CSS Phoenix - Page 2

**ct ertz** · #11 11-23-2009, 04:12 PM

Some progress, what do you all think of the bridge and short masts. The masts would have been for signaling and lookouts, got the idea from union ironclads and other armored river boats. Also, a picture of the parts with the color lay outs. Anyhow, comments are welcomed.
CT

**jimkrauzlis** · #12 11-24-2009, 07:57 AM

Looks fantastic to me, CT!

Looking forward to seeing what you do next on this project...quite an interesting looking hull!

Cheers!
Jim

**Royaloakmin** · #13 11-24-2009, 08:34 AM

I would suspect that they would only be tall flagstaffs? The bridge does not feel right to me. No way to communicate with the pilot house. I know this ship is somewhat hypothetical, but I would leave it off or make it optional.

**ct ertz** · #14 11-24-2009, 08:56 AM

I thought about communication issues too. I know that on the German river monitors of the 1870's there was an open air wheel behind the armored pilot house for normal navigation. Some of the union river ironclads also had a large wooded pilot house set up for use when not in battle. I thought about this set up as a possibility as well. I am kind of out in fantasy land, or guess work at best, because other then knowing that the Phoenix was close in size, shape, and lay out to the Nashville, not much else is known. Much of what was known has been proven wrong with recent dives, so, as you said, this is kind of a hypothetical "what if" sort of thing. I will have much to writ in the notes sction of the kit I guess.

As for the short mast thy would of had some meat on them as they would have been used for lifting supplies as well as being used for look outs. Again, an idea taken from both the boom and masts used on some Richmond class ironclads as well as some of the union "tin-clads". Any how, I don't know for sure.

At any rate, all of the extra deck stuff will be optional as I kind of like the ship in its bare bones battle ready configuration.

Keep the feed back coming guys!

CT

**Royaloakmin** · #15 11-24-2009, 10:11 AM

If the Richmond class had masts and derricks, is that something we need for Charlie? Or maybe she didnt have one? I imagine the were just for bringing supplies and ammo on board, so likely located right behind the stack? A designer's work is never done...

**ct ertz** · #16 11-24-2009, 11:01 AM

I have not Seen the Charleston or the Virginia II pictured with a mast and boom set up, but that does not mean that they didn't have one. Although, both of those ships are kind of pre-Richmond class, or simi-prototypes. They differ a bit in length and set up from later Richmond class ships, and have boats mounted aft of the casemate. The Richmond, Chicora, Savanna and possably the Palmetto State had masts and booms for lowereing boats, supplies and what ever else, however, not all period photos (the few that exist) and period drawing/painting show them in place. Could it be that these short masts an Civil War iron clads were removable? Or may be the masts were added as time went on. Just a thought...

**Kazziga** · #17 11-24-2009, 12:39 PM

Corey, there is a pencil sketch of the CSS Charleston and CSS Chicora with masts and booms drawn by Frederick G. Smith of the CS Engineers in October 1864. It was published in "Warship International" and in the 1985 edition of the "Iron Afloat". It also shows that the Charlesron had a different form of the casemate, as it was altered from the original plans during construction. I will send you a copy of the drawing along with some data on the Charleston soon (let's hope I'll manage to do it today).

**Papercut** · #18 11-26-2009, 09:25 AM

Here is a suggestion, this is a very interesting design and I for one would like to see her in 1/72 waterline

. But if you can at you timing, I know you have numerous projects going. As you can tell, for these wonderful ships I for one like them large, to tell the truth if scaled @ 1/96, one could outfit w/commercial available hardware from Bluejacket!:DRick

**jimkrauzlis** · #19 11-26-2009, 10:23 AM

Hey, CT!

Just want to be sure you got my PM.

Looking forward to seeing more on this design!

Cheers!
Jim

**ct ertz** · #20 11-26-2009, 10:49 AM

Hello Jim,
Got it! I will have something for you soon.

I have thought about redrawing all of my ironclads (with far less detail) and rescaling them to 1/400 or 1/600 scale as some modern ships are this scale and it would be a neat comparative thing. I could it them all on a couple of pages. It would be a neat set.

As to the other end, I do plan on up scaling all of my ironclads to 1/72 scale with added details as well. Here is my full hull consept of the Phoenix.

The hard squared off design was taken from the CSS Mississippi, and was a great combination of being a fast way to build ships with carpenter labor as apposed to shipwrights, and it still gave some sea going qualities. I would guess that this ship would have had a small rudder at each end, but would rely on independent engine control to maneuver the ship. With one wheel in reverse and the other in foreward the ship would spin like a top!