J11

Well progress is going slower than expected because of the fragile mast and spar work. I'm having to slowly sand and carve the mast pieces for addition to the masts and it's a tedious process to get the right shapes and strength I will need for the added rigging. looks like I'll have to scratch build some other smaller parts also for the masts too. But some of the mast parts included with the kit will work so it will be a process of supplied parts and scratch built part along with modified parts to make these masts work right and look correct per the plans. 

Here's a couple of images which shows some of the supplied mast parts and some of my replacement hand carved and sanded parts. I am hoping to have the main masts parts completed today and will post a preliminary setup image of how it will look and the fore mast when it is done.

Incredible craftsmanship! She's turning out beautiful.

Be glad too. I'll get the images correlated and post one up by next week. But it has been on the back burner as the Alabama has taken precedent for now. The second phase launch tube is a problem in working model logistics as per how they loaded the torpedo into the tube and the mechanisms used.

Bravo!! Excellent work !!

Prayers for your speedy recovery, enjoying the research and your build blog. Look forward to you back in the dock soon!

8 hours ago, yvesvidal said:

Moving along: 

One can clearly see the torpedo compensation tank. Unfortunately, Trumpeter only gave one in the kit, leaving plenty of open space on the side. Such a pity!

Yves

I don't mean to photo bomb your blog. I thought it would be  interesting comparison for the modern torpedo tubes and the first American test torpedo tube which was called "What is it" because of the secrecy as the American public saw it on the Naval docks late in the civil war. I have completed the first model of phase one testing box and will take a few more months to work out phase two of the actual launch tube as shown in the images. Also imaged is the first torpedo design made from oak wood if you can imagine that. 

Construction phase:

Finished model phase one:

Author, Mr. Veits illustrations from his book:

Phase two of test torpedo tube:

Your work is masterfully exquisite on your sub and apologize again for all the images for a comparison of CW developmental and U class sub torpedo tubes. Look forward to more of your build images and technics in construction.

Magnificent craftsmanship, the wood colors and clean installation is wonderful. Love the hull shape of these old Carracks. Look forward to your updates and more images. Maybe one day I'll add one of these beauties to my collection. Keep up the fine work Jack!

Look forward to your updates and build data you incorporate into her. Wonderful ship parts to work from.

Nice work, I also have this kit moth-balled. Look forward to starting it one day.

Excellent work, enjoying your build blog!

13 hours ago, CDW said:

I have never done much reading on early sail/steam ships like Alabama or Kearsarge. I wonder how much they depended on sail vs steam power. It would seem their capacity to carry coal fuel would severely limit how much and how often they used steam power, so I imagine they were most often under sail.  

They were under sails most of the time as the steam funnel was a advanced sneaky tool which Alabama had. They could lower and raise it as to hide their advantage of a steamer and would utilize the steam engine in pursuit and attack modes only from the historical documentation.

13 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

I did my first United States with the studding sails........it makes for an impressively wide model     I can't recall........didn't it come with the studding booms?  I have some pictures of the one I built.......I'll check to see if I put them on or not.   unlike some other ships,  the sails don't impact the rigging as bad.......

The Alabama kit does come with one set of extension booms and are the wrong size and not very strong. Popeye would like to see a image of your United States.

I have basically finished the boom extensions for the fore and main masts. I will have to add the blocks and tackle when some other parts come in from Syren. ( Thought I had all the blocks I needed ) I am in the process of adding the mizen mast and making sure all the heights are as close as possible utilizing the BJ plans and this 1/96 scale model. I will temporary mount all the masts for a final measurement and will be working on the main mast parts and assembly next with the 4 sail spars. I'll post some images of work progressing, won't be working on the ratlines till probably next week as the heights of the masts and size of the sail spars with extensions will be concentrated on now along with painting scheme of course. 

Here's a nice image of a sailing ship utilizing the extension booms for the fore mast as an example for them being utilized in real life. Still contemplating on full sails for this model as it changes the time completion and work loads, she would look beautiful with the boom extensions and added boom sails which also adds to the case size and mounting board size. I will have to scratch build the spar extensions mounting parts along with changing the rigging for the full sails if I decide to go with them, doing research on this possible addition and it's so far looks like a real challenge to add them along with a couple more months added to the build. Be considering the full sails seriously over the next month and any suggestions is welcomed along with opinion's. 

Thanks gentlemen for the admiration, I'll have some more progress images soon. Here's a small set of the Civil war's batteries at a 1/600 scale approximately. They are scratch built and will be under glass soon with their nameplates. Thought ya'll would like them for a project for our young ones as they are easy to build as you can see.

Jonathan11
 

Going threw all my plans and knowing that blocks and rigging should be added to the extensions, just the BlueJackets plan actually show the blocks and rigging associated with them. So I will be adding these to the extensions. I'm seriously considering adding the sails to her also, but will have to make some from scratch. Never tackled the sails before so I will consider this carefully for this model. Might just do roll ups as to show off the rigging better. Something to contemplate for awhile.

Progressing nicely and all the stomps are done and touch up painting is finished also completed one of the extension booms, working on others and hope to have them all completed by tomorrow. Then finally start concentrating on the rigging and mast work. I had found a small brass flat piece which I have used before for special scratch built parts and it worked wonderful for the extension mount hardware, I will leave it brass in color as it gives nice definition and detail to the boom.

Here's a reference of model images for the USS Kearsarge for those interested. @CDW

There is a four part series for this build which I am working to get a copy for added research on the CSS Alabama. Model is 52" in length.

