CSS Albemarle - Confederate Navy ironclad ram 1864

So I graciously concede defeat with the USS Cincinnati. Too many insurmountable problems too late in the build so it's become yet another handsome shelf dweller. Disappointed? Yes but onward and upward (sort of).

In keeping with my recently developed interest in the naval side of the American Civil War, this will be my next project.




Confederate Navy ironclad ram the CSS Albemarle from 1864.

Potted specs:
C. S. Ram ALBEMARLE.
Acquisition.--Built on the Roanoke River, N. C., 1864.
Class.--Screw steamer; ironclad; oak and yellow pine, fastened with iron and treenails.
Dimensions.--Length, 158'; beam, 35' 3"; draft - loaded, 9'.
Engines.--Two; horizontal, noncondensing, link motion; geared to propellers by 4 gear wheels. Diameter of cylinder, 18"; stroke 19".
Boilers.--Two; one furnace in each and two elliptical flues and return vertical tubes.
Battery.-- 2 8-inch rifles.
Disposition.--Sunk at Plymouth, N. C., about 3 a.m., October 28, 1864, by a torpedo. Salvaged in 1865 and sold for scrap 1867.

Today has been spent stocking up on stripwood (cheaper this time - B&Q) and playing with a CAD program while I wait for my order of 2mm ply and propeller shafts to be delivered. 
This is what I have so far.



I see this as a much simpler prospect than the Cincinnati with less things to go wrong - 2 motors, 2 screws, 1 rudder and not much else. This one might even work!!

This will be in approx. 1/72 scale, making the completed model just over 26" long. 

Quick note for any potential rivet counters (not that there would be such a thing in such a fine establishment as this). 
There are very few actual photos of this vessel in service, let alone plans and even the usually resourceful internet has brought up images of many different designs so as far as I'm concerned, if it looks right it is right and no-one alive can argue with me.

I'm hoping to start the build in the next few days.

Hi Vigo

I do like you enthusiasm for this side of the American Civil War, I for one is looking forward tyo you build.

Fred

I for two want to see this I still think you should refit the Cincinnati it's too nice for a shelf queen. I've been reading a bit of ACW history while I've been off and incapacitated with the lurgi there's some evidence of the first use of battleship gray!.

Sorry to interrupt could Swab please P/M me its with regards to the F14 radio.

Fred

Sorry Fred I'm not doing PM's any more one more build and I'm out of boats permanently I wont be buying any more gear.
Sorry for the thread hijack Vigo!

And so it begins....

Just finished setting fire to some bits if scrap ply in the garage. I'm sure all this smoke isn't good for me, so much for giving up the ciggies then

This is the state of play at the end of tonight's session. Not much to show for 2 hrs work.



Hopefully some more wood will arrive tomorrow so I can make more smoke

Incidentally. Has anyone here used Cascamite powder? I found a tin of it earlier in the garage that my dad bought but I've no idea how old it is - maybe 4 or 5 yrs. I remember I used it on the first boat I built about 40 years ago and that one's still solid as a rock. Does it go off in the tin over time?

More wood, more smoke.



I even had a go at building a small lifeboat.... Mk2 needed 

Vigo - the lifeboat looks as though its already had a disaster! 
I used Cascamite in the 1950s to build a couple of boats with my Dad. Back then the only alternative was hot glue! If the powder is still dry in the tin I don't see why it wouldn't still be OK.

Barrie

Yeah the lifeboat.......


Not exactly my finest work!

So Mk2 lifeboat is built and primed, all decks are cut and waxed, superstructure (casement) and pilot house are built, brass rudder cut and fitted and now I'm waiting for Mr postman to deliver me 2 new prop shafts and a nice new servo.

In the meantime, I've decided to start cladding the hull.


The story so far....

Today the postie delivered my nice new shiny servo which unfortunately isn't the same size as the one advertised. No matter, it still fits... just.
I've almost finished cladding the hull but I can't go any further with it until the shafts arrive so today I've been doing a bit of filling and fitting.



I need to look at how the casemate fits onto the hull as this will be a permanent fitting and I'm not too happy with it at the moment. I still have an 'armour belt' to fit around the top of hull so maybe I can extend that to cover the gaps at the base of the structure itself. After all, there's no empirical evidence that the original ship wasn't like that so if it does the job and looks the part who's to argue?

Problems, problems.... Still, it's getting there.

Incidentally, the lifeboat is actually a sliding on/off switch for the electrics. Forwards for on, backwards for off. Sneaky eh?

This is pretty rapid progress   Coming along very nicely.

Barrie

Do you take performance enhancing drugs or something of have you got a team of minions doing your bidding? your building speed is better than a Korean shipyard! plus it looks good.

Night shift? bane of my life I could handle 2-10 but nights killed me. Your opinion of rivet counters has put you high in my esteem Vigo I can understand passion for detail but when it becomes religious it's time to go! 
That looks menacing by the way in a good way of course!

A normal 10-6 night shift wouldn't be so bad really, it's the 7-7 that does me in.
I'm getting too old for this

12 hour continentals - proof Satan exists! 

So this is the state of play with the 'Good Ole Alby' 

The build is effectively complete. I'm still waiting delivery of some anchors, some prop shaft couplings and a pair of rather dinky 20mm propellers.

Unfortunately, until they arrive I can go no further. I can't permanently fit the rear deck or the superstructure because I need the access to the inside so this how she looks right now with the appropriate bits placed appropriately. I've not bothered with a proper paint job yet on the lower hull because think I may need to mess about with the shafts and the props once they arrive.











Specs:
Length 26"
Beam 6⅜"
Power: 2x MAF 280/5 motors via a 7.2v battery pack, Viper ESC and sometime soon hopefully 2x 20mm counter rotating props. 
All Up Weight: 4.2Kg but I'm hoping for a little less once the shed loads of 'concrete' ballast dries out fully. Either way, she looked good and rode well on the 'sink test'.

Without wanting to come across as overly modest, I think she looks pretty good so far. Not too bad from an idea to this stage in 22 days. The remainder is in the hands of the Royal Mail. That's this project buggered then....

BTW Anyone spot the glaringly obvious yet completely stupid non deliberate mistake?

22 days!!!!!!!!! My smartass phone keeps showing pictures of 'on this day 1 year ago' of the Orca and it's still not finished! you've got to show photos of it afloat.

Great build. I've been planning to build a functional model of the CSS Albemarle since I first read about her around 1968. Its 2024 and I have not acted on this yet but have gathered quite a few pictures and references. Mostly what is holding me back now is finding an accurate set of building plans. I have one set of building plans from Ebay. Even though I know how to do "developments" of plans, i.e. laying out the casemate in 2-D (from my engineering drawing classes) something seems to be wrong with the plans I have since I can't get the plates to fit up correctly. I was wondering if I could purchase your plans? That would save me a lot of time and frustration. Thank you Ray

"Vigo" Looking for getting your plans for the CSS Albemarle. I know you check in periodically. lol

Hi Ram Man
Due to the haphazard nature of my builds (I do all the design stuff on one pc then transfer it all piecemeal to another PC using numerous USB sticks) I can't find the individual drawings I used. I found the jpeg as shown above but I doubt that will be of much use to you.
Sorry to be the bearer of such disappointment