Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

James M · Post by **James M** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:23 pm

Got it, thanks.
I want to try and get the info on the lapping strakes on the hull if we have access

James

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 10:50 pm

Final shot for the weekend. Chargers beat the Raiders (phew!) so didn't spend too much time. This should be close to complete, save for a couple hatch locks and a bit more detail on the gunsight.

http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/101214ab.JPG

Ok, one more final shot. Sunrise in the pacific.

http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/101214c.JPG

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 10:09 am

Very nice Randy! At least you can knock all ten off at once. Be interesting to see what James comes up with on the hull externals!

T

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Sun Oct 19, 2014 11:34 pm

New line of effort and questions... this time around the SK-2 radar. Does anyone know the dimensions of the tubing used to construct the antenna? Also, I am in need of detailed photos of the support structure between the antenna and the pedestal.

I finished (at least to first order) - the 24-inch searchlight: the online manual was very informative: I never really new how a carbon-arc light worked. Unfortunately I cannot find the corresponding manual for the 36-inch light, so if anyone has detail photos of that equipment, I'd be appreciative.

BB62vet · Post by **BB62vet** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:54 am

Randy,

Here is a link to The Floating Drydock's radar page:

http://www.floatingdrydock.com/more.htm#RADAR

I believe there are pamphlets available for the SK-2 and other radars. This link puts you on the page with details. Of course, they are not actual construction drawings for the radar units themselves. I bought several of these for guidence on my project.

Hope this helps.

Hank

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:00 pm

Randy: which Iowa are you doing? bB63? The reason I ask is the back of the MK 38 directors varied in shape depending on the ship. I believe 61 and 62 (Hank could correct me) had the 7 sided directors.

The only way your 3D real model can match the virtual detail is to make it 1:1.!

Look'n good. T.

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:09 pm

For those who haven't ever browsed over in the scratch section, this is the current (unfinished) state of my BB63 project in 1:192.

Regards: Tom

James M · Post by **James M** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:47 pm

The Iowa and New Jersey have the angled back Mk38 director. The Missouri and Wisconsin have the square back directors.
The back of the director is vertical with a flat plate where the angles would have come together.
Kind of hard to describe but the photos show it really well.

Angle back onboard USS Alabama:
http://www.steelnavy.com/images/GMMww2B ... 6mk38a.JPG

Square Back onboard USS Wisconsin:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52810288@ ... /lightbox/

James

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:56 pm

Aft Mk 38, Missouri. Note vertical back plates. Iowa and NJ more or less mirror the front

T

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:07 pm

Missouri, end of WW2, but with an inaccurate paint scheme. I'm thinking Measure 22 Graded but with unpainted decks. It's the unpainted decks part that I'm really after, so if you have any suggestions for WW2 fit plus unpainted decks let me know. It's ok if it isn't historically accurate because I'm not a stickler for detail.

Your scratch-build work looks very nice. What hull did you use?

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:08 pm

Randy:

I originally built that 1:192 in about 1964 from a balsa Stirling kit (probably cost $15 or so?), to fairly primitive standards. Much modification to the hull to add a bulbous bow and change the stern form from a single skeg and rudder to the correct twin skeg, twin rudder hull form. In essence the whole ship has been rebuilt/replaced. The hull is covered with thin fiberglass, such as the model airplane guys use.

A note on the end of the war Missouri is that the directors immediately behind the 41 and 42 mounts had been removed. I don't have a date for this but from yard availability periods it would appear this must have been much of 1945. looks as if every time she got near a shipyard the torches came out and something was removed, added or moved. As to why? darn good question!

Cheers: Tom

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:47 pm

Small but possibly interesting detail. Right aft of the flag bag at the curve in the rail is a stanchion. That stanchion is for a 16" removable signal lamp. I just realized that when I came across a photo of a signalman using it with the flag bag in the immediate foreground. An easy place to locate! And there it is, inboard of the rail.

T

Cliffy B · Post by **Cliffy B** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:51 pm

BB-64: Starboard side.

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:00 pm

Missouri must had taller signalmen...

Fliger747 · Post by **Fliger747** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:34 pm

Here is a photo from Stillwell's Missouri book. Note the flag bag. However the signal lamp is on the same sort of pedestal. There must have been a raised platform there or they had a really vertically talented basket ball squad.

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:01 pm

Current state of 24- and 36-inch searchlights (36-inch is obviously lacking many details). The ones in your photos (THANKS) I think are the 12-inch lights which are positioned seemingly everywhere around the superstructure. These photos are very helpful.

Cliffy B · Post by **Cliffy B** » Tue Oct 21, 2014 7:16 pm

I can get you more detailed shots of the signal lights if you want but be warned that they are more than likely NOT original models

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Tue Oct 21, 2014 10:13 pm

Updated Mk38 body. I don't have dimensions (Cliff - want to climb up there with a laser measuring tape???) so this is merely eyeballed. Comments/critiques welcome as usual. Please try to ignore the floating hatch plate - that was something I was experimenting with when first discovering SW... this project has grown so large I didn't even know it was there until I rotated the forward tower around to view the rear of the modified director. I suppose it's time to model the rest of this area.

Cliffy B · Post by **Cliffy B** » Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:59 pm

Should have asked me a few weeks ago. Was up there playing with the forward up and overs! We should have to mess with them again though come Christmas when we turn on the lights and have to replace bulbs

RandyM · Post by **RandyM** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:08 am

Mk38 director progress. It's amazing what I've learned while doing the research on this project: the mk38 director comprises the mk8 fire control radar and the mk48 rangefinders, and the director was manned by SIX MEN. Having spent my fair share of time in CIC while in the Bering Sea, I can only imagine what it must have been like to be inside this small space perched way up on the top of the forward tower.... YIKES.

One image and links to four close-ups. Given the relative lack of detail photos of this area in 1945-fit, I've had to take a few liberties (and the rangefinders aren't finished yet at all). As usual, please call out omissions and errors.

http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/102414a.jpg
http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/102414b.jpg
http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/102414c.jpg
http://www.nulspace.com/hobbies/missouri/102414d.jpg

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