# Wave Chief RFA tanker



## PJG1412

This going to be my next model 1 metre long. I am drawing the plans now, I have a few photos but if there are any out there, then please let me know.
See my post June 2008


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## OLD STRAWBERRY

Must be loads in the RFA Section of the gallery.


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## PJG1412

Well after being silent for 3 weeks the model has been started.
For the first time I used the the box method with balsa wood and plastic card, OK until you get to the bows which is not very good and not very successful and the stern was worse so adapted a transom which is not right but under the water it won't be noticeable.
I can't decide on what colour the deck should be, I know the deck outside my cabin was slatted and looks as if its grey(see photo) also how do I get a slatted deck, so I used plastic glass with score marks across it. The deck above the galley looks like it was black (see photo) and not railed, bit dangerous, but we were young !!! I have photos of a model in Malta and he used green.Commercial tankers tended to be red I think. Please any advice.(Thumb)
PJG


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## caledonia2006

For the Slats I would consider lime wood strips, in my Aberdeen Trawler which was 1/48 I used 0.5mm x 3mm but obviously you may need to adjust for your scale. See photo below. Sorry can't help with colours. 

Great work so far by the way.

Derek


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## OLD STRAWBERRY

The last of the first four pics was taken on the permanent Awning above the poop deck.


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## golfer8

Hi Pete fine set of photos she is coming along fine and at a good pace, is 
that you having a wee paddle in the Clyde speak soon.
Regards.
Allan.


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## PJG1412

Hi Allan yep me at 17 off Greenock in November, it snowed the next day. I must have said the wrong thing to the 2 cooks. Never notice the absense of handrails before. It was the first ship and despite seasickness I really enjoyed the experience. 
Pete


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## PJG1412

caledonia2006 said:


> For the Slats I would consider lime wood strips, in my Aberdeen Trawler which was 1/48 I used 0.5mm x 3mm but obviously you may need to adjust for your scale. See photo below. Sorry can't help with colours.
> 
> Great work so far by the way.
> 
> Derek


Derek 
Thanks but I think lines are very narrow, see photo.


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## caledonia2006

Maybe evergreen strips painted to look like wood, they come in very small sizes. What scale is the model? Derek


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## PJG1412

I eventually used pinstripe tape for the slatted deck and left them black. Rails are many and a large cost, so have started making from split bamboo, taken from a " place/table mat" this is very strong and very thin. (Purchased in Tiger)
PJG


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## golfer8

Hi Pete looking good,great idea for railings and deck look forward to your next
post ,still having problems with my keyboard so its a short reply.
Regards
Allan.


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## PJG1412

Update. 
Progress is being made slowly.
Thanks for you comment Allan.


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## PJG1412

Finished after 3 months, it needs some good ballast to get the water line OK, but unable to test on the water.
So now to the RC: 
Last year I left the Saturn 2.4Ghz Trans/Controller out in the rain overnight, I got it working again OK. But this year after so many hours try to get it to work with the Viper ESC 10 and 15, I gave in and ordered a new one, awaiting delivery. Meanwhile try with analog Futaba controller , every thing OK except and pretty important part I can't go full astern, not very easy to drive car without reverse.
Anybody any idea what I have done wrong, I think I have program it some how for the motor to go in one direction only or I have blown something. The servo works both ways, also have the motor has been changed several times.
Thanks Pete


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## caledonia2006

Afraid I know nothing about R.C. but must say you have produced a first class model, well done. Derek


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## PJG1412

I solved the RC problem, also because of the amount of ballast required I cut an inch off the bottom of the hull, and it now sits in the water quite nice. The Union Castle is the Pendennis which also had to have the hull reconstructed, I hope to have learn some thing from that. When they have so much ballast they are difficult to placing in the boating pond.
So this is the finished model.


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## golfer8

Hi Pete great set of photos of your fine workmanship, glad you solved the ballast problem all your work give me pleasure to look at.
All the very best 
Allan


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## King Ratt

That is a fine looking model you have built. I sailed in Wave Chief early 1974 great trip down to Uruguay Falkland Islands and Brazil. Good to see the old girl remembered by your skill.