19 hours ago, CDW said:

Yes, the very early Revell kits had pre painted copper hulls below the waterline. Darn good paint, too. It held up just fine after all these years in the box. Box is in tatters, but box art still visible. Will take the kits out for some pictures when I can get around to it. 

One time years ago, a fellow sent me a ton of great information and line drawings of the Kearsarge. I have looked and looked for that package he sent but cannot find it yet. It had everything I needed to make corrections.

CDW, look forward to those images. If you can't find your line drawings for the Kearsarge, holler at me. I can probably get some copies of the plans also. Blue Jackets has a kit also which I believe we could get plans for also. Is the Kearsarge kit 1/96 also?

I highly recommend CI's upgrade kits for those. My stomps didn't turn out as straight as I wanted but kinda looks like battle damage so definitely get some better stomps than I did, nice you have both of the kits also. Never heard of that pre-painted hull one before, very interesting. I look forward to your future build blogs on them.

CDW, very impressive work on her! 

I agree, they are expensive but ebay has one a month pop up and they are in different conditions. Price is going up on them as being a rare historical model. There are two  Revell Alabama models also, one from the 60's and one from the 70's. You can tell the difference from the box art work. The 60's one has better art work I feel than the 70's one for the box, but mine was pristine condition when I bought her and was lucky to find one in such perfect condition.

Here's a gold mine which I didn't have the $1500 dollars to get them all and was crying for weeks. 

The stomp work is progressing and touch up painting will be next one I have all the nails in place. Then I have to work on the boom extensions for the main and fore mast. I will be making the metal hinge from scratch using wood and painted metal, ie brass. Also will be making the booms by scratch using black walnut dowels and sanding them to shape. I'll have more images in a couple of days as work progresses.

My print holder which works with my mobile table.

Masterpiece!!

Interesting information I didn't know about the kits. I will probably hunt down another CSS Alabama kit for putting back for my Grand children to enjoy as these are becoming rarer.

Springtime chores and responsibilities are keeping me very busy and sorry for not updating this blog. I will have some images soon as the work on her is starting again. Appreciate all the response and likes on this build, it's been a challenge to try to get her as close to historical accuracy as possible and the rigging phase is very delicate for this model. Been working on a plan of installation of them which has to be the correct size of rope as to not overwhelm and distort the model. I have all the right sizes and feel I can represent it properly.  Advise or suggestions for this is welcomed.

2 hours ago, Rcboater Bill said:

I’m really interested in your build-  fabulous work so far!  

 

I’m curious- how well do the BlueJacket plans match up with the Revell hull?  The reason I ask is that on some of the plastic modeling sites, the Revell Alabama is rather poorly regarded in terms of accuracy.  They say the Revell Alabama was just the Revell  Kearsarge hull, with some different topside parts, and the two ships were not the same length. (Bluejacket’s kit is much more accurate, I understand.)

But I don’t think many of the critics had access to the BJ plans, because the BJ kit was released long after most  of the reviews of the Revell kit were written....

 

-Bill

 

Thanks Bill, and as you have stated the Revell plans are off considerably as I also fully recommend "Blue Jackets Plans" which can be purchased by themselves from their website under the CSS Alabama model.  For courtesy and copyrights I won't post images of the BJ plans as I do have them, and without them couldn't have gotten close to the 90% accuracy that I am at for the build.

The bow on the model is wrong for the anchors, chains too, and the front spar, but is easily fixed along with the cannon's on the kit. To solve the cannon problem I picked up "Cottage Industries" upgrades William offers on his site and also had gotten some extra cannon tools and boats. There are four different types of long boats on the Alabama and the models representation on them are wrong also.

The masts are wrong as the Alabama had 4 sail masts instead of the 3 on the model, also the metal cannon tread on the model is incorrect too, but I kept them the same so not to destroy the deck modeling detail. As to the length it's very close to the Alabama should be and seems to be close to the Kearsarge, so yes I would say it's probably the same mold but not far off. The hull is wrong as the bulwarks needed to be extended for the added detail. 

I have combined multiple images of the BJ model which is posted under a BJ built blog:  http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=features&file=view&artid=6397 along with three separate sets of prints. The BJ plans along with the Plans from the CSS Alabama: Builder, Captain, and plans by Summersell and some historical plans from the naval archive. Along with this reference site: https://mds.marshall.edu/css_al/. Plus consulting with some quality naval experts on Civil War talk which have been of immense help. Along with the original builders model:

That's the reason I have said in the title of the blog 90% accuracy, I feel that's as close I can get to the real ship without spending $1000.00 on BJ's kit and extra parts and pieces for her. My data files on her are at 1.5 gig's and my extensive research has gone on for months and will continue till she's finished.

I have changed some colors on her to make her a better show model and will be evident when I am finally finished. IMHO I would say that BJ's is the best and to upgrade the cannon's and add the hammock detail better for that kit. The nice thing about the Revell kit is it is out of production and a antique kit so I am enjoying working with it and producing a good representation as close as possible. Also please understand that there are discrepancies; it seems in all the prints. So I had to get as much information as was possible and was fortunate to be able to because of the web. Without the web I couldn't have gotten all the info I have correlated. It's been a search and interesting learning exercise from the build. 

I feel I will have her done in four more months but working out some procedures on building her is what really slows me down as the model is so fragile with the combination of plastic, wood, metal parts. But that's the fun and challenge that us model builders like.

Welcome back to MSW!