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Hi, everyone (or, anyone?) Some time ago I began a thread here about creating a 1980s USS Iowa in 1/120 scale (7'-4.7" long) as part of a railroad scene at Naval Weapons Station Earle (New Jersey). I got sidetracked. I'd like to give it another go and hope that I'll get some great suggestions as I did last time.

I would say that I'm starting from scratch, but I'm not in that I learned a few things the first time around. One thing is that I'm going to ditch Fusion 360 software for another 3D program (I create line drawings in 2D before moving them to 3D). I draw the CAD models in 1:1 scale and will convert to model scale later.

I'm planning to use my tabletop CNC machines - mill and lathe - to cut almost every item needed to make the model. Natch, I'm beginning with the creation of the Hull. I want to describe and illustrate the steps along the way, maybe that approach will be helpful to some others. At the same time, a detailed approach might allow veteran modelers here to yell at me when I go wrong.
-Brian Chapman / Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA

Hull

Step 1
I'm using the Body Plan (Station Lines) found in Paul Stillwell's book, 'Battleship New Jersey', pg. 295.


I scanned the drawing into Photoshop, which allowed me to size independently horizontally and vertically to account for paper stretching during printing. Also, I corrected for angle of rotation so that the baseline is zero degrees. With adjustments made, the Fore, Aft and Midship deck heights were on the mark, as was the Hull width.

The deck heights, as well as other key dimensions, are found on the General Dimensions chart included in the Booklet of Plans for the several Iowa Class ships retrievable online.

Step2
Once the Deck heights and Hull width were established in Step 1, I added the horizontal Waterlines (red) every four feet from bottom to top by using the software's Offset Tool for accuracy - the printed drawing's Waterline 48-inch separations vary, noticeable in the drawing below.

The Body Plan's dotted line indicates the height of the main deck, and the dotted line is what I used to create the deck heights above. The bottom Green line (below), using the software's Spline tool, is the Main Deck tracing, the top Green line is the height of the Side Plates that extend above the Main Deck. I settled on a 7-inch height for the Side Plate extension above the Main Deck - this doesn't include the 2-1/2 inch round that sits atop (or partly buried into) the 7-inch extension.


Step 3
Again, using the software's Spline Tool, I traced the drawings Station Lines (Green), sparingly using Control Points by snapping to the center of Station Lines where they crossed the accurate Red Waterlines. On a few of the sharper curves, I did click on intermediary spots between the Red Waterlines to create the correct curves.

At the far edges of the Beam Width, the drawing's (mostly) vertical lines amidship blurred together, so I did have to estimate distance ratios in that area. I'll see how that works when I join Station Lines with a skin in 3D using the Loft Tool. I think it'll work well.

Question 1: Station Lines 20 through 30 are not shown on the drawing below. Might this be because the Hull in these locations is full width and 90 degrees vertical?


Step 4
I'm working with each Station Line separately, drawing them in 2D then importing into the 3D program and spacing them correctly along the length of the ship's bottom Center Line.

So, for each half-station line in the above drawing, I: Copy (1) and extend the baseline (short Black line) between the Station Line base and the Center Line, and radius the connection an arbitrary 12 inches. Mirror (2) the half and Join the two halves into one Polyline. (Note: The Top curved line represents the Main Deck, not the Side Plates that extend above the Main Deck.) Create (3) horizontal line (Blue) at Main Deck height from side to side.

I understand Station Lines do not represent the external surface of the ship but, rather, the lines of the ship inside the external plating. But, I'm using the Station Lines to represent the ship's outer surface and sized them that way above in Step 1.

Copy and inset the Station Lines (4) 2.4", or 0.020" in my model scale. This could change, but I'm planning to skin the model with 0.020" thick ABS sheet to represent External Plating. Also I used the horizontal line to trim the inset Station Line at the Main Deck level.

Up-close illustration (5) of the inset Station Line, the Main Deck, and, in Magenta, the 2.4" External Plate.

Question 2: With this size model (10.8" beam), should I shape the Main Deck to show its Camber? Or, would that be asking for trouble beyond what it's worth?


Step 5
The Skegs and Tunnels are giving me trouble. Hope I can get a bit of help here.

Question 3: The Blue line marks where Hull curves end and the Hull becomes horizontally flat?
Question 4: The Red lines show the shape of the Skegs - even the left most Red contour?
Question 5: I don't understand what the Gold outline illustrates since it's within open Tunnel space.


