D-Day 70th anniversary event 2014

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Have been adding more planks to the Corvette and building and rebuilding the superstructure, took advantage of the dry weather to take some photos.

Side on shot shows general layout so far, the eagle eyed amongst you may spot the propellor (much cheaper than buying one – time will tell if it is worth the effort).

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Trevors boat coming on. We have been in discussion regarding hand rails. These I do not normally fit as they just get damaged too easily and for the small scale of most of my models, and I think they look clumsy unless photo etched (and thus even more prone to damage).

BUT both the Corvette and LCT4 are to a size sufficient to warrant rails, and the solution seems to be garden wire mesh. One inch variety (so wire construction in one inch spacings). By using two rails and having perhaps a 3/4 inch or slightly less gap at the bottom, and possibly cutting out every other vertical we think this might be a solution. In Trevor`s case he needs probably 12 feet of railing, and I may need about 4 feet, and as you know, the price of brass stanchions in a 30-35mm size for this sot of length….

The LCT4 is coming on and now the bow is complete, the stern has been skinned and a deck cut out although I have to decide about the access arrangements. There is not much superstructure to be able to have this lift off and provide a hole, so it will have to be a removable portion of deck which I dislike as it inevitably leaves a visible line on the deck, and is not to watertight..although at this size, it should not be a problem.

I have ordered 3 lots of cheap 2mm shafts, couplings and rudders (I make my own rudders usually but I would have to buy nylon tillers and brass sheet anyway so have bought "off the shelf" for the running gear and eventually these will be turned by 385 motors.

I have found some nice pictures of model LCT4`s on the `net and these have helped considerably in clearing up issues with the stern deck arrangements…old pictures are not that clear about whats going on, and closely studying my 1954 Daily Express D-Day book has also revealed a few more details.

I have written to MR F to get a notice put in the Compass 360 page of the mag advertising our event,. Not specifically just because we are having an event but to get other clubs to do the same, It sweems a fitting tribute, and is a boaty sort of thing. If we could get others interested and time a landing for, say, 11am, it might be interesting to see just how many landfing craft we could get taking part. No beach on our pond of course, so it will be a jetty touch down.

Those of you familiar with Airfix soldiers may remember the coastal defence fort they made for the 1/72 troops. SOme time ago I made a "replica" of this for 1/32 troops and jolly good it is, had a few people in the PW mag fooled I can tel you.  It might just be a good centrepeice for our static display.

It all sounds jolly good this "static display" "event" and so on, but will just be a crowd of us with hopefully lots of LCM an LCT, and appropriate other craft on the grassy knoll.

Ashley

 

Edited By ashley needham on 23/02/2014 08:35:00

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I have just had a thought that is is a few inches longer than 5`2" due to the swept forward bow.

Unlike Trevor`s boat for which approx 30kg (!!!!) of ballast is or will be required, I envisage a few Kg of ballast may be necessary to lower the rear end a bit, but that will be that. A portion of the tank deck at the front will be removable so I can fit ballast,if reqd, to hold the front down, just in case..I like to keep my options open.

I was going to have a 12v SLA battery just between the bolts (as seen in last shot), but this would give me really short (4 inches or so) propshafts, They would leak being cheap and so short so I am fitting motors a bit further back and using 6" shafts. It means I will not be able to use the big SLA and so wont have this for ballast (probably all that would be needed)…how can something so big be strapped for room?? The engine room is 12" X 14"…but there we are.

Barring a last minute eureka moment. the rear deck will be glued on and a large hatch fitted; The glued on bit will be only about 1 1/2 inches wide around the edges. I will wait for my replacement thin bandsaw blades to arrive and then get to work. I can use the cut-out as it is if I glue thin card around the edge of the cutout (to the thickness of the bandsaw blade) and so be thrifty with the spare plywood.

I am using Acrylic tube for the funnel. This I bought (1m length) for proj no5, and used all of 2 1/2 inches of it..but I had to have just this size..nothing else would do..and it is coming in handy now. I am not using plans for this build, I have not got time for perfection.it is just a representation.

I Know it will look authentic and no one will know anyway!

