Topic: HMS Illustrious.

[radio joe]

Hi Paul, some nice work there, what size are those motors they look around 500s, I got two 545s for my Coventry and although they will fit in quite easily I think they may be a bit of an overkill, I'm at a SWA show this weekend I'll ask the chaps advise    Joe.

[paul swainson]

The motors were taken from striped down power supply pumps for the air supply to operate the central locking and other vacuum supply to a Mercedes-Benz SL.  They have a free running current of 1.1amp (1100ma) have an RPM of 5600 and the stall current 10 amp +.
They are very quieter and have a good low down torque, to drive this size boat with three 50mm propellers.   I should get a good scale Representative speed to size.

I have loads of smaller motors from door mirrors and washer pumps to drive other items on the boat, so do not have to buy any.  The smaller motor have less then 0.1a (100ma) and RPM from 10000 to 8000 so will need to gear them down.

Paul.

[radio joe]

Mercedes-Benz motors eh, better than the real Lusty    Joe.

[paul swainson]

Well had a wee break and took the good lady wife on holiday to the south and while there went to the Fleet Air Museum to take some photos of HMS Indomitable.   The scale is 1/48 so she had a lot of detail that I needed to see and use to continue with the build of my own ship.   The photos have been taken through glass and in very poor light so if you want to view them they are on my Flicker account the link is below.   The model was build by the builders yard and is on loan to the Fleet Air museum.   So I was thinking would there have been a model made of the other three sister ships.  Will need to look around and speak with the ship yard museum.   I hope you like and you should be able to compare my build with the model.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92998762@N02/sets/72157645556911264/

[paul swainson]

I am working on the center prop layout with the added keel to create the same look as the original ship.   So the work started with a large bit of wood and then has to be cut down to fit over the hull moulded section and shaped to suit.   Once done it, the wood will be sealed with fiber glass and then secured using epoxy glue and copper location pins.  Then P38 used to fill and shape, before priming.

[radio joe]

Your doing some real nice work there Paul, I can see you are gaining in skill all the time, well done mate,

[ship's doctor]

Very neat work Paul! Thank you for posting the great photos of the Indomitable builder's model- really useful to see pictures of the cranes/boats for my build too!

[paul swainson]

Thanks Joe, I am really trying to make this model a nice build and with detail.  Paul

[paul swainson]

Hi James,  I am glad the photos are helping others and you, as there is a lot of detail in this area you never get to see on the older ships unless you have the photos. 

[paul swainson]

Here are some more photos of the under water line near completions and about to be sealed before bonding to the hull.  Then the use of P38 filler to fill in and rub down to the hull lines.   It took a while to shape the lower keel and then using screwed rod (1.90mm thick) was then using a (1.6mm) hole drilled into the base and then the rod screwed in to ensure a secure fit. Once the P38 has dried the hard work of rubbing down to get a smooth finish.  Not looking forward to that.

[mikearace]

Nice neat bit of work Paul

[John]

Hi Paul, nice work with the entire build so far. I have been watching and learning, especially how you worked out the details for the 0.5mm card. Very nice job.

John.

[paul swainson]

Thanks for the kind words Mike and John.  I hope the photos give the work Justis  as I hope the information will help others as I have been helped.

[paul swainson]

Well after all the advice I have been given on how to work out the best way to make templates for hull support plates have done the first cut and filed and sanded then into the hull.  So will now take a bit of time to meassure the distance of all the beams as the plan does not show them all due to the flight deck being a flat bed and has different angles.  Once this is done will then mark the position of the motors and were the propshafts go through each of the cross beams.  Have the center prop done which is 15 inches long, but the two outer are a total of 21 inches long with 6 inches of open shaft.   Also as the rear quarter deck need to be positioned as well I am cutting the deck openings too so that I can work out were to cut the inspection and if required repair hatch for the rudder and its connections as this will be below this deck.  Must be able to reach this as it will be below two decks.  Will post photos as soon as I have taken them all.  Then will have to cut out the center of each hull support beam to match all the lower deck openings and take the flight deck support beams across and along the whole hull length.

[paul swainson]

This is the cutting out of the quarter deck openings.