Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Cliffy B]

The Iowa conning tower is three levels whereas the other ships have two. What extends down to the main armor deck is the communications tube.

Cheers. T

Yes! Iowa was conceived as the Divisional Flagship for the class therefore she had a full 17" thick Flag Level to her CT while the others do not. The others have a semi-circular, VERY CRAMPED, access way that simply has cable runs and a ladder coming down from an escape scuttle for the CO's level on the 04. The CT is not very thick at all on the 03 but I'll measure it one day to see. Maybe an inch...."maybe" Can't remember though as its been a long while since I popped the hatch.

[bigjimslade]

The attached image shows the difference between the Iowa conning tower and the others.

[chuck]

Does anyone know what the pitch of Iowa's anchor chain happen to be?

[Cliffy B]

Can you clarify what you mean by "pitch" please?

[chuck]

How many links of real ship anchor chain per foot, or per yard. I found maritime-models.co.uk that sells metal studded chains. I am trying to see if any are close to scale for 1/200 missouri.

[Cliffy B]

I measured the links before and posted the info somewhere back in this thread. We have 1,080 feet of chain per anchor.

Here we go: viewtopic.php?f=47&t=4683&start=1360#p595172

[chuck]

I measured the links before and posted the info somewhere back in this thread. We have 1,080 feet of chain per anchor.

Here we go: viewtopic.php?f=47&t=4683&start=1360#p595172

Sounds like the real chain is about 4 links for every 60 inches, which makes 10 links per inch approximately correct (~20% over scale) for 1/200 scale.

[Cliffy B]

If you want another measurement (links per foot, 2 feet, etc...) just let me know before 0900 tomorrow

[Sauragnmon]

For the most practical measure, it would be useful to give him how many links in 200 inches.. that would give him a completely correct number for the number of links per inch at 1/200 scale. It's an odd number, but that's the direct thought.

[RandyM]

I think I'm finally ready to move on with construction. Now that I know my way around SW a little better, and understand ABS plastic a bit more, I was able to actually engineer the concept of the v.1 hull replacement effort. Changes made include:

- increased the skin thickness from 0.020 to 0.040 to provide more stiffness when sanding out all the nasty ridges from the printer
- added integrated stiffeners and keel, allowing me to delete all the frames
- integrated the tail cone into the main shell part
- radically redesigned the inboard shaft exits to more-faithfully represent the prototype (the FDD drawings are a bit "weird" in this area)
- included accurate cutouts for the aft 40mm tubs into the shell (I had to cut these out by hand in v.1)
- included a step at the top of each shell for the maindeck part to install against: this will help in overall rigidity
- all of which allowed me to reduce parts count from 31 to four.

I hope to print these parts this week, and resection v.1 from the hull this weekend. If this works the way I think it should, I may be able to print some additional copies...

[BB62vet]

RandyM,

You D Man!!! - Put my name on the top of your list. Your V.2 effort is worth the wait. From the photos it appears that you have captured the necessary changes and in a logical progression from prototype to production version. Integration of the internals may have been key to the overall outcome.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank

Chuck was wondering about the chain, you had obtained an appropriate 3D printed chain for this ship from FDD?

Regards. Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom/Chuck -

Re. the 1:200 scale anchor chain from TFD - I THINK it's still available, but since I can't recall the part number, I won't know for sure until tomorrow a.m. and will re-post this info. I also bought the corresponding set that was offered for the chain stoppers. This was all 3D printed opaque plastic chain produced by Pat Matthews - he has since quite making the stopper sets - some sort of problems with the quality of the product - I got one of the few available before he quit producing them. If the correct chain is no longer available, it's probably for the same reason.

These chains differ from the usual model ship chains in that they do include the center bar in each link. While they resist most paints, I've done an experiment and found that a black dye will work perfectly. There is a thread on one of these forums that address the 1:200 anchor chain issues and gives the dye information, as well (I posted it!!).

Hope this helps,

[bigjimslade]

http://www.metalliferous.com/Brass-Anch ... fo/BRA716/

Someone selling figure 8 chain in brass. THere are probably others.

[BB62vet]

Anchor Chain for 1:200 Scale BB's:

The Floating Drydock - #PM-C115 - Stud Link Anchor Chain - 11.5 Links/Inch - still available - you will need 2 sets.

Transtint Dye - #6023 - Black, 2 fl. oz. bottle - works very well for the TFD Stud Link Chain that is a whitsh opaque plastic. Pricey product - BUT - IT WORKS!

[chuck]

I also found a british web store that sell metal studded chains of approximately correct size:

http://www.maritime-models.co.uk/acatal ... IDS3og76rU

The gauge of the wire used to make the links in the metal chain looks a little to small in scale compare to links in a real anchor chains or the in floating dry dock 3-d printed chain. But a metal chain might be substantially more durable than the printed chain.

[BB62vet]

Chuck wrote:

The gauge of the wire used to make the links in the metal chain looks a little to small in scale compare to links in a real anchor chains or the in floating dry dock 3-d printed chain. But a metal chain might be substantially more durable than the printed chain.

I seriously doubt that the minuscule weight of the plastic anchor on the kit will put any discernible stress on the plastic anchor chain. I'm going with the 3D Printed plastic chain!

[Fliger747]

Especially if the anchor stock is glued in the hause pipe.

T

[chuck]

Why would any self-respecting modeler glue anchor shank to the hawse pipe?


I plan to make the anchor windlass mechanism partially operable, allowing the model to be shown with one or both anchors hanging free under the hawse hole, like the ship has just retrieved its anchors and is getting under way.

BTW, Trumpeter's hull side hawse hole goes straight in one side of the hull and out the other. You can see daylight through the hull. There is no way to seat the anchor properly in the hawse hole. You can't have the end of anchor shank emerge from deck level hawse hole without breaking the anchor shank.

[Fliger747]

Sounds like fun!