Ashley

nb   the TOG2 tank in the front is approximately to scale with the Cromwell tank behind it!  yes really. It is a monster, it takes up half the room in the Bovington tank museum (ok, may be exagerating a bit, but it is BIG)

Edited By ashley needham on 23/02/2014 18:22:10

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Cor. Trevor is going to bring his Corvette down on Sunday for yet more floatation testing and i will be bringing the LCT4 down. It is grey now, most of it has been built, and the running gear is all in place. With a bit of luck I might even chance a quick spin around the pond. Despite the fact that it has a flat bottom I dare say I will need a bit of ballast. Certainly at the rear to give it the "down at the stern"look essential to this sort of craft. I only have speed 400`s to put in it at the moment, I hope they are not to fierce for the cheap propshafts. The props look very small considering the vast flat expanse of boat. It is going to be very slow, as they were of course. I shall not win the slalom competiton with it, or even the towing gaff, but may win the "take the small dog around the log" gig.

Trevor suggested perhaps a small LCM3 could be fetched down, and if he brings his MGB along we can get a feel for our event (that`s assuming I have no leaks!!)

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

If all I get is only a few small leaks I will call it a great success (it would only add to the ballast).

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Unfortunately I have a double bottom which is sealed up so any leaks may go undetected until the bottom rots through !! I do hope the weather gets better as it is supposed to as I am into the painting now and with the very cold nights the paint takes ages to dry.

the sides are done more or less and i may, if it is sunny, get one coat of camo stripes on. I will need some railing stuff soon although this can be almost the last thing to do. Numerous small unidentified boxes for busy-ness have to be made and painted, and the octagonal 20mm gun pit sides have to be made, scored and bent thick card . I need bollards and rope coils, srt ut the mst and also maea brace of 20mm cannon.

My motors are wired up, but I have had to use 1×385 and a pair of 360`s, as for some reason the brass u/j inserts are really tight on the 400`s I have. This will leave it a bit underpowered for a Sunday test but you never know.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Frustration at the pond! Trevors Corvette`s composite u/j is not man enough for his meaty geared 850 motor!! Shame as for a few mins it was going well, the home made prop appeared to be adequate and then…. Not something we could fix at the pond side.

LCT4 going a treat. I have the afore mentioned 385/360 motor combination and this appears to be more than adequate! surprisingly, on 9.6V. No ballast was needed , the rear end sits down as it should do.

Full load of 4x Airfix poly Cromwell, 3x Timpo universal carriers and 3x jeeps (assorted makes)..possibly worth at least £200 that lot….

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

The corvette had some last minute work before its latest outing yesterday.

Two 12v 9Ah batteries ordered last Monday arrived without fuss and at a decent price (well done Component Shop) and the speed controller purchased on Friday afternoon so I was busy getting the electrics and radio gear installed and working.

The foreward suoerstructure is only clamped in place so can be lowered to its correct level and fixed once the deck is filled and sanded down, artistic licence has been used in great big dollops regarding the superstructure for ease of construction.

For a first outing under its own power was great satisfaction for the first half a minute under 1/8th power as it glided majestically away turned and when I opened the throttle to 1/3 it lost all drive.

Luckily the water was so calm and clear I could see the rudder moving so I knew the fuse had not blown but had to await rescue. It was discovered that the silicone tube coupling was twisting due to the torque difference between the geared 850 motor and the homemade 4" wooden prop. Once the twist had started the tube collapsed and the tube pulled off the motor end connector. It was possible to put it back but tethered trials determined that it was just not up to the job so all the pictures were taken as it drifted along. Immense disappointment.

Once home and able to consider the couplings lack of performance , new stronger walled tube was considered but with one of Bobs famed "Eureka Moments" I wondered whether preventing the tube collapsing on itself would help so after inserting four brass nuts in the tube between the coupling ends I tried a hand torque test. Lo and behold I was not able to exert enough twisting action to recreate the failure, at a guess there was probably about five times the effort put in but still no signs of even partial giving up. So a simple fix but not able to test until next outing at the pond.

