Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: RickF on April 08, 2006, 01:55:44 pm
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Hi all,
Since this is a new forum - albeit with a lot of familiar contributors - I thought I would share my experiences as I tackle my next project, which is also a "new starter". This is to be an RC model of Torpedo Boat No. 80, built by Yarrow in 1886. I first came across this vessel many years ago in Edgar March's book "British Destroyers". At the time I was building a TBD, but I copied the drawing of TB No 80.
I originally planned to build her to the "proper" scale - 1:96. But with a length of 135 ft and a beam of 14 ft she would have come out at just under 17 inches by an inch-and-threequarters. Apart from the problem of having to shoehorn everything into such a tiny space, I thought the possibility of building a small but effective submarine very likely! So she will be built to 1:48 - still small, but hopefully seaworthy.
I've done most of the research necessary - and received help from several modellers via other forums - so now its time to draw up the plans for the hull.
Don't expect this to be completed overnight. I have lots of other projects underway, the weather's getting better and my vintage Austins are calling, too, but hopefully we will see it to its conclusion.
Regards
Rick
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Nice one Rick, I look forward to your updates. ;D
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Can,
Click on Additional Options in the reply window, then browse to locate the image on your PC. It's as easy as that. Heres one I made earlier!
Rick
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Hi Rick, don`t say that it is not possible to make such a small vessel working in scale 1:96. Attached you will find a photograph of my HMS Velox, fully detailed scale 1:100....... and under R/C. It?s the hell of a job, with just 385 Gramms, but it`s possible.
Happy modeling,
J?rg
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Nice to see some of the early RN ships. Nice model you have there, Jorg
Warship
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Thankyou for the compliment! ::)
It`s completely scratchbuild, the hull made of fibreglass out of a pattern, the deck and the superstructure out of 0,3mm aluminium-plate.
In this "class" you will not succeed with the plank on frame-method.
J?rg
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Hi Jorg,
I once (in the late sixties) built the 1/72 TBD from the Model Maker plans, so I know that it can be done in theses scales - though I have to say it wasn't done half as well as "Velox". However that was 33 inches by 3 inches beam, and I guess "Velox" is somewhere near that. Seventeen by one and three-quarters inches is just too tiny for anything more than the bath-tub!
Rick
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Rick, not necessarily the bath tube! On a calm day I "lead" her out to the pond- without having any problems as she has (like her origin) something of a cork on the water. But she`s doing fine, with having more than 50% of her weight under the waterline...- and as long as you care about the waves of the big vessels. ::)
Though 1:100 had become my favourite scale as you can do nearly every vessel in that.
J?rg
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I?ve been working on the plans for HMTB No. 80, primarily the basic hull structure. I intend to build her as a plank-on-frame model, always aware that top-hamper weight will be critical.
I photocopied the original plan many years ago from Edgar J March?s ?British Destroyers?. The first thing to do was to scale the photocopy, so I scanned it in. As I only have an A4 scanner, it had to be done in two halves and saved as .JPG files. I then opened these, using Adobe Photoshop, cut and pasted the two halves together and saved the resulting complete drawing, again as a .JPG file.
I then imported this into my drawing package. I use Micrografx Designer. Since I knew the OA length and the beam of the boat, I enlarged the imported image until I got the correct scale size. I could then trace off any parts I need and copy them to a separate drawing. I also printed out the scaled, imported image as a ?master reference?.
The first drawing I made was a deck level plan. This has been pasted onto the building board and will act as a reference for constructing the hull, locating the frames etc. I use a spray can of photo mounting adhesive for attaching the drawing.
Second was a side elevation on the centre line, showing the keel, with the position of the frames plotted. For lightness the keel consists of a bow and stern sections in 1/8? ply connected by 1/8? square spruce. The stern section is cut to accommodate the stern tube, with 1/16? and 1/8? doublers for strength.
