Alvanir - AMAZONAS

[Paulrjordan]

Hi Alvanir ..

I'm sure you read about Christian's success in locating the GE plans
in Greenwich. You were asking me a number of weeks ago about plans
sources for "AMAZONAS" (a sidewheel transition vessel of the same era)
It occurs to me that, as she was a British built vessel, her plans
must ALSO reside at the Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

Have you contacted them about this yet?

PJ

[Alvanir B de Calvanho]

Hi there, Paul,

Thank you for your kind interess on our local affairs. Yes, I have seen the notes that Christiann wrote about the British Greenwich Museum - which I have visited, some years ago. I have no doubt that they might have the plans for the frigate Amazonas. However, I am not going to contact them about this.

Fact is: I am not quite concerned about looking for those plans, for I am not interested in building that model. All that I did was to try to supply one of my colleagues from Pernambuco with some informations that he could use in building a static model more or less identical to that one found at the Brazilian Naval and Oceanographic Museum.

Having the Harriet Lane building plans as a primary source, I took photos of the model at the Brazilian Museum, also took its measurements and, after four weeks of work, I made out the necessary arrangements that resulted in an acceptable (under my own judgement) building plans for the Amazonas.

As I was making the drawings, I also prepared a sort of "explannatory manual" that anyone willing to build a model as described by me could use. Well! That "manual" alone, which also describes the situation of the Brazilian Navy at the time of the war against Paraguay, occupies 90 (Yes, ninety) typed pages, full with photos and assorted drawings - an average of 1.2 photos or drawings per page.

Well! After all that effort, my colleague from Pernambuco has changed his mind and is no longer willing to build that model.

I could'n care less about my colleague's abandonning the project. What amazed myself was the fact that I got so much involved in it so as to take so much time dedicated to it. I was worth the effort for, from now on, if any other Brazilian modeller wants to build that model, the informations are ready, and I have acquired quite a lot of new information to my own personal learning.

I should also mention that, as a result of all that, I have also met your group. The only disappoint fact is that, even today, I am not able to be accepted by Yahoo to the Paddleducks group, reason why I cannot see the photos that everybody puts in there. However, I do enjoy reading the mails.

Sincerely yours

Alvanir

[Paulrjordan]

Dear Alvanir:

Your friend is missing out on a beautifuk looking paddle ship by not
making her now. It occurred to me that you have made so many plans
for Brazilian modelers, have you thought of putting these on a
database and putting them on the net. I am currently prepearing a
database of Paddlewheeler plans which I'd like to put on here so
people who are researching may be able to locate plans quicker.

Now for accessing those files again....you MAY have to obtain a new
Yahoo! groups ID. I believe you tried the OPENPADDLEDUCKS (password
currently is DECOY2001)... if this works for you, then you need a new
Yahoo ID. I can try setting you up with a new one through the
Canadian Server here if you wish. Once you can access the file
server, you can even set up your own database of "Brazil" plans.
it's very easy to do on the Yahoo database template they provide. Let
me know since you told me you have 400 sets of plans!!! What I find
fascinating is that you obtained the famous Canadian sternwheeler
"Moyie of Vancouver" plans which Edmar built and of which we ALSO have
a model in our club originally built in balsa in 1961 and STILL GOING
STRONG!!

So even after after four weeks of work, I'm sure the "Amazonas" plans
will not go to waste as I am going to open a file for her along with
the pictures you sent me of the model..so if anyone comes along in the
future, they will have a resource. "Amazonas" is a beautiful
transition sidewheeler and this got me interested in researching the
US CIVIL WAR River Gunboat Paddlers..of which here were MANY!!!
Naval/Military combat paddleships is a whole fascinating area.

> As I was making the drawings, I also prepared a sort of
>"explannatory manual" that anyone willing to build a model as
>described by me could use. Well! That "manual" alone, which also
>describes the situation of the Brazilian Navy at the time of the war
>against Paraguay, occupies 90 (Yes, ninety) typed pages, full with
>photos and assorted drawings - an average of 1.2 photos or drawings
>per page.

This is maybe a work which should be published !

>Well! After all that effort, my colleague from Pernambuco has
>changed his mind and is no longer willing to build that model.
>I could'n care less about my colleague's abandonning the project.
>What amazed myself was the fact that I got so much involved in it so
>as to take so much time dedicated to it. I was worth the effort for,
>from now on, if any other Brazilian modeller wants to build that
>model, the informations are ready, and I have acquired quite a lot of
>new information to my own personal learning.

You have indeed created a legacy for "Amazonas" and somebody will
eventually build a fine model of her from your plans and material.

In the meanwhile please tell us what model project YOU are currently
involved in? a Paddler???

Thank you again for the email and pictures you sent

PJ