lifeboat

[Phil Clarke 1980]

hi everyone im not to sure where to post this and if its completely in the wrong part im thinking about the airfix severn class life boat since selling my tvr and moving house iv extended my layout in the garage and have enough room on my dock scene for the life boat but im not that experienced in kit building has anyone used this before on there layout or built one? is it easy to do I must try to figure out how to get the pics off my phone onto here to see what people think its not as good as the layouts on here and its only my first layout I just extended it when we moved anyway thanks for your reply and advice

 

Phil

[MatthewEWS]

I haven't built one personally. Sorry I can't help. However it may be worth posting on the Airfix Tribute Forum or another plastic modelling forum, your likely to find someone who will have built one. If you haven't already ask Airfix for the kit instructions or see if they are available online. This way you can study them to see if it looks to complex.

 

Hope this helps

 

MatthewEWS

[Phil Clarke 1980]

thank you for your help I never thought of that

 

cheers Phil 

[tamperman36]

Hi I have built one of these new generation airfix kits, it has a fully detailed interior for the wheel house/cabin, if you take your time and study the instructions its a great kit. It is designed so you can model it with the complete hull or with it on a diarama at waterline as there are cut marks inside the hull sections to help. It would make a nice model moored alongside a dock or lifeboat house. The instructions are very comprehensive and even have a set of photos taken on the real lifeboat for detail.

[Gwiwer]

I have one of these kits built and used as a waterline model on my layout at times.  It's fairly large (surprisingly so even for those like myself familiar with the Severn Class) and takes up space accordingly.  Mine appears every December for a month or so both to offer service during what is a peak summer month here and in tribute to those lost on the RNLB Solomon Browne (and coaster Union Star) in the Penlee lifeboat disaster two of whom were known to me.

 

The kit takes significant ingenuity and dexterity.  It isn't easy or quick to build and with many small parts is also quite fragile when complete.  I found the instructions reasonably clear in most respects but not in terms of the paint detailing.  I ended up referring to online images to get mine right.  I found the parts were mostly a good fit with little distortion or flash except for the fine handrail mouldings which had significant flash which was very difficult to remove without causing damage.

 

Airfix rate their kits 1 - 4 in terms of build difficulty / skill level required.  The Severn Class is a 3.   I would agree with that - I have built more complex and fragile kits but not many.

 

In the first and last images some sections of handrail are visibly missing.  These I have but they were damaged in the build and will be replaced in due course with soldered wire railings.  The crew come from assorted packs of trackside and construction workers.