Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: unbuiltnautilus on February 10, 2011, 12:48:27 am

Title: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 10, 2011, 12:48:27 am
Hi guys and gals,
While the main part of our teams build of the 98" long SS Ohio continues on another thread, I thought I would start to detail the planned Anti Aircraft gun effects. As this type of weapon is a multi-firing device it cannot practically be replicated by our usual pyrotechnic means, so should be okay for the forum ( we dont like to talk about any of our pyro effects, so if you ask you will usually receive a somewhat vague answer :o). My intention is to marry three types of effect together, smoke pellets, flashing bulbs or LEDs, and sound effects.
The intention is to replicate the smoke puffs trailing behind ships that are putting up an AA gun barrage, while seeing gun flashes and hearing the loud report of the guns.
The plan is to force air into a box containing a smoke pellet, this air will be pulsed to produce the puffs of smoke and vented out near the gun barrels ( I dont feel it is neccessary to vent out of the barrels as the effect will be viewed at between 50' and 150' by the public ). The flashes will be provided by an electronic 'lump' of technology, and will use either Grain of Wheat bulbs or Ultra Bright LEDs. The sound will probably be provided by a hacked up MP3 player and Amplifier with one bespoke gunfire track on it.
We have tested a prototype, and it had a less than successful result so on to Mark2.
Watch this space.........
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: Yarpie on February 11, 2011, 11:41:07 am
Ambitious and technically challenging u-b-n. %)

Yet the desired result will be most rewarding and satisfying. The concept is brilliant and is another step forward in the expertise of your display team. Well done and good luck. :-))
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 11, 2011, 04:17:54 pm
The concept may be brilliant ( I couldn't possibly comment! ), however, our first effort didn't work too well, hold the complements till it works, then, address them to me at.... :-))
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: ben hall on February 11, 2011, 04:54:14 pm
is this one meant to blow in half and if so how will the destroyers go on the guides   YOU WOULD NEED SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF SKILLED no clue how you could use
me



Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: triumphjon on February 11, 2011, 06:36:51 pm
is this one meant to blow in half and if so how will the destroyers go on the guides   YOU WOULD NEED SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF SKILLED no clue how you could use
me

? what on earth on you talking about ? even as a non club member i know the role of this model is to partially sink when its been hit by the torpedo , in the "battle " the destroyers giude the stricken tanker into the safety of the port


Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on February 11, 2011, 06:42:14 pm
is this one meant to blow in half and if so how will the destroyers go on the guides   YOU WOULD NEED SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF SKILLED no clue how you could use
me




Did they plaster up your typing finger? Or are you using your forehead to type with, I know I am :}
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: triumphjon on February 12, 2011, 10:38:34 pm
if required ive a second butterfly and its spindle , in my shed ive got the pair of steelastic mounting / insulating blocks that wee fitted between the alloy bodies and the inlet manifold . they have of course got the same diameter hole through the centre , & 4 x 3/8 mounting holes placed neatly around the edges ! not sure how much space you have in the hull to accomodate the device ?
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: Brian S on May 17, 2011, 11:55:31 am
If it helps, I used a chopped up MP3 player ands a 16W amplifier module from Maplins on HMS Pathfinder, it's fairly effective and obviously flexible, you can add any sound you want, but I'd recommend a higher wattage amp and larger speaker for a decent sound level.
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: hmsantrim on May 17, 2011, 09:38:47 pm
Hi.
     here is the module for the flak gun on german Flea bay. they also do one for the oerlikon.

    http://cgi.ebay.de/Soundmodul-Flak-Kanonenschuss-MG-Sound-LED-Beleuchtung-/110647300870?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D6%26pmod%3D280558765625%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D9221422424935268074


                       cheers Frank
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: hmsantrim on May 17, 2011, 09:42:14 pm
Hi.
       This one has the test video of the gun sounds click to play on the small black screen when you open the link.

