SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse 1897 by Mirabell61 - FINISHED - scale 1:144 - POF - first German four stacker of the Norddeutscher Lloyd line

[BenF89]

Nils,

 

Not sure if I've ever commented here before, but I wanted to say I've caught up with this log after several months of not stopping by, and the progress you've made is fantastic.

 

I noticed back in March you had a curiosity about some winches on the boat deck. I was hoping to offer some insight by reviewing the information I had available on the Titanic. But, alas, the winches she had on the boat deck for recovering lifeboats were oriented athwartship. That said, I agree with what had been previously suggested regarding their use as a multi-purpose auxiliary. In any event, they are fantastic, as is everything else.

 

Looking forward to continuing to follow along!

[Mirabell61]

thanks for visiting the log Ben, you`re very welcome,....,

 

and thanks for your kind words....

 

yes, I have been looking for the purpose of those winches on the boats deck, and agree they must have been multi-purpose auxiliary.. for boats lowering / Hoisting

I have in the meantime found a pic showing one of these winches on the boatsdeck of the 1899 launched "SS. Hamburg", after WW1 serving for the US as  "USS Powhatan"   Two drums of same diameter for winding fore- and aft pulleys of a lifeboat. (pic kindly borowed from the web)

 

Nils

 

 

 

[captainbob]

If the winch was for the lifeboats wouldn't there be one at each boat?

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

Hi Bob,

 

that was also my thought at first......, but 20 boatstations = 20 winches, a very costy solution, gues there were many yards of ropeline on board, as well as shackles and "round the corner blocks" in order to also serve several lifeboats. I think Ben is right when he highlights the recovery perhaps even of maned lifeboats from sealevel

 

Nils

[BenF89]

Titanic had a similar arrangement, with maybe one or two aux winches per side to recover boats. There were 8 boat stations per side, in groups of 4, one fwd and one aft. So, figure 1 winch per quarter (fwd port, stbd aft, etc) would serve, through block and tackle, four boats. If there was only one winch per side, as in the KWdG, then eight boats each.

 

(Another interesting point - KWdG had more boat stations than Titanic, but I suspect Titanic was a fair bit larger in capacity. Titanic did have 20 boats, but four were canvas sided collapsibles. One stored inboard of each of the forward most stations, and two were stored on the roof of the officer's quarters, adjacent the the forward most stations. By the time the collapsibles on the roof were employed by the crew during the sinking, they had trouble freeing them, and then could barely get them attached to falls, which was a moot point anyway, as the starboard collapsible swamped and floated away as the boat deck submerged, and the port one actually fell off the roof upside down, and floated away upside down. People ended up climbing on it as a sort of raft.)

[Roger Pellett]

I am not particularly interested in Titanic lore but I did buy and read a copy of Titanic Ships Titanic Disasters, a serious examination of Titanic's design and sinking by a forensic naval architect and a marine engineer, John Woodward who taught marine machinery courses at the University of Michigan to budding marine engineers including this correspondent. This book is in my opinion essential reading for those interested in Titanic and large passenger vessels in general. The book is published by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers here in the US.

 

The authors conclude that Titanic was a successful design. She was specified as a two compartment ship. The gash flooded six. She sank on an even keel and allowed her life boats to be launched (with the possible exception of the collapsible boats), and her power plant continue to function providing steam end electric lighting until the end. A couple of "improved Titanic" designs actually fared worse by capsizing before sinking.

 

Titanic's deficiency was that she was not properly outfitted. Her owners chose not to provide sufficient lifeboats.

 

Roger Pellett

[cog]

It seems that the KWdG was adequately outfitted when I read Nils' post about the number of boats he must produce ... besides it's a German vessel and furthermore, IMHO, cannot be compared with the Titanic in build or purpose ...

 

Nils,

 

Very nice progress. Besides the stack of boats you need, you're nearly starting a production line of skylights ...

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much for your input by comments Ben, Roger and Carl,

very much appreciated..

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Hi Niles

 

What can I say your ship building skills is nothing short of being fantastic. Your after deck sure is a beauty , along with the windows and railings. I do not know just how you do it but you make your ship look so very much real. I haven been around the MSW Form hardly at all this summer, nothing wrong , just caught up in my own little old ship yard, and tonight I check your build log and I was in for a very pleasant  surprise, WELL DONE,                                                                       ENJOY.

 

Regards   Lawrence

 

 

Lawrence,

 

thank you for your compliment and the  nice words...

 

Nils

[popeye the sailor]

metal work looks very nice.........awesome!

[Mirabell61]

thanks very much Denis,

 

I was using brass profiles for the deck edges with the "Heinrich Kayser" merchant steamer superstructure, so there was a little experience made there...

 

Nils

[Piet]

Great progress Nils.  Always like to see your full ship photos.

