Diagnonal Planking Building Technique

[BANYAN]

Hi folks.  Some help please (see end of post).

 

My investigations and research on the HMCSS Victoria (1855) continue.  While designed along the lines of a Gun Despatch Vessel (see Cruiser, Arrow and Vigilant Classes), Oliver Lang used some leading-edge construction techniques when designing her.  As such she differed substantially in construction to RN warships of the era (although she looked similar externally).

 

Lang designed her to be constructed using the diagonal planking technique; as espoused by a fellow member of the Institute of the newly formed Naval Architects, Mr John White.  White presented a paper (2 March 1860) on this subject in the first edition of the Journal "Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects"  titled "on an Improved Method of Building Diagonal Ships".  The publication is available online (Google Books) and the article is on page 112 of the document (page 137 of the pdf).  

[Edit: Different to the designs shown below, White suggest a 30 degree angle superior in strength to that of 45 degree diagonal planking.  As White and Lang were contemporaries and both members of the Naval Architects Institute, I am assuming this would have swayed the construction to White's method.  Further support for my assumption is that the ship builder (Young), and the designer of the feathering screw (Maudsley) were also contemporaries and members, all of whom would have influenced his design (noting that one of the provisions for Lang designing the ship [free of charge] was that he was given "free reign" with no limitations/restrictions other than to meet the broad requirements.]

 

I am sure she had diagonal planking as it was specified in the Contract (Scantlings) as shown below:

 

 

This technique involved stopping the frames at the 'turn of the bilge' then using the strength of the diagonal planking supported with iron plates for lateral and vertical strength, with additional iron work to support beams etc.  This is shown in a plate that accompanied the paper:

 

 

As Lang designed the ship, I am also assuming he would have used his own iron work designs as shown In James Peake "Rudiments of Naval Architecture" :

 

 

 

An example of what the diagonal planking looked like can be seen in Charles desmond "Wooden Ship Building (1919) - Fig 91 (page 102) and in George Campbell's "China tea Clippers" in his illustrations (Fig 22) of the Clipper "Vision" of Liverpool (page 67)- please note, these illustrations are included only to show the planking technique (as pointed out by Druxey, the China Tea Clippers, well the VISION at least,, had vertical timbers.  I am assuming that Victoria used Lang's Plan of iron supports as espoused by White)

 

   

 

Questions:  I am trying to get a feel of what the actual framing and construction would have looked like?  Would the base framing  (to the turn of the bilge) have been exactly the same as for a contemporary fully framed ship (say HMS Harrier or HMS Arrow)  - see discussion in the presented paper (extract follows) and I am assuming Victoria would have used the warship option for the floor timbers etc.

 

 

I know Lang would have used his own keel design (Lang's Safety Keel); but as a novice in this area, I am trying to determine the framing/timber layout/spacing etc used .  As there was no rise I am also assuming there was no need for chocks in the futtocks etc.

 

Can anyone point me to a good drawing or reference , or provide some clarifications on this please?

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited January 25, 2017 by BANYAN

[druxey]

From the last diagram, it would appear that the vertical planks were applied after at least the first diagonal layer.

Edited January 25, 2017 by druxey

[BANYAN]

Thanks Druxey, 

 

That diagram is from the construction of a Tea Clipper and not built on the Lang Plan principle (ironwork); it was was shown only to illustrate the planking (I will edit the text accordingly).  I am basing most of my assumptions on White's discussion paper where by he describes the use of temporary vertical timbers which would have been removed later?

 

Thanks for the imput and I very much appreciate that you are looking at this discussion.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi folks, anything pleeeeaaassse...

 

What I think I really need is a diagram or description of the keel, limber, floor, futtocks and framing pattern of a contemporary vessel (such as one of the Cruiser class (1850 ish), Arrow Class (1854) etc - anything will be a great start for me.  Begging complete

 

cheers

 

Pat

[druxey]

Something like this from the RMG 'Collections' site?

 

Object ID SLR2302 Description Scale: Unknown. A midship model showing a proposed method of hull construction with double-rigged iron frames and wooden planking. The model is made largely in wood with a planked hull and wooden frames to the upperworks. Two decks are depicted in frame, the main deck having a large hatch with a wooden edge. The deck beams are composite with wooden beams sandwiched between metal beams and with metal diagonal bracing. The deck below is identical in terms of composition and layout, but without the diagonal bracing. Two slender metal supports run vertically at either end of the section, fore and aft of the hatches, and terminating at the keelson. A paper label has been applied to the edge of the main deck hatch frame marked "15". Date made circa 1864

Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/68261.html#SwHmmpfrbz0IJQCp.99

[BANYAN]

Thanks Druxey.  I have trawled the NMM several times but you seem to know your way around much better than me (I wonder why )  I think I will just need to slowly go through the whole collection.  That is getting fairly close, I just need to exchange the iron frames for the diagonal  planking with Lang's Plan of ironwork.  Pity they did not mention the ship class or name as I could then locate the associated plans (hopefully he says

 

appreciate this

 

cheers

 

Pat

[druxey]

Pat: In your search (the site's search engine is not the best!), try things like 'diagonal planking model','diagonal planking plan' or even just 'diagonal'.

[BANYAN]

Thanks Druxey, I'll try that.

 

cheers

 

Pat