Nautical Research Journal
Scratch building a 1:48-scale Flower-class corvette on a Fleetscale hull, Part 5: The wheelhouse and bridge
By Bruce LeCren
HMCS Chicoutimi will now receive the fi nal structures: wheelhouse, radio room, radar, and bridge. All steel structures were simulated with Evergreen styrene plastic sheets and shapes. I used Tamiya acrylic paints, primarily fl at White on vertical surfaces with Gunship Grey decks, and Sea Grey or semi-gloss black structural details. Wooden parts were built up from 1/64-inch model aircraſt plywood and ‘O’ gauge (1:48) scale lumber from the model railroad hobby shop. I fi nished these with Vermont Maple semi-transparent wood stain
covered with clear orange paint. Gluing was styrene cement, cyanoacrylate, or epoxy depending on the application, while the wood parts were assembled with Titebond III.
T e wheelhouse and radio room
T e wheelhouse sits on top of the mid-ship house built in Part 2. It was furnished with a chart table, settee, and the ship’s wheel and telegraph. T e wheel operated a telemotor with rudder position indicator controlling a steam steering engine in the tiller fl at. T ere was no compass. Gyro compasses were not available in quantity in 1940 so Chicoutimi and the other fi ſt y-three original Canadian corvettes went to sea with a single magnetic compass binnacle mounted in a compass house on the bridge. Steering commands were transmitted from the bridge via voice pipe.
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96. T e wheelhouse structure ready for interior details and fi nishing. T e beams holding up the aſt platform support the radar.
98. T e radio equipment installed. T e black box on the right is the LF transmitter.
97. T e radio equipment, r-l: MF transmitter, MF/DF receiver, MF receiver, LF receiver. T e speakers are modifi ed antique model car headlights.
99. T e fi nished structure ready to be installed on the ship.
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