Author Topic: USS Oregon gun boat  (Read 8463 times)

Offline finsrin

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USS Oregon gun boat
« on: October 04, 2021, 07:08:24 PM »
Going for a gun boat build.  Glencoe 1/225 USS Oregon to be 118.5 foot 1/72 gunboat.  To sail with USS Arizona based gun boat from 2016.
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=2769.0

After sizing a few parts appears M60 tank turrets are best fit for main battery.  Looking at secondary battery options.  More later....

see attached
« Last Edit: October 06, 2021, 02:08:34 PM by finsrin »

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2021, 05:47:32 PM »
 Getting to it now.   Cutting hull to be waterline model.   Decided on armament donors (seems firm), requires cutting patching and such.

 Attached picture of donors.

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2021, 11:22:16 PM »
Interested in seeing how this develops.  Continue!

Offline Frank3k

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2021, 11:26:44 PM »
Should be interesting! That Oregon model was new when some of the dinosaurs were still around. The tank turrets will look good.

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2021, 10:44:47 AM »
Progress - sorta.  Hull cut down to be water line model (diorama compatible).  Can't find way to mount M60 turrets that is not a kludge. 
Stash browsing turn up this:  1/35 Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind turret is exact fit in deck hole where main battery goes.  As you can see, turret needs trimming to clear superstructure.  Will try that.

Offline Frank3k

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2021, 12:44:12 PM »
Can't you trim back the superstructure and just have the bridge overhang, or is the Wirbelwind turret too tall?

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2021, 02:02:47 PM »
Can't you trim back the superstructure and just have the bridge overhang, or is the Wirbelwind turret too tall?

Turret needs rear & side cut backs to rotate clear of superstructure.  Lots of cutting and aligning panels more vertical - UGH.  By omitting top half it is not too tall then cut plastic for flat top.
This has me revisiting M60 turrets with success.

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2021, 11:47:11 AM »
Back at building.  Going with M60 turrets.  Filled turret holes in main deck with plastic card.  Removed rear of M60 turrets reducing ammo storage but plenty of storage in hull.  Using turret ring of M60 as a mount so turrets will rotate.  Can now get to other things....

see attached


Offline apophenia

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2021, 09:44:38 AM »
Looking good. Amazing how much the look changes once you've bobbed the back of those M60 turrets! Very cool  :smiley:
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Offline Frank3k

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2021, 10:27:14 AM »
It's going to look like a twin gun version of the HMS Roberts:


Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2021, 11:15:21 AM »
1/35 Flakpanzer turrets have potential for another Oregon build.   M60 turrets are simpler to integrate.   Get more done and better photo light will post more.

Regarding HMS Roberts:  used Paint to design short monitor version of USS Oregon.   With careful cutting is buildable.   Stash has a few kits to work with.

Monitor and full size plans are attached.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2021, 07:55:47 AM by finsrin »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2021, 09:39:52 PM »
I've got a book about a Royal Navy gun boat like this --- trying to remember what it was called -----

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2021, 09:59:00 PM »
I've got a book about a Royal Navy gun boat like this --- trying to remember what it was called -----

This perhaps?

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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2021, 03:11:46 AM »
Danged if this doesn't make me want to build one of the German Flak lighters. Looking good!

Offline kitnut617

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2021, 03:19:09 AM »
I've got a book about a Royal Navy gun boat like this --- trying to remember what it was called -----

This perhaps?



No, the book was about it's WWII exploits, it might have been a river gun boat but used along the coast line. I'm fairly sure it was in the Mediterranean theatre.

The front cover shows a ship similar to what Bill is building and it's in action, shelling something but IIRC it is being attacked by aircraft too.

EDIT: Found what the book is called --- Armed with Stings. It's about the RN's Insect Class Gunboats
« Last Edit: October 22, 2021, 03:49:22 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2021, 08:17:10 AM »
Thanks for the book tips you guys.  Peaks my interest.

Digging into stash today located 1/105-1/110 (quick measurement) built wood model USS Oregon. 
Was lightly damaged display model at a store which sells completed wood models.  Bought at DEEP discount, could not pass it up.  Project for another day.....
« Last Edit: October 22, 2021, 08:20:19 AM by finsrin »

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2021, 02:26:57 PM »
Nice work.

I really am liking where this is going

On the HMS Roberts, I have the built the 1/350 Trumpeter kit and it came out quite alright. It is a ship that looks like it means business.

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2021, 05:08:47 PM »
Made progress, like to made more.  Oregon has four anchors.  Two port & starboard at the bow.   Gun boat to have one on each side. 
To do something with aft positions they are now turrets for 50 cal (30 cal ?) defensive positions.  Using casement mounts from 1/426 USS Arizona will insert metal barrels same as on USS Arizona gun boat.  Pictures show cut open anchor positions with turret mounts.

Main gun positions holes filled with card stock for M60 turrets.  Decided to include the machine gun turret on M60 turrets.  Easier than devising a hatch.

see attachments

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2021, 11:37:54 AM »
Done a few things between other callings.
Cleaned hull sides by PSR of 1/225 portholes.
Main turret mount spots nearly smooth via PSR and primer.
Cut back bone off top of upper deck so its flat for mounting the bridge.   Left mount for rear funnel.
Finding workable bridge has taken time.   After much fuss am trying something different.   Cutting off rear of HO diesel unit for rear of bridge.   Adapting Revell 1/108 tug boat to front of it.   This way bridge front fits between forward secondary turrets.   Maybe whimsical, will see.   Hey, its kit bashing.

attached picture of cutting HO unit.....

Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2021, 10:37:21 PM »
Sounds like good ideas for the bridge work - I really like the look of the train part.

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #20 on: October 31, 2021, 05:38:02 AM »
Bits of train can work remarkably well.

Using one of the anchor wells for a turret for more guns... why not :smiley:

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #21 on: November 12, 2021, 06:51:31 PM »
 Abandoned doing bridge based on train parts.   After couple configs it just didn't work well with Oregon architecture.   May work on another build.   Ended up going with bridge (exclude cabin) of 1/72 Revell Walter Rose.

Similar back-n-forth adjustments with mounting M60 main turrets.   Got that figured out.   Using M60 hull turret mount made turrets to high.   Discarded that and cut mount ring off underside of turrets for proper sitting on deck.   Drilled hole in deck plate (plastic card) for tube glued in center of turret to go through.

   in work turret pictures attached

Offline Frank3k

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #22 on: November 13, 2021, 06:25:27 AM »
Its looking good lowered. It reminds me of this M60 training turret

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #23 on: November 13, 2021, 07:15:23 AM »
Coming along nicely

Offline finsrin

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Re: USS Oregon gun boat
« Reply #24 on: November 20, 2021, 07:57:15 PM »
Got enough parts placed together for a ruff look at configuration.   M60 turrets sized well to total size.   Four round places on 2nd deck to have Sherman 75mm turrets.   
Won't be all grays, color is coming.   Funnel is OOB using rear position only.   

  see attached      opening with Paint works best for me
« Last Edit: November 20, 2021, 08:02:31 PM by finsrin »