeleton'. Align the keel on the plan and mark out the points where the bulkheads are supposed to be. Cut notches at the bottom of the foam bulkheads and slide them into place.

I have used the deck template to mark out the positions. This template will be used to cut out the actual deck.

I have used Flex Kwik (Industrial C.A.) to temporarily glue the bulkheads in place. Once the hull has been planked, they will be epoxied in place, from the inside, permanently.

I found some light wood strips. The carpenter could not identify the genus of the wood, he simply called it 'Chinese Wood'.  I decided to use this as my planking material, as balsa would be too expensive and brittle on impact.

These 'Chinese Wood' lengths were sliced into 5mm strips. The length of each strip has to be 25% more than the entire length of the boat. After planking, this extra length will have to be trimmed.

As is visible from the third picture of the earlier post, the deck has already been cut. The Schnellboot features a split level deck. The approximate areas for placing the various electronics have been marked.

The skeleton slowly takes shape as the deck is temporarirly glued in place.

She is going to be around 29" in length and will be longer than the PT 109, built to the same scale, by more than 9".

The original PT 109 measured 80' with a beam of 21'. The Schnellboot measured 109' with a beam of 17'. This difference in size will be more clearly visible once the boats are displayed side by side in a 1:48 scale.

Alrighty! Enough of dilly dallying. Let's start the all imortant planking process. One has to be very careful as we do this. Any errors now will reflect in a misshapen hull. If the bulkheads are not ABSOLUTELY SYMMETRICAL, we have to use strips of card or foam to rectify the shape as we go along.

It is a good idea to start the planking from the top sides and work towards the bottom of the hull in a symmetrical manner. Gluing the strips in an alternately - one port, one starboard. After laying on a few strips on the sides, we can start the planking from the centre of the bottom (nearest to the keel) and work our way outwards.

Excesses have to be trimmed away - ONLY AFTER THE GLUE HAS SET. We can't be impatient here. I used my Dremel.

This is where the build stands as of now, after 2 weeks of work. Would appreciate comments, questions and suggestions.

Thanks for viewing.

VC,

Good build log. After completion, add rest to last. But for information for you please.

The strips flooded in kolkata too. And the joined Teak wood, CNC'ed door. Yesterday on a office trip to Chandannagar for lighting, I just saw the different woods available, flooded the market. Long pieces are from different light wood from very large wood pieces unloaded at Khiderpur dock. Strangely, at Razabazar area (near Armhast street and M. G. Road crossing, I saw a few days before, wet woods are cut into very thin pieces and then similar design pattern is done (Patterning room is inside AC area and closed.) But cannot see the dryer. The most pattern wooden long pieces are sold near Jaanbazar. All the things are available here at kolkata, except with true helping mind. Klen dryer even make Khirish wood to near balsa (more strength). Even Shimul too.

You will be surprised perhaps looking the light packing wood ( Pine ?) market in Dock area. The woods are collected after opening the Containers and loading to trucks. The woods are so cheap and light, but strong and seasoned, that temporary structures like pandals, Ladders and even furnitures are made with them (However very cheap for their quality and lifetime).

And inside chandni, in a few sawmill, I saw making light wood to look and feel like Segun (Teak) by dipping in boiling mixure and keeping for time. (Near Adhesive shop of that market, you know). Even I have too much (work)loaded, I cannot manage to visit there.

Really feeling sad for real enthusiasts who can make the hobby to everyone.

I was thinking of buying this as an embellishment for the boat, though again I want to scratch build it:

http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=TA%2032554

It was the favourite weapon of the Kriegsmarine sailors for its punch.

She is going to be much longer and slimmer than the PT 109.

nice build... i always wanted to build a boat... and also did.. will post the pics after the event(for which it is built) is over... and its a speed boat. (just a novice try)

VC sir if u can send some of this chinese wood.. also with the stuff u were suppose to send down, would be mush helpful..!
  

I am literally dragging my feet on this construction. Building the all important 'Kalotte' or Skull Cap Bridge is going to be a challenge. It will have to be scale crafted out of 48 individual sections. I am terrified.

Sure Vishwa, I have plenty lying around, but I can only send you 6" or 8" pieces.

The planking is almost over. The lines have come together well. I should finish it tomorrow. Then starts the long process of sanding, filling, sanding, priming and final sanding.

Fingers are constantly crusted thick with CA.

In small towns, humanity exists. Rather, the warmth of humanity is felt more as the community is closer knit and less commercial. I was very touched when my neighbourhood carpenter (who supplied the 'Chinese Wood' strips) sent across a priceless gift for me. A bottle of Industrial Wood Fill CA and a bag of fine sawdust. It is going to prove invaluable when I start sanding, filling and sanding the hull.

This is exactly what I needed, and he was proactive enough to understand it.

Sir,

How do you plan to drive this heavy Boat....?

I guess Engine?

Electric drive. I have to now decide whether I am going to use a single 550 motor or 2 to 3 smaller motors. The original Schnellboot was driven by 3 engines and 3 props. By the way, she is not going to be too heavy - max 1.5 Kg AUW.

VC
This wood fill and sawdust (I use wood dust) is great gapfiller esp for my kind of coarse, fast model building, great gap fillers, in fact you can use wood with natural holes, just fill it it up and sand it. Try wood powder (Powdered in a Mixer grinder )

Due to a family exigency, all modelling efforts had almost ceased for the last 10 days or so. Over the last couple of days I decided to craft all the guns for the Schnellboot from scratch. Here is the first, the most difficult one, the Flakvierling 20 mm - 4 barrelled, anti aircraft gun. It was not 'standard' equipment for a Schnellboot, but many Commanders preferred to have this installed on their boat as a defensive wall against attacking enemy aircraft.

My Flakvierling measures around a total of 3" in length and is constructed out of 72 individual parts that were cut and sanded to shape. The barrels elevate up and down and traverse through 360 degrees. These photographs were taken after the first coat of primer, additional details like the Loader's seats and Magazine clip holders etc., are still to be done.

Materials used: Bicycle spokes and nipples, scrap wood, foam board, blue styro, cardboard, bamboo twigs, glue gun candle (cut piece) and two 'bindis' purloined from the wife!

Work continues.............Yes, I am happy with this one!

I wanted to be more precise with the detailing but have somehow (for the time being) convinced myself that this was just an accessory on a bigger build. Let it be............for now.

Dear.VC,

The TRUE, REAL BOAT Modelling.... I just could not express how I felt on seeing this build log. A feast to the eyes of a modeler.

 

Rao