Thread: Stephenson's Rocket

Originally Posted by fletty

Hi Keith,
Here’s a link that I saved some years ago while researching RAAF squadrons that might be of interest to you.

The Forgotten Bomber: The Martin A-30 Baltimore | HistoryNet

I think your Dad might have been ‘involved’ ?

fletty

Hi Fletty,

Yes dad was involved. That was his Squadron (454) Dad was the pilot - all his crew were knocked unconscious but he was fortunate not to be (I am fortunate too) and returned with one engine shot out and tyre blew out on landing. They counted 187 holes in his aircraft - very lucky. I am fortunate to have his Log Book that recounts this terrible ordeal.

Regards

Keith

Originally Posted by Keith_1

Hi Fletty,

Yes dad was involved. That was his Squadron (454) Dad was the pilot - all his crew were knocked unconscious but he was fortunate not to be (I am fortunate too) and returned with one engine shot out and tyre blew out on landing. They counted 187 holes in his aircraft - very lucky. I am fortunate to have his Log Book that recounts this terrible ordeal.

Regards

Keith

When I hear things like this and read my father’s own flying log, I am reminded that after he had done 40 operations at night over Europe and then a further 80 against the Japanese over India and Burma, he was still only 22 years of age! We should compare our fathers’ log books to see which missions they were both on with 466 (Halifax) Squadron?

fletty

Yes - Agree Alan - I reckon all those young people were heoes. Will get out dad's Log Book

Hi All,

Well I have finished my construction and assembly phase of the Rocket Locomotive.

The photos i have taken today were inside my shed because the weather is pretty bad

They show the assembled loco, the drive mechanism, the coupling and join of the water feed pipe and the rear of the tender.

Now onto the paintwork. Unlike the Stirling Single - I am not going to dismantle everything all at once. There are too many components. I will dismantle as I go.

The first thing I am going to paint is the tender and the "wine barrel" water tank.

(problem with first photo so re-installed)

Regards

Keith

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Well done.
Looks great, even in manufactures grey undercoat - either that or my images are showing in black and white.
Just shows how far we have come both in steam engines and railways.

While in 2018 yellow would be considered a visible safety color, the railways pretty much settled on black for their steam engines as they did not show the dirt as much and cost saving in cleaning.
Hope the shed has some heating while you bring Rocket to life with colour.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Well done.
Looks great, even in manufactures grey undercoat - either that or my images are showing in black and white.
Just shows how far we have come both in steam engines and railways.

While in 2018 yellow would be considered a visible safety color, the railways pretty much settled on black for their steam engines as they did not show the dirt as much and cost saving in cleaning.
Hope the shed has some heating while you bring Rocket to life with colour.

Yes - I have a heater in the shed Kevin, only 9 degrees today.

I have placed the tank between centres in my wood lathe to allow for easier painting.

I found that Taubman's Naples Gold was the nearest to the prototype colour of the Rocket. Will need lots of coats to ensure I cannot detect the primer grey beneath the yellow. Will be a very long paint job I think.

Regards

Keith


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Looking great and you painted the lathe to match.

Looks like you have highlighted the lettering on the lathe either that or you did a lot of masking up before painting.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

Looks like you have highlighted the lettering on the lathe either that or you did a lot of masking up before painting.

Thanks guys

Yes lots of masking of the Woodfast name

Regards

Keith

Hi All,

Well, this painting caper is not one of my favourite pastimes, but it has to be done. As I said previously - the grey primer and the yellow of the "Rocket" are not good partners. It takes 9 coats to get a finish that I am happy with so there is no hint of the primer

I decided that I would use an acrylic pen to get the outlines of my steel bands on the "barrel" water tank. I could not use my metal lathe because the barrel is too large in diameter. What I did was pull my wood lathe toll post apart and then machined up a new post that will fit the base of the tool post. I then made up a holder that I can insert and clamp the paint pen into. The paint pen lines become the outer lines that I paint up to by hand.
The hand painting was done with the "barrel" between centres. Quite nerve wracking

Anyway - here is what I am up to. It's going to be a very long painting experience I think.

Regards

Keith

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Your more than equal to the task keith

Love your marking jig!!!
I can't draw a straight line so I for sure can't paint one, I just wouldn't have the nerves to paint a model, that why all mine are a choice a different woods.
Yours always turn out top rate so keep it up and maybe a nerve pill would help?

Looking great Keith but I feel there is something missing and that is a nice yellow carriage especially after I just watched this little video.

Derek,

I agree with you. It is tempting - so VERY, VERY tempting. The big issue is whether I can get enough detail to do the carriage justice. I will google around to see what I can come up with. Maybe I can get screen captures off your video to assist.

Looking at the video - hope I haven't done the water tank in the wrong colour

Thanks

(Fletty - did you get any extra photos of the carriage on your visit)

Dad's Baltimore might have to wait

Regards

Keith

Originally Posted by Keith_1

(Fletty - did you get any extra photos of the carriage on your visit)

Hi Keith,
I’ve just done a quick search and I have about a dozen pics of the carriage, mostly overall views but a couple of closeups of the running gear? I’ll send them through.