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Sink the Bismarck! HMS Ark Royal, 26 May 1941


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The Single photo update this evening, showing about 3 hours’ work!

 

On the starboard side of the hull, beneath the island, are two shelves which supported Carley floats.  Tetra replace the upper one with brass, so that was removed some time ago [it’s out of shot to the right of these pics - or will be in due course].  However, during my scuttle drilling / measuring / filling campaign I noticed that Merit have moulded the lower one too low on the hull.  

 

There follow some truly nasty, pre-clean-up macros, for which I beg forgiveness...  people of a sensitive disposition should look away now.

 

If you look here, you can just about make out where the moulded shelf was - half way down the hull opening just visible on the right of shot.  A quick look at photos shows that it was close to the top of that opening in real life.  [Carley outside ring purely balanced for effect].

48523207382_03609d2381_b.jpg

 

The thing that’s taken the time is the fact that the ‘shelf’ had a curved underside fairing it into the hull (anti-turbulence, possibly; they did quite a lot of work to minimise turbulence around the deck).  This was fettled from a section of styrene tube of suitable  bore, and took some considerable time - especially since there was a scuttle in the centre of it, so I had to do two similar sections.

 

Here you can kind of see the end profile, which will be duly filled and refined once everything has set.

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I have also been experimenting with materials for replacement rectangular hatches - many of Merit’s are in the wrong place and/or the wrong type (e.g. those visible at top right above, which I haven’t bothered to protect during sanding since they’re coming off in the end anyway).  The winner seems to be a choice between thin lead sheet and plumbers’ aluminium tape.

 

But I forgot to take any photos, so you’ll have to wait for those!

 

More later in the week

 

Crisp

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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This sort of work takes time, but is worth it in the end. One question, given the amount of moulded on detail you are removing/modifying, would you not be better off taking it all off and starting with a smooth hull to which you add the Tetra details plus any hand-made bespoke replacements that are not supplied in the aftermarket detail set?

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Rumbled!  That wasn’t how I set out, but it’s pretty much where I’ve ended up.   Initially the exception was the area below the “knuckle” in her bow; the detail there looks essentially OK...  but in the end I’m taking pretty much everything off.  I have barely touched the port half yet, and when I get to it I now plan to sand it back to smooth and re-build from there.

 

Which is a long-winded way of saying “yes, though it wasn’t Plan A”

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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4 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Which is a long-winded way of saying “yes, though it wasn’t Plan A”

 

3 hours ago, Ripaman said:

Like the way plan B is working :like:

I run out of plans on most of my builds.

Besides, a well known saying 'No battle plan ever survived first contact with the enemy'.

 

Stuart

 

Edited by Courageous
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A little more of Plan B; tidying up the new Carley float shelf from the other day (including filling the hollow ends) and adding some Tetra brass galleries further aft.  The latter are over the top of Merit’s less accurate effort at depicting the same thing, so now you can probably see why I filled Merit’s version.  

48539204221_60cf0c46bc_b.jpg 48539202906_7d64b11227_b.jpg 48539348277_d8230c4561_b.jpg

 

The extension to the boat deck, seen above the new brass, is merely dry fitted.  I also had to remove some over-scale styrene support brackets under this deck - not just too thick (which could be fixed) but no longer aligned with the openings below (which couldn’t).  Once it’s fitted I’ll replace them with some scrap brass.

 

P.S. The sharp-eyed among you will notice that the rectangular openings above the double hull opening, mentioned yesterday, have now been removed entirely.

 

More soon

 

Crisp

 

P.P.S. I’ve also decided that the Kagero drawings - far superior to the Morskie ones - are going to be my master guide on this build, so I’ve had 3 or 4 copies printed blown up to the right scale (or very close).  Cursory comparison with Merit’s flight deck generally favourable.

48539536457_1c337494b0_b.jpg

 

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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Crisp,

 

The brass overlays provided by Tetra (and the Merit one moulded on) are fiction. Underneath the crane overhang was just a row of circular scuttles. The overhang itself had tapered triangular shaped supports.

 

 

 

And with more exposure:

 

 

 

HTH

 

IG

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Is that a stock anchor with a removable stock top left?

 

Incidentally, it is my experience that many drawings and etch sets based on these drawings should be handled with great suspicion when accuracy is concerned. There is simply no way to tell where well-sourced information ends and conjecture by the artist starts and in the end may prove more of a distraction than anything else (unfortunately).

