1/700 HMS HABAKKUK pykrete aircraft carrier (1943)

[EJM]

If I thought this project couldn't get any worse, then I'm afraid it just did.

After I finish detailing the engine pods that you see above in a post, I then have to figure a way of attaching them to the sides of the hull. There'll be about 12-13 per side. But here's the trick........Trying to attach them without messing up the red painted hull, plus trying to make sure all the pods are in the same locations and same distances, etc. on both sides of the hull. Here's a sample pic to show the approximate locations of the pods:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/ ... an0001.jpg

The first row of pods is 50 feet below the waterline. The next row of pods is 30 feet below the first row. Each pod is about 200 feet between them in each row. I got the measurements from a diagram in an article by William J. Wallace about the Habakkuk. But I don't have a pic to show of that diagram. Sorry.
Anybody got any bright ideas as to how I'm going to get these in their proper places and spaced evenly, etc.?

[EJM]

There's something else I forgot to ask: Since the engine pods (As shown below.) are made with clay (air dry), Then do I need to put on some sort of protective clear coat, laquer, varnish, etc. to protect them in any way before I paint them?
If so, then with what?

[Sr. Gopher]

Well, I can't answer any questions so far (sorry), but I do have one of my own: if the thing is supposed only have a top speed of 7 knots, how is it gonna launch all the planes?

[Cliffy B]

if the thing is supposed only have a top speed of 7 knots, how is it gonna launch all the planes?

The same way a plane takes off at a land based airport. Remember this thing is HUGE! Carriers need to generate wind over the deck AND use cats because there isn't enough length for the planes to build up sufficient speed on their own.

[EJM]

2000 feet is certainly adequate enough to land and take off on the Habakkuk without the need for catapults and/or arresting gear. There's PLENTY of room.

[EJM]

I'm in a bit of a bind and need help. Got 2 questions:

1. I'm almost done making the 2 dozen teardrop shaped propulsion pods for my Habakkuk. The only thing I need to do is add the propeller struts, shafts, and the propellers. When I started building the Habakkuk, I bought a lot of extra 1/700 ship kits for spare parts (guns, structures, etc.). I went through all those extra kits tonight and got together all the propellers, struts, etc. that I needed. Unfortuneately, everything is all different sizes, etc. even though it's still all 1/700 scale. I've got a mixture of 3 bladed props, four bladed props, different size 1/700 struts, etc.
Would anybody have any extra 1/700 props, propeller shafts, struts, etc. that they don't want anymore that are just extra? Usually some modelers will build waterline instead of full hull, and if nobody wants the mentioned extra parts, then let me know. The more propellers, etc. I have, then perhaps the more same sizes I can get. Feel free to send me a personal message if you want to discuss the issue more.

2. If I can't get all the same sizes for propellers, struts, etc. and I use what I currently have, Then how bad would I get "looked down upon" (for lack of a better word) by contest judges at any contest (Minor or major) if that contest uses IPMS guidelines/rules?

BTW, Please don't suggest for me to use photoetch propellers and other photoetch parts. My eyesight is not that good for working with tiny 1/700 brass parts.

[EJM]

Small update.

Talked to another modeler on the IPMS website forums days ago, and he helped to make some propellers for me as shown in the pic (Thank You, Rusty!). All I need to do now is figure out the propeller support struts. I've talked to another different modeler about those and I sent him some extra pods and other parts in the mail to experiment with and see what he can come up with. As far as other things go, I'm working on other details like adding extra searchlights, more life rafts, detailing the interior cross-section, detailing aircraft, and a few other odds and ends.




P.S. - Does anybody want me to continue posting updates in this thread?

[johnny canuck]

Hello,

I think you should still update as this is a very interesting and unique subject.

In response to your question back in May:
For the aircraft, here is a link to model Seafires:http://www.gengriz.co.uk/seafire.htm. For your carrier I assume that they would still be in camo rather than post war colours.

Also, depending on the time, you could get away with US aircraft such as Avengers and Wildcats as the FAA used a lot of those. For more British types you could get:http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/acatal ... craft.html There are Swordfish, Barracudas, Seafires, Fireflys and Sea Hurricanes.

As for colours, I found a post on another site that Tamiya XF24 and XF22 over XF21 might work but I haven't used those myself. All the FAA should be in those colours if in the Atlantic. In the Pacific, the FAA started to just use the US overall blue colour later in the war.

[EJM]

Because of the amount of trouble I'm having building the propulsion pods for my Habakkuk model over the last year, I'm thinking I may not finish and add them at all. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to make them work. There's no point in going any further I guess. The pods and propellers may be done, but I'm at wits end trying to devise how to make the small propeller struts and add everything together.

I've kinda wondered lately about the following: Although the Habakkuk was designed with some form of propulsion by having propulsion pods along the sides of the ship, The Habakkuk would've only had a top speed of no more than 6-7 knots. Because of that slow speed plus the fact that the Habakkuk is such a huge aircraft carrier (2000 ft. long x 300 ft. wide), I'm thinking that it might be classified more as a "floating island" rather than a ship per se. What does everyone else think? Is it better to not add the engine pods at all and to just give up and say it's done, even though the Habakkuk isn't?
This is one huge modeling project where I feel like I failed. It's just not coming out the way I envisioned.

[Russ2146]

How about 0.36mm piano wire?

Or brass rod?

Get the appropriate size drill bit, put a depth mark on it, drill props and pods, insert rods and CA in place.

How far off of the pods do you plan on the props being? The shorter the shaft extends, the less the need for struts.