The Green lines represent the Tunnel as it grows taller toward the Stern.

Question 6: The Green lines do not match up well with the Hull Station Lines. Are they not meant to match up with the ship's Stations?
Question 7: The Side elevation of the ship reveals (once the Station Lines are marked every 21-1/2 feet AP-FP) that the aft Hull begins to rise about the 27-1/2 Station mark, not about the 33 Station mark immediately above. WTH?

I've looked around online for Iowa Class Skeg/Tunnel photos. Found nothing too helpful.

Well, I thought I was in the Online Scratchbuild Projects forum when I posted this thread. Can it be moved there by a moderator, please?

This is scratch builds, perhaps you are already moved. Glad to see that you are building in the 1:120 scale, the rather odd scale that I am building my APA in. That will make for a hefty, but not unmanageable ship. My APA is a much smaller ship, but very manageable.

Hank Strubb is a visitor to this forum and served aboard NJ during the Vietnam deployment and constructed a very nice model of the ship during this period. Though not the same era exactly, his build, on the WIP forum, is a good reference. Certainly his ears will perk up seeing someone build a version of his old ship.

For some items you might consider 3D printing as an alternative, computer based design medium.

Best regards: Tom

Brian,

You are in the right locale' for the scratchbuild models, etc. Your project sounds interesting....however, I am more interested at the moment in your involvement with NWS, Earle, NJ - I have a reason why, but would like to know how/who/why, etc. - you can also PM me, if you wish. A railroad project????

I served in NEW JERSEY during her short 1968-69 commissioning and as Tom mentioned, I built a 1:200 scale model of her (kit-bashed) over a 6 year period. Nothing like what you're diving into, that's for sure!!! I met one of the IOWA crew who was in the fire party that got to the bottom of Turret 2 at a seafood festival about 10 years ago - we had a very serious discussion about that tragic event.

Hank Strub

_________________
HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

BTW, Hank is briefly mentioned in Stillwells book! A 1:120 NJ at standard (not full load) displacement should weigh in at a hefty 52 lbs!

Regards: Tom

Tom, Hank, thanks so much for helping me out! I'm semi-retired; I work one day a week, and it's today this week. I'll respond more fully tomorrow. again, thanks!

-Brian

Brian:

I built a 1:192 scratch built version of Missouri, hidden some where in these threads. I added as much detail as I could for it's "modern" configuration by utilizing hundreds of photographs that I took onboard. At the 1:120 scale much can be done, really required, vis a vis detail. Being able to research enough to take advantage of this scale will be a major challenge. During the course of the APA project I got started in 3D printing and went back and replaced quite a few APA parts, but also 1:192 items on my Missouri and Alaska CB1 from 20 mm, 5" twin mounts, Mk 37 directors and on and on. For some smaller and complex items the additive process has advantages over a subtractive. I don't know if the files used for each have anything in common. I was able to produce a very detailed 5" mount and directors. Hank was able to enlarge the Mk37 and it makes a very nice uniting 1:144 for his USS Stoddard, either of those items would look very good in 1:120.

As a suggestion, you might start out with something fun like the bridge/fire control tower and see how you like working in this scale.

Regards: Tom

Good job, great plan, and kudo's to you. I too am gearing up for a build, but of the BB62 and in 1:96.

I'll add though, that the 'gold lines' that you're asking about, are for the "Docking keel". That seems to be left out of most 'reproduction's' as well as discussions.

There are a few members here whom have been VERY helpful in me getting my logistics in place. And they are VERY knowledgable about the topic. I know what I don't know. And I don't know a lot.

Blessings, and Happy Haasenpfeffer Day!

Sean

> I know what I don't know. And I don't know a lot. <

Sean, that remark is perfect. You know more than me, though: a docking keel? Do you mean for use in drydocking?

I've been stymied for some days now trying to solve a problem or two with the software I'm using. I'm continuing to attack it, though.

Good luck with your 1/96 (almost 9-1/4 feet long, whew). -Brian

The short keg at the forward end of the aft tunnel is to support the weight of turret three as the hull girder begins to thin here, despite the huge appearance of the after deck. Particularly helpful, structurally, when dry docked. Consulting one of the available centerline profiles shows this relationship.

Some people on the forum have rather extensively researched the Iowa's hull shape, "Big Jim Blade" comes to mind. For those of us doing traditional hull construction methods, our transpositions are perhaps not precise enough to realize the possible increase in significant figures. Using almost any of the available drawings one will be much more accurate than the plastic kits on the market.

