Calling all Lion-class, QM, & Tiger ("Splendid Cat") BC fans

[mauricejob]

Hi All,
I thought it time I updated on progress. Summer season here has meant long hours at work and early to bed for early starts. None the less, some progress has been made.

[mauricejob]

Question ...

I have seen reference to Tiger having 24" Clarke-Chapman searchlights on twin mountings when she was commissioned. Apparently the performance of these was not great and in around 1915 she was re-equipped with 36" lamps

Does anyone have a photo or reliable drawing of the 24"lamps, either on single or twin mountings. A picture of the mounting would also be useful.

In "HMS Tiger at Bay" Victor Hayward refers to the twin "push-pull" mountings being replaced with remote power operated lamps. This shows in the raised searchlight tower abaft No3 funnel.

Searchlights on the bridge tower are the next project; after I correct the 6" mountings (made a blue there)

cheers

[TCC]

All of the actual searchlight lamps seem to be of a similar design, i.e. a hollow cylinder lain on its side with a squared-off 'rectangular block' at top.

It is the pedastel or mount where the big differences lie. From what I gather, the pedastel you/we are interested in could be described as looking like two 'F's back to back, the lamp being fixed to the 2 horizontal arms arranged so it can allow the lamp to be rotated back 90? degrees so it points to the side. So you can have one lamp pointing forward while the second can point to the side.

As I said above, I've found clear images of them to be scarce.

Maurice, what are the actual diameters of all 3 funnels in feet? The first is slightly wider than Nos 2 & 3 but by how much?

Cheers

[mauricejob]

I measure the funnels mid height and to the outer edge of the (somewhat thick) printed line, as follows:
No 1; 2-7/32 or 57.6mm
No 2; 2-1/32 or 51.7mm
No 3; 2-1/16 or 52.8mm

At scale of 1:96 and allowing for distortions due to re-copying, that makes the funnels
No1; 17'9" or 5.529m
No 2; 16'3" or 4.963m
No 3; 16'6" or 5.068m
I make an assumption as to realistic dimensions (why would they have built a major item, such as a funnel, to a dimension of inches), it could be argued the funnels actually were in round feet; 18feet and 16 feet in diameter

Hope that helps

[TCC]

I measure the funnels mid height and to the outer edge of the (somewhat thick) printed line, as follows:
No 1; 2-7/32 or 57.6mm
No 2; 2-1/32 or 51.7mm
No 3; 2-1/16 or 52.8mm

At scale of 1:96 and allowing for distortions due to re-copying, that makes the funnels
No1; 17'9" or 5.529m
No 2; 16'3" or 4.963m
No 3; 16'6" or 5.068m
I make an assumption as to realistic dimensions (why would they have built a major item, such as a funnel, to a dimension of inches), it could be argued the funnels actually were in round feet; 18feet and 16 feet in diameter

Hope that helps

Yes, thats great! Thanks, I was just curious. You may be right about them specifying them in feet ... and I'd think No2 & 3 funnels are the same diameter, the difference is down to the width of the draughtmans pencil.

Let me correct something about the s/lights, the 'rectangular shapes' (vents?) I said were top and bottom are only on the top of the lamps. And could one S/light point fore while the other points to the side? I have seen it but can't find the image again. But I'm best showing you one of the clearest photographs I have of this twin 24in unit we seek... this is Neptune:

[mauricejob]

In the many pictures in the book "The Lost Photographs" the lamps can be seen rotated as a unit and individually on the mounting. In one photo the shells are laid right back, ie pointing straight up, possibly for fitting of the lamps (?) Unfortunately they are very small in the photos and detail of the mountings is indistinct, especially as in many they are covered with a tarpaulin.

Interestingly, all the other ships covered in the book have 36inch single lamps, not the 24inch twins.

[mauricejob]

Progress again, after the usual busy season at work, I am back into it. The mast standing rigging is done, some wiring in place, port 6" done, deck planking underway. Also done is the handrail along the port side of the fo'c'sle deck (between the 6" casemates)

I have the R/C system and programmable servos for the turrets. Theses can be slowed to as little as 4% speed and throw increased to 160 degrees. Gearing will do the rest.

The model is now around to bring the starboard detail up to the same stage.

[mauricejob]

A couple of progress pictures, A local model shop was having a "Social Modelling Day" and I took the ship along.

[mauricejob]

Tiger had her first public outing at the annual "Armistice in Cambridge" weekend. I have had a few minor hiccups; turret drives are not working as expected, and the smoke system quit during the weekend. These things can be resolved. The event is based on Lake Karapiro which is the national Rowing venue on the Waikato River. The pictures are grabbed from movie so not the greatest quality.

Progress has been slow with too much time spent on the animations, I have logged some 600 hours now with probably 3-400 to go

[mauricejob]

It is time I posted an update! Tiger has progressed as much as expected, at some 800 hours work, the model is nearly complete, it looks complete on the water, but searchlights, and some deck lockers etc still needed. I also have no idea of the appearance of the four coaling winches. Navigation lights are in and tested, smoke system very successful and much detail from the book of photos added.

[mauricejob]

My friend Joel (http://www.boathousecollectables.co.nz/) hosts monthly "Social Modelling Days" and I took Tiger again this month. These photos were among others taken by a fellow attendee.

[mauricejob]

Tiger is now all but finished. There is still some, any probably always be little bits and pieces that can be added, but she has now moved from the workshop to the house.
A recent model boats event was held on one of New Zealands few (1 or 2) purpose built model boat ponds in the town of Hawera, and Tiger caused quite a stir. video of her at the event can be viewed on YouTube at location

https://youtu.be/KkXEyLo1RKM

Performance of the model is great, speed more than enough, turning is good and she is very predictable. The smoke system may be upgraded to generate more, we'll see.

[ModelMonkey]

Brilliant!

[COLIN SWAGER]

Hi guys
Can anyone please tell me if Hms Tiger battlecruiser had one or two rudders.
The combrig 1/350 kit supplies one but I have seen photosof the ship in dock clearly showing two rudders.
Help !!!!!!!
Colin Swager
New Zealand
Colin.swager@gmail.com

[pascalemod]

EDIT: seems many say 2!

[david angelo]

Most of the RN ships of that era had 2. Beryer & Burt both say 2.
HTH,
David

[chuck]

Photo of the Tiger just before her launch clearly shows she had twin elliptical shaped rudders.

Also, I believe all British battlecruisers up to and including tiger, as well as the Kongo, had twin elliptical rudders. Renown was the first British battlecruiser to adopt a single centerline rudder.

[MartinJQuinn]

Added a list of available kits and gallery entries to the first page

[Steve Jones]

quick question to all the WW1 battlecruiser fans - does anybody know what colour the deck above the rear 4" mountings was on HMS Lion? Im talking about the walkway that surrounds the aft boat deck, just aft of the mainmanst? I have a plan that shows it to be corticene, but I suspect it may have been just painted metal - if so, what colour?

[tjstoneman]

Difficult to know without colour photography - and there's nothing in the CASF thread (Calling all Lion-class, QM, & Tiger ("Splendid Cat") BC fans - viewtopic.php?f=47&t=49948). Given that searchlights and other fittings were present, I'd expect there to be corticene there.