The third drawing was the frames. Each frame is drawn 1/16? undersize to allow for the thickness of the planking. As the hull will be built upside-down, the tops of the frames are flat. Cambered pieces will be added latter to shape the deck. The bow and stern sections and the turtle-decked forecastle will all be constructed in balsa using the ?bread-and-butter? method.
Once the frames were drawn they were transferred to a further drawing, along with the bow and stern sections of the keel. This was printed out and pasted onto a sheet of ply, ready for cutting out.
Which is the next job??
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Nice one Rick, it's always good to see, how people go about their builds. It is also useful, for picking up tips and ideas. I try to show how I go about each part of building my carrier Victorious. I learned from people posting in this way as you can see what is going on. It's all well and good showing completed pictures of a model, but you don't get to find out how that person went about it, unless they take the trouble to show you.
Warship
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Progress has been made on TB80. Unfortunately I've been unable to accessthe site for the last few days, so have been unable to post this report until now.
Laying the keel
The first stage in constructing the hull is to lay the keel. TB80?s keel consists of bow and stern sections made from 1/8? ply, connected by 1/8? square spruce strip. The stern section is cut to accommodate the stern tube, with 1/16? and 1/8? doublers for strength.
To ensure the keel is straight and true, square blocks are carefully aligned and screwed to the building board. Since the planking stops short at bow and stern, the keel can be fixed to these blocks.
The bow and stern sections and doublers are then cut from the ply. The 1/8? doublers are used as patterns for the 1/16? doublers. These are glued to the stern section. Once dry, the 1/4? slot is cut for the stern tube, the pieces are carefully lined up and the 1/8? doublers are glued in place. The doubled area is roughly trimmed to shape and the stern tube tried in place
The bow and stern sections are securely screwed to the blocks on the building board and the connecting 1/8? spruce strip glued in place.
The next task is to cut and fit the frames, but first it?s a holiday in Morocco ;D - then out with the trusty coping saw?..
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... that looks like a proper job you are doing there- keep us informed about it!
J?rg
P.S. ...and enjoy your holiday! ;D
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Steering
Back from my holiday, I began cutting out the frames. I soon realised that I would have to make provision for the steering gear at this early stage.
[Please excuse any technical terms that I may misuse ? I only know what I have managed to sort out myself.? If anyone has any information on the steering of these boats, or plans/photograph of the steering gear, please get in touch ? I need all the help I can get!]
Steering on TB80 is by chain drive from wheels in the forward and aft conning towers, which are somehow connected. The chains leave the aft conning tower at right angles, presumably down conduits and then pass around vertical pulleys before going aft. They are then connected to the tiller chains by pulleys before being brought forward and anchored. The long straight runs of the chains are, or appear to be, rods. The drawing below should make this clear.
I was now faced with two alternatives: make a working chain steering system or drive the rudder conventionally and add dummy steering chains. I decided on the former.
A bit of maths is necessary to ensure the servo will operate the tiller effectively. I decided that the tiller should move ? 35?. With the chains secured at a radius of 0.73?, this equates to an angular movement of approximately 0.9?. As this is transmitted via a two-fold purchase, a 1.8? angular? movement of the actuator is required. To obtain this, with 180? rotation, I need to wind the chain on a spool diameter of approximately 1.15?.
As access is limited, the servo is well forward of the aft conning tower, so the chains cannot go directly to the servo drum. I have decided to use plastic tube as conduits, crossing them over to reduce the bend. Again, I hope the drawing makes this clear.
Now to cut and drill the frames ??..
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[Please excuse any technical terms that I may misuse ? I only know what I have managed to sort out myself.? If anyone has any information on the steering of these boats, or plans/photograph of the steering gear, please get in touch ? I need all the help I can get!]
Will try to sort out everything what I have on this matter. I have some pictures of steering gear of KM TBs of this era. BTW the straight runs were not bars but steel rope. And don't forget about the bow rudder of TB80.
