tomwilberg

SMOKE PIPES
 
The smoke pipes (funnels) should have been easy. The Cleveland blueprint set included many pages of drawings. Unfortunately, some parts were illegible due to poor exposure when creating the microfilm. Fortunately, I found duplicates of these drawings in the microfilm sets for later versions of the ships, built in other yards.
 
Forward Smoke Pipe


The left image (above) shows the CLG configuration of the forward smoke pipe, with the O4 level weather shelter for the signals crew. The right image shows the original WWII Cleveland configuration. The WWII ships had both a steam whistle and a steam siren on the platform on the forward smoke pipe, with the associated piping running up the sides of the structure. Hot steam flowed up one pipe and colder steam and condensed water drained back down the other. The blueprints show the whistle and siren in detail. The large boiler pressure relief pipe in the left CLG picture was the same on the original Cleveland ships.
 
The WWII configuration had a searchlight platform port and starboard at the rear edge of the forward smoke pipe at the O4 level.

 
The image on the left above shows the CLG configuration with only the whistle. The right image shows the WWII configuration with the whistle on the left, the siren on the right, and associated piping.

 
Early Clevelands had the hand rails around the top of the funnel running parallel to the catwalk. Later ships from different yards had the handrails as shown around the very top of the opening.
 
When in port we normally had only one boiler (out of four) fired, and the other three cold iron. Each boiler had an uptake  to either the forward or aft half of a funnel - a transverse separator plate ran down the length of the funnel to where the uptakes came together. The cold halves of the funnel tops were covered with canvas covers to keep out birds, bugs and the weather, and only the active boiler/uptake flue was left uncovered. The transverse bar running across the top of the funnel had several sets of "lady finger" hooks that the canvas covers fit over, and the outer edges of the covers were laced to the handrails. When another boiler was lighted the cover over that flue had to be removed, and when the former active boiler had cooled the cover was placed over its flue.
 
After Smoke Pipe
 
The aft smoke pipe was basically the same as the forward pipe, but with a few different details

 
 
 
The boiler pressure relief pipe was at the starboard rear on all Cleveland ships, including the CLGs. The contraption behind the smoke pipe on the O4 level was a vent exhaust for the radar room. The large pipe running up the forward edge of the funnel was the trash burner smoke pipe. We burned outdated classified documents in the trash burner.

 
The USS Cleveland CL-55 and subsequent ships had the trash burner pipe running up the aft port side of the funnel. Later ships constructed in different yards had the pipe running up the front edge as shown. However, ships built in one yard had the trash burner at a more forward position, with the smoke pipe curving forward over the midships deck house and then running up the aft port side of the forward funnel, along side the boiler relief pipe! This is an easy way to identify Cleveland class ships made in the Newport News Shipyard.
 
Original Clevelands did not have the ladder running up the forward starboard side of the funnel. Instead a ladder came up from the superstructure behind the funnel to the small triangular extension of the catwalk. Although the ladder was added to the forward side of the funnel in the CLG conversions the small catwalk extension was never removed.
 
The original Clevelands had a searchlight platform on forward port and starboard sides of the funnel at the O5 level, and some later ships had a 20mm gun tub on the aft port and starboard sides at the O3 level. The narrow platform at the O5 level is the remnant of the original searchlight platforms.
 
Phil
 

I have been working on a 3D CAD model of the USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 as configured in 1971 since 2004. It is just about complete now. I will try to describe the steps I followed to make a very accurate 1:1 scale model, including the problems I encountered and the research (which took most of the time) necessary.
 
