bootneck Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Hello all, with a heading like this, perhaps I should wait for All creatures Great and Small GB. My contribution for this GB will be a scratchbuild of a bridge span that was used at Normandy 1944. The scale will be to 1:35 in order that I can place one of my softskin vehicles on it. A complete set of plans for the Mulberry Harbour was produced in Airfix Magazine, between 1981 and 1983, and I shall be using the plan from part 11 of that series for my build. As most of this construction is of flat-sided components, I shall be cutting the parts from styrene sheets and rods etc. I will only be able to make one bridge span as my workbench is only big enough for that. cheers, Mike 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Really interesting project Mike, not something you see everyday. I’m going to take great pleasure in following this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 Well that's different! What issue is that from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 That's part 11, of 13, and was published in the May 13 1983 edition. Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 I remember that series in Airfix mag and may even have some if not all of it. Should be an interesting build Mike- at least mine would be a bit easier if I were to do anything like that as I work in 1/72 - 1/76 for my armour. Cheers Pete 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeroenS Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Interesting project Mike, especially since you're doing a big scale version for this sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Macnaughton Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Hi Mike, I was interested to see that you are now doing a 1/35th scale Whale span - I did a couple for the Mulberry Harbour SIG stand at last year's Telford show as shown and we have the ambition to add a further 3 spans where the space allocation allows at future shows. I have been through quite a learning process on how best to make such large structures and you are very welcome to take advantage of what I have to offer if it helps - after all you sent me all that info in the first place! My spans are mainly made from 0.3 mm alloy lithoplate which has the advantage of strength when folded to form the main girders and is also very cheap to acquire if you can find a suitable lithographic printer. Some of the more detailed bits, such as the box ed ends to each main span are from a dedicated 0.4 mm brass photo etch set I have designed,this being thick enough to relief etch the fairly prominent bolt heads and other raised detail and also ensure consistent results for things like the oval holes in some of the supporting girders. I have also made moulds for other parts, including the roadway tread plates and the ball and socket bearings at the end of each girder. You are welcome to access these – just let me know if you are interested. Finally, I found that I got a lot of help from the Beckett Rankine document “Secret notes on Floating Bridge Equipment January 1944” which clarifies exactly what each component looked like at an appropriate level of detail for 1/35th scale – especially pages 122 to 131. This went a long way towards providing what Futter drawings didn’t really cover. Regards Francis 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Can't help you with your quest for dimensions but this video may be of interest/help? 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Francis Macnaughton said: Hi Francis, I hadn't seen your display before today and I am overly impressed. Do you have any more views because I would really like to see more of the detail. I shall pm you for some advice. All the best, Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby No Mac Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Fantastic project. It will be interesting to see how it develops Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted April 2, 2023 Share Posted April 2, 2023 We took the kids to Normandy a while ago and while on the beach and at the d-day museum I was trying to explain the significance of the mulberry harbour to the overall success of the liberation of Europe. Yes as you can imagine 4 bored teenagers, but I tried OK ! Good luck this one going to be a really special build Cheers Pat 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted April 3, 2023 Author Share Posted April 3, 2023 As I research this element of the Mulberry Harbour, I am finding that the bridge span was quite a complex structure; involving many different components of all shapes and sizes. I shall be using a combination of the Airfix articles and an on-line book: titled "Notes on floating bridge equipment. Jan 1944" which can be downloaded here. The book is full of fascinating detail, especially the dimensions of each component, and will be a very useful resource for this build. My thanks to Francis Macnaughton for advising me of this publication. This image is a cleaned up page from the book and shows a cross-brace component numbered W17. This view shows two W17 cross-braces in place during construction. The various parts will be drawn up on Inkscape which will then be sent to a cutting machine that will cut the pieces from styrene sheet. If possible, I will try to 3D print some components; however, that will depend on whether my skills are competent enough. I have drawn up the general outline, again in Inkscape, and printed it just to give an impression of what the size will be at 1:35 scale. This profile measures approx: 27 inches [98 CM]. There's still a fair bit of research to do before I start drawing the components; however, I do hope to be able to show some progress soon. cheers, Mike 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 Respect Mike, for tackling this ambitious project 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted April 23, 2023 Author Share Posted April 23, 2023 Hello everybody, It seems like a slow start for me on this GB; however, I have not been idle since my last report. I have found that this bridge span is much more complex in structure than I had envisaged, thanks to new data and plans that were identified to me by @Francis Macnaughton. There are hundreds of components which make up just the bridge, and that's without the beetles. I have been researching, measuring, drawing and cutting the parts and I'm only just touching the surface. The image below shows the first 250 components that I've managed to produce so far. Items that look bent or warped will get flattened out as pieces get laminated together. I am enjoying the research and making up the drawings for this and I hope to be able to make a start on assembly soon. Next year will be the 80th anniversary of the Mulberry Harbours at Normandy and it would be nice if someone could start up an associated GB for 2024. I could expand my build to incorporate something like this. Cheers, Mike 