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Bow rudder???? Edgar J March?s drawings don't show a bow rudder. Even if they did, I don't think I'd fit one - certainly not a working one.
I'll be grateful as always, Roman, for anything you can let me have. Work on TB80 and boats in general has slowed up a bit now - it's the old car rally season.
Rick
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Bow rudder???? Edgar J March?s drawings don't show a bow rudder.
You're not right Rick. They do. Have a look? ;) The thing is that the tracing was performed a bit roughly and some things are not recognisable at a first glance.
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Every day I learn something new. Thanks Roman. Why were they fitted? I would have thought the boats would have been manoeverable enough without them - or were they intended for use when steaming astern? Is the well it retracts into circular, so that it still turns, or is there a clutch to disengage it and lock it fore and aft. Whatever, I think my TB80 will be built without one!
Regards
Rick
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Well, the Austin Seven is put away for the winter, so now it’s back to H M Torpedo Boat No 80 – if I can remember where I left off!
Installing the frames
All the frames have been cut out from 1/8” ply and checked for fit, so the next job is to fix them in position.
The keel, comprising bow and stern sections (made from 1/8” ply) and 1/8” spruce keel strip is securely screwed to the blocks on the building board. The two identical mid-section frames (5 and 6) are erected first, ensuring that they are vertical to the building board and square to the keel. The 1/8” spruce stringers along the top of the hull are then glued to these frames (Picture 1).
The remaining frames are now glued into position. (Picture 2).
Once the glue has set, the additional stringers are glued into position. (Picture 3).
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The bow rudders had been fitted to support the boats especially due to harbour-activities (going astern) as depending on the ratio Length/beam they had been not very manoeverable with their stern-rudders. But the effect of the bow rudders had been proofen as not very much supporting. At full ahead they also had been found as reducing the top-speed and a point of weekness, though they had been made moveable.
Jörg
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Thanks for the info, Jörg. I guessed they were used when going astern, but as I said earlier, my TB80 will not include one - to fiddly to model and definitely not worth making to work!
Rick
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The completed framework
Once the glue has set, the framework is removed from the building board.
Any unforeseen gaps are filled, then the whole thing is rubbed down to smooth everything off and to shape the stringers so they are flush with the frames. A block of wood is fitted between the mid-section frames and screwed to the building board so that the keel will be held straight.
At this stage the framework seems fairly strong and weighs only four ounces (110 grams)
Next we will start planking…..
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Planking
TB80 is planked in 1/16 inch balsa. Rather than use pre-cut strips, I use sheet and cut off strips of the necessary width – which is not constant. These are tapered as necessary by positioning on the hull and marking them – I’m not clever enough to calculate the taper in advance!
Photo 1 shows the first planks. These are at the top of the hull. Note that it’s important to plank both sides of the hull at the same time to prevent distortion.
In Photo 2 the planks nearest the keel have been fitted. No real reason for working from both ends – I just felt like it. The first tapered planks have been cut ready for installation.
Photo 3 shows the first tapered planks glued into position.
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Still planking, but rather than bore anyone who might be looking in with yet more photos of a half-planked hull, I'll wait until it's finished before posting again.
In the mean time, a couple of questions.
Plating - do you think the hull should have simulated plating? If so, what do you think is the best way to go about it? Does anyone have details of Yarrow's plating methods? There's a shell expansion plan in Lyons' "The First Destroyers" (not Yarrow), together with one or two useful photos. Most rivetting appears to be flush/countersunk, so is it worth trying to show it?
Torpedo Tubes - TB80 was fitted with 14" torpedo tubes - one fixed in the bows and twin tubes rotating round the aft conning tower. Does anyone have details of this twin tube installation.
Thanks
Rick
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Rick, there is just little on informations or photographs on the Internet. But you should have a try at GOOGLE on their link for photographs. There I have found some of t-sinker mines where no other source was out of help. It`s worth a try anyway.
