CAT FROM SCRATCH

keymodelworld.com/article/cat-scratch

Assistant Editor Stu Fone scratch-builds a deck catapult base with Airfix’s new Phantom
in mind. Here’s how…

INTERMEDIATE BUILD

HMS ARK ROYAL DECK

An 892 NAS Phantom is readied for launch on HMS Ark Royal’s waist catapult, carrying
fuel tanks, empty triple ejector racks, and a single AIM-9 training round. Note the tracks
either side of the nosewheel; these are for the bridle-catcher cable. (National Museum of
the Royal Navy)

When Airfix announced a 1/72 Royal Navy Phantom FG.1, the question of a suitable base
arose. A catapult scenario (as in Key Publishing’s Scale Modelling: F-4 Phantom) seemed
ideal, but as no aftermarket was available I was asked to reproduce the base again, along
with scale drawings, for which my rarely utilised ‘O’ level Technical Drawing skills would
be put to the test.

During the research phase, it was realised there were several errors on my original build,
notably the aircraft lift position and size of the blast door warning stripes. Thanks to the
National Museum of the Royal Navy, I was graciously allowed access to the Fleet Air Arm
(FAA) museum’s archives, and this material helped finesse the accompanying 1/72 scale
plans (see gatefold).

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In the beginning

The technique explained here employs 1,200-grade Wet and Dry abrasive paper to
emulate the non-skid deck surface, but an alternative is to just paint the flight deck, then
apply the markings as described. While the lift, blast plate, catapult control position,
catapult trackways and aircraft loading chock lines must then be scribed, the only raised
detail would be the bridlecatcher trackway, but 10-thou (0.25mm) strip should be used
instead of 20-thou (0.5mm)… abrasive paper is approximately 10-thou (0.25mm) thick.

To simplify the base, cut-price 5mm styrene foam board (available from most art and craft
stores) was used, and this proved easy to cut, glue and paint.

LAUNCH PREP

Airfix’s Phantom required several minor changes

for a carrier launch, the most challenging being
the addition of a crew, which came from that
firm’s Vampire T.11. The F-4 ejection seat straps
were removed and the seat pans lowered;
combined with the legs, back and buttocks being
trimmed on the figures, this meant the helmet
(with rear ‘bumps’ removed) was just below the
firing handles. Due to the cockpit engineering,
the figures and seats must be added at Stage 7.
There were two external changes; removal of the
moulded hooks on Parts G11 and B12, and a hole to be drilled in readiness for 0.5mm wire
replacements (to which the catapult cable will be attached). Finally, a small hole was
required 3mm forward of the arrester hook hinge point for the hold-back cable.

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MAIN JBD DOORS

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Right JBD is mirror of left JBD.

JBD ‘PIT’

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With all materials assembled, where to begin? The flight deck comprised two sheets of 40-
thou (1mm) plastic card, kindly supplied by Little Cars (www.modellingtools.co.uk),
which were joined and a basic 250 x 350mm working area marked (a larger boundary was
kept at the bottom, as this helped when scribing/ cutting circles for the aircraft lift). While
the 1/72 drawings may appear daunting, everything is based around the blast-panel apex
(Point A). Note on this area of HMS Ark Royal’s deck, all markings are parallel to one of
the four datum lines; these being the ship’s centreline (lift and catapult control), landing
strip, bow and waist catapults.

Blast it

Work began by drawing the catapult line, blast plates and main JBD openings, before
moving to the waist catapult track and aircraft lift. The first cutting session removed the
main JBD coverings, before their outlines were transcribed onto 50mm squares of 20-
thou (0.5mm) styrene sheet for the doors and 40-thou (1mm) for the recessed ‘pits’.
Similarly, the two outer JBDs were measured and cut, before attention turned to creating
the detail from stock plastic card. For those seeking accuracy, the JBD ‘ribs’ are T-shaped;
here the ‘leg’ comprised 20-thou (0.5mm) wide styrene strip, topped by 1.5mm-wide 10-
thou (0.25mm) plastic (a simpler approach would just use 1.5mm wide block sections
instead).

IT’S ALL IN A DRAWING

The size of plans was constrained by the gatefold dimensions, combined with the desire to
fit into a basic 12 x 16in (300 x 400mm) picture frame, which obviated the need to build a
frame/surround. While much was gleaned from the FAA museum’s archive, there were
still areas for which little information was available, such as the interior of the port outer
jet blast deflector (JBD), so the design of the starboard unit was utilised. Key
measurements and angles are annotated on the drawings. Of interest, the dashed lines on
the main JBD ‘pit’ (see left) were intended to represent the actuator housings (modellers
can make them as deep as they wish), but this was before realising a hardwood liner was
needed. Notwithstanding Andy Hay’s superb digital rendition of the original drawings,
any errors or slight adjustments in measurements (the smallest increment I could cope
with was 0.25mm) are mine.

