Latest Builds
HNLMS Evertsen
HNLMS Evertsen was one fo 8 Dutch Navy Admiralen class destroyers built between the wars and mainly deployed in the Indonesian colonies. Their design was based upon the Royal Navy destroyer prototype HMS Ambuscade that led to the “A” through “I” class destroyers.
Evertsen was supposed to leave Tjilijap with the USS Houston and HMAS Perth but was unable to prpoceed due to problems with her boilers. She did leave approximately 2 hours later and witnessed the gun flashes from Perth and Houston’s final battle. Her captain tried to sneak past the Japanese forces but was discovered and sustained extenxive damage. Her captain chose to run her aground to try and save as many of her crew as possible. After running aground she was further damaged by the Japanese force that resulted in blowing her stern off.
This model has been presented to the HMAS Perth (I) Memorial and takes its place with the models of HMAS Perth (I), USS Houston, HMS Exeter, HNLMS Java and HNLMS De Ruyter.
NS Savannah
NS (Nuclear Ship) Savannah
Savannah was launched in 1959 and sailed on her maiden voyage in 1962. She was named after SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic ocean.
I personnaly think she was an amazing looking ship and lived up to the futuiristic hopes that her builders had for her!! Just think how much pollution could have been reduced if every merchant ship had been nuclear powered? One small reactor being replaced every 25 (ish) years!
However, her career was short lived due to two problems. The most damaging one was that the world was scared stiff of a nuclear accident that would see a port devestated. The second was that she was neither all cargo or all passenger that negatively impacted on her ability to turn a profit due to the fact that at the time of her withdrawal from service oil was very cheap. However, shortly after she was taken out of service, oil had quadrupled in price and she would have been very cost effective. She also suffered from bad press throughout her career, for example, a union dispute led to her reactor being shut down, but this was reported as a near run reactor melt-down. In 1965 she was converted to all cargo carrying which continued until her de-activation in 1971.
Building her was a nightmare! The plans I had were really poorly drawn, with very little detail and the majority of the build was thanks to photographs. Unfortunately, the people who took the many and varied photos didn’t understand the use of the focus button!! So many really great photos of the many things I needed to view were way out of focus!! The main problem area was the derrick wires and where they were anchored and which winches they were attached to.THe other really sticky problem was regarding the lifeboat structures around the bridge. One of the other challenges was regarding the enormous overhang of the deck edge near the bow. getting the balsa wood to behave itself was a whole lot of fun!! My final gripe is regarding the number of times I smashed various parts of her due to her base being overly large and getting in the way of my hand as I reached for something on my desk!!! :-(
Having said all of that, I really enjoy looking at her in her completed form.