If not, get in touch with EXPLOSIONS! in Gosport or the IWM, they might have some informations as well.
Hope this was out of any help (or ignition),
Jörg
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Rick
Could only find this photo of torpedo boat 83. It seems to be similar and you can just about see the rear tubes. Sorry I could not find anything else :( :(
The other one off your original posting seems to show rear tubes. Its clearer on your posting.
Richard
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Thanks guys.
I have the drawing of the tubes (see below), so I know the dimensions etc. What is not clear is how they rotated around the fixed conning tower. There is a track on the deck, with wheels or rollers under the tubes, but no details of how the assembly pivots. I've tried Googling, but there is virtually nothing on these early 14" tubes.
Rick
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Why don't you contact the Naval Archives at Chatham Dockyard they surely will be able to help
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Good idea Stavros, I'll drop them a line. I could do with another visit there - haven't been since HMS Gannet moved in! I've also contacted Explosion at Priddy's Hard.
Rick
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OK guys, we've got the torpedo tubes underway - just waiting for info from the museums (don't hold your breath!).
What about the plating? Any ideas? I know RonH plates his with lithoplate, but what else has anyone used? Is it effective? is it worth it? are rivets visible at 1:48? Individual plates or strips along the hull? Somebody must have some opinions - "Mayhemers" usually do!
Rick
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What about the plating - for sure the hull should have it! The rivets are not visible at 1/48 as originally they had flat 'hats'. I will send you some photos of a torpedo boat of this era (french model). I guess this will help.
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Rick, plating should be scale 1:48- but rivets will be definately not visible. Though in my opinion there is no need to make them.
About the plating- you could use litho but I wonder if this will be a boat for the glass-cabinet or for the pond. If for the pond, Litho-plate will be the first choice. If not, take standard sticker-tape (for adress-prints or similar) place them on the hull and paint them over. I have tried it, it works perfectly for me.
Hope this was out of any help,
Jörg
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Thanks, Roman and Jörg. Your help, as ever, is appreciated.
This will be a - hopefully - working R/C model. I had thought to do the plating with styrene, or heavily varnished/resined card.
Rick
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Rick, I am not sure if Card will be fine as the surface needs lots of sealing shifts......
But one thing came up to me: Have a try with the foil they use for commercial uses (to cut out companies names)... I know that it tapes like hell and is very easy to apply. Just have a try before if you can paint it and with which colour.
Hope it was an ignition....
Jörg
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While we’ve all been in limbo over the last few days, there has been no excuse not to work on TB80. In fact, there is quite a bit to catch up on, once we get the "attach picture" facility back
I contacted Explosion at Priddy's Hard and Chatam Dockyard about the torpedo tubes. Had an acknowledgement from Explosion but nothing else so far. Perhaps I will have to take out a second mortgage and contact the National Maritime Museum!
As regards the plating, I am also building a 1:32 free-lance paddle tug (found an old hull that looked the part, so dived in). I intend using this as a bit of a test-bed for different materials. Roman - looking forward to seeing those photos you promised.
More to follow
Rick
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Rick, there might be a source which could be out of help in the torpedo-tube case:
There is a weapon-museum in an old Fort in Essex, close to the Thames. Being a gog I have forgotten it`s name as I had been there this year in June. Although I have found a source for you which might be out of interest- hope you`ll find there what you need.
Try: http://www.dockmuseum.org.uk/text_only/links_text.htm
If you don`t succeed, leave me a note and I will contact my shipmates from the SWA.
Jörg
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White Ensign is it Coalhouse Fort that you mean,see even us Welshmen know this,and also did you know there are 2 lake available FOC for sailing on there,but beware they are sea water
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Stavros, clever guy ;) ! That`s it!
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Thanks guys,
I have contacted Barrow dock museum as Jörg suggested. Since I live in Norfolk I might have a drive down to Coalhouse Fort for a look round. Wasn't it on the "Restoration" programme last year?
