Miss America X

[Hector Bell]

Hi all, Just to show I'm not all RR stuff, here's a bit of "Shiny stuff" as Marc calls it.  A 1/8th scale model of Gar Wood's Miss America X speed and record boat. It had four Packard marine aero engines which were about 8 inches long each. All the superchargers, carburettors, plug wires, even Gar's two Teddy bears were in it. Now in Arty's Restaurant, Washington D.C.  Cheers, Hector

[marc_reusser]

Beautiful....thats the kind of "shiny stuff" I really like. If I ever lost my mind and decided to buy a boat, I would buy one of this type of old wooden ones.....the're just beuatiful.

Of course you are now just being mean, by posting what appears to be a stunning "must see" model, in a photo no larger than a postage stamp.  ........


Marc

[Hector Bell]

Marc, thanks for kind words.  I'd like to put on a bigger pic. shewing more of the old girl's innards, but I knew little of computers and care even less, so no explanations, please.  I don't have a scanner, so My big beautiful pictures of Miss America X and Miss Britain III and other classic boats don't live in this machine and how do I send big ones with a Kb limit?  If Rich has some and can get rounf his upload problems, I'd be eternally grateful to him for posting a few.  I'd no idea he still had them on his system.  I had them on the Mac I used to use before we took to the canals, but the Mac got thrown away a few weeks ago, because no-one wanted it and I already had the laptop.  Such is the cast-off world.  I might try digitally photographing the photos, then storing them, but then you'd be bombarde with pics!  Cheers, Hector
PS Excuse my apparently bad spelling, but if I backspace to correct on this forum the whole mail is lost and I can't risk that.  I also haven't worked out how to type in Word, save and paste into the forum.  I'm only a poor Win 98 user!

[Hector Bell]

Hey, thanks Rich, I don't even have those pictures any more!  Bless you.  Hope the forum-folk like them, Cheers, Hector

[mandersen]

Hector,

Packard engines are what powered PT boats in WW2.  I live near Arties, great food!

Mark

[Hector Bell]

Mark,  Did you see the models?  Baby Horace was there too.  Maybe the cast-off world has junked 'em already.  Who cares? I have pictures (thanks to Rich!) and memories and five grand in the bank (back then). That's the cold truth of doing it for a living.  I did Miss Britain for me though and enjoyed it all the more.

The teddy bears were to cover two last minute finger marks.  The air freight cases were open ready and I put muck on the seats. Doh!!  never were two teddies so quickly carved and painted, believe me.  DHL waits for no man!
Hector

[Hector Bell]

Did I mention Teddies?
Here they are.
Martin

[RoughboyModelworks]

It's a beautiful boat Martin... too bad the photo isn't larger to really do it justice. I'm not entirely convinced of the cute "Teddie" solution, but given the circumstances and severe time constraints, it was a simple solution, though as you say, they do tie in with the history of the vessel.

Paul

[Hector Bell]

Paul, The Grey Wolf of Alganac always carried the teddies with him, so they would have been in the boat and they were great fun to carve up in a hour or so.  The Fedex van was on its way to take the model to Fairfax, Virginia and I couldn't repaint in time using grotty Humbrol paints in time. 
The architect who commissioned the models was chuffed, so no harm done.

I thought I'd lost the picture, until Rich very kindly sent me back all the pics I'd sent him over the years.  Thank heavens he kept them!

Not sure why the picture is small.

Here's one of the engines.  I used rubber and resin to make four of 'em!  Ooh! that new technology crept in<G>

Cheers, Martin

[marc_reusser]

To reiterate my initial post. Beautiful.

Marc

[Hector Bell]

Thanks, Marc,
not weathered, of course, but I think the architect wanted "Shiney"!!

Currently considering a Greavette Streamliner as a Winter build.  Of course these things are always presented to the public like glass!
Also getting ready to do a 1/16th scale model for actual sailing of my old home, the Victorian cutter, "Vanity".

Cheers,
Martin