Features of the new technology

PLANT OTD PR Office

Let’s see what was offered to us by the author of the French longboat model.

The first issue of PSG-Modeler magazine, 2013

The first thing worth noting is the way the model is built. It is as close to building a real boat, as possible “on the table”, up to the need to remove the bevels from the details of the hull set. The construction of the hull was carried out on the slipway at keel position up.  

The development of the theoretical drawing was carried out in a professional shipbuilding’s software, which ensured sufficient (with excess!) accuracy of the developmented details. The correctly chosen prototype of the boat made it possible to minimize the drawback of paper technology – the inability to reproduce surfaces of double curvature.

Another innovation was the special design of frames built into special frames. This made it possible to use thin and fragile parts, which aren’t being implemented in not all models. Typically, the thickness of timbers on boat models does not fit the scale. Timbers were made over dimensions to ensure the strength of the parts as usual.

The use of colored paper as the main material, glued in 2-4 layers on many details, made it possible to achieve high realism in detailing and surface finishing of the model; paper can be processed with needle files and sandpaper.

Special mention deserves the use of steel wire for the “forging” of various shackles, hooks, eyes, strips and others. The wire from paper clips was chosen because of its similarity to real ship iron.

Rigging and sails have also been radically updated. The ropes were twisted in a rope making machine and had been wrapped out in a knitting machine (pardon me, I couldn’t find this word in the dictionary); glued construction was used for the sails, which made it possible to ensure their relief.

Summarizing this list, which could be continued more, I would like to note that the model really contains a lot of new technological techniques, which, as the author hopes, will benefit the model community.

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