Rick
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Barrow came back to me. Can't help, but suggested I try the Archive at Glasgow University - looks like my research journeys are about to get much longer! I also seem to remember something on a Docklands website regarding the old Yarrow yard, so I'll have a bit of a dig there.
Is it just me, or do others get as much enjoyment out of researching the models as building or sailing them?
Rick
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Hi Rick, the research is basic for a weel-done model. I enjoy the "hunt" for informations on a boat I`d like to built, even if it took months to get them all together.
Jörg
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hi there
was reading your posts that you are looking for plans/info for your torpedo boat. Yarrows and
the other Glasgow yards did give a large selection of plans to Glasgow University and Glasgow's Mitchell library. My friend got
drawings for a WW2 LST from the university and found them very helpful. 2 things you should know before contacting them though
1) When all the yards on the Clyde shut the drawing were split between the 2 establishments so it may take some time for them to locate the specific drawing required if not destroyed during the war
2) Watch what you order the initial cost of the LST drawings was to be £300+ but when checked my friend found that it was the entire drawings/ specs and other info. when they got the drawings what was actually required ( arrangements, waterlines,etc) it was only about £15
Yarrows shipbuilders Ltd are now Bae Systems Scotstoun and are still going and can be modeller friendly . I have friends that work there will ask them to see if they can get info also for you but they are snowed under with "that heap of C@#p" ( we know it as the Type 45's) and I don't even ask them about the carriers.
have included the web site for the Mitchell library
Colin
http://www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualmitchell/
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Thanks for your help, Colin. Is there a contact at Scotstoun,should your friend not be able to help?
I will contact the Mitchell Library.
Thanks again
Rick
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Hi Rick
Will see if I can get a name and number for you.
Colin
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Hi guys,
Well, Priddys Hard have replied. They tell me that the Naval and Military press have just reprinted a book originally printed in 1889 called "Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare" by Sleeman. There is mention of the double revolving tube arrangement in there with a drawing. I have ordered a copy through Abe Books, so we may soon have some information.
Anyway, now pictures are again possible, its time to catch up with the build....
Once the planking is complete and the glue has dried, the next step is to remove the hull from the building board and give it a good thick coat of two-part resin all over the interior.
The primary reason for this is to stiffen the structure. With 1/16” planking it’s very easy to do some serious damage while vigorously shaping and rubbing down!
Secondly, it provides the basis of a good waterproof coating for the hull.
At the same time the motor mount and the stern tube are set in position. The holes for the tube were, of course, pre-drilled in the frames before they were planked. I use a bit of brass tube to align the motor and the shaft
Once that is done, the bow and stern sections are fabricated from scrap balsa and the glue allowed to dry.
Next it’s on to the worst stage of any model - shaping and rubbing down the hull!
Rick
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With everything dry and solid, it's time to begin the tedious process of shaping the hull.
First, the bow and stern are carved to shape and the whole structure is rubbed down with coarse sandpaper. Any obvious gaps are filled with car body putty - I like P38, which I buy at the local Halfords. Then the whole thing is rubbed down again, filled, rubbed down, filled, rubbed ……. God, it’s boring!
Between each rubbing, I like to give it a quick spray with primer. Again, I go to Halfords and use their red primer, which is also a good final colour for hull bottoms.
I find that the primer, apart from filling any small imperfections, helps show up major ones.
As a bit of light relief at this point, I built up the sheer in the bows with scrap balsa and added a 1/16” sheet “false deck”. Then it’s back to the filling and sanding!
Rick
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Sanding and filling continue, and the hull begins to look like a hull at last. The perceptive amongst you will notice that it has also changed colour. I’m now using Halfords’ filler/primer, which is yellow. The holes in the false deck are for access – at the stern for fixing the prop shaft “A” frame; at the aft conning tower position for installing the steering chains and the big oblong one for access to everything else.
