Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Sp0n on December 10, 2009, 12:30:24 PM
-
Having recently spent quite some time drooling over the Perry ACW plastics, and after buying and painting my Iron Dwarves for Uncharted Seas, I found my self searching the web for pics and information on the CSS Virginia. I've found it rather difficult to find any precise information, and almost every picture of it differs from the next. Since this is intended for 28mm, this didn't put me off as I'd have to tweak the proportions anyway...
In the end I let the size of my foamboard decide the length of the shit and the size of a random models base, plus my sense of what would look good, decide the beam (width of a ship, right?).
I started out by making a sketch of the front and rear of the ship:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4100.jpg)
This was placed on the foamboard, and the basic shape of the hull was cut out, measuring 70x15 cm (You'll notice that I changed the rear of the ship before cutting it out):
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4102.jpg)
I then cut out the basic shapes of the top part of the ship (the casemate? I REALLY need a Danish-English naval dictionary ;D ):
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4111.jpg)
I glued them to the hullshape, which warped it slightly, but nothing that can't be fixed at a later point:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4112.jpg)
Then came the fun part: Figuring out how to make the curved armourplating at the front and rear. I ended up just guessing and then trimming to fit, which turned out quite nice:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4120.jpg)
So this is where I'm at right now. The armourplates will consist of two or more layers of plasticard for extra strentgh - I'm using some quite thin stuff for each layer to help with the bending. Being absentminded, I forgot to make the gunports in the armour glued to the front, but I'l hopefully be able to fix it with out to many problems at a later point...
During the construction, I had my little helper running around, sorting my paints and he actually (almost) got them to fit in the suitcase:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4105.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4107.jpg)
-
THats looking really good, I'm very impressed. It's going to be interesting to see how this develops. You 'just' need to build an USS Monitor now....
-
...and a really large table and I could replay the Battle of Hampton Roads ;D
-
Waouv!
I'm amazed that you'll undertake such a thing!
I hope you will be able to finish it... lol
-
I need to - The victorious CSA forces will need somekind of ship to go unobtanium hunting in the southeast Asia, right? ;)
-
Nice project! 8)
I had the same "urge" to build an ACW US Ironclad myself about 10 years ago…
I traced the template on a thin piece of wood… and it’s at the same stage since then… lol
-
Looking good so far, shame you didn't sdtart it a month ago it would have made a great entry to the build something contest :D
Keith :?
-
Looking good so far, shame you didn't sdtart it a month ago it would have made a great entry to the build something contest :D
Keith :?
Totally agree :D
Looking forward to seeing the progress.
-
" I ended up just guessing and then trimming to fit, which turned out quite nice:"
Is there another way? ;D
Great project, looking good.
-
I tried really hard to get going in time for the Build Something-thing, but failed. But in the end the competion was all about getting people to build something and all the great entries was part of the motivation I needed to start building this.
I just finished putting the bottom layer of armour on one side and took some pics with a 28mm heroic GW guy for reference:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4124.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4126.jpg)
And now I've got to clear the desk, since all this was done on El Jefe's desk and she'll be home soon :o
-
Yes! Jesper this is an amazing idea.
I've already built two prussian ships.
We've gotta have a sea battle. Your ship is large enough for boarding. lol
-
Don't think small, do you? Even at 70cm, you're in just over half-scale! The Monitor would come in just under 3 feet but it's a lot more boring.
I believe you're right with casemate, by the way, although I don't think Virginia was considered as casemated. I could be wrong, though.
As much as I like ACW ironclads, most of them are unfortunately rather plain in appearance. I would rather build something like a cottonclad or timberclad, myself, although they'd probably be even bigger in scale. Bulkier, at least.
-
Very nice. Looking forward to seeing this completed, I've wanted to make a similar ship as a nef but I'm not allowed to build the ships I've already started due to lack of space :(
So, after this one gets done, you fancy making this?
(http://www.inivis.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1670&stc=1&d=1253288894)
-
USS Choctaw?
-
Don't think small, do you? Even at 70cm, you're in just over half-scale! The Monitor would come in just under 3 feet but it's a lot more boring.
