have you decided what format you want to build to? Tug is giving suggestions towards fast gun but you mentioned torpedos and as far as I know Big gun is the only format that has a dedicated torpedo "system" allowed. Assuming you do want to a build the Fletcher class you will run into the same weight issue. The torp system alone might push you over weight. I guess in theory you could use balsa as your primary wood to build the hull and possibly use fewer ribs making it more penetrable to save weight. I would follow the guys advice and start with something larger. They know what they are talking about because they have been at it long enough.
Jstod is correct in that I have been 'building' to a fast gun standard. Most of the decisions would hold up under big gun rules, and with the Flower class not sporting torpedoes, that makes it more directly useful for big gun purposes. Not sure if the gun is technically allowed to be .177" vice 1/8" but if it's just students duelling each other, that's not a big deal
anything from 3"to about 5.99" ( or something like that) are caliber at .177" I couldn't find the class in Conways (which is literally the bible in Big Gun) What years were the flower?
Thats weird because I could not find it in my conways 1922-1946. The problem you will have to make it legal in the big gun format is providing enough data to prove conways is mistaken. like I said the book is like the big gun bible haha
If you do a search with the term Solid Memories, you can find plans for making a wooden model of a Flower Class corvette. The plan noted that the Flower class started out as a whaler and the first ones were built starting in 1940. A
For American ships, there is a large set of Navy Booklet of General Plans on the Historical Naval Ships Association website http://www.hnsa.org/doc/plans/index.htm so I look there first. They also have other Navy documents that are useful, like the 1945 Gun Mount and Turret Catalog, which has a lot of turret drawings and information. And if you really want an education, read the Fleet Submarine series that is posted.
I actually made a mold of a flower class ship. That was several years ago. I think that with the new micro everything you could arm a single cannon with the 12 gram cartridges and super light weight regulator. Maybe no pump and with 2 aa batteries. Did this ever get made?
