by Aidan Sweeney
1/72 Composite Patrol Vessel (Scratchbuilt)
This is no specific ship as such, it is loosely based on an Off Shore/Coastal Patrol Vessel. I built it about 15 odd years ago (when I had steady hands and good eyesight). I saw something similar to it at a show and decided to see if I could make one like it. Esentially, I made it up as I went along without any plans or photo's. It is 99% 0.5mm sheet aluminium ("Borrowed" from work) cut with a pair of scissors and stuck together with superglue. The props are made from lead solder, and I used various washers, screws etc for the smaller fittings, and steel rod/tube for the railings, ariels, prop shafts etc.The rudder is the only part I did not make, it is the "motorised version" that was left over from my 1/350 Tamiya Bismarck, The flags are purely for display purposes, and the stern Ensign and mast is actually a coctail stick that I got from the US Air Force base at Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK. The deck crew are various Airfix figures painted silver. The scale is roughly 1/72. Build time was about 6 months. It was never intended to be a serious model, just a bit of fun.
