HMAS Sydney II

[mabrown]

Hi everyone,

I 've decided to start a more focussed design (and soon I hope, test build) thread for my attempt at HMAS Sydney II. After *many* hours tweaking the shape, I now have a hull which will actually unfold using the Skoogle ruby unfold script.

In order to get the hull to unfold, much simplification was done. I also substantially changed the hull curves forward as to my mind they were wrong in the plans I have (and jolly hard to unfold the way they were).

I have also done some tests getting the unfolded parts into Inkscape to print them out. My rather convoluted method is to model in MoI 3d, export as a polygon model into Google Sketchup and unfold using the ruby "Unfold Tool"; export from Skoogle in obj format; import the obj back into MoI as wireframe; export the wireframe from MoI in Adobe Illustrator format; convert the AI format file to svg format (because the AI file format used by MoI is version 7 and that used by Inkscape is version 9 up!) and finally, load the svg into Inkscape. Ah, the joys of software interoperability!

[mabrown]

Have made some substantial progress on the frame design tonight. Spacing and arrangement of everything has been largely dictated by how the hull skin has been designed for unfolding.

I would be most grateful if designers and builders alike would comment on the current arrangement. Are there any "bulkheads" and "decks" which should be added or removed for a better/easier build?

[redhorse]

There are a lot of horizontal formers at the stern. Will there be that many around the whole hull? I've never seen that many on a kit, but I'm adding extras to my current build so it might be nice to have extras build into the design.

[barry]

I would agree with Redhorse about the horizntal formers but I would take out every other former at bow and stern

[B-Manic]

There seem to be an awful lot of formers to me as well. Although they would undoubtedly make for a smoother hull, getting them all to fit together without cutting oversized slots might prove problematic. Without seeing how the hull skins unfold it is difficult to see the advantage or requirement of so many formers.

It would be buildable as is, just friddly (fiddly + frustrating) getting all the slots aligned without damaging the formers at 1:200 or 1:250 scale. Any thing smaller would be extremely difficult.

They do give a really nice shape to the hull don't they . . .

BTW - are you planning to do any renders of HMAS SYDNEY II similar to those you did for HMAS AUSTRALIA I?

~ cheers

[mabrown]

Thanks guys for the responses. The advice is greatly appreciated.

I've pretty much taken out every second bulkhead now. It is looking a little less daunting.

Jim, I hadn't intended to carry the horizontal formers around the whole hull although I am thinking that I'd like another horizontal one in that open midships section, perhaps carried right through to the bow. I over engineer everything. You should have seen the stud wall I built as part of some house renovations recently. I reckon it is where I'll go if we ever have an earthquake! Seems I'm carrying it through to paper ships now. I would really appreciate seeing where you have added the extra formers on your current build and how it compares to this.

As Barry has pointed out, it is the buildability I'm concerned about. I'd like others to be able to build this if it turns out OK. The reason for the large number of horizontal formers at the stern is that to get my hull to unfold there, I've had to fan-fold it. I think this is going to give a nice shape but I figured I would need the formers to glue the open edges to. I tried simplifying the shape but had much less success doing that at the stern than elsewhere. I've attached an image of the unfolded stern skin in Skoogle.

Originally Posted by B-Manic

BTW - are you planning to do any renders of HMAS SYDNEY II similar to those you did for HMAS AUSTRALIA I?

I will do a render of the model eventually. Sydney V the Colleoni and Bande Nere would make a nice subject (cover art for a kit perhaps?)

[mabrown]

I said...

Originally Posted by mabrown

As Barry has pointed out, it is the buildability I'm concerned about....

What I meant to say was "As Douglas has pointed out..."

Been spending too much time looking at lines and curves

[redhorse]

Mark, here's a picture of the hull as it looked a couple nights ago, the bottom's finished now. It's also on a build thread here, and I should have more pictures up tonight or tomorrow. I still need to add more formers to the hull sides.

IJN Zuikaku 1:200 - GPM

[mabrown]

Hi Jim,

Looks fantastic. Don't know how I missed your thread before.

I'm now considering some horizontal division below the waterline. Oh no!

[Darwin]

For some reason, I'm getting a definite urge to retrieve one of my stick and tissue kits from the loft and butcher some balsa. That is one great framework.