 

(Incidentally: very much enjoying this thread and build)

Edited by foeth
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Phew!  I was reasonably happy when I checked ref photos and plans before fitting, but was just having one of those “Oh God have I made a basic mistake / wrong era / wrong side - how well will the glue have set?” mental discussions with myself...

 

As you were, Crisp! 

 

None the less, just to be clear; if anyone does spot a howler, please don’t be tactful & decide not to mention it - I want to know!

 

@foeth, you’re absolutely right, of course.  To be fair to Tetra, though there are some small errors (notably their routing of the DG coil in one place, which I’ll point out when I come to fit it), most of their research seems to agree with mine - they seem to be producing roughly the same thing as I see in photos and (contemporary) plans.  

 

Ditto the Kagero drawings.  Of course, it’s impossible to tell the relationship / order; Tetra might well have based their set on Kagero, or vice versa, so they would agree, wouldn’t they?  My general principle is that I don’t fit something just because it’s in the PE set; if I can see it on a photograph (from the right date - and the builder’s plans qualify, too) then it goes on, but otherwise not.  

 

Even a ship with a 5-year career from launch to sinking showed numerous phases of evolution, and that’s the other side of the coin in depicting her on a specific day in a specific action - you can be demonstrably wrong (e.g. port side pom-poms, fitted just after the Bismarck action, I think).

 

Anyway, that does look very much like a spare stock anchor in @iang‘s photo.  Not sure what for - it’s not small, so not for boats, surely.  Stowed under the port crane, so heavy, too.  The Kagero plans (ha! them again) show a spare Admiralty Pattern Stockless anchor stowed on the quarterdeck... but until I see other evidence, it’s not in (tempting though it is!).

 

By the way, does any of you lovely people know if anyone produces after-market 1/350 fairleads etc.?  There are PE outlines in the set, but this is one area where a thin brass sheet significantly understates the sheer heft of a carrier fairlead!  If not, I’ll fettle one and cast some clones, but if someone else has done the work...  [the North Star resin anchors are fabulous].

 

Glad people are remaining interested!

 

More later (this is being typed during lunch break...)

 

Crisp

 

P.S. @iang, do you know for sure what was on the port pom-pom sponsons before they were fitted?  Just a blanking plate?

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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3 hours ago, iang said:

Indeed it does - my mistake. Should have realised it was the starboard side Crisp was showing:

 

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Interesting - though on reflection not surprising - to see that all the scuttles below the hull openings had external deadlights / covers.... though not in the other picture.  The difference could be as simple as the fact that post 132 was taken of the ship at anchor (the boat booms are rigged), whereas 135 is clearly under way.

 

Deadlights would make re-working that area a bit simpler!

 

Nice clear view of the characteristic rows of lights (middle left, immediately above the DG coil).  The builder’s plans refer to the large set of 3 (of which this is one) as “aircraft signalling lights”, and the smaller set (further aft, close to the Ax openings) as “recognition lights”.  I have no idea how they were used - at a guess, some kind of inter-war visual signalling job (the night equivalent of the horizontal “masts” fitted either side for signalling to aircraft in the circuit).

 

This photo looks as though it might have been taken during the same transfer (with HMS Laforey, from memory) as a series that I found via the IWM online archive - but it shows further for’d than the ones I have.  Or is it simply a similar manoeuvre, since all RAS / transfer photos look much the same in the end?

 

In any event, lots of loafing matelots leaning on the guardrails taking the mickey out of their oppos in the other ship.  Nothing changes!

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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On 15/08/2019 at 12:47, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

 

 The Kagero plans (ha! them again) show a spare Admiralty Pattern Stockless anchor stowed on the quarterdeck... but until I see other evidence, it’s not in (tempting though it is!).

 

 

Will this do?

 

 

 

 

 

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On 15/08/2019 at 12:47, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

 @iang, do you know for sure what was on the port pom-pom sponsons before they were fitted?  Just a blanking plate?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a better image somewhere....

 

 

Which I've now found:

 

 

 

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The #137 post photo's scuttles look more blanked off than deadlighted. The shadow around the left hand edge looks to be proud of the hull whereas deadlights would be inset with the shadow on the other edge.

Tom

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3 hours ago, iang said:

Will this do?

 

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Just about, I guess...

