CSS Virginia kit K1041 BlueJacket Model 1/16 '' = 1feet
Note a combo can be obtained Monitor and Virginia kit K1037
Second model in my series of the first ships that have changed the art of maritime warfare.
The CSS Virginia aka USN Merrimack
The model is a full basswood hull same as the monitor the prow and the stern will require a lot of work1
The instructions are really basic a drawing to scale and 2 pages of instructions
2 and 3
A first study of the hull and instructions make me realize that it will not be a construction that will be easy. Many details will have to be interpreted, also details are apparent on the plan but are not included in the kit.
Without counting that a quick search shows apparent construction details that are also not included in the instructions I will see the amount of modification I want to make.
Spring break Papi is therefore on guard of his grand daughter 2.5y old = no time for modeling
First thing I have to do is make templates for certain parts.
The instructions say to cut it in the instruction to make the templates.
If I cut them what happens with the instruction provided?
Supplying a separate sheet will have be a real +
So take tracing paper and draw my templates and transpose them on the wood provided and on the remaining plywood drop of other assembly.
1, 2 and 3
Not in the instructions but smart thing to do. From the plan I made 2 jig 1 for the stern and 1 for the bow to guide me in the shape of the hull
4 and 5
6 and 7
The sanding of the hull was a little challenge and brought me some little surprise
Draw the shape of the bow 1
And 2 defects in the wood their machine has grumbled too much on one side 2 and the wood has been damaged 3
The beaver worked well and the bow is finish 4 remains a light sanding to do
Same step and similar problem for stern 5
Also lack of wood to have a correct line 6
I now have a smooth shape 7
But I'm not completely satisfied with the next step so I will have to think about what's next
In the previous post I had shown a lack of wood at the stern.
When the keel and the mount where the propeller will be install the vacuum becomes obvious (1)
Photo (2) shows a shield to be put on the edge of the hull the instructions say of simulated with a strip of paper I made this with wood 4mm x 2 (3)
The hull must be painted his so no problem but it is not a steel hull so before putting the side shielding I sand the entire hull of an additional 0.5mm and made a plating with 5mm x 0.5 ( 4) and this resulted in me being able to easily fill the void shown in the photo (1)
The structure!
The kit should be made smooth without shielding just painted.
My little research shows that 3 types of armors could have been applied on the hull. No period documents are specific about this. Railroad rail, iron plate and iron bar.
Rail: The railroad was vital for communication I doubt very much that it has removed miles of rail to do the shielding.
Iron Plate: Find an article that states that it was impossible to deliver the necessary plates being impossible to route them by river.
Iron Bar: There is a note that 8 '' (208mm) iron bars have been routed by rail.
So I decided to take the iron bar theory which I think is the most plausible.
The scale of the kit is 1/16 '' at the feet or 1/192 so the bars should be + - 1.08mm
Instructions say to simulate some parts using paper 6-1 A and B
C It is 2 channels that must be done in the bridge to let past the rudder chains.
6-2-A
From my previous construction PE left over build the 3 chains support bar
6-3
Install the 3 bars A and B build the hinges of the rudder also from my falls of PE
6-4
Finish painted still small touch of paint to do
6-5 Place the strips on the chimney replace the paper with PE
6-6, 6-7 the 2 channels for the chains that will be placed when the painting will be finished
6-8 remains the painting
With the template make in step 1 trace the location of the guns
Photo 1 and 2
A friend in another forum point a potential problem with the drilling of the ports and he was right was in the obligation to repair 2 vertical battens on the first piercing, the others were well p3
P4 and P5 all porthole pierced and install the chimney and other details.
The bow is finished p6 just the chain anchor to install
As the waterline is above the rim use something that a friend showed me.
I use a compass to trace my line p7
In a nut it is + - finish painting made, a few details to do p8
CSS Virginia 1862
Length 83.8m
Width 15.6m
Draft 6.4m
4 boilers
Speed 5 to 6 knots
Crew 320
Armament 2 x 178mm Brooke Rifle
2 x 160mm Brooke Rifle
6 x 229mm Dahlgren
2 x 12 Mortar
The CSS Virginia has made history to be with the monitor the first 2 Ironclad to fight during the naval battle of Hampton Roads during the Civil War.
This model will be part of a trio and will be installed with the monitor and my next project the USS Cairo on 3 levels in this display
Great work on fixing the defects in the wood hull. Bluejacket makes nice kit but it is beyond my capability. Looks real good next to the Monitor.
I do wish they had included copper for the hull as the USS MERRIMACK had a copper hull and the copper plating would have still been there when used for the CSS Virginia.
Thanks for the terrific pictures and write-uo.
