SD 14 cargo ship
 

I got this marvellous model as a birthday, Christmas present in 2007 and have been building it on and off at weekends. Since then. So I thought I would post some pictures of the build here.
ok some info the model was designed and illustrated by Capt G.B. Robinson and is sold under licence by Marcle models http://www.marcle.co.uk it costs £280 oversee orders £310 for the complete model the individual sections forward midships and after each cost £105 overseas £120 the scale is 1:70 and is about 7 feet in length link for railing is http://zeistbouwplaten.nl
The model comes in three sections bow middle and Stern of the ship, each section consists of two boxes of A3 Manila card with the printed parts on them, and the instructions for that section.

The model builds the basic steel structure for British registered version of the ship. So extras like propellers, anchors, engine and engine room machinery are not included.

The designer of the model made it as a teaching aid for cadets and firefighters, so you build the model as if it was a real ship.with the cardboard taking the place of steel sheet and it gives you an insight into the structure of ships.

I decided not to build it with cutaway portions and that I would add an engine and add in oil and water tanks and workshops and provision stores on the engineering flats and the engine room shelter deck's.
SD14 stands for shelter deck and the 14 is the 14,000 ton displacement of the ship, shelter deck is a secondary deck inside of the forward part of the hull.
the good reference book that shows all the ships made and their history is SD14 the full history by John Lingwood. isbn 1-901703-64-9. It also contains a reproduction of a general arrangement drawing of one of the ships.
I started off with the intention of making each section in turn from the bow but then changed it to making the ship completely in one go from bow to stern as I thought it would be easier to build not having to worry about damaging the finished bow section while building the midsection, especially when it came to putting the hull plates on as it need to be turned on its side and the top.
I started off building the model on an inch thick piece of ply the looked flat but it wasn't and I ended up with a banana boat well just the bottom. I then got some MDF with some strips screwed to the underside to keep it flat and then made sure it was level on top of a planning chest strip of MDF is about 14 inches wide by 8 feet long gives a little bit of room to manoeuvre the model on.
Also handy is in metre rule just check the model is flat. I used to separate table to cut out the parts,a 50 cm rule is also useful to cut out some parts as they are longer than a foot.
Sorry to the mix of measurements but I am dyslexic and started school when metric was introduced in the UK. That's enough text to now go the first group of pictures of the start of the bow bottom.
the pictures show the buildup of the double bottomed Hull under number one hold and part of number two hold, the double bottomed Hull is split into separate tanks, port centre and starboard and are used as ballast tanks to trim the ship.

Taking shape already.

This kit seems to give a real insight into how ships are build.

Tim

Oh man, I love this kit. I will have one someday, the price keeps backing me down. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.:)
Rick

Allright, someone else is going to tame the monster! Good luck, and reserve plenty of time for this!

Oh Bravo! Have been looking at this one on the Markel Models website, and wondering just what it would take to actually build it - this must eat up a whole room in your house! Thank you for sharing it with us. This is going to be better than a long running television series. Is it like the fellow who built a boat in the basement and had to move the house off to get it out? Will you be able to take it outside (but then maybe you don't want to)? Anyway, I'm going to pop popcorn for this one! Rob Tauxe

Definitely one of the 'Ultimate Models"

I recently saw an SD-14 at half size - still an impressive 1 meter (ca 3 feet) in length...

I got to admit , I thought my cruise ship was big (4'7" ) but this beats all . wow! papersurprise50

Thanks all anther fix.
The first picture in this post is of the instructions you get as well as showing how to construct the model they also have pictures of the real ships being constructed and snippets of information about the ship these snippets are also on the sheets of parts which are shown in the next picture. The third picture is of the railings laser cut by a third party Zeist Bouwplaten a Dutch models site and are about 35 euro. The fourth picture is of extra parts I have brought, three anchors 2 the bow and one spare and 2 propellers again one is a spare. Picture five shows the number one forward bulkhead with frames and stretcher's that make up the bow.

and some more
The first picture shows the number two watertight bulkhead in place, along with the hold pillars and centreline plates.
The next four photos show the addition of the longitudinal box girders and transverse box girders that make up the support of the shelter deck and the pontoon Hatch covers. The two longitudinal box girders are a bit fiddly to glue up as for part of their length. They have a step to take the Hatch covers but they also have formers inside the box girder that poke through this step.they also need dry fitting to make sure that they are not too out of square. Once they are glued and dry . I found that they needed the slots that fit over the corrugated bulkhead trimmed or opened out so they fit my corrugations. The final picture shows the edition of the web frames which are wider frames that help support their ends of the transverse box girders.

Beautiful work so far.

I enjoyed Marco's build of this beautiful ship, and I am enjoying your description of the build and the excellent images.

You are lucky to have John Lingwood's book. It is out of print and I have been unable to find a used copy for less than $150US. Even the paperback of his shorter book on the SD 14 is going for more than $50US.

Don

I got a copy from my local libary in the uk and made some photocopys. then a fraind who is a marine artst gaive me his copy of the book.