At this point I felt like another break from sanding, so I decided to make the conning towers.
I got some plastic pipe of approximately the right diameter – in this case cistern overflow pipe - and wrapped it with 10 thou plasticard to obtain the right diameter. I roughly built up the domed top with discs of plasticard, then applied Humbrol model filler.
When everything had set, I scraped, filed and sanded it to shape and gave it a coat of filler/primer. It was at this point that I realised I had assumed that the forward and aft conning tower were the same diameter. They are not. So I scrapped off the least accurate of the two and started again from scratch for the larger aft tower.
BTW, the book "Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare" by Sleeman arrived today. It turns out that the drawing of the double revolving torpedo tube is, in fact, the original of the GA of Torpedo Boat No 80, traced by Edgar March, which I used to produce my plans. Consequently it shows no more detail than I already have. Oh well, the book itself is quite interesting!
Rick
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Hi Rick- go on and keep us informed! And keep your good spirit and skill! ;)
Jörg
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Thanks Jörg, I think that I will have to “do my own thing" for the rear torpedo tubes, based on what drawings and photos I have got.
A few diversions from the project over the last few days, but I did a little metal-work and built the prop shaft “A” frame and fabricated a rudder assembly. The picture shows my interpretation of a sophisticated assembly jig!
Again the drawings are a bit sketchy as to how the rudder is hung, but I've got it how I want it. These items are now fitted to the hull. The next job is to build the turtle-deck on the forecastle and fit the cambered deck. Then we can look again at plating!
Rick
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The Turtledeck
The first part of building the turtledeck is to construct the framework – 1/8” balsa. This is then skinned with 1/32” balsa.
The conning tower comprises a short parallel portion (built earlier) mounted on a tapered structure. I’m still trying to work out how the crew access this. The observation ports have been added to the tower and the tapered base built up from scrap balsa and roughly carved to shape.
The final picture shows the whole lot in position, with a coat of polyurethane varnish to stiffen things up prior to rubbing down. A bit of “scrap” conning tower is in place so that the real one will fit when it's finished.
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A major setback!
I said above that I was still trying to work out the method of crew access to the conning tower. Well, I studied the plans in "Torpedoes and Torpedo Warfare" in more detail and realised, yet again, what a bodge Edgar March made of the tracing he did for his book.
It appears that the conning tower is open at the rear and a section of the gun platform is hinged or removable for access!
So, it's scrap off the "solid" conning tower and start a rebuild. We live and learn.
Rick
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Having spent a few hours thinking about how I'm going to build the new conning tower, I've decided to mould it. The technique I'll use is that described by Brian King in several of his books - although I don't think he originated it.
Put simply, a plug is carved to size and a hole is cut in a piece of flat wood for the plug to pass through. Plasticard is pinned on the flat wood, heated up and the plug is pushed through the hole. BK uses boiling water to heat the plasticard - I've tried that and found it too messy, so I use the workshop electric fire.
The pictures below show the stages in building a cowl vent. I've not tried anything as big as this conning tower, but we'll have a go!
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Rick,
It should work out ok mate I used to use a similar method to make cowls and canopies for aircraft, principal is the same, I used to use the gas bottle on a soft heat flame........
Roy
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I should point out, having had a closer look at the photo of the cowl vent that I posted above, that's not the finished item! Although not perfect, my modelling skills are not that bad - I hope.
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Rick- no problem, it is obvious that the way you`re doing it is fine.
About the cowl vents, I use the same method and an old hair-dryer. Does a prfect job as an open flame could damage the surface and makes some extra sanding an priming necessary.
Jörg
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Hi Rick,
Sorry I never got back to you sooner.
My Friend who works in yarrow's got onto the archive people
who found the box for the info but nothing that was of use
to modelers, just some notes on the engine problems during trials.
They are unsure where they went one person suggested the admiralty
may have taken them for security as these were the stealth bombers of the
day some other ships had their info removed also.
