I usually scratch build most of my scale boats, but I enjoyed building the Dauntless kit so much, that I bought the Dumas 110' Sub Chaser kit.
The idea was to build it after I finished the American Enterprise kit that I'm half way through.
But I couldn't help myself & started it ahead of time, a couple of months ago.
It's nearing completion, so I thought I'd post a few pics in a sort of retrospective build thread. I should have started it earlier, I know.
So here's the kit.
http://www.dumasproducts.com/product...oducts_id=1066
It's a very bare & basic kit compared to what the real boats had packed onto the decks. So I'm adding more detail with photos taken from the internet & this fantastic site linked below.
There are some brilliant photos of the real boats "Close Aboard" & of other peoples models too.
https://www.subchaser.org/home
Where to start.
Well, the kit comes with a great set of instructions & assembly diagrams & a full size top & side drawing & a full size keel drawing.
Step 1 is to assemble the two halves of each former, & then assemble the keel.
Next draw some lines on the building board & assemble the formers onto the keel.
A small dab of CA glue holds the formers to the board. The tabs are cut away later.
Then the wood strips are added at the deck line.
A little sanding to fair the timber to the formers & then the planking was added.
A bit of tapering, & beveling is required to fit some of the planks.
Also a bit of splicing of the planks, because the basswood planks provided are not quite long enough to reach from stem to stern.
Joining the formers together.
Attachment 168331
Laying the keel.
Attachment 168332
Assembling the frames & keel on the building board.
Attachment 168333
Planking underway.
Attachment 168334
Notice the spliced planks. They were really only an inch or so short but I staggered the joints for structural integrity so they weren't all in the same line.
Attachment 168335