Valdivia
by Pat Matthews

1/20 Valdivia (Robbe)

OK, she's not your common steel warship... but "Valdivia" did serve for a few years in the Swedish Navy, so here she is!

Launched as a private yacht named "Vanadis" in 1868, she passed through multiple owners. This includes the period 1897 to 1914 in the Swedish Navy, where she did courier service, smuggler interdiction, and probably party duty for officers. With a design based on the fast Grand Banks fishing schooners, she was a good choice for jobs requiring speed.

After several other changes of ownership, she was brought to Germany in 1956 and renamed "Valdivia". From 1978-81, she was restored as a museum ship in Flensburg, and it's this period that Robbe chose to represent. She has since been sold back into private hands, renamed "Vanadis", and repainted white.

The 1/20 Robbe kit is high end with lots of parts, but even then construction is simplified through use of a vacuum-formed ABS hull and subdeck. But a couple of weeks are needed just to lay the individual teak and mahogany planks with striking white caulking strips between. Other details, like the rigging, ratlines, reefing points, and deck furniture also require a lot of attention, so this kit provides no instant gratification.

The sail trim is under full R/C control- one winch works the main, schooner, and foresail sheets, while another hauls the jib and flying jib over the stays. The machinery is all under deck, and with some effort, can even be accessed for adjustment. And of course, we have the rudder servo and variable speed control on the auxilliary drive (ONLY used during no-wind emergencies, of course).

A big boat, but the topmasts come down so that she just fits in my small SUV.

The model was built for a multi-part kit review in "Ships in Scale" magazine, from the July/August 2006 issue through Jan/Feb 2007. Lots more info there (and to come in the next few months), but here are a few photos I can share.