1/160 (N Scale) Robert E. Lee EXTENDED
Hi folks,
I purchased the plastic model kit "Robert E. Lee" from Lindberg Models (USA). It comes in the 1/160 scale, also known as "N scale", common for model trains. If you look at the paintings, I recommend to listen to the soundtrack "The Big Country" or "McBain". 
Before starting the work updates, at first some words about this model kit. Lindberg has decided, to make the ship looking like it was made from steal or iron: you don't see any wooden texture on the hull or any walls. But that is wrong, the ship was actually made from lumber. The kit lacks details, and that quite a lot. The lower side (bottom) of all deck overhangs also misses the strong beams that carried the decks, and again, there are only smooth surfaces. And my impression is, that a number of windows and doors and stairways are missing, too - front and back of the wheel house and the walkway above the steam engine. In addition, it would have been very nice, if some interior (cabins) would exist because a number of windows allow to look inside. And we could also run discussions about how some of the parts are designed (some unnecessary cuts of parts), Revell did it better for their Robert E. Lee ship model.
And now let's start the work updates. The first thing I did when receiving this plastic model kit, was to test-assemble the major parts, using only tiniest amounts of pattex to ensure I easily can separate all parts again without any damage. This way, I could see if the parts would fit. The following photos show the test assembly. Remember, a click on any pf these photos will show it in full screen size. :-)
Having passed the test assembly, the next step is to paint all parts, before they get out of easy reach after the real assembling later on. And so ... there shall be color!
I had to add a texture to the painted areas, due to the fact that Lindberg Models forgot to add a wooden texture to many parts. If you look closely, you can see the vertical color separations, simulating the usage of lumber. This texture makes the entire model looking much more realistic. This is not yet the gentle weathering that I later on will apply in addition, to make the ship looking used. I actually had to mix all paints by myself, as in this country there is not even one single shop anywhere that sells plastic model paint, glue, or other much needed accessories. Got only the big ones to buy. But I got it right... 
Even before any painting, I did a lot of online research about the correct colors to be used for this ship. Those differ a bit from the colors mentioned by Lindberg Models. I also decided, to use on some areas some colors not seen with the original ship but on similar, other ships of that time, for the reason to add some color details to my ship. The yellow luggage cabin and the wooden cabin walls at the ship's stern show that. Having used white paint alone, would make the model look less interesting, thus this decision.
The next photo shows the shaft that propulses the two paddle-wheels at the sides. But you will note, that I added something to its middle that will allow, later on, a small and slow-spinning motor to move the wheels. There will be one full rotation every 12 seconds - this will make the model even more realistic. A too fast spin would not look real. 
Making this shaft extension was surprisingly easy: simply some common (and cheap) sealing silicon, and some ordinary, cheap food starch. Put the food starch (more than silicon) on a table surface, add the silicon on top, touch your fingers with the starch powder, and then simply knead the starch into the silicon, until the result feels and behaves like putty for children and is therefore easy to handle and to bring into desired shapes. I then put it around the shaft, shaped it to a cylinder, and then rolled it between two wooded spoon shafts to get this rounded lowering in the middle. That lowering will hopefully prevent the band between motor and shaft to slip off that extension. The silicon rubber extension will give a good grip to the band to propulse the shaft with the two wheels later on.
Photo: ordinary sealing silicon and common food starch.
To make authentic but "used" flags that got their share on steam exhaust, I designed them as graphic files and then got them at a printer shop heat-transferred onto white cotton fabrics. The price for that was low. Instead of plainly colored flags, I decided for some changes here, too: the flags show now all nine federal state flags (from the 1860s) of the states the ship passed through on its journeys! And above the name flag of the ship will now be a huge US flag, also from the 1860s, like the flags of the federal states! 
And there will be a huge water-slide decal for each of the two wheel houses. Many steamers of those days had some decoration or paintings there. Now my ship has, too! 
The ship will also have white and black-dyed cotton balls as steam imitation, yellow fire LEDs inside the two main chimneys to simulate fire coming out (visible through the black smoke), fire-yellow light below the steam engine (I know I know, that is technically wrong), and a gentle, not bright illumination where all the cabins would be. There will also be curtains (wine-red and olive-green) behind most windows, as those heavy curtain colors were common of that era. There will be plenty of freight on the cargo deck, and a lot of life aboard the ship...