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Post by loyalist on Oct 4, 2016 12:44:16 GMT
The Royal Navy put the spotting top behind and close to the forward funnel on HMS Dreadnought, ahead of the funnel on the Bellerophon Class due to problems with smoke on Dreadnought, but illogically put the main spotting top behind the funnel again in the Colossus Class, Orion Class and on battlecruiser HMS Lion. The smoke interference and heat inside the main strut (which contained the ladder to the top) rendered Lion's spotting top unusable. The ship had the funnel repositioned further aft and the spotting top moved ahead of it.
I'll put the tripod on the forward cabin of the LI.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 4, 2016 15:44:19 GMT
I'm continuing to work on the LI modifications and after test fitting some brass tubing for the tripod I think the 2 aft legs will be too close together on the narrow superstructure. I could run them through the new catwalks and onto the main deck but that'll be a pain based on past experience installing tripods though bridge levels on 1/144 scale ship models.
My problem with the LI model's spotting top design is that the top looks far too large to be supported by the thin girders on either side. I think it'll look better if I add a 3/8" diameter tubular support (presumably with the access ladder inside) coming out of the forward cabin's roof, and retain the girders on either side instead of adding the aft running tripod legs.
As to the spotting top design I've decided to use one of the tops of the command towers I built for bunkers (see photos in Trenches thread). I did a test fit and it looked fine. I'll add a platform at the rear that'll extend to either side with enough room for the semaphore signalling figures.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 6, 2016 18:41:22 GMT
I'm back to the tripod mast idea. Modified the upper deck between the two cabins to make room for two 2mm thick x 9mm square styrene bases for the small aft running tripod legs. I filed the square raised piece of deck behind the opening to the stairs level with the rest of the deck and narrowed the fore and aft length of the opening in the deck by covering part of it with 1mm styrene. The 2 square pieces of styrene will have 1/8" holes drilled in them at an angle to hold the two 1/8" styrene tripod legs.
The main tripod strut of 3/8" diameter brass tubing is installed on the forward cabin's roof. Within the strut are multiple spacers of lesser diameter brass tubing down to 1/8". Due to height limitations on the drill press 1/8" was the longest bit I could use with the LI sitting on the drill's platform - not enough clearance for anything bigger - so the hole in the roof is only 1/8" wide.
The catwalk around the sides and front of the superstructure is finished except for adding the splinter screens, which will be 1/2" tall like the original railings. I've assembled 2 spare 40K Imperial Guard Chimera searchlights to go on the port and starboard searchlight platforms. They scale at 36" diameter searchlights in HO. You can see one on top of a command bunker in the Trenches thread.
I've taken multiple photos of the conversion process and tried to upload them today. For some reason the camera's chip won't insert in the computer and I'm getting an error message I can't get rid of. Odd, there was no problem a few days ago. Kim will be back in 4 days so maybe she can figure it out.
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Post by madmorgan on Oct 7, 2016 8:57:29 GMT
I certainly hope Kim can! I'm curious as to why you didn't use the AQ scale Conqueror miniature searchlights off their LIC, which are sold separately front the model? Of coarse, you already had the 40K ones! Duh, more coffee Morgan.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 7, 2016 10:21:19 GMT
I was going to order the Conqueror searchlights but the 40K ones have more detail and, as you said, I already had them.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 14, 2016 11:19:01 GMT
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Post by madmorgan on Oct 14, 2016 11:20:41 GMT
Excellent and step-by-step as well
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Post by loyalist on Oct 14, 2016 11:27:41 GMT
Two more photos: Corners of the platform beveled at 45 degrees. Searchlight platforms - they'll have supports at the outer end resting on styrene I-beams between the 5" gun sponsons. Styrene hatches added over the ladders.
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Post by madmorgan on Oct 14, 2016 11:34:19 GMT
Nice, I love the way you maintain engineering integrity with your bracing, etc.
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Post by Quendil on Oct 14, 2016 11:34:35 GMT
Looking really good
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Post by loyalist on Oct 20, 2016 0:33:45 GMT
12.5 mm (~1/2") high splinter screens are being added around the edge of the upper deck catwalks; they're made of 1.0 mm thick styrene with scribed panels on the outer face and detailed with strips of 0.5 mm x 2.0 mm styrene on the inner side representing small welded plates at the panel junctions. Going together slowly with about 1/3 done today, in part due to beveling the joints between pieces at the 45 degree angled corners. Photos will be posted when the process is complete.
I'm still working on the spotting top design. With the tripod that'll be one of the final stages of the conversion to an American built LI in BEF service. I think I'll retain the 12" gun as per Madmorgan's advice but substitute a 1 pdr coil gun for the 7" gun (similar stats for the coil gun but 5" longer range). Making the coil gun barrel will be a simple conversion as per the field gun version: a spare Imperial tank coil gun barrel shortened and grafted to an Ironclads Miniatures Faraday Electric gun.
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Post by madmorgan on Oct 20, 2016 3:18:46 GMT
Cool, I can imagine less power needed for the 1 pounder with a small on board generator. Even a slight bit of movement by an LIC will recharge that gun. No movement, the generator (fuel powered) charges it up. Good stuff!
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Post by loyalist on Oct 25, 2016 14:05:23 GMT
More photos of the mods to a Land Ironclad in BEF service: Making the splinter screens from 1mm thick styrene 11.5mm tall. Addition of the 1mm x 2mm top rail increases the height to 12.5mm (~1/2"), the same height as the metal railings on the original model. Steel plates are scribed on the outside of the screen and on the inner side there are corresponding vertical strips of 0.5mm thick x 2mm wide styrene representing plates welded at the joints. Base coat of Vallejo Brown Violet applied. The catwalk structure is removable at this point to allow dry-brushing and washing of it and the Land Ironclad's superstructure and decks. Waiting for some Conqueror searchlights to arrive; 1/16" holes have been drilled in the searchlight platforms (visible in above photo) for installation of the searchlights with 1/16" brass rod pins. Some green stuff work is needed on the wheelhouse visor. I think that instead of a vertical support at the end of the searchlight platforms, resting on an I-beam between the 5" gun sponsons, I'm going to add small I-beam girders under the searchlight platforms that run back to the main catwalk. That'll give a cleaner look and avoid the problem of the 5" sponsons not being level with each other.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 25, 2016 14:19:29 GMT
Another photo of the splinter screens under construction with possible crew figure placement. The main support leg for the tripod mast is wide enough to accommodate a hypothetical 18 mm scale figure and ladder inside. WWI British capital ships often had ladders inside the main leg to access the spotting top. Four of the figures are from the KS and retail AQ command sets. The fifth is a Blue Moon British WWI officer holding binoculars, next to the pointing figure in the photo.
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Post by loyalist on Oct 25, 2016 19:12:30 GMT
I've decided to use the model's original spotting top supported by a tripod mast, slightly higher than the original on its girders. It will have a platform on the sides and rear similar in outline to the styrene platform immediately below.
The 'searchlight' platforms at spotting top level will be half as long as those below and will probably have post-mounted HMGs instead of searchlights. The HMG positions on the spotting top roof will be filled in due to their quite limited line of sight and no ability to depress below roof level when firing forward. The platform around the spotting top will have the usual WWI Royal Navy 'starfish' design of supporting steel work.
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