I am a former Lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve, and I was the Nuclear/Special Weapons Officer on the Okie Boat from January 1970 through March of 1972, hence my interest in the ship. If you want to know more about the ship, it's history and a lot more, have a look at my web page at
 
https://www.okieboat.com/index.html
 
****
 
To summarize, the OK City was commissioned in 1944, the 20th of 27 Cleveland class light cruisers. It entered the war in mid 1945 and earned two battle stars, one at Okinawa and one for attacks on the Japanese homeland. After the war it was mothballed, but was chosen in the 1950s to be converted into one of the first guided missile cruisers. It was to carry the Talos surface to air missile. Talos design was changed several times between 1945 and 1955, from a range of 20 nmi, to 60 nmi, and eventually 130 nmi. Meanwhile a Talos test missile was developed into the Terrier missile, and Terrier was the first missile to enter the fleet. The changes to Talos delayed introduction to the fleet until 1958.
 
The Oklahoma City was recommissioned as CLG-5 in 1960. It was a fleet flagship, and served as First and Seventh Fleet flagships for most of it's 19 year service. It was Flagship of the Seventh Fleet for most of the Vietnam War, where it earned 13 more battle stars, becoming the most decorated of all the Cleveland class ships. The OK City was the first ship in the US Navy to use a surface to surface missile in combat successfully, and the first to use an anti-radiation (ARM) missile against an enemy radar successfully. It was decommissioned in 1979 and expended as a target ship in 1999. It was one of the US Navy's historic ships.
 
****
 
In future posts I will describe the steps I took to research the design of the ship and how I proceeded to make the CAD model. Bear with me though. I am fairly busy with other things and there is a lot to tell.
 
Phil

I have neglected ship modelling for too long and my New Years resolution is to get started on a new build. So here we go.
 
I wanted to build another classic early 20th century schooner but found sourcing decent plans very difficult. This in part was the reason for not starting a build earlier.  After many hours spent on the web I decided I could get together enough information to build a decent representation of Germania (either in her original form or as the recently built reproduction). So Germania sort of chose me rather than me choosing her.
 
Because I found getting early 20th century plans so difficult I though would document (through this log) enough information for others to build her should they so wish. So I will include PDF files and dimensioned sketches as I go.
 
And so to a bit of background:-
 
The first Germania (designed by Max Oertz in 1905) was conceived as a racing yacht and built for Dr Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, a German businessman and industrialist who used her to promote his steel business among the social elite. In her first year she won Cowes Week with a new course record and often raced against Kaiser Wilhelm’s Meteor IV, although, rather diplomatically, that was one yacht Germania never beat.
 
In one year alone, she won more than half of the regattas she entered and her winning streak only came to an end due the outbreak of World War I. Seized as a prize of war, she was sold on several times, ending her days in the US. In 1930 she foundered in a storm off Key Biscayne; she now forms Florida’s Seventh State Underwater Archaeological Preserve.
 
Germania Nova is 60 metre gaff-rigged schooner : a replica of the classic 1908 Germania, using the same hull lines, deck- and sail-plans. She was built as a super yacht by Factoria Naval Marina in 2011. The two yachts look identical with the exception of modern electronic / navigation equipment.
 
Fortunately a lot of photos are available which I will insert in the build as I go. Here is a taster:-
 

Plenty of opportunity here for nice wood and metalwork.
 
This has the potential to be a big model. I like larger scales and in choosing a scale I was minded to do a comparison with Altair (previous build). Hence the following chart:-

I'd really like to build at the same scale as Altair but I don't think the house controller would put up with it. So 1:36 it is. It is still however some 16 inch (30%) longer than Altair. I will enter sizing negotiations once it is too late to change.
 
I won't be cutting wood for some time as the next image is the best I can do for hull lines. It does not look too bad at this scale but when blown up the lines lack definition. It will take some effort to convert this into cutting templates for frames.
So I now need to find my drawing implements - bought for my first post apprenticeship job in the Rolls Royce Design Office in 1975.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Great to see you here!
Greets 
Tom
 

Great to see you here!
Greets 
Tom
 

Hi,
I would start with a copy of Cpt PAASCH - FROM KEEL TO TRUNK
 
That is a multi-lingual dictionary of naval terms available in various editions. The smaller one ist in english french german and spanish, I think. The larger edition provides more languages.
 
