The Zaphir & the Abbas

[Ochoin]

I found my scratch built Nile paddle wheeler gave the Anglo-Egyptians too much power in my Mahdist War games.

So I built a slightly different version for the Dervish to even things up:






donald

[Bluefalchion]

Looks good. Did the Dervish have paddle wheelers?

[Ochoin]

Looks good. Did the Dervish have paddle wheelers?

Yes. They captured a bunch from Gordon when Khartoum fell & several simply went over to the Mahdi (the crews in the early period were usually Sudanese) before & after.

I would like to build some dhows & give the Abbas back to the British though. I'm still trying to work out how to build a dhow as curves are harder to do than straight lines.

donald

[Bluefalchion]

I thought about the story of "Chinese" Gordon, and whether any of his riverboats had been captured when Karthoum fell. Gordon was ordered by the British PM to visit, assess rge situation, and report back. He disobeyed those orders almost completely!

[Beano Boy]

This dhow from 1833 certainly had fire-power and similar craft could have been around at the time of the 1880`s .



I managed to find more drawings of lesser dhows but do not wish to highjack your topic. Most certainly a tutorial would be very interesting if you yourself construct a few. I realise your need for flat bottom boats too.

Nice armed paddle steamers by the way Donald. BB

[Ochoin]

I thought about the story of "Chinese" Gordon, and whether any of his riverboats had been captured when Karthoum fell. Gordon was ordered by the British PM to visit, assess rge situation, and report back. He disobeyed those orders almost completely!

He's a fascinating character. Obviously, a man with flaws but in many ways superior to the cardboard cut-out "heroes" the Victorians idolised.

Read up on Redvers Buller or Frederick Burnaby (if you haven't already) for some fairly unpleasant chaps who were revered at the time.

donald

[Ochoin]

This dhow from 1833 certainly had fire-power and similar craft could have been around at the time of the 1880`s .



I managed to find more drawings of lesser dhows but do not wish to highjack your topic. Most certainly a tutorial would be very interesting if you yourself construct a few. I realise your need for flat bottom boats too.

Nice armed paddle steamers by the way Donald. BB

Thank you. The problem is the curvey nature of such vessels. My paddle wheelers are (obviously) simplified & a little toy-like but fairly straightforward in terms of cutting out the shapes needed.

A waterline hull for a dhow if given perpendicular, boxey, sides would look at best hopelessly toy-like or at worst, ridiculous.

There *will* be a solution to this: I just haven't thought it out yet.

donald

[Michael Robert]

Ochoin,
the solution to your proble would be to check the method of carving from expanded Polystyrene. They, Mr Cryns and Kostis, have made a bunch a beautiful old boats. With the help of Beano's drawings you could do the same for the flat-bottomed dhows. Just an idea
I do houses and castles and since I learned the method at Arnhem workshop am rather fond.
Greetings

Michael

[Ochoin]

Hello, Michael,

I've been using the medium density foam in terrain making for a while now. As a material, it's wonderful to work with & I did think about using if for the dhows.

I think I'd need to acquire a foam cutter, though. This gives the necessary precision you'd need for a boat model?

donald

[Michael Robert]

Yes Ochoin,
a highly affuted (?) or "cutting" cutter is essential, and also the foam density.
Look at the tutorials about boats and foam carving. I couldn't do it better. Personally, I have only made houses and now I've started a castle. I grow by doing just like everybody here. The carving process allows for curved shapes and then even to give texture.
Good tries to you
Greetings