Fort Whitehouse - The Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team

                

Is the latest in a long line of forts  built by the team to enhance our displays. The first consisted of a dock  structure with fold out backdrop, the second, Adrian in a box, on a  pontoon in the middle of  2 Basin ( some say his finest hour! ), the  third a large polystyrene outboard engine casing plus extras ( it burnt  briefly but brightly! ), the fourth, our longest serving, the Big  Cheese, a fold out affair that lasted nine years, and the fifth, our  most posh up to this point, an inverted pond liner with interchangeable  details ( sadly suffered a catastrophic electrical melt down.), and now  the biggest of them all, Fort Whitehouse ( named after the lump head who  thought it up in the first place! ).

                

                

Originally designed as a shore mounted  prop to enhance the sailing ship displays, it grew a bit when the  Secretary proposed putting the affair out on a long jetty, placing the  whole assembly away from the operators and public. This evolved into  what you see being built now.

                

                

The build started in 2013, concentrating  on the fold flat fort and lighthouse. That winter mostly concerned the  build of the jetty components and joining block houses. A number of  members have been involved in different ways, building, painting,  donating materials, drinking tea and chatting. All helped to bring the  structure up to how you see it now. On Sunday March 9th 2014 the fort  was launched at a secret testing facility. Assembly was quick, with the  structures being assembled while afloat. Nothing sank, everything was  stable. Some points regarding mooring were discovered, resulting in the  decision to use four mooring weights and two stakes

                

split evenly between the port and starboard assemblies.

                

It took about fifteen minutes to  assemble and it all floated stable, structurally stiff at the joints,  and to an interesting, variable waterline. Monsieur Bod can be seen  waving his surrender flag, he needs the practice, he could be using it a  lot!

                

                

Pyrotechnic installation was next, this  involved the use of the ten shot Pyropod in the lighthouse, operating  six cannon and four hits, and the old forty function wheel from the last  fort, operating all the effects in the main fort, including hits,  smoke, cannon, sinking sailing ship and surrendering Frenchman!

                

                

The 2014  Season has seen the new Fort become a core part of our displays and  worth the many hours put in by the members in its construction.