TurretsApologies for the update delay, this stage took a very long time. After providing an internal lip for the 2mm ply bases I began on the ply internal structures of the turrets.
It was necessary to make the turret bases in two sections as the turret rears are slightly higher than the circular part. Quite a bit of fettling was needed to get the joined base sections to lie flush with the lower turret profiles.
Next bit was fiddly in the extreme. I used 5mm ply as vertical support structures, to mount the thermistor assembly one side, and the LED barrel and plumbing the other. An interesting profile based on many Vernier depth gauge readings, plus a step for the two part base. The fibreglass turrets were each drilled for an M3 stainless CSK screw.
I next fitted M3 stainless nutserts into the top of each divider. All this virtually blind inside the structure.
At final fit the alloy tubes will be affixed to the lagged barrels using high temp adhesive.
Having the internal structures built it then remained to mount the thermistor assembly inside each, together with the alloy tubes for the barrels. The plan is to remove the M3 screw, raise the rear of the turret and slide it off the barrels. Positioning the thermistor assembly is critical as space is extremely tight. My 12 inch turrets are a fair bit smaller than Iron Duke’s 13.5 inch.
The fog fluid supply tube goes through the ply, some hot mat padding under the rear of the thermistor assembly, then wire it into position.
![](https://photos.smugmug.com/HMS-Agincourt/i-2wfjJns/0/7659202e/M/thermistor-mounting-M.jpg)
The above should give an idea of the tightness of fit and accuracy needed for ply mounting support. The turret “shell” just slides over the barrel(s) and is clamped down with the M3 CSK screw. Next job will be to thread the thermistor wires so they can exit between the fixed barbette and rotating inner, Very little clearance here for wiring either.
I plan on using thin brass strips down the rotating turret inner, plus thin wires for the LED. The pump servo cable also has to route between the tubes. It will be challenging.
The non-firing turrets will be a lot easier, having only alloy barrels and a single LED.
This is all taking time, and Wicksteed is approaching far too fast.
![Sad :((](https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/Smileys/Tug/sad2.gif)