1/96 HMCS Bonaventure

[NavyShooter]

Here you can see the progression - the idea for the center panel covering the main hangar bay is that I'm going to have the opaque panel for when I want to sail the ship, then when I want to display her, I'll be able to swap out a clear plexi-glass panel that I can put on showing the interior of the hangar through the flight deck.

Unfortunately, a couple of problems appeared as I was cutting down the plywood deck.

Warping.

Major warping.

Like...HUGE warps. The BIGGEST warps...no-one in the world has bigger warps....sorry...making fun of someone there.

Anyhow, the plywood is badly warped, so I've had to pursue another path...and as I was pursuing that path, I found some sheet styrene, and ended up having to temporarily shelve the Bonnie project for a bit as I've got a commitment to have a 1/100 scale model of the Titanic ready for a pond display floater for the model club by spring. I need to get that finished up before I get back to the Bonnie.

[NavyShooter]

That said - I had a month long hiatus on building due to dealing with the passing of my father, and was away from home dealing with that.

Now that I've returned, I'm getting into the swing of a bit more 3D design work, and over the holidays was inspired by a visit of a crewman from the Bonnie who's the father of my wife's best friend. He dropped over for a visit and we had a great chat, he looked over the model and we had a great story time!

Turns out that doing up a 3D print of his mess deck area (5D2) wasn't that hard...nor was doing zone 5D...nor was zone 4D...so now I'm probably going to end up doing the entire 3D interior of zone D on the ship - 2 frames forward of the forward hangar. I'm a former SONAR Tech by trade, so going down to zone 6D and 7D will let me recreate the ship's ASDIC setup, which is fascinating to me!

Here's some pictures...

[Paul_541]

Hi folks,

Really nice work by the modeler NavyShooter here, I saw its work on Facebook and Instagram.

Just one question, do you know when the Bonnie lose her forward 3in guns sponsors ? I was thinking that she lose it during the 1966-67 refit, but I think it is a bit prior am I right ?

Thanks in advance.

[NavyShooter]

As far as I understand, the forward sponsons were deleted during that 66-67 refit, and most of the forward small boat openings were closed up as well.

I recall being told that this was due to the excessive damage the ships boats took in the North Atlantic in those wells, and the lack of utility of the 3"50's up forward.

NS

[Paul_541]

It is apparently not when it happens accordingly to some pictures. I was thinking too that it was during 1966-67 refit (change mostly in electronics and interior commodities) that they removed the front sponsors, but it seems it was a bit before 1965 (picture here from 1965)...


Pictures of the radars fitted and main mast doesnt add up too (picture here after 1967 refit).

[NavyShooter]

I've scrolled through my photo album of Bonnie images, and while I see a number of pictures from pre-refit and post refit, I cannot find the date when the forward sponsons were actually removed.

Agree - it seems like a pre-refit occurrence. Now you've got me curious.

[NavyShooter]

http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/HM ... _CVL22.htm

From this website, this image is purported to be from 1966 - before the refit:



Still present in 1960:

[NavyShooter]

The RAS Photo above is captioned as:

"(BVN031) HMCS Provider conducting a RAS with HMCS BONAVENTURE and HMCS Cap de la Madeleine - Spring 1965 // Courtesy of Robert Norris"

So, between 1960, and 1965 the forward sponsons were removed.

Still digging.

[NavyShooter]

This picture is captioned as being from the summer of 1963:

"Collision between HMCS ATHABASKAN 219 and HMCS BONAVENTURE - Summer 1963

(BR17) Jackstay between ATHABASKAN and BONAVENTURE"

Tells us that the Bonnie still had the sponsons in 1963 - so - somewhere between 1963 and 1965 they were removed.

[NavyShooter]

And....here might be the answer.

From the ship's wikipedia page:

"The ship returned to her homeport following the crisis and in January 1963, began a refit at Saint John. During the refit, the ship was modified for the operation of the Sea King helicopters. The aircraft carrier rejoined the fleet in May, but suffered a boiler explosion while in port at Halifax. Repairs took six weeks to complete.[12] "

Potentially during this refit?

[NavyShooter]

And, from a Friends of the Bonnie group, apparently she spent 3 months in drydock at the end of 1964 in Saint-John and that is when the sponsons were removed for the forward 3" guns.

[Paul_541]

And....here might be the answer.

From the ship's wikipedia page:

"The ship returned to her homeport following the crisis and in January 1963, began a refit at Saint John. During the refit, the ship was modified for the operation of the Sea King helicopters. The aircraft carrier rejoined the fleet in May, but suffered a boiler explosion while in port at Halifax. Repairs took six weeks to complete.[12] "

Potentially during this refit?

I think I found it. It was not during 1963, but late 1964 another refit at Saint John. In dry dock in 1964 they weren't removed on the picture here, but they weren't there in early 1965. I am in discussion on a Facebook group on the Bonnie to have the final answer.

Navyshooter I made that post on Facebook

[NavyShooter]

So...we're working the same question in two locations.

LOL

[NavyShooter]

OK, one of the problems noted above was the deck overhang that was, well, hanging low.

So. A bit of cardboard as a template, a bit of pine, a bit of saw work, some sanding, and some epoxy, and I think I've got the problem solved.

[NavyShooter]

And here we go with the flight deck. 2mm sheet styrene.

Flipped the ship up to get a rough profile, cut out with a set of tin-snips, then clamped in place and started trimming. Got about half done - taking a break for lunch and I'll see if I can get this finished up this afternoon. I was thinking this would take a LOT more time than it is.

Still need to sand it, but I'm generally pleased with how it's cutting. A sharp/new blade is making quick work of things!

[NavyShooter]

And here's how she looks at the end of the day.

Tomorrow may be the day that I start cutting holes in the deck...

NS

[BB62vet]

Nice progress on your Bonny, Brad!! I can just see little aeroplanes flying off the deck!!!!

Hank

[NavyShooter]

Thanks Hank!

I'm at the point where I can now see myself getting this ship 'nearly' finished.

I did some more 3D design work last evening on the hull openings, as well as designing the anchor hoist chamber on Sunday.

Also, I discovered that I have to re-print the hangar/elevator modules, as the originals were designed to accommodate the 6mm thick wooden deck that has now been replaced by the 2mm thick styrene deck.

So, that's 5 days of printing, plus more.

[NavyShooter]

As I wait for the hangar modules to print, I'm getting in some 3D design time.

I was originally going to have a folding articulated accommodation ladder, but realize that this will exceed the limits of what I can do with my FDM printer, so I went back to basics, got some dimensions, and produced a swappable folded, or setup accommodation ladder.

When the Elevators are done printing, and the anchor module, I'll be able to kick a couple of these out to test them out.

[NavyShooter]

I realize it's been a while since I've posted any updates....so...here's some imagery.