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 Impressive so far, Mike. Looking forward to more. That diorama would take some time, but wow! Would it look good or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Stuart Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 These look like card parts Mike. Can't think why, but I had it in my head you'd be 3d printing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted April 23, 2023 Author Share Posted April 23, 2023 43 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said: Impressive so far, Mike. Looking forward to more. That diorama would take some time, but wow! Would it look good or what? At 1:35 scale, that would take up two standard tables lengthwise, and possibly the same wide. My shed is 12ft x 12ft and I think I could build it there, if I move all the other stuff away! 30 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said: These look like card parts Mike. Can't think why, but I had it in my head you'd be 3d printing this. They are indeed styrene sheet Robert, cut on my cutter. I wouldn't be able to CAD all the parts within the GB timeframe, never mind actually printing then assembling them as well. Perhaps another time, without any timescale limitations. cheers, Mike 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 This looks like a huge project you've got on Mike, but certainly a fascinating one, I believe this side of the Normandy landings has been largely glossed over by the more vital battles going on, understandably, but it still has a part in history that should be told, all credit to you for this then. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted April 25, 2023 Author Share Posted April 25, 2023 Just for @Robert Stuart, I shall attempt (note the word attempt) to draw the bridge up in CAD, with the intention to 3D print it, eventually. It has taken most of two days to draw this component, which is the central lower girder. The components to the upper right are templates of the gusset plates (part W14) in various conditions of use. I can copy and paste these into position as the build progresses. This is where the component is situated; as can be seen, it is a tiny part of the whole structure. An oblique top view, showing the gusset plates in position. They still need the bolts added to the inside, where they are fitted to the girder. A view of the underside, with the gusset plates (part W14) fitted with hexagonal nuts. Cheers, Mike 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted April 28, 2023 Author Share Posted April 28, 2023 A little more progress. Upper central girder and vertical added. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted May 12, 2023 Author Share Posted May 12, 2023 Hello everyone, Progress has been slow, mainly as some of the plans that I am using do not match actual photographs. I suspect that some plans are early versions and others are updated versions. This means that I have been trying to double check all the structural sizes and their fitting locations against photographs of the real thing. This view shows my build so far and consists of: - nearside outer centre span (on the right) -nearside outer left span section (on the left) and this show it overlaid on one of the plans To explain what I mean about the inner, outer, left and right sections; each bridge span will consist of a wall of girder parts. Each wall, either side of the roadway, will consist of two bridge spans, an outer and an inner identical set. The view below shows the outer (nearside) section of the span. Note that I have only drawn the centre and left sections of this span and it is only one-eigth of the full bridge span sections, and without the roadway. This is where the fun now begins, because I don't need to construct any more bridge sections. All I need to do is mirror (basically a copy and reverse image) over to the right side of the structure, as with the view below. A point to note is that this is only an example of what I shall be doing, as there are still a fair amount of connector plates, nuts and bolts to be added to that first section before I begin any actual mirroring. Here we can see the outer half of the nearside bridge span from above, after the right section has been mirrored onto the left. Next action is to make the inner span, again by mirroring the outer span. Normally, the two spans would be joined together during the mirror action; however, I have kept them separate to show the mirrored span. The two span sections are brought together and now form the nearside bridge span (left wall). As I mentioned previously, there are various plates, nuts and bolts to be added to join these pieces. We now have a complete nearside wall span and it is only a matter of doing another mirror, this time of the whole left span, to make the offside, right, bridge span. After that, I shall need to build the welded box ends which will fit onto the ends of each span. Finally, for tonight, here is an end-on view of the bridge spans (nearside and offside walls) showing how the roadway will sit between the two. There's lots more to do; however, I hope that this has shown how we can minimise the effort in CAD, by drawing a simple part and then mirroring it to complete the rest of any similar structure. When this drawing is completed, the bridge will be much too large to 3D print; therefore, all the components will remain separate in order that I can fit them onto the printer plate for printing. Cheers, Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted June 23, 2023 Author Share Posted June 23, 2023 Hello all, I think I've sorted out the nuts and bolts on the span sides. I've also divided the components into sizes that will fit in my printer. Here is a view of some test prints: the two halves of the left end girder unit, and one half of the centre-left section of the bridge span. I need to make a few more tweeks and then these should be ready to print. The centre left piece will be mirrored, once to make the backs and then the centre-right sections. I still have the roadway sections to draw and print and, hopefully, I should be able to make the deadline. cheers, Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnoldAmbrose Posted June 23, 2023 Share Posted June 23, 2023 Gidday Mike, that looks quite a complex job, way out of my league. Good luck with it. Regards, Jeff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted June 23, 2023 Author Share Posted June 23, 2023 Hi Arnold, Thanks, I can assure you that this is way out of my league also. I should have done this in the "not my comfort zone GB" as I am learning as I go along. cheers, Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeroenS Posted June 25, 2023 Share Posted June 25, 2023 Well, what you have is looking quite good so far. Any chance of finishing it here? Maybe you could still take it over to Out Of My Comfort Zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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