I'm absolutely stunned. I've never heard of or seen this model before, but I'll be watching this build with a great deal of interest

I just sent Chris a e-mail requesting the amount for the kit + ship to my address in the good ole USA. From the best I can tell, the complete kit to me here in the US runs about $300.00US:eek:.
But after seeing Marco build and now another taking the plunge, I just gotta give one ago.
There goes my Hobby buget till well after Christmas!!!!!!!!!
Look forward to more of your build.
Rick

Well, US$300 divided by the number of hours of fun with this model (a lot!) isn't too bad actually...

Funny you should reply, I just finished re-reading your complete build thread of the SD-14 and I agree, I had forgot the 1st time I looked to purchase, the one I found from Germany was over $500.00 US, you are right @ $300.00 that a lesser price and I can deal with that better than the latter.
Now I need to know where you got the following, anchor chain, anchors and those beautiful brass props? Also noticed you used laser cut railing, where did this come from as well. This will be one of those, oh dear you do not have to buy me anything for Christmas, I already got my gift:rolleyes:.
Rick

Found a copy, $50.00 +ship from the UK. But looks like it would be of much interest if building the monster. Look forward to you post some progress photos.
Rick:)

So the kit w/ref and ship will run me around $350.00 US. As one of my co-workers is forever telling me, its just paper!!!!!!!!!! LOL:eek:
Now where will I build this thing and then display?
I'll work that out for later, waiting on Chris to e-mail me back!!!!!!!!!!!!

The lasercut railing is published by Zeist Bouwplaten (www.zeistbouwplaten.nl), and is a must-have for this kit. I got the anchor chain, anchors, props, radar etc. from a local modelling store (www.quartel.nl) that has a lot of spare parts in stock for R/C scratch builders.

Papercut I got the railings from the same place as Marco, and the propeller anchors and chain from a shop in the UK. The model dockyard www.model-dockyard.com
I also got a set of self adhesive vinyl hull depth markings. There are little small being 1:72 scale imperial style. The only drawback to them was that thay only has deths numerals in three different styles Arabic and two types of Roman numerals , so my ship is different styles down the side Arabic in the centre and one form Roman numerals at the bow and the other Stern.

the anchors are made by Aeronaut and are there cast metal hall type 50 mm in height, width, 29 mm and are £8.49 $11.10

the propellers by Rivabo and are 65 mill diameter with a 4 mm thread £14.80 $19.36
the chain is made by Krick fittings and is 3.1 x 1.9 startling chain and comes in metre lengths £19.94 $26.09

I think the kit is well worth the money even if it seems a bit daunting.

Marco did you follow Manfred Hochmeister SD 14 build on the old Kartonmodell Forum I saved some pages from his thread where he was rigging the derricks, but the pictures have saved as small thumbnails and it's hard to see any detail. I have found their archive site but I don't understand German do you or anyone else on the forum no German and can see if they can fined it for me.
here's a picture of the model about three weeks ago
Thanks David

romanmodels and marco, thanks guys for the info I will use to get the additional needed parts.:)
Rick

Hi David, I definitely followed Manfred's build, and we had quite a bit of contact when I built my SD-14

Well I was e-mailed the price for the SD-14. Sadly I will need to wait until after the holidays if by then I find the courage to order. As priced $485.00US:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Need I say more, for now I will just enjoy your build of it, but to me it is abit out of what I am willing to pay!

SD 14 Again !!!
 

Hello,

Very much surprised to see someone else building the SD 14 again! Keep going! I visited Manfred Hochmeister in Vienna about 2 years ago to see his ship. The lining of the derricks he actually did with very thin, green, "flower wires"
Are you going to paint the whole as well?

There are a lot op pictures of this ship on: www.shipspotting.com
There is even a separate category for the SD14. To see their pictures "full screen" you will have to register yourself. But it free of charge and worth the effort.

If you complete the model befor October 2012 I am very much interested in putting it on an exhibition in the Netherlands.

Regards and happy building

Gert Vlaanderen
Lunteren - The Netherlands.

Gert it is likely that it may be finshed by october next year so a bit more info on the exhibition.
Back to the build next picture shows the transverse beams fixed that support the shelter deck at this stage. I then decided that I would build the model in one go, so that I wouldn't be building a new section on a completed part of the build. So next we have the bottom plates the midsection and Stern laid out this picture was taken at the end of March. The next one was taken in October showing all the floors in place. This is this builds equivalent to making tracks. I can cut a sheet out of these floors in an hour and about 200 of them.
In the above post but you will notice that I have changed the base in the last picture from the war before this is what I thought was a nice flat piece of plywood but it was slightly bent, so I ended up with a banana shaped boat when I got the stage of the last picture. I fixed it by cutting across the whole where the midsection joins the bow and where it joins the aft section the cut went through the floors but not the bace plates. It did still have a tendency to bend up. So until I'd got the bulkheads and the box girders running the length of the ship. I kept a stack of about five paperbacks placed along the length of the ship to keep it flat and it seemed to work.

