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The original 1/350 Titanic model (Academy/Minicraft version) comes with 2 anchors. The model itself needs 5 in total, the two from the kit plus 3 additional ones. The three missing anchors are the large forecastle bow anchor (the anchor well itself is missing on the kit), a smaller kedge anchor to the starboard aft side of the forecastle's splashguard bulwark behind #1 hatch and the upright kedge anchor stored on the Poop Deck just starboard of the stern's flagstaff near the fairleads.

Note: The re release of the Minicraft 1:350 Titanic now comes with the bow anchor and anchor well and the two kedge anchors. However, there are some improvements in this section that you might like to add to these new parts

Parts Required: (anchors)

No. Req.	Part

1	Small metal fishing clevis
4	Small pieces of pulled sprue about 7mm long
2	Sprue microdots
1	Small plastic rectangular block (about 1.5mm l x 1mm h)
1	Small flat square of sheet plastic (about 1mm x 1 mm)
1	Small sprue rod about 5mm long (taken from the piece used to make the 7mm sections

MAKING THE BOW ANCHOR WELL

One of the largest omissions from the original A/M model is the bow anchor well at the prow of the ship. There are two fixes here, one for the modeler that wishes to just make a simple representation of it and a second that creates a more realistic version.

SIMPLE FIX

Using sheet plastic strips just fashion a wall bent in the appropriate angles as shown in the diagram below and glue on to the deck, placing the bow anchor crane forward of it behind the railing. Though not the -best- solution it is still better than no anchor well at all. Make sure to paint both the wall and anchor area flat white before adding the anchor.

DETAILED FIX

This requires cutting and scratchbuilding. If you attempt this project do so before any other forecastle work is implemented. Even though the new model comes with the anchor well moulded to the forecastle we would suggest cutting this off and building a new one for greater effect.

Step 1 (drawing out and removing the bow section).

To start, draw the outline of the anchor well's shape on the prow of the forecastle deck with a dark pencil. Next cut this section off either using a scroll saw or scoring several times with a hobby.

Keep the section you cut off.

Step 2 (lowering the level).

Now that you need to drop the anchor well below the level of the main forecastle deck.

First make the anchor well's aft wall. We decided to make ours about 3mm below deck level.

To make a depth of 3mm add a 2mm sheet plastic wall below the forecastle part (keeping in mind the 1mm thickness of the forecastle part). Bend and shape this to follow the contour of the anchor well's angled aft end.

Glue the new wall underneath the forecastle's new bow line.

To ensure a flush fit to the hull you have to cut the outside edges of your new wall to an angle matching the contour of the hull.

To do this ensure that the new wall is dry and carefully dryfit the forecastle onto the hull. Watch the edges as they touch the inside of the hull. DO NOT force the front down but make a rough guess at the angle you need to cut. Draw a pencil line onto each corner of the sheet plastic wall to the angle required and trim the wall's corners with small scissors or hobby knife.

Re-dryfit the forecastle section to the hull and check for the correct fit. Trim if needed but do not make it too short or the wrong angle!

Step 3 (making the new anchor well lower deck).

Now make the floor of the anchor well.

Because you have lowered the well floor by 3mm from it's original position it is IMPERATIVE you reduce the width of the bow section you cut off to to compensate for the narrow hull 3mms below the original gluing ridge. It's not much but if you don't do it the well floor won't fit.

As the anchor well had a smooth bottom take the bow section and flip it upside down so the deck planking will not be seen. Next, drag the port and starboard edges along the sanding block one or twice each and then dryfit it into the bow to see if it sits flush 3mm below its original position.

Repeat the sanding procedure a few times to achieve the right dimensions. DO NOT sand too much off or gaps will show. After a few sanding passes and dryfitting attempts it will eventually fit properly into the new location.

Glue the new floor to the bottom edge of the sheet plastic wall so that it butts up against the wall, not under the wall. When dry, dry fit the new forecastle/anchor well assembly to the hull to make sure all contours are flush.

To save a bit of work we did not remove the hull's gluing ridge as we were going to add the anchor grate and catwalks which effectively mask this area. If you are not considering the catwalks and/or grate then you may want to sand off the gluing ridges on the hull.

Paint the entire area of the anchor well flat white.

MAKING THE BOW ANCHOR GRATES

These should be added after the new anchor well and anchor has been installed.

There are two methods.

Method 1

Use the excellent grates provided in Tom's Modelworks misc set or GMM's Gold set (highly recommended).

Method 2

Step 1 (making the bow grate).

This can be made from GMM spares or A/M railings. We chose to use the A/m railings but the GMM sections would be more to scale. Modeler's choice.

Use two rail panels, cut on angles to match the prow and side profiles. See diagram opposite.

Paint gray and glue into place.

Step 2 (making the catwalks).

Along the bow anchor well were two `catwalks' from the deck planking over the anchor well to the prow. Use spare GMM Lusitania parts to make these catwalks. Take a pair of stairs from the Lusitania section and remove all the hand rails so only the steps are left. Measure these the distance from the deck planking up to the anchor well grate (at the prow) and cut the step sections to length.

