We have started the builds on our new Japanese Heavy Cruisers, MWC fast gun style of course. They are class 3 units, with twin rudders. Do I hear differential steering, for sure. They also will have the same firing system for independant firing of the guns as on the PE. She is a fine looking ship. Internal drive system aligned up. Having your own lathe sure helps, it took me about 2 hour's to make up the 8 stuffing tubes, for the shafts, and the 4 stuffing tubes for the rudders for both ships. Since the gearboxes are 2.3 to 1, I plan on using a speed controller for both these ships. External drive, props and rudders. I installed the outer shafts a bit out, to ensure that I can get the 1 1/4 drag disks on. You can see I installed the rudders as close as I could get them to the props. Both hulls have been done the same way. They are BC Suffern rudders, which work well for both ships.
Looking forward to the build. How did you make the shafts on the lathe? Was it solid stock or did you make bushings. Where do you get the material? Lou
I got some brass bushings from SkyCraft in Orlando for the internal tubes, but the internal holes are too small, so I just drilled them out on the lathe with a #30 drill bit, .1285 inch. Then soldered them on, they work great. The tube is 7/32 in. The outer shafts I had some larger bushings, but they don't finish up as nice. They are 1/4 in. I use 1/8 shafts in both sets.
Man, didn't you just finish a ship? Heh. Nice start on the new ships! The shafts look great. I'm envious of the lathe. Heh.
Looking good so far. Nice to see you and Mark work together good as a team. I am going to guess soon enough there will be 3 Mogami Class ships to worry about in Region 3.
It will be Heavy. I put everything into it, and balanced it out, and shes right at 10 lbs 6 ounces right now. As a Heavy I can go up to 12.5.
I finished installing the engine mounts, and all the mounting blocks for all the internal gear, and poured the rear cement sealer around the stuffing tubes, and rudder gear. This time I will take the time and do the side to side tilt, during the week, and do each side one at a time. So far the rear took 4 ounces, so I have about 1 pound 6 ounces left I can still pour if needed. I think 1 pound will do it, since it is only 1/4 inch deep, sloped down from the sides.
I finished all the wiring, installed the rudder linkages, and fitted and installed the forward and rear decks. So all I have left is installing the guns, waterproofing the electronics, sheeting, installing the gun turrets, and painting.
Sheeted her last night, went to Ricks today, and got the pump mounting, outlet, and hose installed. Still need to install the guns, turrets, and paint. She hit the water today, was a little fast at 20 sec, added the speed disks, and dialed the forward speed down to 90%, and she hit 23 with no problems, sweeeet looking boat. Will install guns, turrets tomorrow, and paint some time during the week.
She is almost ready, all systems have been tested, and working. Just need to float her to get the waterline, and paint the bottom, and finish the 5 turrets. So hopefully she will be done tomorrow.
Nope its made of Balsa covered with fiberglass. Frank made it for me, along with the center deck for $100. My superstructures are very simple looking, and he said that he would do a great job for me, so I told him to go for it, and he did a great job with it. Whats also important, is that it is super light weight. Even with the 7 amp battery and my concrete patch water channel, she meets her max weight.
Frank does some very good work on those Super structures. Even up close one would think it was from a model when it is just very good work that is really light weight weight and from experience we know pretty damned BB proof.
Nope, she is not quite ready yet, the trusty PE held up the fort, and did quite well. People are becoming quite afraid of her, now its run away, instead of fight, but with those bow guns, its hard for them to get away. I could have battled the Kumano, but without the turrets. I need to install the turrets, and paint them is all thats left to do. Yesterday we worked on Marc's Mogami. Got the internal armour installed, sheeted, and all the electronics installed, and got her on the water last night at 9 pm. So he needs the CO2 system, guns, and turrets installed, and the painting. So not too much left till the second one is also finished. Hopefully by the end of the weekend.
