USS Kearsarge deck planking

[SteveA]

I am just starting a Bluejacket kit on the Kearsarge and noticed that the provided weather decks are not scribed for deck planking as is shown in the instruction manual.  I was thinking about planking the deck with wood strips for a more realistic look anyway.  I was just wondering if the deck planks should be tapered or straight?  I can’t really tell from this picture but at least I can approximate the width.

Are there any resources showing deck plank layouts for warships of this era?

[SteveA]

Nic at Bluejacket said the weather decks should have been cut from glued-up decking and will be sending new parts to me.  So it looks like I will be saved from having to lay down deck planks.  

[Keith Black]

On 11/5/2023 at 1:18 AM, SteveA said:

I was just wondering if the deck planks should be tapered or straight?

 Steve, in all the photos I have of the Tennessee's deck the decking appears to be straight. 

[SteveA]

Keith, thanks for providing the picture of the Tennessee deck, clearly showing the parallel decking.  I plan to use the glued-up decking from Bluejacket as I have seen no evidence that tapered decks were used for ships of the Kearsarge period.  There was a series of articles by Arthur C. Roberts on his Kearsarge model build in NRJ volumes 44 and 45.   The pictures of his model show straight decking as well.