HEADING

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All the bits and pieces needed to construct a carrier deck base. Plastic card, styrene, wire,
elastic thread and abrasive paper were the main components, but the foam base (here
inserted into the picture frame) provided a good working platform.

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Work began by plotting the blast plate apex (arrowed), and then the catapult centreline,
before the basic 37mm x 42.5mm shapes were marked. The curved corners would be
traced with a compass.

Both large JBDs were marked on squares of plastic card, before full-length strips of
styrene were added for the base and ‘legs’ of the T-shaped ribs… additional pieces were
added for the raised section.

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Rib ‘T’ shapes were made from 1.5mm wide styrene strip, before 1mm-wide cross braces
were added. The large ‘cap’ (bottom) was secured with Superglue, to prevent any
shrinkage and distortion, before being shaped.

The completed unit was set aside to dry fully before the excess styrene was removed and
all sides and faces were sanded. The complexity of the JBD inner face is apparent even at
this stage.

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Construction of the JBD recesses was similar to the main plates, but at all times it was
remembered the outline was actually the inner dimension. Edging was formed from 1 x
4mm styrene strip.

Once this had dried, the subassemblies were sanded smooth, and ancillary fittings, such
as hinge attachment points, added. Originally, it was intended to replicate the latter’s
mechanisms, but a looming deadline meant this was omitted. Recessed areas then
received airbrushed matt black, before the JBD inner faces were sprayed with
Colourcoats’ M01 RN Light Weatherwork Grey (www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk). When dry,
the latter were weathered lightly with a dark brown oil wash. For the outer faces, Alclad’s
ALC- 112 Steel and ALC-113 Jet Exhaust replicated the heat-stained and blackened metal.
These were then set aside while attention turned to the deck fittings.

The chevron-shaped blast plates were cut from 10-thou (0.25mm) plastic card, and the
individual ‘planks’ scribed, before a 0.8mm hole was drilled for the holdback attachment
point (elastic would be threaded through this later). The catapult tracks (bow and waist)
were fashioned from 4mm-wide sections of the same plastic card, with care taken to
ensure a 0.5mm gap between the two; for the slightly raised bridle catcher tracks, lengths
of 2mm x 0.5mm strip then abutted the catapult track – ensuring these extended towards
the holdback point as in the drawings, before they were edged with 1mm-wide sections of
10-thou strip and 0.8mm holes drilled for the bridle catcher. After this had dried, the
raised track edges were rounded by scraping and sanding until the desired profile had
been achieved.

To ease assembly, the interior raised section of the recess was built separately. The two
cut-outs are for the JBD actuator arms, while the small rectangles are the ‘pads’ on which
the door rests when closed.

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Ensuring the second row of pads was vertical was a challenge, as the bottom of these was
on the angled section. Careful measuring, cutting, and sanding was required for the
correct angle.

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One key requirement was the need for lines to be at 90°, and the simplest method for
achieving this was to use a protractor. Here the centre points for the aircraft lift corners
are being marked.

Creating a small gap for the bridle catcher tracks was solved by running a scalpel blade
between the two pieces before the glue had dried.

MATERIALS USED

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300mm x 400mm picture frame 5mm plastic foam sheet (base) 40-thou (1mm) plastic
card (deck) 1,200-grade abrasive paper (deck surface) Various widths and thicknesses of
styrene strip (jet blast deflectors and raised catapult tracks) EZ line elastic thread (bridle
catcher cable) 0.5mm black beading elastic (catapult and hold-back cables) 0.5mm coated
wire (catapult and holdback cable hooks) 1mm Little Cars white lenses (catapult loading
lights) Colourcoats M02 RN Dark Deck Grey Contact adhesive (attaching abrasive paper
to deck and the latter to the foam base) Masking tape (loads!) Spare craft knife blades
Compass cutter

There were several curves to be replicated, either for engraving the aircraft lift edge, or for
cutting plastic card and abrasive paper. Olfa’s compass cutter was employed heavily
during this project.

The blast plate section was probably one of the most complex single pieces to create, due
to the stepped front edge. Numbering the individual planks helped to avoid any mistakes
at this stage.

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All plastic card additions were then airbrushed with Steel, before the blast plates received
Jet Exhaust and ALC-121 Burnt Iron, with heavier applications either side of the
centreline (depicting where an aircraft’s engines would have blasted the deck). Finally, the
catapult control position cover was cut from 10-thou (0.25mm) plastic card and glued to
the deck.

Behind the mask

For the abrasive paper covering, a photocopy of the drawings was made; this would act as
a test-fit and template, being destroyed gradually in the process. In readiness, four sheets
of 1,200- grade paper were sealed with matt varnish, before each received three light
applications of WEM CC M02 RN Dark Deck Grey (soon to be re-released under the
Colourcoats label). The photocopied plans were then divided into seven sections (with
markings as cut lines), each being checked against the deck before being placed on the
abrasive paper and cut with a scalpel and compass cutter. Modellers will need a stock of
spare blades, as, unsurprisingly, abrasive paper blunts these rather quickly. Two pieces of
decking required two 1.2mm holes for the catapult landing lights; these were created with
an RP Toolz punch-and-die set (www.rptoolz.com) and the lamps replicated with 1mm
Little Cars lenses (modellers just painting the deck will need to drill depressions for
these).

