Scharnie did well operationally at the Brouha on the Bayou, but I was unhappy with the power of the guns. I was also thinking that there were several things that could have been better laid out, and that the pump needed a proper mounting that didn't allow it to get cocked to one side, hindering good priming. Oh, and the near-total absence of superstructure was a nagging issue (altho, admittedly, I am somewhat infamous for deploying 'aircraft carriers' so this is not really a new complaint). SO... Having got some time this weekend, I got Brian K to come over and school me in the dark arts of cannon building, which he in turn learned from the estimable Bob H one night of the Brouha whilst this author was sawing logs to drown out the noise of the dremel By the end of the day on Saturday, I had two good cannons that made crazy mad popping noises and recoiled nicely in hand. So, to Sunday. After returning from the early church service, I got in the shop and ripped out the mess around the pump, and cut out the bracketry for the CO2 bottle. The gas and electrics had been removed already. A new bracket was fabbed for the bottle, which let it mount with the bottom of the bottle pointing forwards and the regulator end upwards and aft. This freed up much room amidships (pics of this tomorrow) where the pump switch, ESC, and gun servo will be better mounted. A decent plywood mount for the pump was fabbed up and installed, so that I will not have priming issues any more. I added the stern superstructure (the part at the step of the deck), the remaining smokestacks (she went to Brouha with only one, the other three forgotten in my shop) were installed, and the deck was masked off. The SS looks great in grey instead of wood-color Still have superstructure work (small buildings and fwd mast), and some minor replumbing of the gas lines. Below are some pics after my labors, with Inspector Tuxcat of BuShips assessing progress thus far...
Thanks Mike, I'm alot happier with her inside and out now. The new guns and the internals are the major beneficiaries of the refit. She should be good to go after next weekend (2 more days of building time). Easily ready for the May battle in Pooler.
Nice! Work on my Black Prince proceeds slowly. Academia has kept me much busier than I had anticipated.
Looks nice, I think thats the most superstructure any of your ships have had! Are you going to make it out to Texas, or are you too busy a boy to be gone that long?
Brandon, I wish I could, but everyone at work took a 5% pay cut for one year, in an effort to avoid layoffs. The Brouha became my 'Nats' for this year. Next year, I'm hoping to make it.
Three questions: What are you making the superstructure out of? What batteries are you using? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
The SS is a mix of wood and polystyrene. I am using 4000mAH NiMH batteries (1 carried onboard, with 2 others waiting in the box on shore for later sorties, takes my smart charger ~35minutes to recharge from a typical sortie which the smart charger tells me I use about 2000mAH in, running and pumping.). I had to add significant weight to make scale waterline A great little ship to battle, low maintenance, and the hull is really strong (thanks BC!). African, European, or Cyberdyne Systems with optional scramjet?
I don't know that! AIIIIIIIIIIIEIIEEEEE! Too much Python has permanently warped my mind. Been doing a little research on the Duke. I have finally figured out what the superstructure should look like. The forecastle drop off was vexing me. Now if I can figure out where to put the props I can start cutting holes in the hull. She is going to look good in black, white and buff. If I am reading the rules correctly the rear casemates are solid for their length as they are barely over 3/8" from top of the hull to the step.
Argh!! I'll email the view of the props/rudder in the morning, I promise!!! I'm tired as heck from scouts tonite. It was quite comical as the new scouts were getting very rambunctious and attempted something the older scouts never have, which is to say physically jump me. One jumped on my back and another tried to grab my pencil. A small smapling of the gentle art of self-defense (Aikido) later, my status among the scouts had apparently risen considerably. Quite amusing. The 2 scouts who are into our hobby got to see el Almirante and were highly impressed. I can't wait for the micro pump to get here! I will post some photos tomorrow before I go camping for the weekend. I am really looking forward to getting some testing time in on my pool with this bad boy!
I would have never tried that when I was in Scouting. Oy! The kids these days! The Almirante has fired my new ship ADD. I dug up my plans for an RN M-Class destroyer that I have in 1/96. She's a half unit too. I also have the German V-99 if you need a smaller sibling for your Scharnhorst. But I'm being good. I have not printed them or anything and they remain on my archive drives. I am going to do the post Coronel refit of the Duke. Casemate guns removed and placed on the upper deck.
Someone has already asked me if I could do another 1/2 unit DD, J... we'll see. If I get a rule passed for it, it could become a cheap starter boat (no regulator or gas cylinder to buy). But Scharnie is going to get her forward mast installed and Brian is casting me some of the German WWI deck guns to stick here and there. Almost 100% complete on Scharnie! What could the next project be?
I need to learn to do that too. I am going to need 6 9.2 turrets for the Duke and the same sort of turret will work on a King Edward VII or Lord Nelson.
Curt, Thanks! J, I may have telegraphed my punch I have an Iowa hull in the rafters, but since Region 3 has gone overwhelmingly sissypants plaid-wearing Allies, I must raise high the Axis flags and so I will in fact be doing the other end of the spectrum... I've already made my copies of Yamato's ribs. Brian K tried to talk me into doing Iowa "so you can go both ways" but I will have none of that nonsense The Yamato will take long enough to build that I will be able to thoroughly enjoy Scharnie
Wait a second there youngester. I plan on making, after Nats, and battling a Nagato next year. I'm only Allied this year, and last since I made the plug for the Iron Duke. Alot of the things I came up with on the Duke, will transfer over to the Nagato. And our new fellow Tom, out of Tampa, made and has fought a VDT, and just picked up a new Bismarck hull from Rick. Overwhelmingly sissypants plaid-wearing Allies. ha?
DAVE! You're renouncing the sissypants allied forces after this year? 8) Here I was assuming that Rick would be the only noble Axis warrior if I hadn't switched sides... I for one will be looking forward to watching your build progress, the Nagatos are beautiful warships and your level of skill is well-established (with me, anyhow). I will be battling Scharnie at least through the end of the Fall battling season, and in the Spring I hope to debut the Yamato. [once I finish the smallest combatant, I want to do the largest!] J, what's the scale weight of a V-104? with the legal 1 pound added? Glad to hear that there are some other Axis captains coming along too