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## PJG1412

Many thanks I hope to sail her soon on the pond at Basingstoke.


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## jg grant

Hi PJG #3
I don't know who the victim is with the obligatory ciggy for cool is but the guy on the left is Arthur McCartney from Plymouth and the guy on the right is Ronnie Grant from Leith. Both assistant cooks.


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## chadburn

PJG1412 said:


> I solved the RC problem, also because of the amount of ballast required I cut an inch off the bottom of the hull, and it now sits in the water quite nice. The Union Castle is the Pendennis which also had to have the hull reconstructed, I hope to have learn some thing from that. When they have so much ballast they are difficult to placing in the boating pond.
> So this is the finished model.


When you say "difficult to placing in the boating pond" how do you place them?, I use two fairly long car type 'V' drive belts to lift the model off the stand and lower it into the pond.


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## jg grant

Hello again PJ 7. Just read your earlier post. So you're the dude about to be baptised. So who took the picture?


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## PJG1412

Hi Jo, well there's a surprise, how do you know the names, because I don't remember. This was my first ship and I was messboy, and the crews mess was next to the galley, I got on well with these 2 guys, and they gave me support as a young greenhorn. Also i was seasick every time we went to sea for the 4 months I was on the Wave Chief, had no support from the Messman......I remember his name though !! We were in and out of port all the time, after that
no problems for next 3 years.
Pete


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## PJG1412

Hi Jg, to answer your question, I don't know who took the photo, it was my camera as I took more when we refuelling ammunition ship mid Atlantic. It was a good ship and I enjoyed it despite seasickness. Going on the Black Watch tomorrow crusing to Norway,expect to be ill first day, but hope not. Was ill on the QM2 and St Helena.
Regards Pete


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## jg grant

Hi Pete. Arthur and I were go ashore mates. That's me on the right. That trip we did the Iceland run to help out the RN as we have done for centuries. Did one trip on her in summer as far North as the growler belt of little icebergs and one in winter which was the scariest place I've ever been. Going into Scapa Flo we had a following tide and we were shipping greenies over the stern. There was four of us in the galley and we had water coming in everywhere including the smoke stack Which would be f/// knows how many feet above us. Could tell by the faces around me that nobody actually knew if we were going under or not. Have to hand it to the trawlermen but, they were magnificent. They'd come alongside and give us cod and we used to watch their ships disappear for ages in the swell and think they've gone this time then up they would come to disappear again. 
I wonder if the RFA still gets its crews from the pool or are they all dedicated RFA men.


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## jg grant

Correction. The summer trip was on the Wave Baron AKA the drunken Baron, can't remember why but picked up in Leith off the pool.


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## PJG1412

Ronnie, I see now, I was a little slow this morning, you were the one on the left. I have a feeling that because I smoked and came into the galley, and you possibly you didnt that's why the photo was taken. Joe Gunard(something like that)was my cabin mate and worked as galley boy.
I was not on her when she went North as you described. Big joe the donkey man use to get me special soap from the engine room to help scrub the mess room floor.
Pete
Ps I used the Plymouth pool.


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## jg grant

No Pete I am the one on the right holding your feet. The galley boy from memory was Maltese. I was building a kit set Fairey Swordsman on that trip. Gave it away somewhere. Still building model boats and graduated to R/C some years ago. Thing is I lose interest in the boats after they are built. It's the building that I enjoy. I have two models that have never had a wet bum. Promised to grandchildren when they're a bit older. Cheers mate.


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## PJG1412

Hi Ronnie. It's me again, wave Chief runs ok , so I built Hms Ajax to run alongside being refuelled see photo. 
Pete


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## PJG1412

Refueling at the Pond :
At last I was able to successfully sail both ships together held by a wire bracket, they looked pretty good. I didn't think it was going to work.
Just by coincidence a member of the club was on HMS Ajax
PJG


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## golfer8

Hi Pete GREAT photo they look magic together you are the boy to solve these wee
problems look forward to more posts.
Regards.
Allan


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