Always try to have easy access to all necessary switches to run the boat, so the forward bridge deck, which supports the towing hook, unsnaps for light and receiver switches and the safety battery disconnect. The whole aft cockpit lifts out for access to the rudder and battery. The servo is forward, beside the motor. The floor hatch was defined by cutting partway into the ply floor. The handles were tiny slivers of wood across partly drilled holes. Green primer, brown textured paint for the nonskid. Everything will have a final top coat of grey.

Built wood grates for the top of the foam tanks, as a couple of other people building this boat have done on this site. Couldn't find drawings confirming this but one photo does possibly imply something there and that's good enough for me! Instead of slotting planks as I’ve done in the past, I glued 1/8” square lengths of Bass wood together, using blanks at both ends to make openings in the correct places. I then sliced a number of 1/8” cross sections, discarding the ends, to make a series of ‘wafers’ that can seamlessly fit together to make any size and shaped grate. Once assembled and edging attached, I sanded both grates down to 1/16” thick for realism. This system worked well and I think I would do it again.
Shaped and glued the two step ladders together using four clamps. The cockpit can be lifted out as one unit, to access the rudder and battery.

Tackled the two hoses in the aft cockpit. Don't have a metal lathe (but would love one) so can't produce the beautiful fittings seen on some of these pages and had to improvise! I wanted to show the ribs in the flexible hose, so cut two lengths of flexible wire from an old auger used for unblocking drains and covered it with heat shrink tubing. A heat gun shrank the tubing showing the ribs nicely. Threaded them with solid wire to keep the shape. The filters were for a chain saw, the other end connectors were from brass furniture fittings, as was the wall mounted connector. The handles for the connectors were servo arms cut down. The other brass fittings were drilled through and very fine brass tubing fitted. The fittings were all painted in 'bronze' enamel.

Made the crane for loading cargo and presumably unfortunate ditched airmen. Made the attachment for both sides in the center cockpit, but only one works. The crane does swivel. I used brass sheet and rectangular brass pipe cut along one edge, soldered together. The winch handle and end pulley were both made from servo linkage ends. One side was removed and the other bent to make the winch handle and two washers made the pulley block. Painted it with oil based grey metallic, a fine spray of black and finally graphite dust lacquer (breaking all the rules) to distress it. It's wider and not as curved as the original, but gives the idea. Also made the bow bollard from brass tubing (rectangular and round). Anchored it solidly, deep into the bow section, in case someday a grandchild uses it for its intended purpose!

I've been working on the hull for the last couple of weeks. Considering how rough it was, it came out ok. Leaks, holes and strength issues were already taken care of from the inside with fiberglass and resin, so glass work on the outside was largely cosmetic. Added a strake along the chine, which was pretty banged up. Did three coats of brown primer, the first sanded almost all off, then black topsides. Used a knife mounted in a block to scribe the waterline, then masked and painted the antifouling. Added transfers. After reading some of these blogs, I intend to coat the whole hull in matte clear coat, which I haven't done in the past, but I also I haven't had to use transfers. The white waterline is put on with an iron at 300 degrees.

Painted the set of soft metal fittings (still made 58 years after my Dad and I built this model, though quality has slipped a bit). The lifebelt was virtually a plain metal ring, so to make it more realistic (like others on this site), I epoxied a rope around it, using CA glue to make the 90 degree bends rigid. I wanted to show the bindings more realistically, but wanted to paint the threads before mounting them, so instead of winding them on directly, I made a frame, wound fine cotton around it, soaked the threads in CA glue and painted them. When dry, I cut the cotton into lengths, bent them around the lifebelt and glued.

The set of accessories for the RAF Crash Tender did not include a hawsepipe for the anchor chain and was missing two aft fairleads. I made a 90 degree bend in some brass pipe, making some aggressive V cuts on the inside, filling in gaps with epoxy and sanding to shape. The base was made by adding two additional sleeves, then cutting, leaving a lip. Painted, then distressed with lacquer. Now all I need 3" of fine chain but at this time it's not worth visiting the stores or ordering such a small amount online. The two aft fairleads I made in wood and painted them the same way. I think the accessory set meant me to use cleats aft instead, but the original had cleats further forward and fairleads aft!

The stand. I enjoy designing them differently for every model, attaching in 4, 3 or even 2 places! They have to hold the model securely, be comfortable to lift and carry, yet appear elegantly simple! Made this one in Poplar wood, but instead of clear coating it as normal, I used a light grey/green colored stain as there is so much grey in this model. Being a stain, the wood still shows through. A light spray of clear coat protects it.

Wanted to include the Kent clear view screen. I've driven boats with them and they really work! Ground down a black plastic washer to make it thinner. Cut the end off a metal tube for the center and filled it with epoxy. The drive mechanism should be behind the glass, but this was a lot easier and isn't that noticeable!
Also started on the fold down mast. Made it from brass tubing, but had to be careful not to let solder clog up passages as the masthead light wiring had to be threaded through.

Electronics and running gear were a bit of a challenge as the fake engine room insert had to be large enough to be realistic which left very little space underneath it. There's just 1/8" clearance above the flexible coupling and the lower end is resting on the connecting strip screws! The motor is forward under the center cockpit and there's a wall panel at the aft end of the sickbay that snaps out for access to the screws if the motor needs to be changed. The 60 amp ESC is tucked under the aft cockpit switch panel, with a ventilation screen cut into the fake engine room. Not as neat as I would have liked but everything had to fit in a very small space.