Modeling, (Scale, not Runway) Who's interested?

Sean the Nailer

Sean the Nailer

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
    • May 20, 2006
    7,074
    11,134
    Winnipeg, Mb.
    #1
    This is a quote from another thread, that some suggested I start a new one....:

    I'm glad you boys are interested. Here I thought I was on the verge of insanity, but anyways. Not much to get into at the moment, as I'm still 'gearing up' for this task. It is one that I'd intended to build with my son, over time. As it is, My Lady and I are doing it.

    I'm still looking for a suitcase welder that I can afford, because we're doing as much as possible out of aluminum. Gotta scale the weight with the actual displacement, right? The model is 1:100 which makes it just under 9' long. With the access to the lathe and the mill, I figure we can articulate pretty much everything, and enjoy a blackpowder broadside at the same time. This isn't a racing boat, or anything needing any speed at all. It's a show in itself, let alone a fun 'toy' (dare-I-say that?) so drive-wise, I'm thinking a small gas engine both geared down and divided for both the propulsion as well as some minor electrics. Everything else would be on electric motors and solenoids.

    I've a few ideas for giving life to the CWIS, as well as the Tomahawk and Phalanx systems.

    Maybe we could take the obstructors out of the barrels, and do some duck hunting on your pond, eh?

    This is all based on starting with the 1:350 plastic model, with the Pontos upgrade kit. And a bazillion pictures that I've been gathering/hoarding/sourcing for almost 2 decades. In the mid 90's, I started this process off with a phone call to the Pentagon. Now, with the advent of the innerwebz, the information is so much more prevalent.

    It's not the destination, it's the journey. And, for when we're able to do some travelling, we'll have this for further detail and references: http://www.battleshipnewjersey.org/visit/overnights/

    It's not an obsession if it's fun, right? And this all started with a massive interest in Long Range Precision Marksmanship, when I was young. Taken to the max, and a few steps further.

     
    #5
    Yes, it is an obsession. But I totally get it (have it). I don't do ships, I used to do a lot of giant scale R/C aircraft. That led to an obsession of flying and restoring vintage full scale aircraft (and a corresponding lack of funds to continue model building). Here is a 1/5 scale SNJ-5 (Navy version of the T-6 Texan). It has an 8-1/2 ft. wingspan, and weighs in around 30 lbs, powered by a 5 hp 2-stroke gas (i.e. large chainsaw) engine. It is a built-up-from-plans model, not a pre-molded, pre-built, ready-to-assemble version. It is all balsa, spruce, and plywood, with a 0.6 oz. fiberglass cloth lay-up over the balsa skin to simulate metal. Approximately 8000 rivets all hand-laid with glue drops from a syringe. The paint is Dupont automotive paint, and there isn't a single decal anywhere on it. I made stencils and painted all the markings. Everything on it was hand made from scratch except the cowl, and canopy, which were available from the company that drew the plans. I cut the vacuum-formed canopy apart, gave it an aluminum frame, and made it into a true sliding canopy. I worked on it off and on for almost six years! [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i726.photobucket.com\/albums\/ww267\/darkhorsephoto\/DSCN2564_zps9dkqmwi3.jpg"}[/IMG2]


    [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i726.photobucket.com\/albums\/ww267\/darkhorsephoto\/DSCN2572.jpg"}[/IMG2]
     
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    #9
    vh20, you might like this. My dad was a Cessna dealer for years.

    IMG_1308.JPG
     
    #11
    Thanks, guys.

    I've seen that ad, or a similar version before. It's very cool, and slightly amusing as well. It must have been really cool for you to grow up in that environment. How long have you had your 140? My 120 is a '47 as well. Next week I will have owned it for 18 years. It's very clean, my hangar not so much. I just finished the annual on it last week, but haven't put it all back together yet. Hope to get it back to flying this week.
     
    #12
    Back to the Big J for a moment: Sean - why gas power and not electric? I know in my area of modeling, an engine that doesn't sound "right", and a pilot who doesn't fly in a scale-like manner can totally ruin the illusion of simulating the real thing. I would "think" that the noise of a small gas engine would be distracting on a large, stately model of a battleship. Electrics have come so far (and are so trouble-free compared to gas), that plenty of power and duration should be no problem whatsoever, and the relative quiet, compared to gas, would seem more scale-like I would think.
     
    #13
    vh20, I know what I don't know, which is why I'm undecided.... yet leaning. First of all, is the scale design/displacement issue. We're not nearly displacing as much water as the original, for the weight it's carrying. Which is why this is being built out of a LOT of aluminum. (when I get the TIG, I'll go back to practicing welding Coke cans back together again.) 1 cubic foot of battery weighs one heck of a lot more than 1 cubic foot of fuel. And, a jerry-can sitting on shore can have it up and running again in minutes, whereas either changing (or recharging) a battery, I see that as a much more indepth or time consuming job. Now, realize too, that this is NOT going to be racing against the budweiser jet-boat thing. So I don't need speed at all. What I am looking for, is torque. Enough torque that 1 small engine can create enough power to turn 4 screws through a dividing gearset.

    The two inboard props in unison, as well as the two outboard props selectively, paired. Forward or reverse. This is only because if I'm going this far on the Outboard Profile and Articulation, then I might just as well continue on down to a semblance of the authenticity for propulsion too, right?

