First Carrier Saga

**clipper1801** · 08-21-2016 14:08

The First Carrier Thread started this mess! I love a layered challenge, this one involves a British WWI Destroyer, the H.M.S. Redoubt, a towed aircraft lighter, and of course a Sopwith Camel . . . oh did I mention the Zeppelin as well? That would be the L-53. So simple straight forward build then!

The Destroyer: Meet the H.M.S. Redoubt

Plans for the destroyer: check!

The Thornycroft Lighter: check!

The plans for the lighter: check!

The aircraft, one RNAS Sopwith Camel to be painted. Check!

Optional Felixstowe lighter, might as well . . . check!

Pull a Zeppelin off the shelf, Check!

So lets get to it! Check! Study the available photos . . .drink lots of coffee . . . plot materials . . . drink more coffee . . . dive in!

Cut paper template, stack saw 3 pieces of 1/2" thick carving foam . . .

Cut bottoms out of boats, save the inner section . . .

Cut inner sections to desired taper . . .

Glue the bottoms back into the hull . . .

More study time, shape and cut out the Sopwith deck plan from card stock, check for fit on hull and Camel . . .

Trace deck outline onto 1/32" grooved bass wood sheet . . . carefully cut out and sand . . .

Make deck railings from 1/4" wire screen that has been cut into strips, bend to shape, trim off the bottom rail, prepare the hulls for finishing and detailing . . .

More to follow, someone wants lunch . . .

**clipper1801** · 08-21-2016 15:15

Critters all fed, back to the fun! Here is the Felixstowe lighter with rails, shuttles, rails and winch . . .

. . . the sister lighter with a loaded aircraft . .

ready for some sanding and painting . . .

. . . meanwhile on the other side of the bench, the Sopwith lighter is coming together. Rear struts to support the deck and anchor the revving up Sopwith!

Flight deck awaits fitting . . .

Looking good!

. . . will need some deck crew for sure!

Time to call in the painting elves! Destroyer elves to the building bench!

**Walter Nowotny** · 08-21-2016 16:36

Fantastic work dave, I'd love to see the scenario played out.

**Barkmann** · 08-21-2016 16:42

Outstanding job already Dave!! Would love to see those in action aswell!

Thanks

Nick

**gully_raker** · 08-21-2016 19:36

Ah the inventiveness of Clipper at work again.

Cant wait to see the Destroyer & then the Epic Battle against the Zep.

**Guntruck** · 08-22-2016 00:23

Nice work Dave.

**clipper1801** · 08-22-2016 01:23

Whoa! There be British destroyer hulls on the bench! Strange these late night elves be . . .

**Marechallannes** · 08-22-2016 02:09

Interesting "historic" project.

LOOP · 08-22-2016 07:06

You never rest, do you David

Amazing

**Teaticket** · 08-22-2016 07:46

Fantastic as usual. Love the first carrier! Can't wait to see the finished model.

**Womble** · 08-22-2016 11:20

Looking great Clipper! I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. The Camel which snot down L53 is the one in the imperial war museum in London (n6812). Aparently it had blue undersides when it flew the mission.

Ian

**matt56** · 08-22-2016 14:48

Beautiful work, Dave - and your step-by-step pictures allow those of us who might want to try this ourselves to see how it's done...splendid stuff here, really!

I look forward to the next installment...

All the best,
Matt

**csadn** · 08-22-2016 15:04

Originally Posted by Womble

The Camel which snot down L53 is the one in the imperial war museum in London (n6812).

Clearly that's nothing to sneeze at.

B)

**CountryAce16** · 08-23-2016 17:43

Man, can't wait to see the finished models! I didn't know that British could launch a plane with such a small flight deck! (Warning: WWII flyer

)

**clipper1801** · 08-23-2016 20:48

Originally Posted by CountryAce16

Man, can't wait to see the finished models! I didn't know that British could launch a plane with such a small flight deck! (Warning: WWII flyer

)

I was always told the Brits were a rather shy and timid people, but history like this proves different, imagine the nerve it took to try this! The froward speed of the towing destroyer coupled with the wind airspeed just made this possible for a slow flying aircraft to lift off, I tremble to think of the vortex winds and sheer currents engendered by this crazy idea . . . but then . . . hey for a cup of tea or a touch of gin . . .

**clipper1801** · 08-23-2016 20:52

Originally Posted by matt56

Beautiful work, Dave - and your step-by-step pictures allow those of us who might want to try this ourselves to see how it's done...splendid stuff here, really!

I look forward to the next installment...

All the best,
Matt

Me too! Just had a slight set back with my hands, will be giving them a break for a few days, but the mental build goes on! : )

**matt56** · 08-24-2016 02:26

Do take care and try not to overdo it! Nurse those 'piddies' back to health - and pace yourself, young lad...

Always the best,
Matt

**CountryAce16** · 08-25-2016 07:03

You do have to have a touch of gin to try something crazy like that.

But the flying boat's crew don't have much to worry about, since they can land and be towed back onto their lighter(theoretically), but the Sopwith Camel must be a different story. Did the pilots just crash into the drink and swim back? Or did they head for land after their mission was completed?

**csadn** · 08-25-2016 15:44

Originally Posted by CountryAce16

You do have to have a touch of gin to try something crazy like that.

But the flying boat's crew don't have much to worry about, since they can land and be towed back onto their lighter(theoretically), but the Sopwith Camel must be a different story. Did the pilots just crash into the drink and swim back? Or did they head for land after their mission was completed?