You may get reprints, originals and digitized version on the various channels
Link: ( https://books.google.de/books?id=WiHnBAAAQBAJ&dq=paasch+from+keel+to+trunk&hl=de&source=gbs_navlinks_s) 
 
For the most questions, this should provide adequate answers.
If you have questions left open, you may ask me.
 
Best 
Thomas
 

Hi,
you asked for books and other sources to use:
 
I found the books of MARQUARDT and of CHAPELLE quite helpful.
For later ships, you may refer to LEATHER, MIDDENDORF and UNDERHILL.
 
Greets
Thomas

Hi,
I would start with a copy of Cpt PAASCH - FROM KEEL TO TRUNK
 
That is a multi-lingual dictionary of naval terms available in various editions. The smaller one ist in english french german and spanish, I think. The larger edition provides more languages.
 
You may get reprints, originals and digitized version on the various channels
Link: ( https://books.google.de/books?id=WiHnBAAAQBAJ&dq=paasch+from+keel+to+trunk&hl=de&source=gbs_navlinks_s) 
 
For the most questions, this should provide adequate answers.
If you have questions left open, you may ask me.
 
Best 
Thomas
 

On the picture, the two lower sails are 'clewed up'. This is done in order to take the wind out of the sails, e.g. to slow the ship down. 'Furling' means that the sails are hauled up onto the yards and securely stowed there. It would be a lot of writing to describe the respective procedures and what part of the rigging would be involved. You may want to consult books such as Harland's 'Seamanship' for this.
Most sails could be clewed up in one way or another. Sometimes the very light top-sails could only be lowered to be furled. On your type of ship I would expect all sails to be fitted with clew-lines, which are the ones that run from the lower corners of the sails to a point on the yard near its centre.

Hi,
I would start with a copy of Cpt PAASCH - FROM KEEL TO TRUNK
 
That is a multi-lingual dictionary of naval terms available in various editions. The smaller one ist in english french german and spanish, I think. The larger edition provides more languages.
 
You may get reprints, originals and digitized version on the various channels
Link: ( https://books.google.de/books?id=WiHnBAAAQBAJ&dq=paasch+from+keel+to+trunk&hl=de&source=gbs_navlinks_s) 
 
For the most questions, this should provide adequate answers.
If you have questions left open, you may ask me.
 
Best 
Thomas
 

Hi,
I would start with a copy of Cpt PAASCH - FROM KEEL TO TRUNK
 
That is a multi-lingual dictionary of naval terms available in various editions. The smaller one ist in english french german and spanish, I think. The larger edition provides more languages.
 
You may get reprints, originals and digitized version on the various channels
Link: ( https://books.google.de/books?id=WiHnBAAAQBAJ&dq=paasch+from+keel+to+trunk&hl=de&source=gbs_navlinks_s) 
 
For the most questions, this should provide adequate answers.
If you have questions left open, you may ask me.
 
Best 
Thomas
 

Hi,
I would start with a copy of Cpt PAASCH - FROM KEEL TO TRUNK
 
That is a multi-lingual dictionary of naval terms available in various editions. The smaller one ist in english french german and spanish, I think. The larger edition provides more languages.
 
You may get reprints, originals and digitized version on the various channels
Link: ( https://books.google.de/books?id=WiHnBAAAQBAJ&dq=paasch+from+keel+to+trunk&hl=de&source=gbs_navlinks_s) 
 
For the most questions, this should provide adequate answers.
If you have questions left open, you may ask me.
 
Best 
Thomas
 

I finished the deck, well about 90%, and not a time too son. Looking at my log, I started this kit in Nov 2014, but I logged only 227 hours so far. Can't wait until retirement   . Anyway, here a few pics, I will start the masts and rigging next; with a bit of luck, I might be done this Summer...