Paint gray and glue into place using CA glue.

MAKING THE LARGE CENTER ANCHOR

Some modelers have elected to order a spare anchor for the large forecastle well from Minicraft. However, this was the largest anchor on the ship so would be bigger than the Minicraft part so we suggest that you manufacture a new one from scrap plastic.

Step 1.

To make the anchor head heat and pull sprue stock to a thicker diameter than normal. You are looking for a diameter roughly the same and a HB lead pencil (approx. 2mm).

As you heat the sprue and pull the sprue bend it down on both sides to create a 'C' shape. Allow to cool.

Step 2.

Next cut the wider ends off so only the 'C' remains. Then take this piece and sand it down on the sanding block so it becomes flat on opposite sides.

Step 3.

Now shape the `hooks' or flukes on the ends by filing the tips to a point and then sanding into the C about 1mm from the tips on the inside edges to create a barb like shape.

Step 4.

Place the anchor head into the anchor well and measure from the inside of the curve to the tip of the well. Take another piece of the same diameter sprue cut to length. Glue it to the 'C' from the inside curve's center.

Step 5.

Now take the 5mm long piece of pulled sprue and glue it to the outside curve of the 'C', again centering across the span of the curve.

Step 6.

Paint the anchor flat black and the glue into the well deck after the well deck has been painted flat white.

MAKING THE FORWARD KEDGE ANCHOR

Located on the starboard side of the forecastle deck. See the Father Browne photo of the Titanic's starboard forecastle in E.E. O'Donnell's book `Last Days Of The Titanic.

Step 1. For the head of the kedge anchor we used a metal fishing clevis. You can get these from fishing tackle stores that carry material for making spinners for worm harnesses etc. (They're also fairly cheap to buy). Glue the clevis to the forecastle deck with the center of the about 7mm in from the starboard edge of the hull and the rounded bottom facing the stern.
Step 2. Now cut a piece of 7mm long pulled sprue. Glue this so that that one end is in the center of the inside bend of the clevis and the other end reaches just behind the aft side of the starboard splashguard. The post should be running forward/aft.
Step 3. Now place another slightly shorter one as close as you can to its starboard side and glue. This appears to be an extension for the anchor.
Step 4. Now when these two rods are secure, glue the two microdots onto the first one sort of overlapping the second.
Step 5. When dry, paint the clevis, two sprue rods and microdots flat black.

MAKING THE POOP DECK KEDGE ANCHOR

This anchor sat upright on its edge aft of the poop deck slightly starboard of the centerline.

Step 1. First to make the arms take a 7mm length of pulled sprue, heat and bend it into a C shape.
Step 2. Take the last section of 7mm pulled sprue and glue this to the inside center of the C piece. However, this part does not come straight out like the forecastle's version but was offset. See diagram opposite.
Step 3. When dry, stand the anchor up on its edge and cut the end of the rod vertically so it will sit flush with the rectangular block.
Step 4. Now glue the small plastic rectangular block (about 1.5mm l x 1mm h) to the end of the rod making sure they both sit flush to the table top (and later the deck).
Step 5. Once dry, glue it to the Poop Deck so the pole and block are just to the inside port edge of the aft most starboard fairlead and the C just off center from the Poop deck's centerline near the base of the flagstaff. See diagram above.
Step 6. Now, take the small flat square of sheet plastic (about 1mm x 1 mm) and glue it to the arm resting on the deck on an angle so it looks like a wedge shaped collar that the arm slid into to lock it in place.
Step 7. Paint this anchor, its retaining blocks and sleeve flat black.

ANCHOR CHAIN SAFETY HARDWARE

Note: We did this BEFORE the forecastle subsection was glued to the hull. First add the anchor chains to the model, THEN the hoops and safety chains.

Item 1 (loop brackets). Adjacent to the anchor chain braking valves sat two raised hoop-like brackets. A clear view of the Olympic's can be seen on page 39 of Leo Marriott's "Titanic". Use plastic strips bent into a reversed U and glue them into position.
Item 2 (safety chain). Just ahead of these hoops sat a smaller chain that ran through a link of the anchor chain. To make these take a common speaker wire and strip it down to the copper wires. Twist the wires as tightly as possible to create a braided look. Make two of these about 15mm in length each. Drill a small hole on either side of the anchor chain's deck guide and place the braided wire's ends through the holes. Pull from the under side with pliers so they sit snugly up against the chain.
Item 3 (painting assemblies). When they are items are in place and the glue is dry, paint all chains, chain guides, hoops and safety chains flat black.

Item 4 (phone box). A few items sat between the two anchor chain guides aft of the bow anchor crane. From the crane working back there was, a phone box (to the bridge), next the mast stay, then the anchor chain hatch. See the DOCKING BRIDGE section for instructions on making the phone box.
Item 5 (anchor chain hatch). Make this out of a single panel of 5-bar A/M plastic railings and paint it flat white.
Item 6 (plate between anchors). Behind the anchor chain hatch sat another plate. Make this plate from planked sheet plastic and glue it to the deck just forward of the windlasses. Paint this the same color you chose for the deck planking.