Topic: H.M.S.RAMILLIES BUILD (Read 42193 times)

Rottweiler · « **on:** February 20, 2012, 04:13:56 pm »

Hi All,
As I have placed quite a few requests for help on parts mainly for my build of HMS RAMILLIES, someone kindly asked me to do a post, so here goes!
BACKGROUND
My Late Father served on the ship as a Royal Marine, this gave me my interest in the ship, from an early age, and warships in general. Although Dad would not talk about the war, as such, he always spoke of the ship, and what a good ship she was to serve on. At a good 25 years ago, I got into model boating, and approached a good pal,and excellent modeller, if he though it feasible for me to build a model of the "Rammy", and having been told all things are possible, and with the promise of help whenever needed,I decided to go ahead.Until that time I had only built "Airfix" type models,some of which I still have, lying broken in a box, but I haven't the heart to throw them away!
First thing required was a set of plans, and not being able at that time to get hold of any for the "Rammy" a 2 part set of Sambrook Plans was obtained, though for the "Royal Oak" a sister ship. With the aid of photos etc, this could be fairly easily converted to the ship of my choice. The first job was to "scale up" the lines/hull plans. This was remember before the age of the home computer, so had to be done by hand. It took many many hours of concentration, to complete this task, and it almost put me off the build before it actually got started. The "lines" had to be drawn into a grid of 1/8th of an inch squares, by measuring and drawing that little section into each individual square. When this task was done, it had then to be repeated, but drawing them into 1/4 inch squares, thus doubling the size. Again, this was repeated onto 1/2 inch squares, and finally onto 1 inch squares to give me the exact size I wanted.How simple it is today in comparison!
OK on to the next stage. These individual lines, were then traced, and by the old fashioned method of rubbing a soft lead pencil over the back of the tracing, then placing the tracing paper right way up, onto a DOUBLED sheet of stiff card, and going round the tracing with a sharp HB pencil, made an accurate imprint onto the card below. When the doubled up card was opened, you had a complete hull station. If I remember correctly, there were 20 of these to do in all, obviously each one being a different shape.
Each one then being numbered from 1-20, these shapes were then transferred on to good quality 1/8th inch ply, and cut out exactly to the cardboard pattern.

Rottweiler · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2012, 04:20:05 pm »

Rottweiler · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2012, 04:24:28 pm »

Some of the original cardboard lines/hull shapes of the Ramillies, used to make plywood stations

Rottweiler · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2012, 04:42:17 pm »

Once transfeered onto the plywood, the centres were then cut out of these shapes leaving only a 3/4 inch outline(sorry no photos to explain) A stout, and level thick plank, of the required length had been obtained, and perfect "L" shaped pieces of aluminium sheet prepared in different sizes to fit each of the 20 plywood stations. The exact shape of the length of the hull was cut out of plywood, giving the shape of this, including the bow and stern. All pieces had been marked with the centre line, and now at the base of each station, and up the edges of each, 1/4 inch slots were cut out by hand, with a bow saw , in which later to place lengths of 1/4 x 1/4 inch ramin wood. This once pinned and glued, using cascamite glue, which had to be mixed with water formed the ribs. The aluminium supports were now screwed on to each section, accuracy here was very important to keep the levels correct. The whole assembly was the tuned upside down then placed and screwed firmly, along a centre line which had been marked on the plank. This was all then checked for alignment in each direction, making sure it was plumb, and the keel, which was now at the top of the stations was indeed in a straight line. Anything out of place now, would cause a curve in the hull, and she would never ever sail properly.

snowwolflair · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2012, 04:58:04 pm »

This sculpture of H.M.S.RAMILLIES by Glasgow artist Tom McKendrick is in Clydebank were the shipyard she was built once stood.

Rottweiler · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:04:25 pm »

Hi Thanks, I am the Secretary of the HMS RAMILLIES ASSOCIATION, and we were invited up for the unveiling of Toms magnificent sculpture, and given a Civic Reception in Dalmuir town hall, kindly laid on by Provost Agnew. At this moment in time, I am co authoring a book on the ship.

pugwash · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:13:08 pm »

I will follow this build with great interest

Geoff

Rottweiler · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:32:04 pm »

This next series of photos will perhaps explain my method of building so far, with the aluminium L shapes and the ramin 1/4 x 1/4inch ribs in place. Sorry there is a big jump in stages, but as I explained, I did not have a camera way back then!

Rottweiler · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2012, 05:43:51 pm »

This last, as you can see, shows her mounted on the base plank, with all the main ribs in place, other than at the stern, which was added later. Also you will see that I have started on the planking. This was done using 3/4 inch wide strips individually cut from a large sheet of 1/16th inch thick spruce. Each individual strip, after cutting, was placed in the spout of an old electric kettle, steamed for a few minutes, to make it pliable then glued to the hull, using pre mixed cascamite glue, and pinned to each individual rib using dressmakers pins, pushed in with a pair of pliers, to hold the strips in place until the glue had set, usually overnight. Pins had to be used, because cascamite, is non adhesive until set. Up to THIRTY pins were used for each strip, and as the build was in double diagonal planking form, for strength, there were over 800 individual strips in all!

longshanks · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2012, 09:55:42 pm »

Hi Mick,

Keep up the good work

nhp651 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2012, 10:50:52 pm »

She is going to look magnificent Mick........I shall be watching this with eagerness.

