T3-S2-A1 Tanker Scratchbuild in 1/96

[Richard J OMalley]

I will have to put my other projects aside for a while because I have been asked to build a T3 tanker hull for Bob Hoernke a member of the NC Model Ship Builders . This is going to be a joint project between him and I. I will make the fibre glass hull and some of the deck fittings while Bob does all the real work on the ship .
The hull needs to be ready for the NC fleet run in Oct so I will be back to work on Mutsu and the BK1124 in Nov .
Four of the T3 hulls were used to build the Sangamon Class CVE's. Bob supplied me with Plans for AO-22 Cimarron and CVE-28 Chenango .He is not sure yet which one he will build ,the Cimarron or the Chenango .



The T3 Tankers were part of the Maritime Commission 500 ship program began in 1938 .Cimarron was built by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Chester PA . in 1939 .She was 553 x 75 x 32 and could carry 146,000 barrels of oil .The first twelve T3 hulls were built for Standard Oil. They were given Native American names for rivers and lakes .



The Sangamon Class CVE's were the largest CVE's using converted hulls .They were the only CVE's to carry dive bombers .
The plans for AO-22 Cimarron were purchased from the Smithsonian while the Chenango came from Floating Drydock .

[SMART-L]

Tankers are interesting objects to model with all their rigging and pipes. I also like the wide, fat hulls. Love to see you making a hull.

What construction method will you be using?

Pim

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Richard A Replenishment ship , what a superb subject , I will be looking forward to the build . Not much time for building a hull , does that include both the plug, mould and GRP hull ?
Dave Wooley

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi Pim & Dave
Thanks for your comments .I need to have a finished T3 hull by Oct 7th .I don't know if he will then make the Cimarron using that hull ,or use the hull to make a Sangamon Class CVE .I think he is leaning towards the Tanker. I like the AO-22 Cimarron also .I am reading ( Black Shoe Carrier Admiral by John B Lundstrom ) and now realize how much the tankers were relied upon .
Here are some WWII action photo's .




There are lots of pipes and hoses on Cimarron plus four 5in single mounts,four 40mm twin mounts and four 20mm twin mounts .
I will first make a plug or master .Then because of the built in prop shafts , I will have to make a three piece female mold .This will be used to make a fibre glass hull .

[SMART-L]

Yeah these tankers pretty much dictated every major strategic sea campaign. They were maybe the most important vessels of the war. Maybe the president should be saying: 'where are the tankers' instead of 'where are the carriers'

I like these photo's very much! They show the beautifull roughness of the ocean. And when fully loaded these tankers were very low in the water. Must have been a wet job onboard

If you'll do a good job and save the plug you can make me a hull too

There's also a very good dutch made site with lots of photo's and technical papers about these ships.

http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id94.htm

Pim

[Richard J OMalley]

Thanks for the link Pim
The keel and bulkheads were cut out with a scroll saw .1/4 in ply was used .


A base line is drawn on the table then 90 degree angle plates are clamped to the table .

The keel is then clamped to the angle plates .

The T3 tankers had enclosed prop housings and no A supports .I will mold the housings in with the hull .Each frame that the shaft passed through was drilled to take a 1/1 in solid brass rod .

The T3 Tanker all framed-up .

[Capit�o Norbert]

Richard i love to see your buildings.
this project is very good i will watching with attention

[Richard J OMalley]

Thanks Norbert
Each bulkhead was mounted on a large enough piece of ply so it could be used to make templates or a cradle .





A deck template was made using formica



I use spray foam to fill in between bulkheads .



The hull remains clamped to the angle plates until the foam has dried.



The foam is rough cut with a hacksaw blade .



More to come .

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Richard Scratch building I just love it . I like the method you use of overlaying the timber of both frames and deck drawings .
Dave Wooley

[SMART-L]

You're a good person! Putting so much effort in making a hull for someone else!
I would experience a lot of emotional difficulty giving it away afterwards..

[Richard J OMalley]

Giving it away I sold the hull to Bob.I have sold another one also .Trying to make some money so I can build MY ship the IJN Seaplane Carrier Nisshin in 1/72 scale .

[Capit�o Norbert]

a faster way to build an hull
superb and very efficiency
good to see

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi All
The foam is sanded down to the bulkheads .Each bulkhead is .100 small to allow for the matt thickness .



The middle bulwark leans inward .The angle is swown on the plans .







T3 hull ready for some tuning up .


more to follow .

[SMART-L]

Giving it away

haha, u know what I mean..

Lovely hull by the way, looks more like a cruiser than a fleet oiler..
And I see you've got your first cargo, a brick!
But why are you fitting on the bulkheads? You're making a mold right. So aren't they usually fitted after the hull comes from the mould? Are you molding this part of the superstructure in? A lot of question marks

I like the way you're forward thinking, when putting in the sterntubes. BY the way you're workplace looks like something out of a Saw movie

Pim

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi Pim
Yes I will have the bulwarks molded into the hull .I left out some of the bulwark work but here it is now .



The bulwarks flare out at the bow and stern .I used thin alum sheet to make them as it will bend but still hold its shape .



I made a alum incert from the plans .The bow is notched and the incert is glued in place .The will hold its shape when I carve the bow .



They used my shop for one of the Saw movies .Good eyes.

[Richard J OMalley]

Got some more work done .
The plug is covered with fibre glass matt .



The plug is then covered with resin .







Now I have alot of sanding to do .

[Capit�o Norbert]

Hi Richard my friend
wow i can see the hull form od your tanker easy;
great job - fantastic hull
i will watching always

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi Norbert
Thanks for your interest .It is always good to hear from you .
After maney houres of sanding ,shapping and filling this is what she looks like .



Then it was time to work on the bulbous bow .You can see how the alum incert will help here .



The widest point of the bulb is on waterline #8 .The hight is measured of the plans then marked on the hull with a hight gauge .



A template was made and the bulbous bow was carved .



The bow after shapping



More to follow

[ARH]

Looking very good Richard.

[Capit�o Norbert]

Hi Richard
in the construction of my model KGV (1:160) I used a part of aluminum in the stern and stayed very strong and well inserted
p.s. the hull looks very good and you build so fast..
greetings