Granado 1742 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:32 Scale - Bomb Vessel Cross-Section

[DocBlake]

Hey Pat!  I think it's obvious that block and tackle was used to move the mortar.  But there are eight walls to the pit and 4 ring on the mortar bed.  I doubt they were all fitted with tackle.  That would be a snakepit of rope in the mortar pit!  A pair of block and tackle rigs with hooks on each block to attach to the rings could move the mortar.  They could be removed and attached to any pair of rings chosen!  Makes sense!

 

Some of you have noticed the odd relationship between the center gun port and the mortar pit. I puzzled over that myself. First of all, the guns, barrels, mortar etc. in my post above are just sitting there...not glued in place, so I may change the final arrangement. The way the center port sits relative to the pit doesn't allow room to use the inhaul tackle to load the cannon. Nonetheless, there is a gun there, based on Lightly's model which has been on permanent display at the NMM in Greenwich. Below are three photos. The first clearly shows a cannon in the right lower corner without enough room to be hauled in for loading due to the mortar pit. The second photo (hard to see) shows a cannon in that position AT AN ANGLE! Could the gun have been turned and run in for loading at an angle to clear the pit? If so, why was this arrangement used in the first place? A design flaw? The third photo is my model with the gun at the center gun port placed at an angle, as discussed above.

This odd placement may have had something to do with the fact that, although built as a bomb vessel, Granado was initially fitted as a sloop of war! She was converted back to a bomb vessel later in her career. Perhaps the odd center gunport was a vestige of her sloop days? Who knows!
 

 

 

[mtaylor]

I suspect that your conclusion about it "being left over after conversion" is probably right.  If you look at the way the gun is mounted, it's definitely not at a broadside angle angle the recoil would most likely push it back into the side of the mortar pit.

[BANYAN]

Yep, there would definitely been only a pair of 'train' tackles Dave, the front hooks will have probably been moused on and the after hooks moved to the best ring for maximum 'advantage'.  I know you don't intend to add masts etc, but it would have been interesting to see the dangling tackle used for loading the mortar shells .  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[DocBlake]

I carefully laid out the location for the inboard and outboard scupper ports.  The scupper tubes, made of lead on the real ship, were made of blackened brass tubing and glued into place.

 

 

 

[BANYAN]

Nicely executed Dave; the scuppers look good.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[DocBlake]

Thanks guys!

I fashioned and fitted 2 swivel gun pedestals, one on each side to the model. These are located over the main mast channels and pass through them. Granado carried 12 - 1/2 pounder swivel guns, each 3 feet in length. The problem is that there is no commercial source available for a half-pounder swivel in 1/32 scale! I'd have to make my own.

I was able to find some brass cannons at Model Expo that were 1-1/4" in length. If I cut off the cascabel they were 1-1/8" - exactly three scale feet. Perfect. The only problem was that the Model Expo cannons had no holes for the trunnions drilled into the barrels. I build a simple jig to drill out the trunnion holes and then turned to fitting the handles.

The first step was to remove the cascabel with a sharp pair of Xuron cutters. I then used the disk sander to smooth and flatten the breech. I drilled a straight perpendicular hole in a piece of hardwood, just a bit slammer in diameter than the cannon barrel. Using a "force fit" I was able to wedge the barrel in the wood so it wouldn't spin when I drilled the hole for the handle. The handles themselves were 3/64" diameter brass rod cut to length with a 90 degree bend at the end. I put a few drops of CA glue, allowing each to dry before adding another, to form the "knob" at the end of the handle. This was painted flat red.

The mounting brackets were made of sheet brass cut to shape and then silver soldered to a length of 1/16" brass rod. Holes were drilled for the trunnion to pass trough the brackets and the barrels. The gun was held together with gel CA glue.



 

[BANYAN]

Nice job Dave, they look really good.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[DocBlake]

Thanks, guys!

 Progress report:  I installed the boarding stairs, sweep port lids and the swivel gun pedestals.  All that is left on the outside are the channels, deadeyes and chain plates!

[DocBlake]

Thanks, guys!

I'm essentially done with the model.  I added the channels, deadeyes and chainplates to the outboard bulwarks,  rigged the long gun and added various casks and buckets to the main deck.  I puzzled a while about how the mortar on the rotating "Lazy Susan" was rigged.  There are eight attachment points for block and tackle on the mortar pit walls, and four on the mortar itself.  It would require only two sets of block and tackle to maneuver the mortar to any point in the 360 degrees around it (except directly forward or directly aft:  "You'll shoot your mast out, kid!"  LOL!).

I added the mortar tackle and then addressed another question about the mortar.  Why no shell rack for the mortar shells near the mortar pits on the main deck?  Surely the bombs weren't left to roll around the deck, unrestrained!  The shells would need to be brought up before a siege began, so  I designed a small shell rack that would fill the bill.  It's not glued down, so if you all think it's too "busy" let me know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ccoyle]

Nice work, Doc!

[James H]

That is just a beautiful work of art 

[gjdale]

Congratulations on finishing a truly fine build Dave - just superb!

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Doc.  

[BANYAN]

A wonderfully turned-out sectional model Dave; congratulations on her completion - it looks great!

 

cheers

 

Pat

[GrandpaPhil]

Very nicely done!

[DocBlake]

Thanks for the kind words and the "likes"!

 

Here are a few more shots of the model as a "whole", rather than a series of closeups!

[HardeeHarHar]

That is a super nice clean job on a beautiful ship.  Great work!

 

[Ryland Craze]

Beautiful model.  Congratulations!

[DocRob]

Catching up very late, but this is absolutely beautiful, well built and refined with lots of detail, chapeau.

 

Cheers Rob

[Knocklouder]

Nice work my friend,  

[Seventynet]

Beautiful job, Doc! I greatly enjoyed watching this progress.

Ian

[rlwhitt]

That is a piece of art - well done!

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Congratulation for finishing this wonderful section model.It made a lot of fun to follow your build log

[JpR62]

Great model! A very interesting subject for a more than magnificent result with a lot of details and a perfect selection of wood species. Thanks for sharing.