                     cheers Frank..
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on June 10, 2011, 03:23:09 pm
I have received one of the German units on Wednesday, very good in a 1/16 Tamiya tank but will need a bit of beefing up for open waters. my mate Ahmed has bodged a computer speaker amp onto the output, this had the desired effect when connected up to the household sound system... may be a bit cumbersome for the local lake though!
I have also been given (for tank related services rendered... I'm such a nice person ;) ) An all metal Co2 gas gun firing unit. Very good, must be very careful with it. If you discharge the vented air into a Pringles tube, you get a hell of an audible thump. Space may, however, preclude this. As an alternative, it could be used to propel my smoke puffs, quite forcibly I would imagine. Testing to follow....
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: steve pickstock on June 10, 2011, 04:55:55 pm
You may not need smoke puffs, as the gas escaping from the barrel makes little clouds of condebsation - or at least my gas pistols do.
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: bikerdude999 on August 15, 2012, 07:09:33 pm
Is there any more info on this model, did you manage to get it finished and working properly?

Thanks.
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on August 15, 2012, 07:18:18 pm
The tanker has been temporarily abandoned over the last few months, hopefully I will be back on the build into September. The gun issue will be dictated by space, at 100" long I dont have much room in the model! Sounds unlikely but its true. The bow section is sealed, the midships section fills with water and the aft section is divided into three. Two thirds sealed bouyancy compartments and one third radio compartment. therefore I only have about 23" x 5" x 5" to play with. Always loved a challenge :}
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: bikerdude999 on August 15, 2012, 07:59:23 pm
 :o So little space for such a large model! I just found your other thread about the building of the actual model rather than the effects. With regards to the destroyers, I'm sure you've probably thought of it and got a good reason not to do it, but how about using some small electro magnets? Some metal plate in the side of destroyers hulls, or the Ohio, and magnets in the other. Would give a strong grip, and also enable you to release at the flick of a switch. Also wouldn't need such precise lining up as a gentle brush against the hull would allow it to 'stick'.

Spent the afternoon watching 'The Malta Story', seeing the Ohio in the film reminded me of a book I read years ago.
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: Yarpie on August 15, 2012, 09:55:38 pm
Bikerdude999, many thanks for that suggestion. :-))

It has already been thoroughly investigated and tested. And, unfortunately, it doesn't quite work. :embarrassed:

A (highly qualified) colleague of mine tested this theory in depth and discovered that the current required to keep all three vessels alongside each other was too much with regards power to weight ratio, also, the thickness of metal required on the destroyers was probably too much for reliable stability.

Furthermore, when he measured the break-off switching at the electro magnets, there was a slight time-lag, enough to cause problems if OHIO decided to sink lower than the gunwhales, thereby pulling the attendant destroyers down with it. <:( (Much tears at bedtime).

So we researched this method and came back to the original "outrigger" set up, so, with low astern revs on OHIO, the two destroyers  could effectively steer OHIO into "Grand Harbour". If OHIO decided to misbehave at any stage, then this set up allowed for instantaeneous breakaway.

That being said, very many thanks for submitting that idea, it is perfectly rational and at least, on the face of it, eminently plausible.

Yarpie.



Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: CF-FZG on August 15, 2012, 10:20:08 pm
Spent the afternoon watching 'The Malta Story', seeing the Ohio in the film reminded me of a book I read years ago.

So did I, fantastic film :-))

Although I was more interested in the RAF involvement in the defence of the island - to not recognise the heroism, bravery and sacrifices that the Merchant Marine and RN made would be criminal <:(


Mark
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: Yarpie on August 16, 2012, 01:54:44 pm
Perhaps I should qualify my last post by mentioning that I was involved in the planned Operation Pedestal display, and I'm not stealing unbuiltnautilus's thunder by replying to bikerdude999's suggestion. :embarrassed:
Title: Re: SS Ohio Tanker Build, The AA Guns.
Post by: unbuiltnautilus on August 16, 2012, 03:26:09 pm
I am sure I will cope :}
As an aside, does anyone know which 3" and 5" guns were fitted to Ohio. I need to find some reference drawings or photos before starting the build of the guns, guns which will be fitted with ultra-brite LEDs.. :-))