M.S. Calabar/Semiramis

[mrshanks]

Awesome job from scratch. Bob thinks modelers only build warships. LOL

 

[shipbuilder]

I am revising my ideas now! I am amazed to find 3,208 merchant ship enthusiasts and ship modellers on my Facebook group, many of who are very active! So - things are looking up at last!
Bob

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Launched. Now the real fun begins, masts, rigging, vents, rail girders, davits, stairs and so on. Not perfect, but I'm happy with the work done.

 

[shipbuilder]

Great progress! - I find the fitting out of the fine detail is the most interesting part, and every piece you add will make it look even better - Bob

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Well, this self quarantine gives me no other option than Semiramis, music, movies... Attached vents, stairs, anchor windlass, winches, masts and so on. Maybe vents are a little big, but they are fantastic stuff. Not expensive if you think that are manufactured on request in a 3D printer. But they should be about 70cm wide in real life, except the four of engine room, more or less 105 cm wide. Maybe not too big, considering that engine vents for a WWll corvette are more than a meter wide. Stairs are all cardboard, cheap and easier to work than photo etch pieces. windlass and winches homemade, doing research. Now must be added cranes, boats, antennae, rigging, etc.

 

[shipbuilder]

It is looking really good. The main thing when considering something like this is to forget the thought that "I could never do that!" More often than not, most people could do it if they would just try!
Bob

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Forecastle finished, the first part of the ship completed. Also added four boats, the other two will be added later, as they are located in stern, one of the major modifications from former Calabar. Happy to finish a part of the ship today, April 2nd, 66th anniversary of "Semíramis" arrival to Barcelona harbour.

 

[Stabsveterinar]

More things added. First, the bridge has been enlarged, after studying several 1954 photos. Better now, before it was something like a dog´s house. Added cranes and more rigging. Also several antennas and girders. A lot of work still to do, mostly the boat davits, stern girders and some details like watertanks and one small vent. The davits and watertanks are in proccess, in the case of davits, several 1 mm Evergreen pieces glued together and bent by pure, brute force. Waiting for fine adjustment and sanding.

 

[shipbuilder]

Excellent build - Even curtains in the windows!
Bob

 

[Jimsky]

Excellent build - Even curtains in the windows!
Bob

Truly great build...a balm for Bob (@shipbuilder)

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Thanks for your comments, they are greatly appreciated!

In these sad times one depends on internet to get supplies. As I have run out of liquid poly cement, I can´t complete the two stern lifeboats and their davits. So, here you have Semiramis at 98 per cent. Only the two boats and overall matt varnish still to do.

 

[shipbuilder]

Very nice build - You could probably get your glue online, that is where I get most of my materials from these days.
Bob

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Very nice build - You could probably get your glue online, that is where I get most of my materials from these days.
Bob

Thanks, Bob. Without your help this model would have never been possible! In fact, glue, new brushes, blades and some paints are ordered. I can´t finish the two remaining boats without liquid cement, as they wear a very thin evergreen cover to imitate wood.

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Finished. Not bad for being my first scratch building project, except vents, ladders, stairs, propeller and the basic of the lifeboats. I have learnt a lot during the building proccess. In fact, now I´m seriously considering scratchbuilding spanish heavy cruiser Baleares!

MV Semiramis model is dedicated to the 286 compatriots that returned to Spain from former USSR aboard it. On March, 25th, 1954, they embarked in Odessa. On April 2nd, they arrived to Barcelona harbour. They were:

219 Blue Division POW (Blue Division was Wehrmacht Infanterie Division 250, formed with spanish volunteers).
7 Blue Legion POW (Blue Legion was the regimental sized unit that substituted Blue Division from October 1943 to April 1944).
1 Blue Squadron pilot POW (Blue Squadron was formed with spanish volunteer pilots enlisted in german Luftwaffe).
21 Other spanish POW (from other german units, mainly Waffen SS).
12 Spanish pilots from former Republican Air Forces. Being trained in the USSR, their training program was cancelled in 1938 and all of them who refused soviet nationality or tried to abandon USSR were interned in Gulags.
19 Spanish seamen from spanish merchant navy, interned in the USSR during Spanish Civil War as their ships were decommised by soviet authorities.
3 Spanish civil prisoners.
4 War kids, spanish kids sent to the USSR during the Spanish Civil War.

Below, you have a link with the spanish NO-DO of that day:

https://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/documentales-b-n/regreso-patria/2847640/

This model is dedicated to all of them...

 

[shipbuilder]

Very nice build. This type of ship tends to generate enthusiasm to build more, and improve on one's techniques with each new build.

 

[Uwek]

Congratulation for finishing this interesting project !!!

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Congratulation for finishing this interesting project !!!

Thanks, Uwek! In fact, this would have never been possible without @shipbuilder help!

 

[Uwek]

Hallo @Stabsveterinar ,
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

[Stabsveterinar]

Hallo @Stabsveterinar ,
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Thanks, Uwek!

 

[meem]

i love that model but can someone find cutaway of Calabar?