If anything does turn up I will get in tough ASAP
Colin
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Thank for trying, Colin. I have got just about enough info to make the aft tubes - at least to my own satisfaction. I hope they will look OK, even if they are not 100% accurate.
Building the conning tower turned out to be much harder than I was expecting. The moulding method was a disaster - couldn't keep the plastic hot enough, evenly enough for long enough. In the end I fabricated it from sheet. Looks OK. I installed it earlier today, so once I've cleaned it up I'll post some more pictures.
Rick
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Still working on the conning tower/turtle deck/front end, so no photographs yet. Also begun work (again!) on 1:48 HMVS Cerberus, so expect some diversions from HMTB 80.
Tomorrow the DSM and I are off down the Rhine for a bit of festive "12 inches to the foot" boating, so a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.
Rick
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Plating
I’ve finally come up with a system I’m happy with for reproducing the plating.
I ‘m using 160 gram white card, cut into strips and scored vertically to represent 6 foot by 3 foot plates. These strips are then glued to the hull using 50/50 diluted PVA white glue.
Once dry, the vertical scoring is gone over again with a hard pencil and a coat of polyurethane varnish applied, then rubbed down lightly with fine wet-and-dry.
After another “rescore” with the pencil, a couple of coats of red primer are sprayed on.
The photos show the stages of my trial run on an old hull. The only thing I think I need to do to improve it is to “back up” the raised plates so they don’t form a joggle when dried. So the next stage is grit my teeth and tackle the real thing!
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Well, progress on TB 80 has been a story of some ups and a few downs!
The plating went fairly well. I learnt a few things while I was doing it. (1) The plating strips go on cleaner if you spray them with primer first. (2) A couple of glasses of red wine makes the job less tedious. (3) A whole bottle of red wine leads to stripping off the plating the following morning!
Once the plating was finished I stuck on a rubbing strake of half-round styrene and prepared the rear deck for installing the steering chain system. As I said earlier, this was to be to scale, with all the pulleys and pivots modelled. Ah well, the best laid plans........
I fixed the pivots in place and made the pulleys and rollers. I ran neoprene tubing from midships to the rear conning tower to route the chains to the servo drum. I made up the chain/wire ropes and coupled the whole thing to the tiller. It looked good, if a little over scale. Unfortunately, it didn't work! Even before I threaded the chains back to the servo there was so much friction that it was almost impossible to put the helm over.
So it was back to the drawing board. How could I operate the tiller, which is mounted above the deck with the pivot at the stern, outside the hull, without a lot of non-scale gear on deck?
What I decided to do was to install a slotted crank below the tiller. A vertical pin in the tiller will pass through a curved slot in the deck and engage with the crank which will be operated by a pushrod from the midships servo.
So,all my careful work on the rear deck went into the scrap bin as I chopped a large hole to install the crank and push rod. No pictures of this yet - it's too disheartening!
Rick
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Hi Rick- good to see that you are still busy. Would like to see some photographs of your progress, if possible.
Jörg
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Hi Rick whatever happened to this build. It was going on fine, then nothing. Have you finished it yet ?
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I keep getting diverted - other projects, and now it's the old car rallying season. Also suffering a bit with a frozen right shoulder, One of the problems with getting old. Still, it's better than the alternative to getting old!
Rick
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Well......
Finally got around to doing some work on TB80 - it's been too wet to go out and play with the Austin! Finished off plating the hull and begun to work on adding details. Started with the scuttles on the hull and turtle deck. These are slices off the appropriate size of "Plastruct" tube, glued in place and then rubbed down to the correct thickness. I use a piece of brass sheet with a hole in it as a gauge. There are also scuttles all along the deck. Next job is to make the eleven assorted cowl vents and nine hatches.
Rick
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Glad to see you are back on it again Rick.
Looking good.
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A little more progress.
