USS Tennessee

[Keith Black]

 A huge "thank you" to each who provided information, pictures, and links. That's why I came, mission completed and successful. If someone would remove the "Steam frigate USS Tennessee" topic from the scratch build section I'd appreciate it. I'll not insult the fantastic, unbelievable work done by the members of this guild with a restoration log of my misshapen halfling.    That's not hurt feelings speaking, that's the respect I have for your abilities as a community............Keith

[Keith Black]

 First and foremost, to any that I offended during my first visit, my most sincere apologies! I came here loaded with an abundance of ignorance and I didn't try to hide it.

 Approximately three weeks after my original posting on January 14th, 2017 I had a stroke. I lost 30% of the vision in my right eye and my left hand was completely paralyzed. In fact, my stroke occurred while I was working on the Tennessee lifeboats. 

 Through the grace of God and dedicated physical therapist, I recovered the full use of my left hand. The vision in my right eye will remain at a negative 30% the rest of my life. 

 During recovery I vowed that should I regain the use of left hand, I would set about to make the Tennessee as right as I possibly could given the short comings of the hull, 10 inches too short and an inch to wide at the beam.

 For a year I tried to learn as much about the Tennessee as I could pouring over the Hatton and Hart photographs of scenes onboard the Tennessee, seeking out photographs other wood hull screw frigates, models, books and picture postcards. January of this year I stripped the model down to the bare hull and started over. This has been my therapy and what's kept my juices flowing

 Coming back two years later is just as awe inspiring as was my first time here. What you folks can do, the magic you fingers work leaves me in utter amazement!  

 I post a couple of pictures of my efforts to date, not so much as "look what I've done" but to complete a circle, to apologize, and to thank each and everyone here whom it was my pleasure to meet. 

[druxey]

Welcome back Kieth. Glad that you've had a good recovery.

[mtaylor]

Welcome back, Keith and it's great the recovery went well.   The model looks great.

[Roger Pellett]

Nice, clean workmanship of an interesting subject.

 

Roger

[Keith Black]

 Thank you for the welcome back and kind words, it means more than you'll ever know. 

 This is supposed to be the stern of the Tennessee. Anyone know what the element is directly next to the eagle's port side wing tip? Bath? The two elements below the eagle in line with the officer's latrines above? Flags? Thank you........Keith

 

[mtaylor]

Can you find a larger photo or circle the area in question?   That whole area looks in shadow.

[Keith Black]

I've lightened but I don't have photoshop capabilities. 

[Talos]

First off, welcome back, I'm glad to hear about your recovery and see you back here.

 

As for the picture, do you mean the white rectangle right next to the eagle? That's the inside of the lower half of the port spardeck stern gunport.  The darker ones below are the black outsides of the two main deck stern ports, which are reflecting light because they are openly partially opened. In your lightened one you can just barely see the lower half of the portside port almost on edge with the camera. 

 

Tennessee had a round stern, where the timbers of the sides wrapped around the back continuously. This meant that instead of the open light structure and the array of windows like the stern of the frigate Constitution and other older ships, which were a major weak point (raking), it was as robust as the sides of the ship. It also meant that they could fit ports in the stern to cover the large blind spots on the quarters of the ships (roughly forty-five degrees back on either side of the ship). The sloop Constellation in Baltimore has a similar, but earlier form of this stern.

 

Though the ship is smaller and lacks the quarter galleries, you can see two similar gunports on either side of the sloop Hartford's stern eagle here.

[Keith Black]

 Thank you Talos, I've thought of you many times as I poured over the link to images of the Tennessee you provided. 

 So you're thought is that the four rectangles (eagle in the middle of the four) are all gun ports? I could see that being the case for the top two but the bottom two? Wouldn't that mean they'ed be in the middle of and taking space away from the officers quarters? Also there's the color difference between covers of the top two and bottom two, plus the top two covers seem to stand proud from the hull where as the bottom two covers seem to be flush.  

I for sure don't know but I'll happily cut and make them all gun ports if that's your verdict. I just wanted to make sure before taking the knife to the hull. Thank you again..........Keith

[Roger Pellett]

Below deck area were often whitewashed to better reflect available light.  The white squares are the insides of the lids in whitewashed areas.

