Author Topic: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864  (Read 12654 times)

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #105 on: November 06, 2019, 09:02:26 PM »
Howitzer aboard and mounted.

Online crueby

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #106 on: November 06, 2019, 09:59:19 PM »
Very nicely done!
 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

Offline derekwarner

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #107 on: November 06, 2019, 10:43:11 PM »
JL.....so this Howitzer mounting can pivot & swing [train] from side to side via wooden blocks & rope tackle?....... will you show these?

The attachment text says...

'However, Dahlgren’s boat carriage dispensed with breeching ropes' and does not show any rope? .....

The mounting appears as muzzleloading, and indicates a winding screw for elevation, so am not sure what the breeching ropes were used for?

[PS...in an  :old: past life, for years, I  supervised work on our RAN vessels gun mounts & missile launchers, however this term 'breeching ropes' has me a little lost]

Derek
« Last Edit: November 07, 2019, 09:46:58 PM by derekwarner »
Derek L Warner - Honorary Secretary [Retired]
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Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #108 on: November 07, 2019, 02:05:00 PM »
The howitzer and mount came out great John.  :ThumbsUp:

Also...... what really caught my eye is that first picture where you show the bow planking. Looks just like the full sized boat must of looked. These certainly weren't yachts they were building back then.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #109 on: November 07, 2019, 02:05:25 PM »
Hi Derek,

No, there is no reference to any training gear in the model notes. I can see a block and tackle in tight to the carriage to draw the gun slide forward after reloading, but there is no note of any means, other than brute force to rotate this gun. Oh, how they would have appreciated a breech loader!

The gun was used in the action on the night of October 27th. Cushing, in his notes later wrote:

"... a dose of canister at short range served to moderate their zeal and disturb their aim".

This happened after guards on the C.S.S. Albermarie and more on shore opened fire after Cushing's boat was discovered.

John

« Last Edit: November 07, 2019, 02:12:02 PM by J.L. »

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #110 on: November 07, 2019, 02:10:55 PM »
Thanks Jim.

Yes, this steam launch was very narrow, but long. However, I am puzzled by the length of the spar torpedo spar. In the historical notes, it's length is stated to be 14' long. But the spar I will cut from a dowel is 14" long.  :thinking:

At 1:12 scale, that would be correct, but this ship is build in 1:24 scale. Maybe I'm wrong with the length of the boat as well when I said it was 45' long.

The model is very narrow - 5".

John

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #111 on: November 07, 2019, 02:17:29 PM »
Thanks Jim.

Yes, this steam launch was very narrow, but long. However, I am puzzled by the length of the spar torpedo spar. In the historical notes, it's length is stated to be 14' long. But the spar I will cut from a dowel is 14" long.  :thinking:

At 1:12 scale, that would be correct, but this ship is build in 1:24 scale. Maybe I'm wrong with the length of the boat as well when I said it was 45' long.

The model is very narrow - 5".

John

Here's a link to some info you may have seen already: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-p/pktbt1.htm


What an interesting story! It also has some boat diagrams with the scale shown that might help.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #112 on: November 07, 2019, 02:23:20 PM »
Thanks Jim.

Pleased to have the link.

There are more incredible stories to tell of this daring raid. I must tell them as we progress.

John

Offline J.L.

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Coal Bunkers and Mast
« Reply #113 on: November 07, 2019, 08:07:57 PM »
Hinges have been added to the coal bunkers which would contain bagged coal. Note where the hand holes are. At sea, the lids would remain closed. Awkward for the crew though.

Historical references differ as to how the spar torpedo was rigged. Some references show a line from the spar reeved through a block at the top of the mast. Others do not.

This would make sense to me, as the depth of the torpedo could be controlled better from that height. I will just use a block at the head of the mast to reeve a sail halliard and belay it to a cleat attached to the mast.

Offline cnr6400

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #114 on: November 07, 2019, 08:26:47 PM »
Looking great John. Gun and its' mounting look the business! Nice save.  :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
"I've cut that stock three times, and it's still too short!"

Offline J.L.

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Torpedo
« Reply #115 on: November 08, 2019, 02:38:27 PM »
Thanks.

The torpedo is made from a 1/2" brass rod.

I find its operation fascinating. A pin holds a steel ball at the top of a tube inside the torpedo. When it is pulled out with a lanyard, the ball drops down the tube and striked a percussion cap. Just like a hammer on a single action civil war revolver striking the cap on the nipple of the cylinder.

Online crueby

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #116 on: November 08, 2019, 02:43:10 PM »
So it was put up against the target vertically? Interesting...

 :popcorn:

Offline J.L.

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Torpedo
« Reply #117 on: November 08, 2019, 02:51:32 PM »
Hi Chris,
No, it had to be placed horizontally (on the end of a long pole or spar) angled downward so the ball would roll down the tube. But you are partly right, because there was a flotation chamber in the torpedo, so I guess the torpedo would begin to hang down once released. I just wouldn't want to be the sailor pulling the lanyard.

At first I thought the C.C.S. Albermarie was a ship. It wasn't. It was a steam ram boat. The hull below the waterline was of conventional construction, but above, the sides of the boat were angled severely with a flat top. The walls were armoured with sheet metal.

So the Achilles Heel was below the waterline; thus the idea of using a torpedo to blow a hole in the wooden hull under the water.
« Last Edit: November 08, 2019, 03:20:33 PM by J.L. »

Offline J.L.

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Percussion Caps
« Reply #118 on: November 08, 2019, 02:58:20 PM »
I mentioned the use of a percussion cap in the torpedo. On the Civil War theme I show a photo of a walnut cased 1851 Navy single action percussion revolver that uses percussion caps.

I acquired this replica non-firing revolver back in the 60's when high end replicas were made in Japan.

Enjoyed making this case.


« Last Edit: November 08, 2019, 03:03:02 PM by J.L. »

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: Torpedo
« Reply #119 on: November 08, 2019, 03:34:54 PM »
So the Achilles Heel was below the waterline; thus the idea of using a torpedo to blow a hole in the wooden hull under the water.

John yes which is why most of the larger steam warships of the time had back acting engines, also known as return crank engines. The engine was folded so it could all be below the waterline and better protected from cannon shot.

Here is a link to the only known marine back acting engine at the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point NY.
https://web.archive.org/web/20081209083114/http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5539.pdf

Dan
ShaylocoDan

 

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