    Now, in truth, I don't know exactly how 'silent' these big beauty's really were when underway, but I have a hard time thinking that they were silent. And regarding the sound of the engine, through continuous sheathing/ducting, and whatnot (like the Bronze Bull) either the sounds could be 'manipulated' into something more "true" or even incorporating underwater exhaust.

    I started this reply to you, telling you that I know what I don't know. Which is why I can't rule out electrics (maybe they're better now than they were 20-30 years ago for both force and longevity) because I've no recent experience with them. Maybe a battery powered "simulated funnel" sound would be better and more efficient. Could very well be. Another thing that I have to think about is electrics.

    There are so many things on this boat that is going to move/do things/rotate/fire/launch/etc that electrics and/or electronics are both needed and a concern. This is on the water. I fully intend on using this during the day OR night (some lights, but other 'effects') and during clear or rainy times too. The only point I'm making here, is safeguarding against shorting/zot-ing/et al.

    Land vehicles, be-it racing cars, monster trucks, tanks, even scale highway rigs collide. Planes and helicopters crash. Boats sink. So I have to take that into consideration as well. There is a safeguard recovery system that I'm working on, that I never want to use. At the same time though, I moreso never want to lose this behemoth at the bottom of a lake or river.

    Fuel tank vent inlets with a check-valve on them, primarily prevent fuel from escaping the cell. How do the latest batteries deal with being submerged? All I know is that these fancy Lithium batteries explodicate very spectacularly when they decide to go 'critical mass'. Now, either "afloat" or "asunk", I don't want to experience that at all.

    So all I'm saying here, without even getting into the main project of Superstructure, armament, articulation, effects, and whatnot.... is that there's still billions of questions to be explored. Do it Right, and Do it Once. I have all kinds of mistakes to be made on paper yet, before the process continues. I'm looking at connecting with the New Jersey museum about obtaining some of their original Planks, for obvious reasons. This whole thing started with my marvelling at the 16" guns, back when I was a young teen. I'd always looked forward to doing this "later, when I had a son...." and now this is something My Lady wants to do with me. She shoots too, and is involved with every aspect of the process. She has spent days in 'the room' just cleaning, dis-assembling, oiling, and re-assembling items for both maintenance and posterity.

    But I digress.....

    And yes, the intent is to also have a number of bullet-camera's in various locations inside the ship looking out, too. That way a whole other aspect of 'view' can be appreciated at different stages.

    Ever gone duck-hunting with a battleship? HHAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa (sounds like a heck of an idea though, eh?)
     
    #17
    Wow, Im very impressed! that is beyond awesome, both in skill and execution. I am currently trying to get my 8yo son more involved in models, we have done some simple cars and such out of kits so far. I have a tough one waiting for him, a wooden scale model of the USS constellation with cloth sails and such that I found in a resale shop. It looks like a giant PITA to build, definitely NOT an overnighter, lol.
     
    #19
    On a different note, there were a few guys on the old site, who were masters (still are, actually) at modelling. Cpt. Creedmoor, and Jack H.

    Boys, if ya'll come back, sing out. I've seen pics of your work, and it sets my bar. That's one benefit of doing something so large. All that 'micro-tediousness' (not exactly the right words) drives me nutso.
     
    #20
    VH20...nice job on the Texan- I'm assuming it's RC...if so, what engine are you using?

    Ever have a chance to fly the real deal? If not, I highly recommend it...they're a lot of fun and very easy to fly.
     
    #21
    seanh said:
    VH20...nice job on the Texan- I'm assuming it's RC...if so, what engine are you using?

    Ever have a chance to fly the real deal? If not, I highly recommend it...they're a lot of fun and very easy to fly.
    Click to expand...

    Zenoah G-62 (cc) engine.

    Actually, I've flown the exact SNJ that this was modeled after. It belongs to a friend of mine. He has two, both exactly alike except for the numbers (the other is "HB", and "23". Somewhere I have pics of my model with the real one, but I can't seem to find them right now. We've displayed them together at several fly-ins, including SERFI (EAA's SouthEast Regional Fly-In) in Evergreen, AL a few years back.

    I see you have one in your avatar. What's the story on that?
     
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    #23
    vh20 said:
    Zenoah G-62 (cc) engine.

    Actually, I've flown the exact SNJ that this was modeled after. It belongs to a friend of mine. He has two, both exactly alike except for the numbers (the other is "HB", and "23". Somewhere I have pics of my model with the real one, but I can't seem to find them right now. We've displayed them together at several fly-ins, including SERFI (EAA's SouthEast Regional Fly-In) in Evergreen, AL a few years back.

    I see you have one in your avatar. What's the story on that?
    Click to expand...

    I always like seeing the model RC stuff (planes & heli's) next to the real deal...kind of makes it personal.

    My pic? Nothing special compared to ownership...For our 2nd anniversary my wife got me a ride in one of those warbird flights. It was a couple hours of flying around doing loops, rolls, some stall turns. I never had the chance to do the "fighter" package that's offered...just couldn't afford it.
     
    #24
    My interest in flying models, while fervent, has been back-burnered while I'm concentrating on shooting.

    My stuff tends to be 24"-ish span and rubber powered free flight, such little as I still do. Here on the high desert now, I have real worries about my planes disappearing straight up in a thermal.We have dust devils here that probably top out somewhere around 2000ft above ground The dust drops out, but a featherweight rubber job would probably just keep on going up.

    I am all set and equipped to build and fly more, but right now, it's all so many guns..., so little time... I think I'll be up for building more when next Winter sets in, short as it is here in SE AZ..

    Greg
     
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