 

Roger

[Talos]

2 hours ago, Keith Black said:

 Thank you Talos, I've thought of you many times as I poured over the link to images of the Tennessee you provided. 

 So you're thought is that the four rectangles (eagle in the middle of the four) are all gun ports? I could see that being the case for the top two but the bottom two? Wouldn't that mean they'ed be in the middle of and taking space away from the officers quarters? Also there's the color difference between covers of the top two and bottom two, plus the top two covers seem to stand proud from the hull where as the bottom two covers seem to be flush.  

I for sure don't know but I'll happily cut and make them all gun ports if that's your verdict. I just wanted to make sure before taking the knife to the hull. Thank you again..........Keith

I'm glad those were helpful in the past!

 

Yes, those ports are right in the middle of the Great Cabin. The guns are normally not mounted there and only moved there when needed. During battle, the entire cabin is disassembled anyway, so it's all clear deck there.

 

If you look at this photo of the inside of Constellation's great cabin, you can see her four main deck stern ports (currently open and with windows installed). As Roger commented, note how the inside is white-washed. The covers on the bottom ports aren't opened fully, so you're seeing the black paint on the outside of the port reflecting light. I'm also attaching a plan for the sailing sloop USS Plymouth's great cabin. Also a smaller ship and a different configuration (no quarter galleries for the latrines), but a round stern too so you can see how it affected the cabin..

[Keith Black]

Thank you Roger, Talos.

 I'm going to blue tape where and how I think the ports are located. I'll black out what I made for the officers latrines and come back with a photo and you can correct me if needed. I thought the top split cover was an element unto it's self and not that of the top part of a hatch cover. 

 Do you guys think I need to move this discussion to the scratch build section? I'm somewhat loath to do so as I'm not sure this project is worthy of what I consider pretty sacred territory. Neither do I want to clutter up this area of discussion if this isn't the proper place??.........Keith

[druxey]

Sacred? Nah!

[Louie da fly]

There have been several repairs of old models (many of which really weren't terribly accurate in the first place) undertaken by members of this forum, often with very good results, considering the limitations of the original model. I believe yours fits in well with these and you certainly have nothing to be ashamed of in putting this log up on the scratch build section.  I agree with mark and Roger - a very nice, clean and attractive piece of work.

 

And in its own right, it's a good record of a model of a type belonging to that time and place - in itself, a piece of history.

 

Steven

Edited December 20, 2018 by Louie da fly

[Keith Black]

Druxey

It's territory I have the upmost respect for. For whatever reason I seem to be having a hard time coming up with a one word description of how I feel about the scratch build section of this site. Scared may not be the correct word but it's somewhere in that vicinity. 

 

Steven, thank you.

[mtaylor]

You need not be afraid.  Everyone has been where you are and the amount of help is incredible.

[DBorgens]

Keith, your recovery is making for a very nice rebuild. I especially like your main deck, the dark color is beautiful. Your Tennessee belongs here as much as any scratch ship model. Keep up the good work and I pray you continue to recover (and build).

[Keith Black]

Than you Mark and Dave

[Keith Black]

 Wikipedia states this photograph of the Tennessee was taken at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1875. Is that date/could that date be correct? That date doesn't make sense to me but then....... Would it make more sense if this were taken sometime during the work period between Madawaska and Tennessee? The Hatton and Hart photographs don't support the four funnels to the starboard side between the stacks nor positioning of the two 100 pound Parrott rifles rear of the mizzen. Also the flying bridge seems unfinished and the skylight that provided light to the helm area is to port laying on it's side.

 Second question regarding where the chains are attached. In the 1875 dated photo the chains are attached to the hull above the second deck ports. In another silhouette photo (date unknown) the chains are attached below the ports. Thoughts on when this change was made?

 Third and last, I calculate that the distance between center lines of the two stacks is 73' 3". In the drawing a distance of 106 feet is given for end of boilers to end of boilers (coal bins are not included in the 106 feet. Would someone please verify that distance......thank you. 

Edited January 14, 2019 by Keith Black
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