Scratch built USS Pensacola

[qquake2k]

Finally got some more work done on the Pensacola. External fin fillets...

 

[qquake2k]

And internal fin fillets. Sure is busy inside there!

 

[qquake2k]

Also got the aft centering ring epoxied in. The piece of black pipe is a spacer I use to put the ring at its correct depth and keep it level. The pencil line is where the aft rail button will go.

 

[gdjsky01]

And internal fin fillets. Sure is busy inside there!

Cue the fillet comments....

:duck::duck::duck::duck::duck::duck: :wink:

 

[o1d_dude]

I really like the fins.

Have you considered building an upscale Interceptor? Say in the G or H range?

 

[qquake2k]

I really like the fins.

Have you considered building an upscale Interceptor? Say in the G or H range?

Yes I have, but I haven't even built my Interceptor E kit yet. Then there's the problem with the shaped nose cone and the thingies on the wingtips.

 

[Boosterdude]

Neat build, I like the design.

 

[qquake2k]

More messy fillets.

 

[qquake2k]

I finally got the turrets done. I am so happy with how they turned out! Taking o1d_dude's advice, I used basswood instead of balsa. The basswood is lighter and softer than pine, and easier to work with. But it's not as soft as balsa, which I think would have been too soft. They had a length of very nice 1-3/4" square basswood at Home Depot, which I cut with the bandsaw. Taking JAL3's suggestion, I made these turrets bigger than the practice ones. I ended up making the three gun turrets 1-3/4"W x 1"H x 2-3/8"L. The two gun turrets are 1-1/4"W x 3/4"H x 2-1/4"L. I used 7/32" aluminum tubing for the barrels instead of the 3/16" brass tubing. The bigger turrets are more prominent than the smaller ones, without being overwhelming.

I had to make my homemade sanding drum taller for the bigger turrets. I'm still surprised at how well it worked. I marked the locations of the barrels before sanding the radius in them. You guys are always saying how much you like photos. Well, get ready, I took a lot!

 

[qquake2k]

Sanding the radii sure made a big mess! As with the practice turrets, I used a piece of aluminum angle as a guide for drilling the barrel holes.

 

[qquake2k]

The holes didn't turn out totally perfect, but I think they'll be close enough.

 

[qquake2k]

A quick test fit to see how they were coming along. So far so good.

 

[qquake2k]

Using my stationary disc/belt sander, I sanded the shapes into the turrets. The aluminum tubing was easy to work with. I cut it with my bandsaw, and cleaned up the ends with my 1" belt sander. They're looking good!

 

[qquake2k]

The turrets turned out better than I had hoped! The profile fits the body tube, and I think they're the perfect size. The bigger/longer barrels look better too. Now I need to decide where to position them along the length of the body. I won't get a second chance, once I epoxy them in place. But I think overall the project is coming along very nicely!

I don't even want to think about the paint...

 

[qquake2k]

I think I've decided on this spacing for the turrets.

 

[qquake2k]

This is very strange. I got an email that said plano-doug posted a reply. But it's not showing up on the forum for me. I tried it with Chrome, Firefox, and IE8. This is supposed to be the message he posted. Did it show up for anybody else?


Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************

---Quote (Originally by qquake2k)---
I think I've decided on this spacing for the turrets.
---End Quote---
Jeff,

I'm curious how you came to use a mix of 3-gun and 2-gun turrets. The main (8") guns on the Indy were arranged in three 3-gun turrets (2 forward, 1 aft). The secondary guns were the much smaller 5"/25's, eight of them all in single, open mounts (ie, no houses/boxes around the guns).

So the 2-gun turrets are a little confusing.

That said, your workmanship is outstanding. Great job!

Doug

 

[rdbones]

Nope I dont see it...

Did you check your PM's?

 

[plano-doug]

This is very strange. I got an email that said plano-doug posted a reply. But it's not showing up on the forum for me. I tried it with Chrome, Firefox, and IE8. This is supposed to be the message he posted. Did it show up for anybody else?


Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************

---Quote (Originally by qquake2k)---
I think I've decided on this spacing for the turrets.
---End Quote---
Jim,

I'm curious how you came to use a mix of 3-gun and 2-gun turrets. The main (8") guns on the Indy were arranged in three 3-gun turrets (2 forward, 1 aft). The secondary guns were the much smaller 5"/25's, eight of them all in single, open mounts (ie, no houses/boxes around the guns).

So the 2-gun turrets are a little confusing.