 

Also shows that there was a central opening at the stern, with the stern light cluster immediately outboard.  Far from obvious seen from the other side... more drilling to come!

 

AND how the guardrails were rigged.  

 

Gold dust

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Lovely: thank you so much!  [Incidentally, that underlines my thinking about the fairleads; that chunky thing in the upper view of post 143 sure ain’t no thin piece of brass!]

 

Continuing with the midships section [starboard, Ian ;-)], I’ve installed Tetra’s brass Carley shelf.  The builder’s plans came into their own here; if I’d been guessing I would have assumed that they were directly above the lower shelf, but in fact there were ladders at either end, so the upper one overhung, as below. 

48545745141_d138c34ab2_b.jpg

 

The thing on the left is the base of one of the folding aerials that were so characteristic of RN carriers at this time (the large upside-down hockey sticks that lay flat during flying ops).  I had to fold it in order to get the geometry / alignment of other things right, but it’s not glued, and won’t be for a long while yet.  It shortly goes back into one of my many bomb-proof plastic boxes for safe keeping.  

 

...and one of the things that needed aligning was the scuttle that sat right in the middle of it, like so.  Also the one immediately below it on the aft end of the Carley float stowage.

48545744896_37738e19a3_b.jpg

 

Next up will be to fit the ladders and supports in this area, and measure, drill and fit several more scuttles Merit missed in this region.

 

More later

 

Crisp

Edited by Ex-FAAWAFU
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3 hours ago, iang said:

This might help complete the picture for the stern light

912f2fbe-90f5-47bb-adde-9a26dd6aadf7.jpg

Presume you're referring to the circular device bottom left?

Looks rather large in diameter and shallow in depth for a light

Are you sure that's not a Fog Gong? There should be one aft for use when anchored.

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1 hour ago, Dave Swindell said:

Presume you're referring to the circular device bottom left?

Looks rather large in diameter and shallow in depth for a light

Are you sure that's not a Fog Gong? There should be one aft for use when anchored.

The above shot isn’t the best angle, perhaps (though it’s brilliant for my purposes), but we’re referring to the circular device at bottom RIGHT... 

 

This angle shows it more clearly, and the builders’ drawings (which you don’t have, to be fair!) are conclusive: it’s marked “lower stern light”.  The upper one is also visible here, on the rear of the round-down catwalk.

 

Ark Royal, starboard quarter c.1940

 

 

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One more update for tonight, because it’s time to stop; after a couple of hours of filing scrap brass (old PE runner) to shape, I’m Optivisored out.

 

The scrap brass is for the support brackets under the section of island that sticks out above the Carley floats.  This bit isn’t parallel with the ship’s side at this point; it tapers outwards gradually, so the supports had to be made slightly longer each time.  Fitted by eye, using some pencil marks (measured) as a guide - pretty happy thus far.

48546577117_696c1e2a36_b.jpg

 

You can also see that I’ve fitted a ladder at each end of the upper Carley “shelf”.  There’s another to add, at the aft (left, in this view) end, going down to the lower shelf.  But not tonight.

 

No idea where that glue spillage at bottom centre emerged from - but it’s only Gator’s Grip, so it’ll come off easily enough once dry.

 

I’m at the Test match tomorrow (umbrella ready, given the forecast!), so this will be the last building work until next week.

 

Until then

 

Crisp

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Love that detail in the last picture Crisp, especially the repurposed scrap brass supports, fitted by eye no less .... been in a similar place recently myself!

 

This has the making of a superb build.

 

Enjoy the cricket!

 

Terry

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18 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

but we’re referring to the circular device at bottom RIGHT...

Yes, Right, sorry.

20 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

and the builders’ drawings (which you don’t have, to be fair!) are conclusive: it’s marked “lower stern light”.

OK, if that's what the drawings say, it must be so.

20 minutes ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

The upper one is also visible here, on the rear of the round-down catwalk.

Yes, spotted that on the centre line. Do the drawings say what the 3 smaller items are directly above and to either side of the "upper stern light" ?

These look more like what I would expect a stern navigation light to look like (white light, 135 degree arc of visibility), so are these the actual nav lights for peacetime use?

And are the "upper and lower stern lights"  low intensity lights for station keeping when blacked out at night?

 

Hope you don't get rained off at the cricket.

Watching with interest, i have the 1:700 Aoshima kit

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