On the Ways: Bearn CV

I hate to be a wet blanket but part of the construction rules is that the rudders must be in a scale position in relation to the props.You cant just place the rudders directly behind the props unless the original had them that way. I would love to place the suffren rudders in a different place but I cant

 

I have two bearns and the rudders are definatly offset,however Iwas talking to mikey and he sais that the bbs and treaty are the only ones who try to enforce that rule all others put them where they will turn best

 

I did build this ship primarily for fast gun and Treaty. In MWC/IRC, we are allowed leeway with rudder locations and prop locations to help a ship turn tighter. Admittedly, I didn't look close at the Treaty rules for rudder locations.

This Bearn's rudders are very close to scale location. They are approximately 1/2 inch forward than the plan's location. Also, the props are about 1/4" further aft than the plan's prop location.

Tug, if I could have found some 1/144th scale wildcats before Nats, they would have been on the ship. If you want to mold around 10 Wildcats, I'll buy them.

Wondering how things went for the Bearn during the MWC Nats? Well, it was so so. The night before the first campain battle, I finished a basic superstructure for the Bearn and painted it literally hours before the battle. IMO, even without the railings, scale guns, and planes, the Bearn looked pretty good (pictures will be posted soon). The Bearn was the largest convoy ship out there too. During the campaine battle, the Bearn lost power in the middle of it's first run and ended up sinking in in the middle of the lake. It took a loooong time to sink too. heh.
Since the Allies had plenty of convoy ships, I didn't use the Bearn during the second campaine later that week.

Some things I will change on the Bearn after returning from Korea include; changing from 1.5" props to 1.25" or even 1" props to reduce speed and increase turning at speed, move inner shafts closer to the ship's centerline for the new props, increase rudder travel, install a float to make the ship easier to find if it sinks again, add LOTS more details like railings/catwalks/guns, etc.

 

I catch the plane to Korea on August 5th. I should be settled into a house and building models again by September.

The Bearn, along with the Richelieu and Gloire, is staying at my daughter's house in Michigan while I'm in Korea.

 

Oh,sometime around August 2009.

edited year ... put the wrong one

 

That looks nice, and I really like the rudder linkage design. If my Queen Mary bleeds off too much speed in turns, I might give that a shot and see what it does for me. My Invincible already holds speed in turns really, really well. That's the one thing that really shocks people about her maneuverability is I can actually out run much faster boats in a turn. It's kind of a crutch for me in the Invincible, but not one I want to learn to live without right now!

 

Ok, here is a couple completed pictures of the Bearn literally hours before it's first convoy run. Not much detail has been added yet since I was very hard pressed for time just to have the ship ready for the MWC NATs. Like I mentioned in a previous post, the Bearn will get lots more details added after I return from Korea in August 2009.


The Bearn at scale waterline, but sitting a little low in the stern.

 

Did you find out why it lost control and sank Tuesday and why it was not working Thursday?

 

Not yet, no. It lost propulsion on the Monday campain and I didn't have time to dig into the problem during the NATs (had to fix problems with the Richelieu and Gloire first). Since I didn't troubleshoot it that week and the Allies already had bunches of convoy ships, I didn't bother putting it on the water for the Thursday campain. It'll have to wait until I return from Korea to find out what the problem is.

 

Just bumping this up for ironguns.
This will help explain how to go from ship drawings to a hull.
Mikey

 

Wow, I think i'm lucky. The plans I got for the maryland included the ribs, so I just have to cut those. This guide gave me insight on how to slot the keel, and the upside down way to build the ribs is going to be helpful.....i hope.

 

However, my ship only has one keel, so how do i make the water channel?

 

The Bearn did not have two keels, you can make it the same way, as long as the bottom is flat. What ship?

 

USS Maryland

 

She has a flat bottom

 

Just bumping this thread up again, as I think it probably gets overlooked by not being in the warship builds area. And it is very nicely done.
Mikey