The seizing on that bowsprit drove me nuts, and it shows. By the time I finished, I was able to do some decent seizing, but i did not feel like going back and redo them all, especially  becaue I had redone most of them already once...





 

A little change. Two Maritime aircraft of days gone by
a Nimrod over flies a scraped Shackleton 

Here's an unusual one, Marine painting with Hippos and Efelumps.
Up river from the last one Konigsberg in her Lair.
watercolour 16" x 12"   HM ships Severn and Mersey maneuver into position in the Rufiji River in East Africa during the action against the German Light Cruiser Konigsberg in WW1

Not ships today, but certainly 'Naval'
Fleet Air Arm Phantom about to refuel from a Buccaneer 
a 'poster' type cartoon I did for the Centenary of British Naval Aviation.
jim  

Thankyou Nils. Here is one you might like.
SMS Thuringen and a typical Torpedo boat
Jim

Here are some from a series of vignettes , small watercolour painting in the centre with pencil sketches around. 
A3 size approx 15" X 10"
jim

Thanks for commenting Allan. Here's three more .
1 pursuit
2. Self Maintainence 
3. Age of Enlightenment
 

Battle for Grand Port, Mauritius (we lost) although shortly after this the British took Mauritius from the French
Google for details if interested 
14" X 10" watercolour
jim

Thank you all for your comments.
Last year I was fortunate to be invited, along with my wife, to take part in 'Dervish75’ the celebrations commemorating the arrival of the first Convoy to Russia. We were part of a group of WW2 convoy veterans and their carers ( the Vets were all in their 90s) flown up to Arkhangelsk where we took part in various events in memory of those who were lost during the what Winston Churchill called 'The Worst Journey On Earth.'  We then moved on to St Petersburg and Kronstadt for more of the same. We shared all of these events and receptions at various consulates and embassies with our Russian hosts. We made many friends and shared lots of memories as sailors do, helped along of course with copious supplies of Vodka. A year before the trip I had been asked if I had any paintings of convoys that could be used as a small exhibition during the event. However this snowballed into 50 of my paintings being made up into a book ( printed in Moscow) 250 copies were printed and were given free to the veterans, VIPs, museums, schools and anyone who provided assistance to the venture. Each year reciprocal visits take place between Vets from Russia and UK and other allies.  Efforts are being made to continue these international visits after the original veterans are gone. 
Our governments may have 'frosty' relationships, but at the grass roots I know our Russian friends had exactly the same hopes and fears we have. We both want to get on with living life in peace and happiness.
jim
Here are some pages from the book 
 

I have always been interested in Ships and maritime history, and did spells in the British Merchant Navy and Royal Navy. I have built models most of my life ( not the really serious ones like on here ) but I always had great pleasure building them.  As well as model making, I have always  had an interest in art, well, marine art really, and do a lot of painting, especially now I've retired. I don't consider my self an Artist, more a ship painter. I do it for my own pleasure, and get as much pleasure researching the subject as I do painting them.
Her are a few of my paintings, please feel free to comment. Jim
 
1 Convoy Rescue ship passing. Liberty ship   2. Envoy class rescue Tug  3. Death of. windjammer Flamburgh Head with Rocket Rescue Team
 

Manual tracing works best. There are NO bitmap to vector tracing programs that work well enough for modeling!

Haze Gray,
 
an ambitious project you are running.
Since you didn't drop a word about your sources except a Russian forum:
I wonder if you know about the Builder's yard plan sets available from the French Navy Historians (Service Historique de la a Defense). The web site is currently offline, but there are enough backup copies around.
 
Regards
Thomas
 
 

Haze Gray,
 
an ambitious project you are running.
Since you didn't drop a word about your sources except a Russian forum:
I wonder if you know about the Builder's yard plan sets available from the French Navy Historians (Service Historique de la a Defense). The web site is currently offline, but there are enough backup copies around.
 
Regards
Thomas