[shipwrightParticipant @shipwright]

I am now getting concerned – tanks, landing craft, corvette – what next ? cruisers, battleships, aircraft carriers – is this in fact a bid to take over the world or attack the Crimea ?

Ian

(tongue in cheek)

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Yup, they have all been considered, even the rocket launching ships.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ian. We have discussed the possibility of other craft but alas the reality of the situation has asserted itself. Trevors Corvette is 2m long, a destroyed would be probably 3m long, a cruiser….5 or 6 ? m long.

As it is a landing, then landing and support craft it has to be. There are however several untapped designs out there and all sorts of payloads for the basic landing craft.

I may purchase a sheet of 4mm ply and cut up shapes for an "Airfix" LCM3 for those at the pond if anyone is interested and has not the time to build but would like to take part. A fiver will probably do it, just to cover the wood and so on.

Whilst looking through a charity shop today I spied a tractor and snapped it up as I thought that this would make a good and interesting addition to my LCT4 tank deck. No reason not to have tractors in a landing craft, there were loads landed after the initial assault phase to clear the beaches and so on. It is a JCB but once modified a bit and painted green no one will notice

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

As I said at the pond yesterday, I'm up for a couple of IKEA landing craft, they would compliment the corvette and Vosper MTB nicely.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Have purchased probably 5 landing crafts worth of ply. In 4×4 sheets. See how I get on. May need the lad to hold on to the bits to get some decent cuts.

AND some hardboard…never know !!

Getting on with lct4…camo finish on now, just doing the small details, 20mm cannon, winches and so on. All the fiddly stuff. After last Sundays sail, not changing the motors, appear to be more than adequate..besides, I shall probably never use the 360`s I have, they are generally fairly weedy unless run on 12V.

Ashley

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Ashley

Are you going to a few motorless craft?

Joined together with underwater wire or plastic sheet?

Just an idea

Bob

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

I'd already thought of that – it was going to be a cunning plan.

Two craft joined "parallelogram" style with motors independantly powered tank style, this should give the appearance of outer one speeding up when turning, but along side each other at the same speed.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

If we dont have sufficient chaps volunteering landing craft it may come to that Bob !!

Some small LCVP of the Higgins variety may be candidates for that wheeze, as they are a bit small for easy motorisation…

I may knock up a couple to see whats what with the towing lark.

Ashley

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

I could fit a tow hook on the back of the corvette (some were equiped with one and used as tugs) and charge a shilling for a joyride.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

This is presumably the Bushy Park near Hampton Court Palace? Have you made any definite arrangements yet e.g. date, time, how to get in (and where); how much to get in etc etc.
At this stage one is simply curious.

Dave M

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Blimey that sounds like organising and official !

Firstly Bushy Park (next door to Hampton Court Palace) is a public park, the carpark next to the pond is free of charge but gets popular / full reasonably early.

Discussions at the pond are currently to turn up on the morning of 1st June (usually from 9am) with the boats and have a play, probably with a ceremonial fly sail float by on each hour weather permitting.

The pond is open to all electric or sail boats (no infernal combusting allowed) the more the merrier and plenty big enough.

Then repeat it all again the following Sunday.

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Oh, and we are building to 1:32 or 1:35 to try to get some sort of consistancy.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Trevor

Nope – not official, and that just about covers it all, thanks! Like I said, just curious, because it's a long way to there from here.

DM

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

Hi All Well good to have a date to aim for . We now can look for a hotel to spend our overnight stop .Sounds like an early breakfast to get a car park, her indoors struggles to stand around all day.

1/32 scale landing craft now built and painted (not sure if I should carry a slogan representing the 2 Battalion the Lincolnshire Regiment who were at the D Day landing) still will ask around Michael

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Mike

Are you only taking one?

Paul

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

Hi Paul .well I might have the Catamaran finished so might take it . For me its a bit on the big side (1000mm long 500mm wide and 600mm high) but enjoying the build. Just had delivery of the brushless units ,540 sized motors and two 30amp electronic speed controllers. My little Swift would be O.K but her indoors will pack the kitchen sink when I tell her we are staying over night .Still cannot win all the battles

Michael

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