Beyond The Sprues

Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Sea => Topic started by: jcf on August 13, 2017, 10:48:05 AM

Title: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on August 13, 2017, 10:48:05 AM
(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS/i-d2vG7Zb/0/160357e9/L/RAMUS_RAM_01-L.jpg)

The Rocket Ram was conceived as an unmanned coast defense anti-ship weapon with the dimensions
120' X 20' X 7' made of 1" boiler plate, weight of 140 tons and 175 tons of rocket propulsion force,
rockets would fire for 30 seconds with the Ram covering a distance of over two miles with a terminal
speed of 500-700 feet per second.
His hope was that it would so terrible a weapon "... the power of which is illimitable. It will
sweep away all existing navies, and will, I trust, render war at sea no longer possible."


Model to be in 1/144 scale.
Plans below, side-view created by tracing over the above drawing with a vector program, plan view
generated from side-view, details of side-view and entire plan-view based on best guesses.
It will black and rivetty.

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-fjdTdMJ/0/2c23cade/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_01.png)
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: GTX_Admin on August 13, 2017, 01:22:08 PM
Interesting
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Tophe on August 14, 2017, 03:32:42 AM
with the dimensions
120' X 20' X 7'
Model to be in 1/144 scale.
That makes 25cm (almost 1ft) long, big! good!
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: kitnut617 on August 14, 2017, 07:18:49 AM
with the dimensions
120' X 20' X 7'
Model to be in 1/144 scale.
That makes 25cm (almost 1ft) long, big! good!

10" Tophe
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on August 15, 2017, 06:16:03 AM
Some work done.

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-JcM68JQ/0/ab0c9723/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_02.png)
Pattern attached with spray adhesive to one of the pieces of plastic card, second piece was laminated
to the first again with spray adhesive. The shape was then cutout on the bandsaw and cleaned up with
knife, files and sanding blocks. Completed side plates were then separated. Doing it this way ensures
that the two pieces with be the same.

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-HzwtJNN/0/453cbd87/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_03.png)
Completed parts, main side-plates and aft hull plates, they were done the same way, except with four
layers of plastic.

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-R66WFwF/0/c31661de/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_04.png)
Aft side-plate pieces, two per side, laminated together with Tamiya cement. They will have their upper
and leading edges rounded off before being attached to the full-length side-plates.

A sheet of resin rivet "decals" from Archer Fine Transfers is on its way from North Carolina.

All for now, cheers.
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: apophenia on August 15, 2017, 06:27:06 AM
Very cool concept  :smiley:  What brand/type of spray adhesive do you use with styrene sheet?
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on August 15, 2017, 07:00:58 AM
Just lo-tack Elmers spray adhesive, light coat on one surface, let it dry ~3-4 minutes, press the pieces
together, enough hold to to stand up to the sawing, filing et., and easy to pop apart at the end. Clean up
the residue with some naptha (lighter fluid), or Goo Gone or similar.

I have a variety of 3M sprays as well, I use them for more permanent applications of veneers, phenolic sheet,
thin sheet metal etc.
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Tophe on August 15, 2017, 11:50:54 AM
It seems "skills" is not only personal genius, this is also good use of poorly known Tools... :smiley:
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Dr. YoKai on August 15, 2017, 07:27:53 PM
 I remember running across this some years back, while looking up info on the Winnans ships. Amazing concept for the time, and I think this is going to be an amazing build for this time. :smiley:
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: apophenia on August 16, 2017, 06:36:39 AM
Just lo-tack Elmers spray adhesive, light coat on one surface, let it dry ~3-4 minutes, press the pieces
together, enough hold to to stand up to the sawing, filing et., and easy to pop apart at the end. Clean up
the residue with some naptha (lighter fluid), or Goo Gone or similar.

I have a variety of 3M sprays as well, I use them for more permanent applications of veneers, phenolic sheet,
thin sheet metal etc.

Thanks for that. I have 3M's Super 77 and Super 78. Great stuff but, as you suggest, good luck prying bonded parts apart again  ;D
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: taiidantomcat on August 17, 2017, 03:05:06 AM
This is innovative. Don't know If I would even have an idea of where to start on this bad boy  :smiley:
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Brian da Basher on August 17, 2017, 05:42:04 AM
That is some seriously surgical cutting there Jon!

