R is for Rig supply ships

R is for Rig Supply Ships.

I fancied building this Model from  Model Slipway has I'd had very good results in the past with their other kits, and this had a bow thruster which I'd not fitted before, and the rear deck had plenty of room for some scratch built features, and some nice little mini models in the kit such as a Waterfall winch and two Tugger winches either side of the large deck area. There is also a  electro-hydraulic deck crane located on the boat deck for cargo handling.

These work horses of the oil fields have to deliver to the oil rigs in all weathers and as you can imagine it's not a case of just throwing your rubbish over the side of the rig! its all got to be brought back as well.

Built for worldwide operations to service and tow drilling units, and support production platforms, Aziz and her sister ship Arif were commissioned in 1983 for Prince Offshore of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The kit manufacturer Laurie White was there on the day the Aziz was delivered brand new, probably looked like my model, I don't weather my models! perhaps the next one hey. 

My business card picture

The deck area showing the Winches, mini models in themselves

The deck area, the blue Fuel tank was a friend's Pill bottle, the jet fuel was a old railway wagon and the silver and brown ones were scratch-built.

The container was bought with the boat kit!

Equipment locker with RJR'S tools

click for video to see one of these ships in action

Not for wimps these jobs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/apr/13/scotland

That's it for "R" for Rigs