A bit of history first i am actually painting the hull at the moment and was just checking, I'd got my heights right for the hull painting and remembered this picture in the book . The caption reads a 1978 view of Austin and Pickersgill's Southwick shipyard the ship at the fitting out berth in the left foreground is Cluden and to the right of the fitting out quay are the fitting out workshops. To the right of these is a steel stockyard with another larger stockyard further to the right. The paler coloured sheds right on the River in the centre of the picture are the fabrication and erecting shops built-in 1976; the darker sheds inland date from the laying out of the new yard in 1955 . The sd14 on the far bank of the river wear is believed to be the Australind fitting out at the pallion quay, the former shorts Bros quay which was acquired by Bartram's in the 1960 on the conventional berths on the north bank the grey hulled aegira is almost ready to be launched, with the Funing in the early stages of construction alongside. beyond them are the covered building birth,Stern section and block assembly Hall dating from 1975.
In 1978 . This shipyard was arguably the most up-to-date shipyard in the world at the time but destined to operate but only another 10 years before government policies dictated the end of large-scale merchant shipbuilding in Britain and the site was quickly razed to the ground. Shows what nationalisation can do to an industry.

That's insane! Great detail, and a very clean build. :eek:

My question is ,WHERE can I get one of those .Now that,s a ship .You are doing a great job so far ! papersurprise50

Sd 14
 

Hello,

Congratulations on the fourth birthday of building the SD 14.
I hope it will be ready at the fifth!!

Possible to inform us what type of paint you used?
Marco once told that he bought regular paint at the hobbyshop.

I am thinking of using paint like the Humbrol from the modelshops.
But that is only available in very small tins.

Regards,

Gert Vlaanderen

Hello Gert
I used red car primer below the Plimsoll line. A thin coat where I was going to paint the hull red just to seal the card, the bottom and the lower portion of the hull I put a thicker coat on as it seen to be a similar colour to the antifouling paint. the topsides and deck. I sprayed a light coating to grey car primer and I will use white on the accommodation and deck houses to seal the card.
The topcoat I did with Humbrol enamels I got 50 mill tins off eBay of the black, red, green and white gloss and a 15 mill tin of yellow but I got three more small tins of yellow and the bluegrey. I applied the paint with an airbrush. I don't know if it's my bad airbrushing or still slightly porous card, but the finish is slightly matt places but I think this gives it a more realistic look. I have used about a quarter of the 50 Mill tins.
I had to do the white on the Bows several times as I had missed putting on a strip of masking tape either side and ended up with a black sporty strip site use a paintbrush to paint out the blackspots. Luckily it's where the name goes so it's not as noticeable.

HEY ,I forgot to hit the right button ! Anyway,I use hardware store brand clearflat paint on my models BEFORE I do the color coats .This solves the spotty flat/gloss finish problem .I am going to make arrangements to get one of these ships in May on or about my B,day. catchya later--papersurprise50

A belated happy Christmas and some more Sd 14 the first picture is a top view engineering flats Starborough to side as clean and dirty water tanks and various oil tanks, which also run across the forward section of the bulkhead the port side as the engine control room and the electrical control panel and electricians stores.the next is more than a bleak view from port side.
Next we have the buildup of the Stern above the propeller one seeing the buildup from aft and one from the front. This is built up as a separate unit and is only fixed by a small area to the rest the ship and is a bit of a weak point until all the ribs are in place to make number five hold. The final picture shows the Stern piece in place on the rest of the ship.

I forgot to mention an earlier post that I have saved all the waste pieces of card offcuts, which is worked out a good move as I have had to remake some parts especially Hull plates. Also proving useful at a later stage are the roughly 3 mill wide strips card in between tank top longitudinal is as I'm using them to represent the swageing that characterises the sides of the deck houses and accommodation block

Looks to me like you are making fairly good progress.Remember I said I sometimes convert all that to plastic using the paper parts for patterns ? From what I see I,ll just build the card-model . Keep on keeping on , very good so far . Will you have an opening for a ship captain when she,s finished ? I like what I see . papersurprise50

paint
 

GERT ,I usually use regular hardware store paint (spra on ALL the larger areas and TESTORS -" MODELMASTER " brand on the rest papersurprise50

Very nice build! This is quite a project, and you are doing a wonderful job with her.

Looking forward to your further updates when available!

Cheers!
Jim

Followers of this thread may like to know that I have just had a few more copies of the railings lasercut detail set prepared. Available via my internet shop www.zeistbouwplaten.nl

thanks Jim. Diderek your railings really do finish the model off well. Well worth the money.
on with the build next two pictures show the ship from the top. the third is showing the aft bulkhead to number five hold with the tunnel escape rising up and accessing into the steering flat and it's aft bulkhead with the frames to support transom and the spacing between acting as a rope locker.I added these bits on out of sequence to add a bit more support to this Stern part before adding on the shelter deck to the rest of the ship

Accurate, spectacular work!
I look forward to the sequel!
Joe