You have mad skills, sir.

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: kitnut617 on August 17, 2017, 06:12:57 AM
It's a very interesting project Jon. I can't help but think about a book I've read called 'V2'. In it, it explains that when WWI was over and the Germans were restricted on just about any military equipment, the rocket had been overlooked in the restrictions and the Germans decided to develop rockets. I'm sure this must have been looked at because the V2 was the end result of the developments.
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: andonio64 on August 23, 2017, 07:31:16 PM
Really intresting Jon...  :icon_surprised:
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on August 26, 2017, 05:05:02 AM
Update.
Basic parts all glued together, sanded flush, few gaps puttied, steps and rounded areas refined.
The upper edges were roughed-in using a Dremel router table and round-over bit.
Still have to make the rear plate/rocket nozzle area.
Having to do some thinking about it, as Ramus's proposed "175 tons of thrust" is approximately
1,556,878 Newtons, more than the thrust of the current Atlas V SRB at 1,270,000, and not much
below the Soviet NK-33A at 1,638,000.
 :o
In other words, way beyond anything available in 1875. I'm thinking a cluster of large powder
rockets as the nozzles would be simple. They'll be rubber enhanced rockets, of course, ~65
odd years ahead of time for that composition, and way ahead of time in terms of output.
 ;D  :icon_fsm:

My Archer resin rivet decals finally arrived.  >:D They've been in transit since the 14th, they came
out to Seattle, and then, for some reason the USPS sent them back to North Carolina.
 ::)

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-8NQwzs4/0/1d049a30/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_05.png)

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-xX2jXgc/0/99351fd4/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_06.png)

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-cjD45P6/0/c0966fa2/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_07.png)

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-Fb5R7Mw/0/f769b9ef/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_08.png)
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Claymore on August 26, 2017, 03:56:38 PM
Looking great.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: taiidantomcat on August 30, 2017, 05:01:38 AM
That looks great!  :-* Why don't my Styrene constructions look like that?!  >:D

Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Brian da Basher on August 30, 2017, 06:34:14 AM
Mr JCF you are indeed an artist!

I mean I know you're actually an artist, but wow, work like that is sheer artistry!

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: sletch on September 23, 2017, 04:37:52 PM
Hello,

Wow ! That is a very good idea... and a great job so far  :D 

Frederic
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on October 02, 2017, 03:47:21 AM
Some delay because of various family etc. issues.   :-\  :icon_fsm:

Construction done, ready for primer, which will be polished and then rivet decals will
be applied.

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-Qhm8Z7W/0/7af90bb6/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_09.png)

Photo of rear-end, not really clear with the phone, oh well, the fin is actually square to the hull, phone
camera makes it look crooked.  :-\ :-X

(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-gLL66dT/0/5a972ac4/O/RAMUS_RAM_144_010.png)
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Brian da Basher on October 02, 2017, 09:35:46 AM
It's great to see an update on this marvel, Jon!

I really like your work on the end. With six nozzles, it should be fast!

Brian da Basher
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: Tophe on October 02, 2017, 10:40:54 AM
Good! Go on!
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: elmayerle on October 02, 2017, 10:55:19 AM
Looking good!  Out of curiosity, liquid fuel or solid fuel rocket?  If solid fuel, one large motor with six nozzles or six smaller motors?
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: jcf on October 02, 2017, 11:24:56 AM
Looking good!  Out of curiosity, liquid fuel or solid fuel rocket?  If solid fuel, one large motor with six nozzles or six smaller motors?

Solid, basically six ginormous Congreve style powder rockets, there wasn't anything
else available in the period, and no way in hell would they have been able to attain 175
tons of thrust.
 ;D
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: elmayerle on October 02, 2017, 11:40:54 AM
Okay, I can believe that.  Six ginormous Congreve-style powder rockets would be adequate.  I doubt the chemical industry existed at the time to produce some of the high energy solid fuels used today and they certainly didn't have the technology for liquid-fueled rockets.
Title: Re: Ramus Rocket Ram
Post by: finsrin on October 02, 2017, 12:17:06 PM
Fine scratch building (more patience than me).  Is first I heard of Ramus Rocket Ram.
Aside from power to weight issues it would do wicked job on a ship.  Is in Jules Verne realm.