Evolution of a U.S. Fleet Boat Conning Tower, 1:24

[Guest]

Some Further Progress

Tower

Start of tower motor cover:



Cover assembled:



Initial test-fit in assembled cover:



Motor cover housing painted and temporarily test-fitted:



Ventilation

Overall view of beginning of main ventilation duct, made from saved ("pack-ratted") Foley bed-bag drain tube, painted with Americana Slate Gray acrylic:



Passage through galley, with aft locker temporarily located.



General starboard-side view:



Temporarily parked on the living room VHS shelves:



Those were done over the past few weeks. Need to draw the plan for the galley stoves, and still need to work on brass fixtures for the "lamps."

Going slowly, but my physical strength is beginning to improve.

Regards, John

[Guest]

I'm still in a slump on the Silverfin, particularly as I have to take time off from Docent work aboard the Pampanito, but did work up the first cardboard galley-range pattern mockup, to begin figuring out the best layout (finished pieced will be cut and folded from 0.010" brass):



The boat is put aside for a while; here it is shown with the tower assembly sitting on top. Tower will not be attached until it's interior periscope lift and switch details are completed, and after the hull-plate is installed.



I'll be working on little details whenever I get the energy and inspiration at the same time!

Regards, John

[Guest]

Wow, Just stunning John. Keep up the good work.

Andy

[tr1ckey66]

Hi John

This is fantastic stuff! I'm only sorry that I didn't come across this thread a lot earlier. This is modeling at it's purist in my opinion and your doing a great job. Stick at it John I'm sure this is going to be a really impressive and interesting finished submarine interior and tower.

Cheers

Paul

[geegad]

Nice to see a update on this fabulous build its looking truly amazing john the level of the build quality blows my mind looking forward to your next update

[Guest]

New "re-fit;" stringers have been added topside, aka model-aircraft construction. These help the visualization as well as support for the tower. Upper hull-plate has been temporarily attached with double-stick tape to the control-room overhead:



Main ventilation-duct runs through the galley overhead:



Forward hull-plate taped down on the forward edge, with paper "hull-plate" over galley and crew's mess for lighting test:



Looking under the hull-plate at the forward ventilation shut-off valve:



Long view from the Port side; DC board with LM317T regulator circuit set to +3VDC for the #2 periscope motor, +5VDC pass-through to the lighting boards. TDC working side seen, with photo of a TDC pasted on (this side will not be visible when the hull is closed-up):



Port side of galley and crew's mess, showing local lighting circuit:



Close-up on the LED resistor DC board:



Lighting test:



Close-up of the LED's, which are mounted on a strip cut off a RadioShack PCB:



Fairwater astride the hull; clearance holes have been cut for the #2 and #1 (seen sitting in the well) periscope and lower-lid trunk, more detail photos need to be taken in this area:



Periscope wells have been worked on a little; still working out final details for them.

That's all for now, working on the lighting re-design; must figure out the arrangement for the galley.

Regards, John

[Guest]

A little update:



The covered surface steering station, with new wheel, resin spokes, 1/16in tubing rim IIRC.



Evolution of the venturi at the open end of the bridge; "try" gyro-compass repeater standing in.



Galley stoves, frontal details yet to be tackled (view A).



Galley stoves, frontal details yet to be tackled (view B).



Conning tower stripped for remodeling, periscope shears removed (Good thing I was able to remove them without too much bother!).



Periscope lift (hoist) cables, of 100lb test contemporary fish-line.



Periscope lift (hoist) cables, close up with lifting-head.

Just a few small details, mostly over the last month or so, except one of my Home Healthcare Aides found the fishline for me, available by the foot from a well-stocked, non-"chain" sporting-goods shop. Good stuff for small wire and cable in models and miniatures.

Regards, got to run,

John

[Guest]

Periscope / Tower Department

Well, a little bit of stuff done lately:

Hand-turned brass pulleys for the periscope lifting head:



Periscope with second training handle added, plus "eye cusion" of 3/16 OD x 1/16 ID 'O' ring:



Periscope with assorted pulleys; black plastic pulleys are for 1/32" wire-rope and come in these two smallest sizes from McMaster-Carr:



Re-framing and boxing-up happening on the periscope hoisting motor (early fleet boats used cable-hoist; hydraulic hoist came in on the new wartime construction):



And a chart desk, ala Destination Tokyo:



Coming up: Below-Decks.

Regards, John

[Guest]

Well, I said below decks, but the crew's mess rear-wall lockers finally came to me and I did them, first removing the walls to work on them:



Then the walls, after working and painting. The holes were drilled with brass-tube with the inside beveled, the "latches" are bits of 1/32" brass rod:



Of course one has to feed the crew; galley ranges while working up:



A closer look:



Finished ranges tucked in between the overhead stringers, then carefully maneuvered into place, and secured with double-stick tape on bottom and top-rear:



A peek through the store-locker and galley doorway:



Next, hopefully, below decks!

Regards, John

[Guest]

Below decks beginning; putting down the "Linoleum" green:



Walls for dividing the storage compartments; I found 1/32 Revell-Monogram model-plywood at one of the local arts & craft chain-stores:



(L. to R.) Stb. FW tank, shell-magazine Stb. wall, wall between refer, cool-room and access to the magazines:



Walls separating refer from cool-room, and cool-room from store-room test-fitted:



Close in on the "box of apples;" box was made from brown paper-bag, with end labels found on the web for 1:24 (half dolls house scale):



The underside of the overhead getting ready for some paint:



Well, that's a good re-start!

Regards, John

[Guest]

I just made up a dimensioning rule on craft-paper, by taking the hull diameter from the print in the background. I divided it down with a compass for accurate measurements, then used it to get the approximate measure of goods represented in the drawing. First goods to be made up are the tin blanks for the below-decks access hatches, shown next to their approximate locations shown on the print. Masked with 1/4" Tamiya masking tape for 1/8" all round in preparation for painting. The centers will be painted linoleum-green to match the decks:



Also thought I'd toss in some odd ends; the manual (emergency) operating lever for the main air induction valve:



The bridge has acquired the port-side step (but I really should have been patient and painted it first!):



That's all for now, Regards,

John

[geegad]

super work as always buddy

[Guest]

True modelling! A combination of woodwork. metalwork, electronics, mechanical engineering and much more. Enviable skils. Thank you for sharing these. Well done sir!

[mossiepilot]

Top work John, looking forward to more.

Tony.

[Guest]

Periscope Hoisting Motor has had a brainstorm! It finally occured to me that I had some old sewing machine spools, which are just right for the cable-hoist drums! I need to make an axle-shell, and that problem will have been solved. Motor (Tamiya 3v. gearbox) housing and cable are ready for airbrushing. Portside lift will be used instead of starboard, as it needs to be out of the line of sight thru the viewports in to the tower.



And close in on the spools ("cable" is 100lb test fishline):



I need to fix up the pulley-bracket, and some guide to keep the "cable" from slipping from the pulley while spooling, and of course it all has to line up close-enough to the periscope standard, where the lifting pulleys will be installed. Going to be a bit of work, but I can see it evolving. Got the only logical idea for the top limit switch to stop the scope at the top of lift, bottom switch is already done.

Regards, John