Theoretically: The Camel *could* have landed on the barge -- so long as the barge is moving fast enough for the Camel to Not Stall, it's just a question of cutting the power at the right time. Same principle as stuntmen who use Piper Cubs to take off and land from moving vans.

**CountryAce16** · 08-25-2016 16:22

wow

I bet on the description for the pilots it said: 1. cant be attached to plane, 2. must know how to swim, 3. cant be susceptible to sea sickness

**clipper1801** · 08-25-2016 18:31

Originally Posted by csadn

Theoretically: The Camel *could* have landed on the barge -- so long as the barge is moving fast enough for the Camel to Not Stall, it's just a question of cutting the power at the right time. Same principle as stuntmen who use Piper Cubs to take off and land from moving vans.

Except the moving van is not rolling, pitching and dipping. It is hard enough to land on a huge aircraft carrier deck on a huge aircraft carrier imagine this tiny postage stamp in mid swell, no way in my mind! They were unlikely expected to seek land, beach or ditch at end of flight . . .

**CountryAce16** · 08-26-2016 09:03

Oi, what a job.

I'll stick to land based squadrons if at all possible.

And I didn't know that they would actually try to land on vans. I've only seen guys doing this ridiculous stunt were the plane has a ladder hanging from it, and it flies over a speeding van and some guy makes a jump (from the van) and grabs the ladder to be whisked away.

Man it was dangerous to be a pilot in those days. And more fun.

**csadn** · 08-26-2016 13:07

Originally Posted by clipper1801

Except the moving van is not rolling, pitching and dipping. It is hard enough to land on a huge aircraft carrier deck on a huge aircraft carrier imagine this tiny postage stamp in mid swell, no way in my mind! They were unlikely expected to seek land, beach or ditch at end of flight . . .

I never said it would be *easy*....

Still: Stall speed of 48MPH in otherwise-level flight -- might be doable.

**clipper1801** · 08-27-2016 08:00

Bit mongering. Lots of bits to build . . . deck plate 1/4" foam core

Torpedo launchers - dowels and bits

Smoke stacks . . .

Life boats - foam

Conning towers . . .

Deck guns . . .

Square thingys . . .

Foam hulls, filled and sanded . . .

Assembly trials . . .

Bed time!

**Shadowcat** · 08-29-2016 23:09

Outstanding job....next job the German Battle cruiser fleet from Jutland to scale????

**Doug** · 08-30-2016 00:57

First class work on both projects David

**clipper1801** · 08-31-2016 19:31

Sorry about the photos, they are suddenly missing in total from my camera, PC and PhotoBucket! Yikes! Must do backups on a more regular basis - what? They were deleted in the backup process?! I need a break!

**clipper1801** · 09-02-2016 21:27

Naval Painting Elves Team at work, they move so fast the camera cannot catch them . . .

**clipper1801** · 09-02-2016 22:59

Nearly complete, 3 carriers await details . . .

Escort Destroyers getting detailed as well

Camel needs a new color scheme . . . And what of the Zeppelin in this saga?

**gully_raker** · 09-02-2016 23:07

Looking truly AWESOME Dave!

**CountryAce16** · 09-04-2016 09:46

WOW!!!!

I might take a crack at building those myself!

**clipper1801** · 09-05-2016 18:20

So the Brit part of the saga is ready for action! The pair of Redoubt's left dry dock for a shake down cruise!

Anchor chains and front gun

Mid ship view

Stern winch and torpedo launchers

Need to print up a wake!

Sopwith Lighter ready for action

The Sopwith needs the right colors . . .

The complete water component!

The tow rigs

Stern connection

Now if those Zeppelin elves would just get their act together the Saga could begin!

**gully_raker** · 09-05-2016 18:37

Looking Better & Better Dave!

**matt56** · 09-05-2016 19:04

These look wonderful, David! An inspiration to us all...

All the best,
Matt

**ReducedAirFact** · 09-05-2016 21:40

If we put a problem like world hunger before the elves, they'd have it finished in a fortnight.

LOOP · 09-05-2016 22:48

Amazing David

**Albert Ross** · 09-06-2016 21:57

Now those destroyers are impressive!

**CountryAce16** · 09-12-2016 15:20

Can't wait to see them in action!

**clipper1801** · 09-26-2016 17:26

The Camel is done!

Twin Lewis guns on the top wing . . . light grey/blue on the underside . . .

Now for the Zeppelin mods . . . if I could only find a Zeppelin . . .

**clipper1801** · 09-26-2016 17:29

Then there is the matter of the Depedussin!

Launch rail on the bow of a destroyer . . . scary indeed!

Ready for action!

**Stumptonian** · 09-26-2016 20:57

Again you amaze me with your modeling skills, David.

**csadn** · 09-27-2016 13:58

"That launch rail looks awfully short."

"Don't sweat it -- it'll take more than a too-short launch ramp to kill us."

"Not a hell of a lot more!"

[with apologies to _National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1_]

**CountryAce16** · 09-28-2016 10:17

Dare I ask how they got the plane back onto the rails?

**clipper1801** · 09-28-2016 10:27

Originally Posted by CountryAce16

Dare I ask how they got the plane back onto the rails?

There were many such adaptations early in the war, observation of enemy ships was necessary for the long guns on the ships that could shoot over the horizon. The plan was to do the mission and then land on nearby land or ditch the plane near the mother ship for crew recovery - the aircraft were considered disposable, hence the out of date planes that were used . . .

**Albert Ross** · 09-28-2016 13:29

I can't help wonder how long that canvas and wood airplane - which is really just four sails and a motor in nautical terms - last stuck on there without getting wrecked or blown away five minutes after leaving harbor?