That said, your workmanship is outstanding. Great job!

Doug

Jim, I was thinking Indy, not Pensy, then promptly deleted it when I realized my mistake. But I guess it didn't do me much good if you're gonna repost it

Doug

.

 

[o1d_dude]

Jeff, I was thinking Indy, not Pensy, then promptly deleted it when I realized my mistake. But I guess it didn't do me much good if you're gonna repost it

Doug

.

It's all good, Doug.

BTW, QQUAKE's name isn't Jeff.

 

[plano-doug]

It's all good, Doug.

BTW, QQUAKE's name isn't Jeff.

D'oh! It's Jim. My bad. Getting the new year off kinda shaky Thanks, BTW.

Doug

.

 

[qquake2k]

Jim, I was thinking Indy, not Pensy, then promptly deleted it when I realized my mistake. But I guess it didn't do me much good if you're gonna repost it

Doug.

Oh good. I'm not going crazy after all! To answer your question, the real Pensacola had ten 8" main guns in four turrets. They were arranged three over two at the bow and stern. But for the rocket, I just wanted to get the same number of guns, not the same configuration. I had started another thread about the turrets here, before I started the build.

 

[plano-doug]

Oh good. I'm not going crazy after all! To answer your question, the real Pensacola had ten 8" main guns in four turrets. They were arranged three over two at the bow and stern. But for the rocket, I just wanted to get the same number of guns, not the same configuration.

Yes, the four turrets - 2x2, 2x3 - makes sense. For whatever reason, despite the presence of the thread title, I had Indy on the brain, with her 3x3 arrangement.

FWIW, looking them up, these two cruisers, and many others, date to the mid 1920's during which time they had to conform to the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which limited them to 10,000 tons. Going from the Pensacola's arrangement of four turrets to the Indy's three reduced the overall tonnage and improved her sea keeping ability while giving up only one main gun.

Anyway, I really like the way this thing is coming together - it looks great.

Doug

.

 

[qquake2k]

Yes, the four turrets - 2x2, 2x3 - makes sense. For whatever reason, despite the presence of the thread title, I had Indy on the brain, with her 3x3 arrangement.

FWIW, looking them up, these two cruisers, and many others, date to the mid 1920's during which time they had to conform to the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 which limited them to 10,000 tons. Going from the Pensacola's arrangement of four turrets to the Indy's three reduced the overall tonnage and improved her sea keeping ability while giving up only one main gun.

Anyway, I really like the way this thing is coming together - it looks great.

Doug.

Yes, the Pensy was launched in 1929, about a year before the Indianapolis. I'm not that familiar with the Indy, but have studied the Pensacola a fair bit. I know originally she had torpedo tubes and 1.1" AA batteries, but she was refitted before the war with 20mm and 40mm AA. They also removed the torpedo tubes at that time, I believe. My father was a gunner on a 5" mount, and the Pensy had four of them. I briefly considered including them on the rocket as well, but decided it would be too much. My father always talked about the unusual 3 over 2 turrets, and that's one way he identified her in actual footage during war movies and documentaries.

I still plan on trying to replicate her dazzle camouflage scheme, albeit in a simpler pattern. I may be biting off more than I can chew with that one. And I still need to decide on the decals. I do know I want the number 24 on the four smaller fins, and "USS Pensacola" along both sides, but haven't decided on the font yet. And thank you for your compliments.

 

[qquake2k]

One of the turrets had a small open knothole in it. So I filled and sanded it.

 

[qquake2k]

Got a couple coats of sanding sealer put on the turrets. The sealer really brought out the grain. Sure is pretty wood.

 

[qquake2k]

And did some sanding. Still some open grain showing, so I'll need to put more sealer on the turrets.

 

[hornet driver]

Really nice so far. Curious to see how you mount the turrets/bridge -etc. As far as Pano's strange Email, I got his bank info last week--I like this island ---no-no , please park the Viper over there !

 

[qquake2k]

Really nice so far. Curious to see how you mount the turrets/bridge -etc. As far as Pano's strange Email, I got his bank info last week--I like this island ---no-no , please park the Viper over there !

Haven't figured out a bridge yet. I need to go to the hobby shop to see if they have any "bubble" cockpits I could use. As for mounting the turrets, I'll just be epoxying them to the body tube.

 

[qquake2k]

Got the rail buttons installed. I'll be spraying the turrets with primer this afternoon.

 

[qquake2k]

Got two coats of primer put on the turrets. They're looking good!