[Darwin]

Jim, I suspect you are right about the original casemate positions. After doing considerable attempting to match up drawings with hull photos, it looks as if the six forward 5/51 guns were mounted on the halfdeck, and the after 5/51s were mounted on the second deck....so, the casemate cutouts are at different levels, as you indicated. In the forward end of the ship, it appears as if the casemate cutouts angled downward toward the bow...perhaps to allow the guns to be depressed below the horizon? Making things considerably more complicated, the top of the torpedo bulges also change levels. Near the bow, it looks as if the top of the bulge is at the level of the second deck. Aft of the second casemate, the bulge rises (in a slant) up to the half deck level, just forward of the original 3rd casemate position. Then, it steps back down to the second deck level, just forward of the sixth casemate position. The cutouts for the after casemates appear not to slope downward. Maybe because they sat lower than the forward guns, they didn't need to have the abilitly to be depressed below the horizon? All things considered, I think it might be easier to build if the formers are designed to the original hull outlines, and the bulges added on after the hull is skinned, essentially repeating the actual evolution of the ship. I've just about convinced myself that the hull cross-sections in the Historic Naval Ship drawings are all but useless.... I may have to resort to trying to develop the former outlines from a dimensional analysis of the various deck level drawings. Not a pleasing thought. In short, this hull is going to be a real wildcat to try to tame if I don't resort to some "simplifications."