Italeri 1/35 " Barchino " Italian Explosive Motor Boat

[Dave Ward]

As my next build - a real oddity & rarity!

The model came with a booklet, with a history & photos of the real thing. Sadly the booklet hasn't survived & the box is so battered I nicked the boxart off Scalemates.
It's a simple model & I'll put sprue pictures up tomorrow.................................
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Sprue shot - no detail pictures, 'cos there ain't much detail!

A rather camp figure, just standing......................

Decals & photo etch - all those wingnuts!


Instructions are of the computer render type - I'd rather see iso line drawings..................

These explosive motor boats were used successfully by the Italian Navy in WWII. Their pilots must have been very brave men - their biggest success was the crippling of the heavy cruiser HMS York in Crete, which resulted in her having to be abandoned & scuttled. Unlike the similar Japanese Shinyo explosive motorboats they were not suicide craft, the pilot had a form of ejector seat/raft, with which he would escape after locking the controls on course. One thing I also found, was that were used by the fledgling Israeli Navy, to sink an Egyptian sloop in 1948!
Construction may be delayed, as my osteoarthritis has flared up, and single-handed modelmaking isn't to be recommended!
Dave

 

[JR]

Sorry to read of the osteoarthritis problem, certainly not the thing to have while attempting those wingnuts. They will be fun NOT .

 

[rtfoe]

I should have bought one of these when they were available at the LHS. Looks interesting Dave.

I am also experiencing arthritice on both the fingers in my hands. Every morning I struggle to close them. The index fingers are the most painful.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[boatman]

HI Dave i thought you was buildin that fire engine ? or is it done an i missed it ?
chris

 

[Dave Ward]

I should have bought one of these when they were available at the LHS. Looks interesting Dave.

I am also experiencing arthritice on both the fingers in my hands. Every morning I struggle to close them. The index fingers are the most painful.

Cheers,
Richard

Richard,
my sympathies - I'm lucky in that it's only in my right hand ( at the moment! ), so at least I have one hand for myself!
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

HI Dave i thought you was buildin that fire engine ? or is it done an i missed it ?
chris

Chris,
osteoarthritis in my right hand has flared up over the weekend, and stopped me from any benchtime - it's a matter of using ibuprofen gel to ease the pain & waiting until it goes away. There doesn't seem to be any trigger - it just happens occasionally . I can still use my left hand, but being right-handed, that isn't easy!
Dave

 

[boatman]

Chris,
osteoarthritis in my right hand has flared up over the weekend, and stopped me from any benchtime - it's a matter of using ibuprofen gel to ease the pain & waiting until it goes away. There doesn't seem to be any trigger - it just happens occasionally . I can still use my left hand, but being right-handed, that isn't easy!
Dave

OH SORRY to hear that Dave like Richard has then well we hope you both get better soon
ATB Chris an jen

 

[Dave Ward]

Time to actually start this - I've found a walk-round of a surviving Barchino....................

and a few other useful shots

Dave

 

[adt70hk]

Looks interesting Dave. Not heard of these before.

Hope the osteoarthritis is back under control.

ATB.

Andrew

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Hope your problems improve. Not good for a hobby like ours.
I've never heard of a Barchino. Will you model it on water?
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

Hi Dave
Hope your problems improve. Not good for a hobby like ours.
I've never heard of a Barchino. Will you model it on water?
Jim

I'm afraid it will be on it's stand - I did consider making it waterborne, but since the thing went at 30+ knots, it would be a real devil to depict, and I would have to source a pilot. Just showing it floating at a stationary waterline wouldn't be any better than putting it on it's stand
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

OK, plastic cut & glued!

There's the explosive to add ( depth charge? ), but that's it for the internals. It makes you wonder why Italeri added the framing - perhaps they intended to have a engine/ fuel tank, but didn't carry it through
Dave

 

[JR]

Good start Dave, looks ok.

 

[Dave Ward]

A bit more assembly:

I realise that I'm going to have to leave the front hatch removable, to show the explosive charge. With the hatch fitted it could just be an outdated power boat!
Dave

 

[Gern]

Looks like there was some variation in how the upper deck (?) was fitted. Maybe you won't need all those wingnuts?

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
Pretty straightforward so far. You'll definitely benefit from the leaving the hatch open.
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

After a really lazy weekend, a bit more work on this...............

Inside painted ivory, explosive charge olive grey. A bit of a dark wash to bring out the ribs & that'll do.

The wingnuts securing the hatches have doubling pates around them, so some strip cut up & placed where needed - no marks on the plastic, so it's purely by eye. Decals added to panel - a lot of trouble - the decals were obstinately non-stick & a lot of decal solution was used eventually to keep them in place - one went AWOL, and I haven't yet found it! I brush painted the bottom of the hull, and I'm almost tempted to mask & brush paint the rest I'll see how I feel about it tomorrow!
Dave

 

[JR]

Any idea what that metal frame is on the bow for Dave ?

 

[Dave Ward]

Any idea what that metal frame is on the bow for Dave ?

John,
I reckon it's part of the detonating mechanism - it would set the charge off, it it struck at an angle - but that's just a guess!
Dave