The Ship Model Forum

Jim/All
I can lift the hull with one hand with ease at the moment. (I do not for fear of breaking something.)
Any time I want to work on the other side of the model I have to take it outside to turn it around.
I will have it as light as possible with no weight in it until it is put into the water. once in the water I will put in a couple of car/truck batteries. Other weight will be placed in pre-designated areas to balance it out. If I do not need to add much weight the weights may be left in permanantly and I will only add the batteries when the sailing the ship.
I have a similar monster in N.Z. and sail it the way I intend to sail this one here in the U.K.
You may recall that there was a trailer containing a big Hermes, 12' long for sale on E-Bay. It had its very own purpose made model boat trailer.
Special springs suspension etc. The model sat in a locked down trailer within the trailer for transport to the waters edge. (Lift the boat twice only, In and out of the water.)
"PERFECT!"
So I purchased that. It will also carry a 1/96 nimitz class!
I considered a van but they were too expensive. The trailer is perfect ............ it goes very fast!

It will be a working model. A model boat is for floating after all.
It will have full lighting throughout (Within reason!) 100 lights are going in the hull alone. It is big enough to have a "Light Ship feature".
The motors will have engine steering capability. (I do not have much faith in the rudders, especially on some of the tight ponds.)
Turrets will rotate and elevate etc. Hope to have life like firing (Smoke, sound and light.)
Searchlights will work.
secondary turrets rotate and elevate only
Might make prop on plane spin.
Lots of noise!
May not bother with anchor winch. (Never reliable for me.)

Philip

Hi Philip
Why not use free flood chambers instead of all that dead weight.
merry Christmas
gary rowe

I know a lot of guys that have experimented with flooding instead of adding dry weight. The advantage is of course not having to bring weight with you. This disadvantages

1. Unless you have a pump system, you will need to lift the ship out of the water partially to begin the draining. Depending on the size of the model, this can be tough on your back.

2. The tank(s) have to be designed to avoid sloshing causing occilations in the model.

3. Depending on the water you run in, things can stay in the tank(s) and start to rot.

4. The tank(s) can take up quite a bit of internal volume that could be used for other things.

For me the disadvantages outweight the advantage, but of course opinions vary.

Kurt

More pictures from Kiwi medic showing the shafts and A frame being lined up and set into the hull. Also the brass rudder posts set inplace at an angle . Phill has also included the "zinc protectors" on the outboard of each rudder as fitted to Bismarck . Just for interest these protectors were left unpainted.

Dear All/County Class.
I will have to go with Kurt on this one.
I have tried the water tank ballasting and all the scenarios Kurt spoke of were a problem.
I had to make the correct sized tanks for the weight and to fit the hull shape for each area. Getting all the water out was a problem.
In the end I resorted to lead shot.
1.The steering gear is now installed.
2.The Port Holes are in. They will have the eyebrows fitted after the hull is cleaned up and prepared for paint. The Port Hole windows will be fitted after painting. Lighting will be put in when I am home again.
3. I will fit the motors and electrics next.
4. The sea chest cut-outs are next also ............. It is still a lottery as to what intakes were there and how big they realy were.

I think Dave has a few more photos to add.

Regards
Philip

what about black powder guns that good BOOM!!!!!


Reid

Hello
Is that Ron Dixon pre dred i saw that at Beale Park a few years back awsom
cheers
gary rowe

i think so (i am not so sure about that i just like the pic)

Reid

More from Kiwi medics 1:72nd Bismarck build . seen here is a very neat installation of three Buhlar 24v motors , using a rubber type coupling.





More to follow soon.

My oh my!

That is making rapid progress--and on a model that size--there is soooo much of everytghing to do!!



Will be watchin'...


JIM B

Nice work Dave
clean mechanisme.





Jef

it is funny to see the motors in the boat wait its too big for a boat SHIP!!! that is 11 foot. it is hard to believe that those little guys will get her moving.

Phil has constructed a mounting over the motors to take three speed controllers .

The starboard ESC is fitted into place this is followed by the centre and port ESC


Looks a bit like a birds nest but the cabling will be loomed and tidied
up later.

Mounting for fuse box.

Fuse box in place.


Dave Wooley

Reid wrote:what about black powder guns that good BOOM!!!!!


Reid

NOW THAT IS OVER THE TOP!!!!!!

I wonder what would the insurance cost run to cover that model?

Chuck

Never thought of it that way Chuck:lol_4: . That kind of funny now that you bring it up. But that would look pretty cool coming out of an 11ft Bismarck in the lake...I would do it.

Phil has sent more photos of his 1:.72nd Bismarck

Condenser ports being cut into the hull

These will be sealed up inside the hull.

The rudder, tiller and linkage to the servos in place. Phill uses two servos instead on just one.

I heard that you are going to destroy the mold or is it to late!!! Why don't you keep the mold and make them on demand.

There are several reasons to offer a limited number of hulls and dispose of the mold.

1. This is a very large hull, and there are a finite number of modelers with the space and resources to build such a model. It is unlikely that large numbers of this hull will ever be sold, even if available for the forseeable future.

2. A large hull = even larger mold, which takes up a lot of space. Space costs money, so keeping it around on the off chance you might sell one every few months or years can get expensive

3. Limiting the run creates a sense of urgency among potential buyers, so you get the number of orders you need in a shorter period of time.

At least one maker of submarine kits used this strategy very successfully for quite a while, offering a limited number of his kits each year. It is one way to control costs in an industry where that is not easy at best.

Kurt

Hello All
It is true that there is a limited number of hulls to be produced.
Once that number has been reached the mold will be destroyed and no more will be produced. That is one of the conditions that they are sold under. There will be no extensions, just the scream of a chainsaw.
Kurt is correct in every aspect of his explanation as to why there will be a limited number. Space in the U.K. is so limited. Americans/Australians/New Zealanders could not easily grasp the conccept of no room. Parking for my house could be easily up to 2 km away on any given day.
As there will be only a few in the world there is a good chance that you will be the only one in your area with one. I am sure that some of the hulls will be purchased by customers and never actually get built.
I have made the numbers available as small as I can. I will not actually make anything out of the project in the end.

I have found it suprisingly easy to build so far. We supply the main components and some of these are supplied at cost + P&P only. Bismarck is a long hull but it is not very deep and goes to 500mm wide for a brief period amid-ships. So it is not actually as big or awkward to handle as you may think.

Regards
Phil.

could someone buy the mold??