VERY Large Paddlers

[arrow5]

I wonder if the Forum has a space for a page on very large (manned) paddlers  such as the late Bill Wilkinson`s R.N. paddle tug "Cracker"?   I own a 31ft model of H.M.S. Invincible (1/24th scale) and have been trying to find other large models on the web. So far I have found ocean liners, tankers, motor torpedo boats, battleships, Edwardian warships etc but the only paddle boats are the American houseboats styled as sternwheelers which may not qualify as "models". (two pics from www.modelmania.btinternet.co.uk also Invincible)   Arrow5

[Eddy Matthews]

They are a fascinating branch of our hobby, but I don't really think there are enough of these super-scale models to justify a seperate message area, however, you're more than welcome to post about them in the "Chat" forum.

If there is enough interest we can always reconsider a seperate area later...

[arrow5]

Thanks Eddy, I was prompted to post here as I`ve been in contact with a chap in northwest USA who was planning a manned U.S. sternwheeler...name of TJ, is this the same TJ that posts here I wonder ?  My mind wanders when I see a good looking paddle-steamer, taking holidays in Germany I`ve had a few trips on the PS Ludwig Fessler( no longer steam alas but the linking railway is) on Lake Chiemsee and thought about that ship as a suitable subject. (details on www.chiemsee_schifffahrt.de/) I hope this forum will cover the many European paddle-ships that still operate.  Congratulations on the Forum.

[towboatjoe]

Here's a sternwheeler built back in the 70's. It was on display in the Ohio River museum in Marietta, Ohio, USA. Sorry for the bad photo, I grabbed the frame from an old video tape.

He removes the capstan and inserts a "T" bar to steer the boat.

Arrow5.... I'm not the tj who lives in the north west. I live in Kentucky a mid-atlantic state.

[arrow5]

That is the kind of thing I was sure someone would have done. Thanks for posting the pic. Any idea what happened to it ? Pity he couldnt sit inside it, I always think I kind of spoil the effect by having my head shoulders sticking up above the flight deck but there isnt much room below deck and not too many apertures to look out of.  Your handle isnt the TJ I thought was on the forum then ? Do you sign Towboatjoe or sometimes shorten it to TJ ?  Thanks again, Duncan.                                                              Later edit:  Oh dear , oh deary me.....the "senile" post somewhere applies here, how do I make Towboatjoe out of PJ. Thats what I get for living so near the distilleries, shoorlie shum mishtake ! Maybe the old/bold pilot is sitting watching me squirm....speak up TJ....no thats PJ.

[towboatjoe]

Just now and then do I sign tj. Most of the guys that reply to me call me tj. The model may still be at the river museum. I think the man who built it passed away and the model is almosy 20 feet long. he built the model exactly as a real one would have been built. There's over 8,000 bolts in the wheel. I think he may have worked at an inland shipyard when he was young. It is superbly detailed. Here's a photo of my daughter standing next to it a few years back. I wish I had taked photos instead video then.

[arrow5]

Thanks TJ, Interesting photos, I`ll chase them up. Duncan.

[thewharfonline]

Hmmm i still think the "goolwa" scale model of the steamer Captain Sturt is the biggest as its 3/4 scale and you can walk and drive and have more than one person on it. They just decided to forget the model and make it there own steamer...but it is known as a model!

[towboatjoe]

Back in the late 40's and 50's  motion picture studios that did war pictures hired modelers to build r/c models as big as 50 feet for them to blow up and burn. I remember seeing a picture of a guy standing on a battleship once with his legs spread apart straddling a gun turrent.

[mjt60a]

.... i still think the "goolwa" scale model of the steamer Captain Sturt is the biggest as its 3/4 scale ....

I saw on that 'Fred Dibnah's made in Britain' programme about two weeks ago that there's a 3/4 scale model of the Charlotte Dundas...
Off the subject of paddlers (but on Movies) I read somewhere that for 'Raise the Titannic', they built a 1/4 scale model - complete with simulated corrosion (this was before the actual condition of the ship was known...)

[T.J.]

Hey Guys, How do you get the pictures. I put the curser on the jpg but nothing happens. i'm the T.J. from Canada. I'm hoping to build a one man replica of the Souther Belle. or something similur to the boat on google called Showboat. Anybody know if anyone has ever built one of them. Thanks T.J. If I can ever figure out how to post pictures,I have some pictures of a collection of battleships called the Friendship fleet as well as a chap in Michigan that has a scale one man PT-109.

[towboatjoe]

Try right clicking your mouse on the picture and a popup should appear where you can choose "save target as" and you should be able to save the picture to your hard drive.

Towboat

[T.J.]

O.K. you got me buffaloed. I put my curser on the jpg...pictures etc pioneer1.jpg and can't seem to get anything. I go to the photo gallery and it says there's what 600 pictures and I can only get the 12 that show up ?? Am i thick or am I missing something.

[Barrie]

TJ

You have to login again to access the Gallery Pictures - it had me fooled for a while as I never log out of the forum, but the gallery seems to be different!

Barrie

[T.J.]

BINGO!!!!! Boy do I ever feel like a jerk .Thanks Barrie. Now if I could only get the jpg thing working. Thanks again. T.J.