 

Cheers,

[Mirabell61]

Thanks Piet,

 

the next full ship photos will take some time before posting, as there is so much to do first....

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Update...

 

am still building the profiled edge of the boats deck, am pleased with the way the stanchions fit for soldering, it provides a strong hold...

 

Nils

 

 

the profile is done in 3 sections, each about 250 mm long

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the small brass brackets will get a drop of CA later on to fasten and hold the boat deck edge

 

 

 

here the lower portion ( 6,5 mm tube ) aft mast is set in, considering its correct rake angle, it rests in the ships "spine" square bar down, just above the keel.

Also  some of the porthole sleeves and their "glassing" in one of the deck housings can be seen...

 

 

 

status overall view

 

 

 

drilling the 0,8 mm stanchion holes into the edge profile. A simple little jig (slotted wooden chunk) holds the T-shaped profile for drilling

 

 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2016 by Mirabell61

[Omega1234]

Beautiful Nils

 

She's looking brilliant and I especially love the full hull shots.

 

She was obviously a 'real looker" in her day.

 

All the best!

 

Patrick

[captainbob]

I agree with Patrick, I like the full hull photos.  Just a word of warning.  You better watch out for the dog in the last picture.  He looks like he wants to play with the brass you are holding. 

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

Many thanks to Patrick, Bob, Dirk,

 

and the "Likes"

 

very much appreciated

 

Nils

[rwiederrich]

Nils...fantastic work..coming along nicely.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

    Very good work Nils.........I agree about the full shots.    they really show how  large the ship is       Awesome!               

[rwiederrich]

Yeah...I went back and reviewed the entire thread....and the full shots really show its size.

 

Wonderful model.

 

Rob

[Mirabell61]

Rob and Denis,

 

thanks very much for your nice comments

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

I agree with Patrick, I like the full hull photos.  Just a word of warning.  You better watch out for the dog in the last picture.  He looks like he wants to play with the brass you are holding. 

 

Bob

 

Bob,

thats a little model of my pal "Ronny" ( fox terrier ), he goes everywhere where I am all over the house like a shadow, but walking the dog outsides keeps me in motion at least 2 - 3 times a day....

 

Nils

[Oystein]

Your log updates are always interesting and impressive!

 

How do you bend the L-beams to the same radius as the deck curvature without the beams warping?

[kees de mol]

Very Good Nils, as always. I like the pics with the rudder and the props very much. Looking to see more of your build.

 

Kind regards, Kees

[Piet]

As I follow along with each update I try to visualize how I would tackle each step.  Being of a technical mind (aircraft engineering, repairs, maintenance and flying) makes it double enjoyable for me.  I particularly like the use of so much metal in this build.  Nice going Nils.

 

Cheers,

[Blue Ensign]

So impressive Nils, she reminds me of those great builders models of Ocean liners you find in our Maritime Museums.

 

A wonderful project.

 

B.E.

[Mirabell61]

Many thanks to Oystein, Kees, Piet and B.E.

 

for all your comments and compliments......

 

Oystein,

for bending I hold the profile with a firm grip in the plyers and then gently bend only tiny angles, step by step every 10 mm. When narrower bendings are to be done, the profile is anealed and quenched down quickly, in order to make it softer.

 

Keees,

I liked that arrangement of the actual ship, and did my best to reflect a bit of it with this model....

 

Piet,

I have the same attitude in thinking, when I see technical solutions (in model), sometimes it can be seen how it was done, by careful studying the objects...

 

B.E.,

I always wonder how the professional builders manage to get those awsome tiny details done, (museum models) the clean and well painted surfaces, and no signs of anybody hushing something together. I would like to look over the shoulder of a professional builder. I presume they work with very skilled people and probably unlimited resources for toolpark and appropriate equipment

 

Nils

[Kevin]

what a brilliant lunch break, catching up on your fantastic build

 

a few questions

 

how long to completion

will you do any weathering on her

what will happen to her when completed

[Mirabell61]

Kevin,

 

thanks very much for looking in and for your nice compliment....

In answer to your questions :

 

in June this year it was 1 year work from keellaying onwards, presume one more year to completion as an estimate

yes, I intend to give her the weathering of 1 or 2 Atlantic crossings

have`nt decided yet what will hapen to her when completed, probably in a large glass case on a shelf in my hobby room, until final decision...

 

Nils

[Kevin]

Kevin,

 

thanks very much for looking in and for your nice compliment....

In answer to your questions :

 

in June this year it was 1 year work from keellaying onwards, presume one more year to completion as an estimate

yes, I intend to give her the weathering of 1 or 2 Atlantic crossings

have`nt decided yet what will hapen to her when completed, probably in a large glass case on a shelf in my hobby room, until final decision..

i will enjoy watching her her build up to completion