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1/350 & 1/700 USCG 41-Foot Utility Boat

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These castings are a giant improvement...........
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..........over these turds!

The new 41-footer is correct. Drilling locating holes for the complex railings and adding the support for the radio mast will finish off this boat.
I will be proud to sell Kit 218 with these accurate US Coast Guard models in them.
 
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I planned to add the Caterpillar diesel intakes to the late 1/350 41 UTB master, but if I do there will be no way to drill the aft towing bitt for it's crossbuck. BFA! These ubiquitous little boats were like the wreckers of the USCG.
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The Cat intakes will have to be separate parts for 2 1/350 scale boats. This revised kit is close to molding too. The pictured build is for the box art and instructional use.
Thanks for looking in!
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:capsmiley:
:salute:
 
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New 1/350 41-footer mold is populated. The after towing bitt had to move, but the Cat intakes still cover it for drilling.
25' Wheeler Sport Cruiser is new. The speedy 28' launch got a few improvements and will still be included in the kit.
The big SATCOM dome is NOT for these models.
Thanks again for looking in!
 
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Just 6 years after it's inception, Kit # 218 1/350 USCG 41' UTB Boat set has castings I can be proud of. 2 41's with lower hulls, a Wheeler 25-foot Sport Cruiser, and the speedy 28 foot launch.
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Life rafts, props, radars on solid tri-pods, Caterpillar engine intakes, and a set of 1/350 fuel barrels populate the details in the new mold.
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The new addition is the Wheeler Yacht company Sport Cruiser. I'm really pleased with her result! Wheeler's also built YMS-1 Minesweepers, Tugs and 83-foot patrol boats for the US Coast Guard during World War II. An updated version of Ernest Hemmingway's 38' Wheeler Yachts boat Pilar is in production in North Carolina as I write.
wheeleryachts.com

Wheeler 38 | Wheeler Yacht Company

The New Wheeler 38 There is perhaps no better synthesis of boat-building history and modern technology than the new Wheeler 38. Old-School Meets High-Tech Every inch of the New Wheeler® 38 has been reverse-engineered from measurements taken from Wheeler Yacht’s Pilar. While the New Wheeler 38...
wheeleryachts.com wheeleryachts.com
The 3rd S.S. Minnow was also Wheeler built. A 38' Playmate named "Bluejacket" originally.
wheeleryachts.com

Travel Back to Gilligan’s Island Aboard a Wheeler Yacht | Wheeler Yacht Company

Five tourists set off on a three-hour cruise captained by The Skipper and his bumbling first mate, Gilligan. After leaving port in Honolulu onboard the S.S. Minnow, a big storm blew the ship off course and shipwrecked the passengers on an “uncharted desert isle.”
wheeleryachts.com wheeleryachts.com
Thanks to the Wheeler family and their fine American company for the inspiration!
 
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Midship's railings from .008 wire/rod. Building for instructions with tedious measurements and Dork Goggles.
Those Cat intakes I was so proud of? Yeah, way too tall. BFA!!
 
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This is the (1/350) big one! The Wheeler 25 is started. Decals for 2 of these and a box artwork picture or two from my cheese-dick photo booth and Kit #218 will go on the website. It only took me 6 years to get these "Just So". :bang head
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The 41's come with screws and lower hulls, for those of you that like a nicely shaped bottom:silly:
 
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Decals. I chose Destin and Grand Haven for good reasons.
US Coast Guard Station Destin Florida is where I stopped to take pictures of their 41 UTB gate guardian.
US Coast Guard Station Grand Haven Michigan is where the last 41-footer was decommissioned from USCG service in 2014.
Oddly enough, the final 41' boat was 41414, from Muskegon.
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Coast Guard vessels under 100 feet LOA are rarely named. The station where each boat was based is on the stern with the 41--- number repeated on either side of the bows forward of the racing stripe.
Mark Tutton at Starfighter decals made these for my original UTB model kit in 2018.


He's the guy that makes the resin hangar deck and modern superstructure parts for the Revell 1/720 CVN-65 USS Enterprise model kit. He makes lots of cool resin and decal stuff!

I spoke to Mark at the last Omaha National show about ordering some more, but he told me he doesn't make decals anymore. His products come from Cartograf these days. He did a really good job on these!
 
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The IAW Graphics mill was running again this morning. I never have to worry about running out of 41 UTB decals! Extra racing stripes and hull numbers for the 41 UTB's I am working on. These MUST be coated with Micro Sol liquid decal film or the inkjet ink runs.
 
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Decal comparison. Mark's Starfighter decals (left) are exactly to scale. USCG Vessels under 100 feet LOA had 9 inch tall script. PERFECT!
Mark can't make my decals anymore, or won't. He says he uses Cartograf in Italy.
TLAR decals (right) are less exact, but include flags for the other 2 boat models in the set.
Mark's decals will be included in kit #218 until I run out of them. There were enough 9-inch Starfighter Decals hull numbers and station names to go in 6 sets TLAR decals as well. .
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The 1/350 Wheeler 26-foot Sport Cruiser is ready for primer. You can add the bow railing if you wish to. Or Not. The Nav radar pedestal is a hunk of scrap resin.
Thanks again for looking in!
 
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