[russclark]

i seen a show on a t.v channel a year or so ago,they found remains of your ship,i think it was the histoty channel.a very interesting build keep posting

[DrPR]

EJM,

It looks like you need a photoetch piece between the props and the propulsion modules to create the prop shaft and struts in a single piece. At 1:700 it will be tiny.

If you had built at 1:72 these details would have been easy, and since the model would be 28 feet long you could have used it as a party barge!

[EJM]

There's hope.........but it's a slim hope. While putting some merchandise away at work while in the Christmas section, I started browsing some mini town figures, buildings, and other accessories. Although the Habakkuk engine pods and propellers are done, The propeller struts and shafts aren't. I couldn't help but notice a small package of mini sleds that upon closer examination might have the propeller struts I needed. (See pic below.) Can you guess what part of the sled I used? ;D I bought two packages of sleds. Each package had 4 sleds. And I can cut four A-frames from each sled. So I've got enough A-frames (plus spares) for the engine pods.
I just wish this idea had come to me sooner. But it's too late to get these ready for another major contest this coming weekend.

[Russ2146]

Good idea. That's something I've noticed about ship modelers, incredibly imaginative use of all variety of materials.

[EJM]

Recently when I took my Habakkuk model to a contest about 2-3 weeks ago, I was told by some people that the aircraft I had on deck were hard to see against the color of the decking itself. When I was deciding on a Measure scheme to paint the Habakkuk, I chose Measure 13 which was Haze Gray for vertical surfaces, and Deck Blue 20B for horizontal surfaces. The closest I could get to 20B was by spraying the deck with Testor Dark Sea Blue. I don't remember what color I painted my aircraft, but I know it was Tamiya paint. Here's a pic (See below) from a year ago showing painted and unpainted aircraft on the deck. If I have to redo a whole new bunch of aircraft, then I've got lots of extras to paint. But what color(s)? I only use Testor Acryl, Testor Model Master Marine, or Tamiya paints, So what color from those brands would be best if I had to re-paint a bunch of new aircraft in a late '44 to early '46 timeframe?
Secondly, What roundrels/insignia would be appropriate for US aircraft on a Habakkuk carrier in probably late '44 to early '46? http://cocardes.monde.online.fr/v2html/ ... _unis_his5

[EJM]

Long overdue update if anybody cares.

Been doing a lot of thinking the last few weeks about how the hell I'm going to attach the engine pods to the Habakkuk and have them all lined up perfectly and spaced evenly. It wasn't easy, let me tell ya. For starters, this was the only decent reference I had to go by. The middle diagram from an article about the Habakkuk by William J. Wallace long ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/ ... an0001.jpg

The top row of pods is 50 feet below the waterline. The next row of pods is 30 feet below the first row. Each pod is spaced 200 feet from the next one in each row. However, be careful when you look at the diagram as the seperating lines run through the middle of the pods going horizontally.
In 1/700 scale, I had a friend do some rough calculations: About 7/8" below the waterline for the first row. 1/2" below the first row for the second row of pods. Each pod in the same row is spaced 3 1/2" apart. The pods spaced apart regardless of top or bottom row are 1 1/4". I went to a hobby store and bought 1/4", 1/2", and 1" thin strips of balsawood to make scratchbuilt rulers to determine placement of the pods, as well as bought thin masking tape to try and keep things level and straight. The two pods on the very back end which do not appear level and in a row were simply placed however I could depending on what was shown in the diagram. Only the right side of the hull is done for now. I'll work on the left side later this week, as well as adding all the propeller struts and propellers.

[DrPR]

Maybe you answered this question already, but I looked back through your posts and didn't see it.

The model shows two smoke pipes/funnels, so it would have burned fuel oil to produce steam. But what powered the propellers? Was there steam piping through the hull (a lot of pipe!) to steam turbines in the pods, or did it have generators and electric motors in the pods?

[EJM]

Maybe you answered this question already, but I looked back through your posts and didn't see it.

The model shows two smoke pipes/funnels, so it would have burned fuel oil to produce steam. But what powered the propellers? Was there steam piping through the hull (a lot of pipe!) to steam turbines in the pods, or did it have generators and electric motors in the pods?

I've exhausted myself for two years doing as much research as I could for this project, but there's no additional information about the Habakkuk's propulsion systems and power plant other than the following:

Steam turbogenerators were to supply 33,000hp (25,000kW) to about 26 electric motors mounted in separate external nacelles around the circumference of the lower hull.

Top speed of the Habakkuk would have been no more than 6-7 knots. I added two funnels because that's what all the artist pics, sketches, and diagrams show that I could find on the Net.

[JIM BAUMANN]

............>>>> if anybody cares ... <<<<<<< ..........



I think this is a commendable project!!!

I had in the past read an article about the vessel--and always thought it to be an innovative concept.

Maximum KUDOS to you for grasping the nettle and actually turning all the theory and supposition into a tangible and feasible model.


This makes it possible for others to easily vitalise the sheer scale and shape of the concept!!


For that...

a hearty WELL DONE is the very least we can extend!!

and therefore

[EJM]

DONE! WELL.......ALMOST.

All engine pods, propeller struts, propeller shafts, and propellers, have now......FINALLY......been added. Damn, I should get a medal for all the hard work and frustration I've been through. The engines have been the most frustrating process of this whole project. But, here they are in color photos. Enjoy. Now the only things left should be minor details like more life rafts, some searchlight platforms, detailing a few more aircraft, and some other stuff. Comments and questions about anything are welcome as always.