Topic: HMS Illustrious.

[paul swainson]

Have cut the and planed the front skin for the above deck and cut as required to allow the correct fitting.  Took a trace of the STB side of the bridge area and then stuck the trace to some plain card with some photo glue.  The plan was then cut out and gave me a very firm tenplate to mark in the front and rear sections of the bridge skin the actual heights of the D deck walls.  Also made the front pom pom detector housing which sits right at the nose of the bridge above the Admirals bridge. 

[paul swainson]

Today made a start on the funnel to fit on the top of D deck.   Started by making two tenplates of the funnel to used as a frame for the skin to be wrapped around and give me the form.  Also made a start on the funnel top with all the mesh wiring to be solder to form the grill.   I used the hair drier this time and with a very hot hand managed to get the 1.0mm card to fold around the tenplates I made and as the photo shows not a bad job.

[paul swainson]

Well finished off the funnel only the position lights (4) to be installed and the siren along with piping and wiring of the lights when they arrive.  I have now started to bond the bridge skin to the decks and the front section is done but need to let it cure as there is quite a bend in the skin.

[mikearace]

Must be national make a good funnel week!  Very nice piece of work paul.

[Horatio123]

Nice bit of work Mike . Unusual shape to work on too ! 

[paul swainson]

Hi David, its Paul not mike that's building this one and yes she does have some odd shapes to deal with and not every one is off center.  The center line is always slightly off.

[paul swainson]

Well I have now completed the skin for C deck to D deck and fitted the four depressed wing bridges for the 20" and 10" signal lamps, the deck is not bonded yet as I am waiting for the interior LED lamps then I'll prime the Admirals bridge and paint the interior and then prime the exterior and then fit the window glass and seal ready for final coat of paint.  The hardest part was all the measurements to be cut for the sunken wing bridges so that I could meet the overall deck height.

[mikearace]

Cracking on well Paul.  It looks good already and will look even better with some paint.  Impressive work so far.

[radio joe]

Looking good Paul, some nice detail there already. Joe.

[paul swainson]

I need a bit of help guys with identifying some detail on the following items of kit that are installed in the D Deck.   Can any one help with photos or locations of detail on the web for the following items.

1st  Tactical & Navigational range finder.  This is fitted to the front of the signal deck positioned on D Deck. (Picture 1)
2nd. There are four  S/L sights fitted two on each side D deck behind the the signal deck on D deck. (picture 2)

The give me the impression that they are very large range finder tubes to which sailor look into to range and navigate the way.

As these items will not be available in white metal will need to make them.  Any help given will help me make a fair Representative of the bit of kit.

[mikearace]

Paul

I could be wrong but Illustrious class had 4.5 qf twin turrets.  These would likely have used the same range finder as in later Emergency war Destroyers.  And from the  plan this is what it resembles - Deans do this in resin so you might be worth ringing Ron.

[radio joe]

Hi Paul,  from the drawing it looks like the same range finder that was fitted to many classes of ships of Illustrious's era, including cruisers, destroyers and even some mine sweepers and looks very close to the one fitted to Bramble, which as Mike said is available in resin, but should be fairly easy to make.  Joe

[paul swainson]

Hi  Joe and Mike,  Thanks for the info on the 1st picture, I think I can make that and if not I can always get one from Ron.  The other item on picture 2 has me really stumped.  I have no idea what S/L sights are.   Illustrious was fitted out with HACS Mk IV without 285 radar. (this was fitted in 1943/44) for the pom pom directors.   She was also fitted out with 8 x 4.5 inch guns controlled by HADT system which I am looking into.   So what would 4 S/L sights be doing on the top deck of the island.

[paul swainson]

Well I did some hard reading into the HACS system which was fitted from about 1930's onward to the 1941 which is the era I am building in.  Got some clear photos of the system and the type of air flow defectors on ships of that type.   So had a go at making four of the HACS Mk IV with flat display panels.  Each of these units had about 4 to 6 sailors to man these thinks in very crampted area.  When primed and painted and some paint detail added they should look the part.  (you will see them in their enclosures later.)  Also completed the signal top deck, added two more sliding doors.   One or two port holes now need to be added.

[paul swainson]

Once all the area's had been completed on D deck I'll then fit the air deflectors to the edges of all the areas that the plan shows them to be fitted.  I have placed them on the D deck and she is starting to look like a bridge section.   Once I have installed the interior lamps and painted the inside I will then bond the deck down and then complete the bridge wings with their shin and wind deflectors.  So she looks a little bit plain but will come alive when the primer has been applied.