Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => Floaty/Ship/Naval GB => Topic started by: Dr. YoKai on March 08, 2015, 03:30:27 AM
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The USS Alligator is one of the more obscure chapters in American Naval History - I've seen at least three different interpretaions of its appearance ( two in the same text ) but most seem to agree that it had these
odd paddle/oars. Like the CSS Hunley, the Alligator relied on human muscle, and is supposed to have seen some
abortive action on the James river. Never one to let a good hull go to waste, the Left Reverend U. U. Willmanarth of the Science Pirate Syndicate employed his Deeper One allies* to raise an refit the wreck.
More details as I make them up. Below, the progress of the past week.
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* Everyone knows of H.P. Lovecraft's 'Deep Ones' - Malevolent New England Fish men - the Deeper Ones were of a bit more laid back and philosophical bent.
Old Lone Star kits were very much first generation resin kits -open faced casting, and a bit of bubbles. Sanding the mating surfaces flush occupied a good day and change.
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Things went together fairly well, and yesterday saw the paddles attached. The original posts suffered teh most from incomplete and bubble damaged casting, so I sawed them away and replaced them with evergreen rod of
appropraite diameter.
(https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/11041721_10205825407303913_1169140729805287532_n.jpg?oh=3f6f025ffb5645ff51d60743583dcdd9&oe=558ABB16)
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That looks like the steampunk product of a bad inventor! WOW. You are making a silk purse out of sow's ear on this one. I admire your courage and perseverance.
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Well, that looks sufficiently off-beat, Doc! ;)
I'm assuming those paddles are supposed to rotate around the axle posts, or wave up-&-down, in either case a little paddle resizing may be in order to allow that to happen (or have the even-numbered paddles on extended posts, so they sit clear of the odd-numbered paddles).
More steampunk goodness from the crazed Doctor! 8)
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Craig.. that is terrific.
You are right about obscure.
Always gotta love that bubble-O-bill early resin, but that came up a treat
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OK, I had to look this up and see if it was real. This thing did actually exist. Seems the engineering was not quite right.
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Its getting there - I flipped half the paddles ( accuracy has pretty much left the building at this point ) and it
does look a shade more plausible. So naturally I had to go a bit further overboard ;) Since it had always looked
more eurypterian than crocidilian, I decided it might not look bad with a paddle tail and claws.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11058756_10205888318236647_1593141504180756998_n.jpg?oh=68bfaba0656dcc3fc26ebbb615ba2a00&oe=55794927&__gda__=1437931096_0c9e7b71f875fedbc1978cb4eca61ea9)
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(https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/10452388_10205888318156645_6686347981585903201_n.jpg?oh=58ef34cea6b830dd846687adbfc2a13c&oe=55B7F198)
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Very interesting. I'm impressed with how much better it looks with your latest modifications.
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Looks suitably crazy. ;D
The real Alligator was rebuilt with a propeller at the stern in place of the oars during the winter of 1862 - 63, which BTW were
self-feathering; hinged in the middle, they would fold shut on the upstroke and open flat on the downstroke.
Mike's kit was clearly based on a drawing that appeared in a history magazine in the late '70s or early '80s
(I don't recall exactly although I did see it at the time published, and I still have a copy of the drawing
somewhere), that drawing does not match the surviving drawings by the sub designer Brutus de Villeroi.
http://www.navyandmarine.org/alligator/schematics.htm (http://www.navyandmarine.org/alligator/schematics.htm)
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Great modifications! Love it!
Way better than the "original" :)
Are you thinking about some sort of diorama/vignette?
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;D 8) :)
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Wow that is a turn around.
That looks terrific.
Great mods
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Thanks, Chums! ;) Progress - I've added the paddle guards ( as depicted in the instruction sheet. they give the
boat a dash of Flash ( Gordon ), but in the interests of Punk, I gave them ribbing.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10407701_10206006021979167_5141710325317919498_n.jpg?oh=5d7770b33f90060dae99f69f7d719aef&oe=55A01703&__gda__=1436728444_430c50f6e37d0d6efb7dfbd29c4122c4)
And after primer overall. Still open to suggestions on a paint scheme. GB ends before the next weekend, no? Any chance of a slight extention?
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And Finished. I added a bit of weathering, and some barrels of powder ( to be placed by the claws ) for
ordnance. Thanks for looking.
(https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xat1/v/t1.0-9/11141327_10206111602338610_8689935490838648571_n.jpg?oh=85ed68318ca2667c89fbc74657c48d5d&oe=55AF82A4)
(https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/11156191_10206111602418612_8383079505083856297_n.jpg?oh=0028ced02fd7e1bf5b75267ad4a0b245&oe=559F8D38)
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Nice.
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I love the color scheme and the weathering!
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Very, very cool! 8)
I can see the superstitious square-rigger sailors running straight over the opposite side trying to get away from it, & tales of great monsters from the deep with glowing eyes & gaping mouths bringing destruction with breaths fire being told by the survivors.
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Colleagues, thank you all - and apologies for my rudeness - I never addressed Antonio's question.
Although I'm calling it finshed for the purposes of the GB, I did get an idea for a diorama involving the
old base from the Comet Nautilus kit. We'll see what happens.
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That's outstanding: well done! :)