I believe you're right with casemate, by the way, although I don't think Virginia was considered as casemated. I could be wrong, though.
As much as I like ACW ironclads, most of them are unfortunately rather plain in appearance. I would rather build something like a cottonclad or timberclad, myself, although they'd probably be even bigger in scale. Bulkier, at least.
It's the other way around, right? The Monitor was shorter, but slighty wider than the Virginia...
I'd never heard of cotton- or timberclads, so had to look it up and what a wondelful world of weird stuff ;D This page (http://www.cityofart.net/bship/tinclads.html) gave me a nice look at the different types and I'm quite tempted ;)
By the way: The 'plain' look makes it quite easy to create the model, despite it's size...
@Dewbakuk:
What is that thing? Computergamething or something thought up by some random guy with Sketchup? It's not a real life ship, right?
-
Omg! It's a real thing ;D I need to build that someday and I need to read more about the ships and naval battles of the ACW...
-
I'm afraid it is real yes :)
The USS Choctow is a fascinating ship, not for any fancy war sheanigans but because it's a modified Sidewheel Steamer. The Union bought a river steamer, stripped it down and then built armour and guns on it. It's a superb example of a civilian vessel modified for war. Probably looked something like this before the military stripped it :)
(http://thandroltechnologies.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/28/emma_giles2.jpg)
I apologise for the thread de-railing :P
-
SpOn - I think you read me wrong. 70cm is just over half the length it would be if built to scale. At 275', the Virginia would be roughly 4 1/2' in 28/30mm scale. The Monitor was 172', a couple inches short of 3' as a model. The Yankee boat was a little over 2' wider, like you say.
Check here for some 1/600 scale metal models. You can see how little variety there was between the purpose-built vessels as compared with those ships they adapted.
http://www.thoroughbredmodels.com/Ironclads.htm
-
Made a little progress tonight:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4129.jpg)
It isn't perfect, but it'll do...
-
Your craft is shaping up nicely, SpOn! I began a similar model years ago and never got beyond the basic construction. Yes, Casement is the right term for this class of vessel.
On the subject of weird and wonderful ironclad designs, check out USS Ozark from this era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ozark_(1863)
-
Omg! It's a real thing ;D I need to build that someday and I need to read more about the ships and naval battles of the ACW...
Here are a couple of books that might be of interest. I'm not sure how many are currently available, though. I've had some of them for quite a while.
Warships of the Civil War Navies by Paul H. Silverstone (ISBN 0-87021-783-6)
This is the 'dry' one. It's a compilation of every known vessel used by the ACW navies and is fairly well illustrated. Lots of statistics.
Civil War Chronicles - Naval Warfare by John C.Wideman (ISBN 1-56799-425-5)
Well-illustrated account of the rise of the Ironclads, the major battles of the period and even the deployment of, as they put it, 'a (barely) working submarine'. Some gorgeous paintings by Tom W.Freeman and William R.McGrath (think of Ken Marschall's 'Titanic' artwork)
Warships and Naval Battles of the Civil War by Tony Gibbons (ISBN 0-8317-9301-5)
All colour artwork of over 250 ships (some multi-view) and a few battle scenes. Details on over 1500 ships involved in the war. An excellent book, one of my favourites.
The Civil War Military Machine by Ian Drury and Tony Gibbons (ISBN 0-8317-1325-9)
Another beautifully illustrated all colour art book on the weapons and tactics of the Union and Confederate armed forces. Although not specifically navy related, there are still over 50 pages dedicated to the war on the waves. Well worth having.
Hope this helps.
Mike
-
Have a look at this link
http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/naval/uss_choctaw_mississippi (http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/naval/uss_choctaw_mississippi)
Some interesting photos
Check this one out it looks a lot easier to build.
http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/naval/scouting_pontoon_boat?full=1 (http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/naval/scouting_pontoon_boat?full=1)
-
That last one is awesome :o I've been thinking about building a mortar boat using the free plans from Paper Shipwright (http://www.papershipwright.co.uk/ps23/details.shtml)
-
I've done some more work on the Virginia. Finished the innermost layer of armour and started on the top deck:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4147.jpg)
The whole ship with paper in the chimney for extra visibility lol:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4148.jpg)
-
Have you got a vision of the finished boat ready?!?! Perhaps done in paint or something?
