The Ship Model Forum

Hi Ron Once all this preliminary work is out the way the interesting modelling work can begin , but a bit to go yet. Unfortunately I'm not to keen on the GRP superstructure I'd rather build it from scratch. This avoids the problem of cutting into GRP, especially around the bridge areas.
Dave Wooley

As we have a rest bite in the weather I thought I'd
take a few out door shots which can be compared
with the opening pictures taken at the onset of this thread.


Dave Wooley

Hi Guys,
Dave,
Model looks great!
Weather issues?
Mark D from Staffordshire said it was -5C a few days ago, and that rain was on its way.........hmmmmmmmm.
Time for you to come to Southern California my friend!
It might rain today, and there is a prediction of rain...20% chance. When it actually does rain here, the weatherman should then be completely accurate by saying, "there is now a 100% chance of rain".
Keep up the dedication and superlative effort..ship modeling friend.
I wonder how far you'll be along by summer time?
faithfully submitted, Tony Bunch

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"You guys make this hobby fun!"
"Some of my dearest friends I have made right here on Modelwarships"

Hi Tony " Southern California" From the pictures you've posted the lakes look very very inviting for BIG boat modellers. Our model boat pond is not that good for large models but locally it's all we got.
Dave Wooley

Hi Dave ,

interesting model you're building here ...

I just noticed a discrepancy concerning the sonar array on the bow ( that's a sonar , allright ? ) : on your model , it bulges out forward , but it doesn't on the drawing ?!?

is it a modification brought later on ?

Regards ,

laurent

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Scared of Nothing , Always Thirsty

Just call me the "Cereals Box Killer" , I guess

Fitting additional beares to make sure the deck is well bonded into place. when the time comes

To maintain an accurate fit this part of the deck has been well braced to ensure that it lays flush with the joints and stays that way.

A good fit but not a tight fit. after all the main superstructure will rest on this part of the deck.

Dave Wooley

The way your going Dave it should be ready for the 15th April 2007

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Simple but effective.

Hi Ron I hope to have it at the open day on the 15th in the RAW . Remember this model is 20% build and 80% waiting 25years. It's one of the ships on my "must build list" Mind you I am enjoying every minute!
Dave Wooley

The next job is to install the four shafts and A frames. To make the job less of guess a jig was used to align the shafts with the A frames at the same angle. Initially all the measurements for the first shaft were lifted from the drawing. The main job is to ensure that each shaft leaves the hull at the right angle in relationship to the centre line. On Kiev all the shafts are parallel to the centre keel line

The starboard set of shafts were set in place first although there is no hard or fast rule as to which goes in first. When satisfied that the shafts are true they can be temporally held in place { quick set epoxy } before any fillers are applied. The shafts are then re-cheaked for alignment and position. Fillers can then be applied and left as you see it until all the shafts a set in place and are correctly aligned. The corresponding port side entry slots can be measured from the centre line of the keel and the measurements verified with the starboard shafts.


At this stage a simple jig is made, from styrene sheet. This method ensures that the port and starboard shafts are aligned the same.

Dave Wooley

A nice up date there Dave, we are moving along at a rapide pace.

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Simple but effective.

Good process Dave

I note also the very soft curves of the hull


Good work


Jef

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Current 1/700 WL
HMS Repulse

Thanks Jef much appreciated
Dave Wooley

Ace stuff, are the A frames a bought item or made? And if this is a dumb question then apologies in advance, but I am guessing the shaft sleeve has been cut back? It had not occurred to me you could do that. I will be fitting my own shafts shortly so this is an area of keen interest!

Looking at the putative Kiev reminds me that the stern waterline hatch was a big mystery and hatched all sorts of bizarre theories, Intel Phots (such as I was then) were under a lot of pressure to get shots of it open, I never managed it. Anyone know what it was for? My guess was always a rather mundane one: towed array.

Correct on that one. She had a towed array. She also has torpedo tubes in the back, fired through one of the holes there, I think two quintuple tubes.

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The merchant shipyard

Hi middle watch good to hear from you again. The A frame comes complete as does the shaft, made to order from George Sitek. Interestingly Kiev needed only a short shaft {225mm} and tube 150mm add to that the length of the coupling but include the tube as part of the A bracket and that's what you get for your money. Oh, I forgot the props, are also made by Sitek. I'll be showing the finished assembly shortly plus the rudder arrangement and motor installation. For reference ARH shows how to make a similar arrangement for his Moffett .
I have a picture showing Kiev deploying her towed array from the stern . It’s odd how NATO navies at the time conjured up all kinds of theories to answer questions regarding , as you say mundane items. I think the classic was the Sverdlov class of cruisers, the press of the day and Intel guys in the Admiralty were attributing much more to the effectiveness of these rather ordinary warships and the death of Buster Crabb whilst diving under the Ordzhonikidze in 1956 only increased the talk and provided fodder to conspiracy theorists.
Dave Wooley

Neptune I was unaware that Kiev was fitted with stern TT , you learn somthing every day. Were these ASW tubes ?
Dave Wooley

There's a long "rectangular" hole below the aft AK's. I've seen that you had already opened them up. Behind these holes the tubes are mounted rotary on the deck.
I'll have a look for pictures, I've seen them for sure, so they should be around somewhere.



Regards
Roel

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The merchant shipyard

Hi Dave thanks, I have been popping in occasionally but not been very active due to other pressures. Just got around to Feb's MB and discovered your article on running gear in that too, very helpful!

The most colourful theory I remember about the hatch was the ship would launch mini subs or fast attack boats from it!

A towed array is almost as odd though, the old 199 and even the more flexible 2031 used to severely hamper manouverability, not what you need in a carrier!

This is true. I could never understand the reasoning for the inclusion of a towed array in such a large vessels , given the fact that the Soviets could deploy many of their smaller units in an ASW role as escorts. Equally all the Kiev’s were equipped with RBU 6000 ASW mortars so some form of local ASW measure was countenanced and as Neptune points out stern mounted TT were also fitted .On the other hand It would have been hard to accept one of the Invincible class “going it alone” with out ASW escorts.
Dave Wooley

They had to be armed like cruisers. They weren't considered the queen of the fleet and had to be able to operate on their own. That is why they are fully equiped like all cruisers, with addition of their air detachement.
They knew the Yak was only a moral support aircraft and nothing more than that. The Kamovs were the only truly useful asset.

This is onboard Minsk, two quintuple tubes.




The towed array (wouldn't rely too much on this though, they have shown other faulty equipment on this museum too):

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The merchant shipyard