warshipbuilder wrote:
Whilst on the subject, Trumpeter's 'upgrade set' contains barrels with flared ends. Are the ends correct? I thought Hood's barrels were parallel to the 'business-end' - i.e. just straight.
Many large-bore British naval guns were slightly expanded at their muzzles. It's not really a "flare", as much as a slight thickening of the barrel walls near the muzzle. This is a topic I've previously been in heated debates over, but photographic proof of this does, indeed exist.
Many, many years ago, an article appeared somewhere advising modelers to sand-down all their British ships' "flared barrels" absolutely flush. It was a reaction to several models produced by the classic kitmaker Airfix, whose molds tended to over-emphasize the barrel tips (some, grossly so!). While there was merit to the issue, particularly with that company's
Iron Duke, Warspite, and
Repulse kits, it was based on the assumption that
any tip expansion was erroneous.
For all practical purposes, it is best not to attempt the effect in very small scales; however, it can be done with reasonable authenticity, as long as care is taken not to exaggerate it, and that the actual ship being modeled possessed such barrels.
_________________
Danny DON'T "waterline"...!