Building Midwest Products' Chesapeake Bay Flattie Ship Model Kit

Chesapeake Bay Flattie Ship Model Kit Project Moves Ahead
Skeleton of Midwest Products Kit Takes Shape
Entry-level Kit is Great Place to Start Ship Model Building

Adding Chine Strips to the Chesapeake Bay Flattie

Next up in our construction of the Midwest Products Chesapeake Bay Flattie ship model kit is to create a supporting surface for the bottom and side planks by adding keel and chine strips.

The keel strips lie along the keel to keep the bottom planking from sagging between the bulkheads.

The chine strips run along the edge where the bottom and sides of the boat meet. The Chesapeake Bay Flattie is considered a "hard chine" boat due to the acute angle at which the side and bottom planking meets. The chine "logs" on a boat like this provide strength to the hull as well.

Click on the links below to visit each previous stage of construction:
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Introduction
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 1, Keel and Bulkhead assembly
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 2, Deck Assembly
Chesapeake Bay Flattie Kit: Chapter 3, Mast Steps and Bow Stiffeners

Free Ship Plans of Fletcher-class World War II Destroyer USS Capps

Fletcher-class Destroyer U.S.S. Capps

Saw World War II Service in Atlantic and Pacific Theaters

Then Went on to Long Career in Spanish Navy as Lepanto

Fletcher-class destroyer USS Caps during service for Spain as Lepanto

U.S. Navy Fletcher-class destroyer U.S.S. Capps (DD-550), built by Gulf Shipbuilding Corp. in Chickasaw, Alabama, was launched in May 1942 and commissioned in June 1943.
A member of the Fletcher class, the largest class of destroyers built during World War II, she served in a number of operations in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of operation during World War II including raids on German ports, escort duty, and the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
After being decommissioned by the U.S. Navy, she was transferred to the Spanish Navy, where she served until 1985 as Lepanto.
Our USS Capps Plans Page features plans of each of her decks, inboard and outboard profiles, sections, and body plans perfect for model ship construction.

Free Ship Plans USCG Cutter Acushnet Former USS Shackle

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet serves 67 year career

That began as U.S. Navy salvage vessel USS Shackle

Decommissioned in 2011, she was the only World War II vintage vessel still in Coast Guard service

USCG Cutter Acushnet/USS Shackle

U.S. Coast Guard cutter Acushnet's long career began during World War II as U.S. Navy salvage ship USS Shackle (ARS-9). After joining the Coast Guard, she served as a tug, oceanographic research vessel, and medium-endurance cutter. 

With the attack on Pearl Harbor, navy shipyards were suddenly hard-pressed to build all the new vessels that would be required for the war effort. The U.S. Navy turned to the U.S. Maritime Commission to contract many of the attack transports, oilers, and other auxiliary ships it needed, such as salvage ships.

Outboard profile USCG Cutter Acushnet

While the first task of salvage ships was to clear the damaged ships in Pearl Harbor, duties went beyond dealing with destroyed or sunken ships to any repair tasks beyond the scope of a ship's crew, such as fire-fighting or towing disabled craft. The Navy used every resource possible – both military and commercial salvage company - in the design of what would be named the Diver class salvage vessel to which Shackle/Acushnet belongs. Her keel was laid in October 1942 at the Basalt Rock Company shipyard located on the Napa River, and she was launched February 1944. This shipyard constructed all 16 Diver class salvage ships.

 U.S.C.G. cutter Acushnet/U.S.S. Shackle has great lines and would make for a great ship model, built from the free ship plans available at TheModelShipwright.com