Would like to see where the guns go and how many gubbinz goes where.
-
4 guns on each side, and 1 in each end. The ones in the stern and bow will have the three different holes to shoot from... Not planning on too many gubbins, but there'll a railing on the upper deck. I'll try and photoshop something tomorrow or wednesday ;)
-
4 guns on each side, and 1 in each end. The ones in the stern and bow will have the three different holes to shoot from... Not planning on too many gubbins, but there'll a railing on the upper deck. I'll try and photoshop something tomorrow or wednesday ;)
Rivetts perhaps then?!
-
Rivetts perhaps then?!
Always got to be rivets!
-
Always got to be rivets!
Shhhh! You did that on purpose! lol
-
Finished the upper deck and almost completed one side of the armour:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4152.jpg)
-
If you need rivets you can always just use needle pins?
Just push them into the thing where they need to be... leaving only the pinhead to show. That's instant rivets!
-
I've started using dressmakers pins bought from the local Tesco's. 2mm pin head, makes life very easy :)
-
Bolts and rivets in different sizes can be bought here:
http://www.barrule.com/Workshop/scratch%20builders%20paradise/Augmentables.html (http://www.barrule.com/Workshop/scratch%20builders%20paradise/Augmentables.html)
-
Looking really good :-*
How are you managing to cut such neat, even holes in the plastic card?
-
Looking really good :-*
How are you managing to cut such neat, even holes in the plastic card?
It's actually just a rough pencilsketch followed by some steady freehand scalpel work :)
-
It's actually just a rough pencilsketch followed by some steady freehand scalpel work :)
Ok that's impressive!
-
Ok that's impressive!
Very :o
When ever I try to cut curves in plastic card they always end up rough and no two curves ever look the same.
Yours looked so neat and uniform that I thought you must have a secret not just great skill. :D
-
Hey, wow, I love big ships in a big scale.
This was MY last one in 28mm-scale (approx. over 1,30 metre in the length):
(http://s2.imgimg.de/uploads/Crisis2009097299708e6jpg.jpg)
-
Fugazi Holy... :o
SpOn: Thats great so far look forward to the finished picture.
-
Very :o
When ever I try to cut curves in plastic card they always end up rough and no two curves ever look the same.
Yours looked so neat and uniform that I thought you must have a secret not just great skill. :D
I know your problem too, plus the occasional slip and cut finger!
-
what I do about it is pre-scribing it with a round edged tool - e.g. a dart game tip - along a template if serial appearance is needed.
the edges get rough, but it is easy to sand the with fine sand paper.
You can do it even with Plexi, but always break it along the line in very small steps.
If the material is transparent or You can adjust the template precisely, scribing from both sides helps too
-
Done some more work tonight:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y241/Sp0n/IMG_4159.jpg)
Should have done loads more, but couldn't turn off the computer :) No further updates this side of the holidays, so merry christmas!
-
Merry Christmas to you, too! :)
-
"I'm high as a kite and my teeth are green. Merry f**king Christmas." lol
Looking good my friend. I cannot stress it enough: I hope you will actually finish this project.
-
I hope so too ;D
-
Hey, wow, I love big ships in a big scale.
This was MY last one in 28mm-scale (approx. over 1,30 metre in the length):
(http://s2.imgimg.de/uploads/Crisis2009097299708e6jpg.jpg)
Fugazi, do you have a Flickr site, or anything like that? I'd love to see more of your stuff.
-
Fugazi, do you have a Flickr site, or anything like that? I'd love to see more of your stuff.
Yes, of course :D
Please look at our team webpage: www.ths-wargames.de
or here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=14311.0
-
BUMP
How did this worked out or is it still WIP?
-
Yes Jesper!
Show us some more.. or get cracking!
-
Hear, Hear!