CSS Patrick Henry and Jamestown.

[rebelatsea]

Hi Sporticus, I reckon the model in the museum is pretty good for CSS Patrick Henry as the gunboat. Unfortunately I've packed all my reference books for the move, otherwise I was going to give you the dimensions and guns of both ships, sorry.

[jimkrauzlis]

Originally Posted by sporticus

The first picture below appearst to be an actual photo of the PH when it was the Yorktown. This photo is very similar to the second image and I think maybe the second image of the ship with guns is based on the first.

However there are two things I have noticed that are in the first and not the second. The front of the ship has a raised piece and there is clearly superstructure in front of the paddle wheel boxes almost up to the masts.
Could this have been removed when it was taken over by the navy, or is just missing from sketches?

The third picture is of the model in the Hampton Roads museum. I would have liked to have thought this is accurate, but who knows?

I just checked out the original photos you posted previously, and the first one is actually a photograph of a painting of the Yorktown, which is, of course, the merchant ship version before changed to a warship. There are different considerations in ship design between the two roles, one of which is probably protection of the crew, so the bulwarks would have been reinforced and/or increased in height. It would appear they added the bulwark in the after section as sell, to replace the open railings. Then there is the need to have the forward gun clear the bulwark when firing, so they probably lowered or did away with the forecastle (foc'sle) flare from her earlier day to accommodate the forward gun. By the way, the forward upper deck part of a ship is normally called a "foc'sle", derived from forecastle, referring to a raised deck area of the old sailing ships (forward castle), but the term has been used even when the forward deck is not raised above the main weather deck, like in this ship, to indicate the forward deck area.

I gather looking at the model picture it seems fairly accurate compared to the second picture you have posted, but I am sure others more familiar with this ship can tell you better.

Keep at it, mate, she is looking great!

Cheers!
Jim

[sporticus]

Thanks for the info guys. It being an old photo of a painting makes sense. I did think the sea looked painted rather than real, but due to the poor image I wasn't 100% sure.
My version differs from all the images in some ways I guess. I'm trying to use a bit of logic....maybe a mistake!!

Just found the curviloft tool which seems to do many of the things I have had to do 'by hand'. Will have to try it out on a few bits...maybe the next hull I design? I might have a go at the early stages of this hull and redesign if necessary. I don't want to complicate the design too much, but this definitely looks jsut what is needed!

[sporticus]

Have managed to squeeze in a little bit more progress. Lots of detailing of the superstructure still to do, windows, doors, panels etc. Before that I'm going to have a look at the beam engine. I will probably make mine with wood or card strips, but I think I might design a simple card version one for the model as I can then use it as a template.

Anyway, a few perspective images for you all. When I first started working in parallel projection it was strange, but you soon get the hang of it.

[sporticus]

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey.

[Uyraell]

Originally Posted by sporticus

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey.

My father's father, a Veteran of Passchendael (Oct 4, 1917)
used to say "Softly softly, catchee Monkey", when dealing with detailed or intricate work.

Seeing this design evolve for this pair of vessels is certainly interesting to me, Sporticus.

I am slowly developing an interest in ACW vessels and equipment, though I have to confess that paddle-wheel vessels will forever seem odd and inefficient to me. Something about the aesthetics of bashing water as a propulsion system seems so bizarre as compared to making use of the water via a propeller.

That aside though; watching this design process, as I have with some of Corey and Shawn's designs, is sparking an interest in designing ships.
And I am enjoying seeing this work of yours.

Kind and Respectful Regards Sporticus my friend, Uyraell.

[sporticus]

Well if one person develops an interest and starts designing ships or anything else then it's worth the time and effort put into making the images and posting on here.

I know what you mean about the paddles though!! And you're right about the softly, softly bit. It was early in the day and I mixed my metaphors. My favourite one was when a friend said about 'passing the scapegoat'!!

[sporticus]

Well, a short break to watch the olympic torch go past and now back to modelling!

Have finished drawing the panelling and windows. It's a tricky thing to get right on the curved front of the wheel house, but I got there in the end!


So time for a quick plan of action.
1) The beam engine components. A simplified version even though I will probably make it from other materials.

2) The paddle. As above!

3) Start colouring in.

4) Unfold and lay out model.

4) Print and build hull and main components.

5) Alter design based on build.

6) Build second hull ect.

7) Finish ships with multimedia components ready for gaming.

8) Come back and finish design in card and put on here for anyone else who wants it.

[Uyraell]

That wheelhouse looks very good, Sporticus.
A most difficult thing to keep clean, in the real world, as all such structures were, but very much the apt shape and style of that era. Seeing the design, it doesn't even occur to mind to question the accuracy of it. That's a pretty good indicator, to be honest.
"If the eye accepts it, then it is likeliest sufficiently good for the intended purpose."
That quote was my woodwork teacher, about 40 years ago.

In all truth, I'd be long struggling to achieve anything as good looking and appealing to the eye.

Kind and Respectful Regards Sporticus my friend, Uyraell.

[ct ertz]

Oh, I am so sorry I missed most of this. I was blasted pretty good last week with chemo and I am now getting around to things again.

This looks like a fine model so far. you are doing really well. It will be a great addition to any ACW fleet.

As to the paddle wheels, the biggest issues the Navies of the world had was not the ineffectiveness with the design (the walking beam in particular used a lot of fuel per mile) but was the fact that it used up broadside space that navy commanders would rather use for guns.

River navies though actually preferred the paddles to screws in the belief that the paddle wheels were less likely to snag up in shallows. I am not sure if that is true or not but river paddle boats were still being built into the 1920s.

As to the model, it is coming along great. I hope that you are having a great time along the way!
Corey