The Enemy Below - June 13, 2020

As I told my brother, the rigging confusion ended up OK despite the fiddly work required.  Looking at the completed rigging, it looks as confusing as the photos I was researching, so - Mission Accomplished!

I also continued the starboard railing installation.  so enough chatter let's see some pics...

A bit of a challenge was applying the flag decal to a "halyard".  A very clear photo I found showed the halyard location.  Being an "interior" piece of rigging aft of the mast I had to do this first.

Attached at the yard now to tie off at the base and keep that wind blown curve in the halyard.

I completed the mast rigging aft of the stack as best I could to equal the support fore of the mast and also took some thread, tied some knots and attached to simulate davit tie offs.  

I am jumping ahead a bit here to show the previous pic ties attached to the davits,  but this followed a decision process on how to complete the davits and attachment of the "Lifeboat".  Based on my research I believe the DEs carried a typical 26 ft. motor powered "Whaleboat" which accomodated 22 men.  Which is why there are several life rafts etc. also on board.

Here are the davits and boat on the kit sprue.  You can see the pins and receiving holes for attaching the boat to the davits - no detail in that!!!

The Tom's Model PE includes the falls and ropes to be used to mount the boat.  You also will notice the keel/rudder/tiller PE to be added to the boat.  There is even a teeny, tiny prop!

PE attached to the boat while still on the sprue.  I also painted the boat while still on the sprue.  Photos and movie footage shows the boat as white with a black hull.  The interior was less defined.

This photo shows the completion of rigging and railings awaiting the addition of the Whaleboat.  Note the PE mounting "hardware"in the foreground- aft.

I was a little concerned about my choice to attached the PE boat rigging to the boat, but....

.....I was able to support the boat at the exact height I needed to line up the PE to the davits and hit it with drops of Loctite Gel.

Success.  The attachment is nice and tight.  Next with be work on the diorama.  

Stand by - That is 

All!