Those anti torpedo bulges on the sculpture are something else,....they look colossal..........how will you do those?
neil.

Rottweiler · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2012, 11:38:23 pm »

Hi Neil,and thanks for your comment.
Ramillies was actually the only one of the class to have "built in" anti torpedo bulges, so they are actually on the plans and as such are incorporated into my model.However, bigger "blisters" were added on,and I really do have no idea as to do this on my model. However, forum member "bluebird" has kindly offered to help me out with these,so please watch this space as they say!
I hope to add some more photos tomorrow, showing how the double diagonal "d/d" planking, progressed. I can assure you that building the hull didn't progress as quickly as I put the photos up, I was lucky if I put eight planks on per session, and boy did my thumb and finger hurt,with the pressure of putting those pins in. Bent nosed pliers was the tool I used for gripping and pushing the pins down.Although the pins were easy to get through the spruce plank, getting them even fractionally into the hardwood ramin ribs was no easy task. Nor indeed was pulling them out again 24 hours later,when the glue had set round them.Most of them were re usable thank goodness.

Norseman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:32:22 am »

Hi

there are eight interesting big photos of the model in this photostream
- try looking from about two thirds of the way down the page.
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/mckendrick/interesting/

Dave

Rottweiler · « **Reply #13 on:** February 21, 2012, 12:51:52 am »

Hi Dave, thanks for those, it will give others a chance to see the sculpture, which in real life is simply awesome. When I took our members, who are the surviving crew who served on the Rammy, up to see it, they were absolutely stunned. I have been in personal contact from practically day one of Toms build, and have many photos of the sculpture,as well as a video. Some of these can be seen on my website dedicated to the mighty ship at http://www.hmsramillies.co.uk
Cheers,
Mick

Rottweiler · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:48:52 am »

This next photo, although a wierd angle,clearly shows the shape of the stern area.It also shows the number of pins used at that time !

Rottweiler · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:53:43 am »

Again, this next photo is even more of a weird angle, the whole build has been turned upside down, to give an idea of the planking, and clearly shows the shape of the hull. This is about 3/4 of the first skin completed.

Rottweiler · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:02:47 am »

Last one for now. Here she is on the workbench, in the position she was built in.My workshop in those days wasn't up to much, being hastily constructed using blocks from a disused hunting dog kennel (NOT mine!!) The workbenches were made from old pallets, broken down and reused, from a closed down transport firm.They were free to take away, which is why I used them. Little did I know that some of them contained woodworm,which had to be treated much later, but a tiny amount of the beasties got into a broom handle, which I unknowingly used for the 6inch guns on the model,but having caught them in time and litterally painting the whole model with anti woodworm fluid, they have not returned thank goodness !

nhp651 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:27:13 am »

Wow!..that hull looks superb..beautiful lines.
neil.

Rottweiler · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:10:25 pm »

What I should have said in my opening outline, was that early on in the build, just after competing the planking on the hull, my Father died. Because the build was for him, really, I lost heart, and all interest in completing the model. This lasted for a good many years, and about all that was done to the boat was the motors were put in, and a jury rig was lashed up, to give her a trial run,or launching. This consisted of two bobs boards speed controllers rigged up to all four motors,in pairs, a full size car battery and 18 pounds of lead ballast. During the 30 minutes or so she was in the water, she performed much better than expected, but running a little too fast with a wonderful bow wave that almost came over the sides! Anyway I digress. So apart from running up the motors every so often, nothing else was done, until the last 4 or 5 years.

Norseman · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:21:43 pm »

Quote from: rottweiler on February 21, 2012, 10:10:25 pm

the build was for him

Nice to have that intention invested in the model, and still there when you could at last return to her.

Dave

Rottweiler · « **Reply #20 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:42:16 pm »

Here are some more of the build

Rottweiler · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:48:18 pm »

This one gives a good view I think.Also shows the stern stations in place, to give the shape needed when planked

Rottweiler · « **Reply #22 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:53:53 pm »

An overhead view this time, showing the stern planking all but completed. The steaming kettle worked hard for this section, and quite a few mistakes were made before finally getting it "ship shape"

Rottweiler · « **Reply #23 on:** February 21, 2012, 10:57:41 pm »

This one is another weird view, no it is not a hedgehog ! The whole thing turned upside down again, to show a straight on bow view to give a good idea of the beautiful shape of her. No easy task to turn it over, my build plank weighed a ton!

Rottweiler · « **Reply #24 on:** February 21, 2012, 11:06:19 pm »

this last one for tonight shows the port side almost there. So many good memories being revived here, for me. I so want her finished and to have all the radio control items working, that I plan, moving turrets, barrels raising and lowering, Royal marine band playing sunset, smoke from the funnel the list could go on. I must have the smoking funnel, because the "R" Class were very well known for smoking, even the cowl fitted much later, did not improve things by much.
Hopefully back with some more in a few days. I am off to Brighton Modelworld, with my Model Lifeboats, to try to raise a few much needed pennies for the RNLI
Cheers, for now
Thanks for looking
Mick

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Author Topic: H.M.S.RAMILLIES BUILD (Read 42193 times)

snowwolflair

pugwash

nhp651

nhp651