There is virtually no superstructure on TB 80. From the stern there is the aft conning tower, with twin 14" tubes, the engine casing, twin funnels and the forward conning tower, which is faired into the turtle-decked forecastle.
Around the forward conning tower is a raised platform, which I call the "bandstand". This is constructed of radial slats - I guess the original would have been metal - with a hinged section to allow access to the tower. A rail runs around the bandstand and continues down the forecastle to the bow.
I made the bandstand in styrene. First I made a ring of the appropriate diameter, which I pinned sown in position over a copy of the plan. I then applied the radial slats, using "Plastruct" square section. Once this had hardened, I cut the slats to fit the profile of the tower/forecastle. I then applied half-round sections of tube to act as bosses for the stanchions - I'm using James Lane.
The photo shows the finished platform. Once in position on the tower the hinged section (between the stanchions) will be separated and set in the open position
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rickf
wow
you cut that from a solid, i worship the water you sail mate
did i mention wow
gary
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No, Gary, I'm not that clever! It's all fabricated from bits of styrene. The ring was made up from sheet wound round a former and the radial slats stuck in. This was then cut away to fit round the conning tower.
Rick
PS Must stop posting after a couple of bottles of plonk - I've just edited the typos!
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Wow, good job ! I'm waiting for more pictures !
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rick
you still walk on water
gary
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Some photos of a nice HMTB68 here;
http://www.marinemodell-fotoarchiv.de/fotoarchiv/flottenparade/flottenparade2002/Deutsch/flottenparade2002.html
Unfortunately no close-ups, but it looks a good 'un.
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Thanks for that, Christian - lovely sharp modelling there.
Now for a question.
Torpedo Boat No. 80 has 17 coalling scuttles in the engine/boiler room area - seven down each side and three on the centreline. According to March's drawing they are oval, with a plain rim and a chequered centre (see below). My question is: is the rim raised or the centre, or are they flush. Also, how much are they raised above the deck. All thoughts welcome.
I'm also posting this question on the "Queries" board.
Rick
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Still working on the coaling scuttles. I've got some diamond-pattern Plasticard, so I'll see what I can make with that.
I was about to start painting the hull when I realised I had made a mistake with the bow torpedo tube, so that has to be rebuilt first.
In the meantime, I've been making the deck fittings shown below. The cowls for the vents and the pedestals for the gun and searchlight are made on the heated styrene and former principle. The hatches are fabricated from tube and sheet styrene and the 3-pounders were supplied by Paul at Sirmar. The searchlight is unfinished.
Rick
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you can get PE boiler plate from various scources. try the model railway world. also Westbourne used to keep some.
colin
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Nice work Rick ;)
The cowls for the vents and the pedestals for the gun and searchlight are made on the heated styrene and former principle
For those of us less enlightened can you perhaps be persuaded to explain this method ? :)
Shane
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Shane,
I described the system earlier in the build, but it won't hurt to repeat it. It's described by Brian King in several of his books - although I don't think he originated it.
Put simply, a plug is carved to size and a hole is cut in a piece of flat wood for the plug to pass through. Plasticard is pinned on the flat wood, heated up and the plug is pushed through the hole. BK uses boiling water to heat the styrene - I've tried that and found it too messy, so I use the workshop electric fire.
The pictures below show the stages in building a cowl vent. As you can see, I use some pretty sophisticated equipment!
Rick
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Thanks for that Rick ;)
Shane
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Some photos of a nice HMTB68 here;
http://www.marinemodell-fotoarchiv.de/fotoarchiv/flottenparade/flottenparade2002/Deutsch/flottenparade2002.html
Unfortunately no close-ups, but it looks a good 'un.
It 's a big suprise for me to know that SCHICHAU S-68 torpedoboot turned to be HMTB ;D .
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Sorry to have caused your big surprise with my little error!
Luckily rather unimportant in the greater sceme of things ;)