Topic: HMS Illustrious.

[ship's doctor]

Hi Paul,

Going back to your question about the searchlight sights- you seem to have this solved, but I found the following blog really useful, lots of detail shots of RN bridge equipment including the searchlight sights. It disappeared for a while but now seems to be back online. 

http://ontheslipway.com/?p=1647

James

[paul swainson]

Thanks for the link James, it is very useful as it gives me detail on other parts of the ship which I have not yet started on.  Thank you very much indeed.  The guy who is building HMS Hood did get a lot of detail photos, I wonder where he got them from.

[paul swainson]

Have been working on the second Carley float deck which is used for the crew to access the positions for each group of floats.  Also received the retaining reels from Deans.  They are very small, 3mm high and 4.5mm wide.  All had to be solders and now ready to fit in place.  Once installed under the top deck will take photos of the layout.  I am trying to find some 1.5mm tape/cloth which would look like the retaining strapping for the floats.  So a trip down to the local Arts & Crafts shop to see what I can find.  The hardest part will be the deck supports which extend from the main deck to the the second deck floor to support it.  These actual sit on the screen for the walk way round the Island on the Starboard side.

[paul swainson]

Here are some photos of the work done in the post above.

[paul swainson]

Have received the 72 single lamps from Deans today, have to put the first bank of 36 in groups of 12 to each support plate for the island.  That will be fun as they are staggered (one up and then the next down and so on) as this photos shows.

[paul swainson]

Managed to get some roofing lead, which is nice and thin and can be moulded to the hull and placed all along the keel and will need to be cut into strip lengths.  I will have to find a way to work out how much I need to place each side of the support beam so that the weight is evenly spread along the keel so that its not to heavy at the bow or stern and still keep a fare weight in the center and to one side to compensate for the Island.   Was speaking to Ron and he told me that he had two large car batteries in the test run model they built back in the 80's that is some weight?   Any one got any ideas on how to work it out?

[paul swainson]

Here is the photo of the 1st bank of aircraft signal lamps installed.

[swiftdoc]

Hi Paul,

the idea with the car batteries sounds good to me. You will have to find a way to get everything to the pond so the weight should be removable. Will those lamps be illuminated?

Kind regards - Arno

[paul swainson]

I know that weight has to be set so that the ship will have a set position and balance in the water, then the final removable weight is added to give it the final balance which can be fixed to certain places in the hull the same each time.  This would not then up set the basic balance.   

No Arno these lights will not illuminate, but do have some nice ones for the position lamps on the funnel four in total.

Paul

[radio joe]

Managed to get some roofing lead, which is nice and thin and can be moulded to the hull and placed all along the keel and will need to be cut

Hi Paul,  I hope the local church roof doesn't leak too much,    Judging by the weight of the 4 footers that is going to be heavy boat, should help keep you fit taking her for a sail 

[paul swainson]

No Joe, have note been near the local or distance church's.  Have a son in the building trade and he gets me all the waste lead that the roofs do not use, so very handy to place right down at the keel.   Then I have some divers weights that I used to use on my weight belt to keep me down when diving.  As I do not need them any more these should be a good removable balance weight for her.

[paul swainson]

Have now completed the the second bank of signal lamps a total of 24.  They are now ready to be mounted and then trunking put in to show the cable route of the electrics.

Got so much lead now that I will be able to weight her down once the hull beams have been cut and fitted inside the hull.

[paul swainson]

Well another bit of the build has now been completed and that is the rudder, part one.  As the photo show the main blade can be removed from the 5mm main shaft.  It is held in place by two small grub screws.   The main shaft is 5mm brass and passed through a 8mm tube which is held in place by the camfer shaped wood mounting plate inside the hull.  The shaft will be filled with Vaseline to ensure no water passes up the tube and is sealed with the clear seal grommet at the top and will be held in place by the rudder control arm.   The top of the tube is above the water line too as an added safety precaution.   The 5 mm main tube passes through a shaped wood section to show the contour of the hull and then into the retaining tube soldered to the rudder blade.  The shaft then passes through the wood reinforced with two small tin plate rings and then into a brass pivot which is secured to the bottom of the wood shape section.  Once bonded and in place the wood section will be fibre glassed in place to give a strong pivot point also the inside tube will also have support brasses to give added strength.

[paul swainson]

The next set of photos show the position in the hull and the drilled point in relation to the center line and the semi mounting of the rudder.

[paul swainson]

Now working out the position of the three motors so that I can work out the location of the mounting plates to be made of wood and the units screwed to these.