Once satisfied the sections would fit, these were covered painstakingly in masking tape for
the deck markings, and burnished heavily.

Once the deck construction had dried, the entire structure was primed with Mr. Surfacer
1000, before the raised structures received Alclad ALC-112 Steel. The blast plates then
received Jet Exhaust and Burnt Iron.

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A photocopy of the plans was sacrificed so the sections of abrasive paper could be cut,
after which they were masked for the deck markings… laborious, but necessary.

Rough shapes were cut into the foam base for the jet blast deflector recesses, along with
holes for the bridle catcher and hold-back cables.

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A quick and easy method for the deck marking curves was to mark an ‘X’ on masking tape,
ensuring the lines were at 90°, before cutting a circle to produce four corners (inner and
outer).

Badger’s Stynylrez SNR-01 White (www.barwellbodyworks-shop.com, also available as

Ultimate Primer fromwww.umpretail.com) was employed here, as this covered well and
dried quickly. Red sections (landing strip centreline and JBD warning stripes) required
yet more masking tape, before a custom mix of Vallejo 71.003 Red and 71.039 Hull Red
was applied. Each section was sprayed separately, before the masking was removed and
the abrasive paper secured to the deck with contact adhesive.

Once any paint over-runs and glue marks were corrected, the deck received minimal
weathering, with thinned Tamiya X-19 Smoke misted randomly, before Jet Exhaust and
Burnt Iron were added to areas bordering the blast plates.

Flight preparations

Adding the various subassemblies was a quick process, with the JDBs and their recesses
attached first, followed by the deck being secured to the foam base with contact adhesive.
Actuators were made from lengths of Albion Alloys’ 1mm, 0.8mm and 0.6mm tube,
secured with PVA glue. The various cables were fashioned from 0.25mm elastic thread
and 0.5mm beading elastic (available from art and craft stores), with small sections of
Albion’s 1mm tubing for the ‘collars’. A launch shuttle and hold-back point was fashioned
from scrap styrene, the latter with a groove for the cable to pass through. The bridle-
catcher cable was attached to the catapult collar with Superglue, before two lengths of
0.3mm copper wire (www.modellingtools.co.uk) were looped around it and then fed into
the bridle catcher attachment holes and secured with tape…just the loop should remain
above the deck-line. For the hold-back cable, this was looped through the collar in a
similar fashion to the catapult cable, then threaded through the attachment point, before

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being attached to the hook on the Phantom. Tweezers were then used to attach the
catapult cable hoops to the appropriate points on the aircraft, before the cable was
stretched over the launch cradle, completing the build.

NAUTICAL HISTORY

With the challenge of creating scale plans for this build, I was grateful for the assistance of
the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Museum (part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy), which
allowed me to research its archive plans and photographs.

For anyone modelling an FAA subject, a visit to the museum is well worth it, especially as
it’s currently commemorating 100 years of naval aviation. Exhibits in its four display halls
include most aircraft to have served with the FAA, the first Concorde, and a splendid
Aircraft Carrier Experience, enabling visitors to see what it’s like to work on a flight deck.

Fleet Air Arm Museum RNAS Yeovilton Ilchester Somerset BA22 8HT Tel: 01935
840565www.fleetairarm.com

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It was a necessary evil, but the chopped photocopied plans served a vital purpose;
checking everything would fit before the abrasive paper was cut. Here, slight
discrepancies were noted along the catapult track and aircraft lift.

The JBDs received Colourcoats’ M01 RN Light

Weatherwork Grey on the inner faces (Steel and
Jet Exhaust were applied to the exterior), while
the recesses were painted matt black.

After experimenting with wire alternatives, it

was realised elastic cables would be much
better, so lengths of 0.25mm and 0.5mm thread
were used to replicate the catapult and bridle-
catcher cable respectively, with a collar
fashioned from Albion Alloys’ 1mm brass tube.
The loops would attach to hooks on the
Phantom model.

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All that remained was to attach the blast doors before securing the deck to the foam base.
The cables and their copper wire restraints would be fed through the holes in the bridle-
catcher tracks and hold-back point.

As each section was painted, it was checked against the other deck pieces to ensure
correct alignment of the deck markings. Here the lift portion is being compared to those
already positioned.

Successful cat’ shot

From the outset, it was realised this would be a challenge, but it’s probably done more to
restore my modelling mojo than many recent projects, and work is already underway to
complete those areas bypassed due to deadline time constraints. While this was time-

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consuming, it was mainly measuring, then doing so again just to make sure, before
cutting; but once finished, it takes pride of place on the display shelf. If modellers haven’t
tried scratch-building, give it a go…it’s amazing what can be achieved!

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