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Author Topic: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes  (Read 2892 times)

TailUK

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RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« on: January 25, 2018, 10:58:40 am »

I'm trying to determine the actual size of the portholes on the RMS Queen Mary.  It doesn't appear to be recorded in easily available literature.  I've even tried contacting the ship/hotel via their Facebook page but have had no response.  As far as I can tell her portholes come in 3 different sizes. There 2 different sized round portholes which make up the 4 rows from the waterline up. The 3 rows down from the boat deck (porthole for the First Class cabins) are actually oval. 
I'm going to be working in a scale of 1/192nd scale and would like to add them all so I can illuminate the ship.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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dave301bounty

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2018, 07:23:34 pm »

I have an oval one as a coffee table, it's 22 in by 18 in..
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TailUK

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2018, 01:48:11 pm »

Thanks, that really is useful.  To 1/192nd scale that gives a size of 2.9mm x 2.3mm.  That is going to be a sod to cut!
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Colin Bishop

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2018, 03:49:53 pm »

I think Queen Mary has about 2,000 portholes in all so good luck with that. One of my ongoing projects is a liner at 1:150 scale but I'm not even going to attempt to cut out the portholes, I shall just punch them out of dark blue trimline tape and stick them on the hull using masking tale as a temporary baseline. It will give a neat effect rather than an ambitious uneven row of ragged holes! A leather punch will do the job and it should be possible to fabricate the oval ones by squeezing the appropriate  cutter in the revolving punch.

I agree that having all the portholes illuminated would look good, but only if you can make an almost perfect job of it. Apart from getting the size and positioning exactly right, you need to remember that on the real ship the portholes were fixed in plating around 12mm thick. At 1:192 scale that would be 0.06mm ship side which is not practical. Assuming that the sides of your model are between 1.5mm and 3mm that equates to around 1 to 2 feet in full scale so your 'portholes' are actually more like rabbit holes.

As a final point, given the huge amount of work involved in cutting out those 2,000 holes - just how much time will your model actually spend illuminated for people to admire? in short, is it really worth the effort?

Colin
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TailUK

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2018, 06:37:21 pm »

Is any of what we do really worth it in the long run?  We do it "because it's there" or to see if we can.  The hull sides are about 3mm thick.  the plan is to laser cut clear acrylic "plugs" to fill the holes and to back light them using led strips.  The acrylic should act partially as a lens and transmit the light through the plug. 
The round portholes aren't the ones I'm worried about.  The oval ones could be a nightmare and the rectangular windows in the promenade deck even worse.
Beside 2000 portholes is one thing, what about the 10 million rivets?
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Colin Bishop

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2018, 07:17:24 pm »

A fair point, we all have our own ideas of what we want from the hobby. In my case I just want to produce a model which faithfully represents the original vessel with a reasonable balance of effort to appearance but what constitutes that is basically just my opinion. I rather take the view that if I get in too deep with the details and features then it detracts from the time I can spend on the next model.

My chosen subject, see below, doesn't have too many portholes or lifeboats etc. etc. but still captures the essence of the period.

I love the old Queen Mary, I used to see her in the 60s's and spent a night aboard her at Long Beach in 2001. But she is a huge vessel by any standards and the sheer amount of work involved in successfully modelling her is enough to put me off. At the end of the day it is what floats your particular boat though.

Colin
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TailUK

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2018, 07:32:42 pm »

Blue star line, SS Almeda Star.  nice choice!
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No human society has ever functioned without models to capture, explain,disseminate,
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Colin Bishop

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2018, 07:39:50 pm »

Top marks TailUK. Yes, a good modelling compromise for a practical and attractive model. I have already built the hull and part of the upperworks so all downhill now - maybe...!

Colin
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Peter Fitness

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Re: RMS Queen Mary - Portholes sizes
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2018, 09:44:34 pm »

A lovely subject, Colin, I look forward to some progress photos when appropriate.


Peter.
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