Cheers: Tom

Tom, centerline profile? I haven't noticed that. Maybe the FDD 1/96 drawings have that? I'll take a look. Thanks for the explanation.

I hope to upload 4-5 ribs with skin in the next couple of days. Decided not to use the 2D software, just create directly in the 3D software. Not quite as handy as the 2D, but I'm not going to mess further with the polyline translation problem between the two packages.

-Brian

Well harrumph:

I know I have some drawings somewhere that show this. However the BOGP drawings for NJ and Whisky on the HNSA website do not show this! Really the only useful things the centerline drawings show is the relation of turret three to the shape and structure of the hull. The external hull plans show you what you need to know about this area. If I do come across the drawing I am thinking of I will post it. These ships had fairly unusual hull shapes with the emphasis on speed. Despite the large looking fantail deck, the ships actually had little below the waterline volume here, something that most of the model companies got quite wrong. Outboard there is a very obvious pinching in order to feed a good clean water flow to the outboard screws.

Tom

Ryan S., curator, Battleship New Jersey, posted a video (YouTube, all his videos are good!) about the battleships transiting canals. I'll post the link below. At the 6:30 mark, I believe it is film of BB62 sliding through Panama locks during Vietnam War.

There is a sailor holding a ruler between the hull and side of a lock. Interesting. But, it also shows the round at the top of the side plates. Looks like 2-1/2 inches in diameter to me. What do you guys think?

https://youtu.be/qzRhYaTg354

This bead at the top of the shell plating has been discussed before on the Iowa class forum. Yes, it's somewhere around the 2" plus diameter. It sits on top of 60 lb (1.5") external plate. On my 1:192 model I simulated this with a long piece (actually more than one) of steel music wire which followed the smooth curve of the hull nicely. At your scale that works out to a nominal 20 thou so a number of materials would fit the bill.

Cheers: Tom

Here is a shot showing the bead running the length of the hull. Also note the butt straps joining the vertical joints in the 60 lb plate.

Tom

The only photo (I know) of the tunnel on page 137 of RF Sumrall's Iowa Class Battleships. You can make out the skeg amongst all the shoring and whatnot.

Tom

Tom, thanks much for the artwork. Your mention of Sumrall caused me to pull my copy off the shelf. I discovered I've only read half the book. . . .

How in the heck did you attach the music wire to the side plates!? In my imagination, I'm attempting to work the wire onto the plate after first applying some sort of super glue. I see myself with both hands glued to the hull and deck.

-Brian

Hank, just now re-reading posts in this thread, I see I did not answer your question. I'm damn sorry about it. Please accept my apology.

I work with 2D and 3D software to create prototype model railroad items for reproduction. A retirement business, I am hoping. In the 1980s I was a journalist in Iowa and took it upon myself to cover the return of Iowa to the fleet (toured her at Philly in June 1980). So, I've got this thing about the Iowa Class, and I'm a sort of rail buff, and I thought, combine both and I'd have a show-stopper at model railroad shows where I hope to hawk my wares. -Brian

Brian:

I was able to tape the wire to the top of the side plate (decking in place). The wire protruding above the decking left a space behind to form the waterway when I added the (in my case wood stripping) decking, applying small amounts of CA from behind. The only place I needed to transition to another material (brass wire) was at the stern where the curvature considerably increased. On my ship there was a natural break at the midships deck level bulwark where i could break the wire and use two pieces without a joint.

With your model RR experience and 3D you should be able to produce many fine items for this ship. Do realize that such a project is likely to absorb years of effort, depending on the degree of fidelity and detail you envision.

Regards: Tom

Brian,

Thanks for answering my question. Not exactly what I expected, but at least I know why you mentioned NWS Earle, NJ. I will take it that the photo you posted is IOWA at NWS Earle? That would make an interesting diorama with both the ship and adjacent R/R ammo pier. If you decided to go 1/96 scale, you could do the R/R stuff in HO gauge, right?!!!

In regards to the round metal bead at the top of the hull as per your latest q/a - I achieved this with styrene rod glued to the top of the hull edge. Here is a shot of NEW JERSEY (musuem ship) that shows this metal bead:

I took this in 2000 during our crew reunion.

Thanks - and good luck with your project.

Hank

_________________
HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48