N&A Tift's Turret ship (Confederate Monitor)

**ct ertz** · #1 08-06-2011, 01:21 PM

With Shawn off working on a special project I decided to take a moment away from the construction of parts for that project and male a vessel I had long wondered about, the Confederate Monitor!

Researcher and all around great guy John Wallis has sent me some more plans, ships built or proposed by Nelson and Asa Tift of New Orleans. You will recognize their names in association with the famed CSS Mississippi.

After the success of the Monitor, Sec. of Navy Mallory asked the Tifts for help in designing a Confederate turret ship. John Wallis used the basic construction methods used on the Mississippi to reconstruct this ship. It is not thought that the turret would have been round, but rather a shape more in keeping with Confederate production capabilities. For turning, passably something like a RR turn table would have been built into the deck.

Armaments would likely have been two large rifled guns and the thickness of the armor would have been 3 inches (although the turret may have been doubled to six inches.)

So, her it is, the Tift Turret ship.

**ct ertz** · #2 08-06-2011, 03:58 PM

A few more pics.

**ct ertz** · #3 08-06-2011, 04:35 PM

And a few more.

**CSNIronclad** · #4 08-08-2011, 05:08 PM

Mr Ertz,
I have purchased copies of most of your models of CSS Ironclads and wish to say that you have done a superlative job in the recreation of these vessels.
In your work and histories, you credit Mr John Wallis as providing the primary source for your plans. In my extensive studies of this period, my main reference point has always been Dr Robert Holcombe of the Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, GA and his thesis on "The Evolution of Confederate Ironclad Design". In this work, he mentions all of the vessels you have worked on, but in most cases there are no actual plans or only partial plans of the vessels that exist.
I was hopeful if you could give me a reference to talk to Mr Wallis so that I might determine how he found these plans.
Thank you

**Paperwarrior** · #5 08-09-2011, 12:38 AM

CT,

Very interesting ship. I find the turret an interesting design, too. It makes sense to keep the turret "simple" in keeping with the industrial capabilities and putting it on a RR type turn table. It would be interesting if the system would be strong enough for the Brookes Rifles and the like.

I look forward to seeing your progress with this one. Thanks, Jeff

**cdavenport** · #6 08-09-2011, 01:17 AM

Is this going to be a full hull model, CT?

**rebelatsea** · #7 08-09-2011, 04:17 AM

That was quick Corey.

**rebelatsea** · #8 08-09-2011, 04:25 AM

CSNIronclad, Hello. Yup Bob's plans are a good starting point, He was mi inspiration to start the project which has taken more years than I like to get anywhere near completion. Attached is a list of my info sources for your and everyone's benefit.

**rebelatsea** · #9 08-09-2011, 04:32 AM

James H Warner designed a turretship later in the war. I use the term turretship, rather than monitor because in the context of the onflit of 1861-65 CSN designs differed in having a hull proper, instead of the armoured raft surmounting a submerged underhull favoured by the USN and Russian navies..

**ct ertz** · #10 08-09-2011, 04:41 AM

Thanks guys. John has been of great help in so many of my ship models. He has taken the vast amount of research and has compiled three way drawings based on that research. Like many of you, I have come across some of the research available, however, with few pans actually out there, it is nice that John Wallis has taken that next step. As I have mentioned before, one day (soon I hope) a new book will be available for all us CSN junkies, and I can hardly wait. John has plans to publish his book and make it available for all of us.

Thanks John, and by the way, I also have the little Tift river ironclad about done in digital as well.

CT