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1/700 Confederate Raiders CSS Alabama, CSS Florida

The Universal Hull project may have gotten out of hand. :bm:
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As a 1/350 scale 75-foot Patrol Boat, she will have a PTF-ish looking deckhouse and a plethora of deck mounted guns, from 40mm on down. I made the cabin roof and installed fresh air intake trunking and grids for the twin 3208 Caterpillar diesels.
I looked for 1/350 105 recoilless rifles. No joy. Same results on an Oldsmobile M4 37mm cannon. An aging quadruple 1.1 gun mount will be molded and cast. "I don't want to get killed for a lack of shooting back." (Unforgiven quote)

Plenty of various bits and cannons for a 1/700 150' Sailing ships should make for an interesting, fun, if less than historical build.
 
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In other 1/700 Sailboat news.......................
The 1989 CT-56 I was working on got her life raft canisters and final skylights and is in a little black molding cup as we speak. the YouTube channel "Sailing Doodles" inspired the Master. Overall hull dimensions, masts and rigging are the same as the "Nauti Dogs", but the similarities stop there. Captain Bobby and I parted ways when the majestic CT was damaged in a storm and he bought a Hatteras 56 power cruiser. "The Dark Side". The scenery is still nice, but the romance of plying the blue Caribbean waters under sail is gone.
Clearly, I cannot fathom the power of The Dark Side.

Thanks for looking in!!
 
CSS Alabama and CSS Florida are still in the forefront of my efforts.
Inspiration comes sometimes on Amazon Music random play from a "Likes Playlist"
 
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Some of these ship parts are for CSS Florida and Alabama. Some go with the Universal Hull kit. It sure does take a lot of time to knock these little parts together. I haven't done much besides dream up new stuff and spend WAY too much time dinking around with it.
Thanks for looking in!
 
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The idea here was to make 2 dory fishing boats for Bluenose. I chopped the sterns off a couple of RN cutters and fixed new rudders. These more closely resemble a fantail launch than a 1920's fishing Dories. I hope my sense of accuracy doesn't force me to make a pair actual 1/700 Dories. I wonder sometimes what the Hell is wrong with me. Well, it IS Bluenose. She deserves the best.
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I took the plunge and attached CSS Florida's wood deck tonight. The plan is to make the main hull and raked smokestacks 1 casting. That way anyone that buys the kit doesn't have to figure out the proper rake for the speedy-looking Raider's stacks.
I'm giving myself fits with CSS Alabama. The gun carriages are a shade too long and my main salon deckhouse isn't looking like I wanted it too. See here the Alabama Master with the unmolded bridge (Not at the proper height) and the smokestack in place. A new deckhouse is started. I may try to reuse the PEE skylights. :bang head

If TLAR produced hundreds of $$ in sales I could almost understand my own "Just-so-ness" with the Masters.
It doesn't. Perhaps I had too much blood in my alcohol stream tonight. Any bench time is better than NO bench time!
Don Quixote, step in here anytime. :facepalm:

Thanks for looking in!
 
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CSS Alabama got her bowsprit. So did CSS Florida. Florida's smoke stacks are looking suitably raked, as her masts will also be. CSS Florida just looks fast. Like a sea-going Confederate sports car. Swift and deadly. a Size comparison between 1/700 Confederate Raiders and USS Constitution. I like to think both Raiders would escape before USS Constitution could pound the dog-snot out of them with her big guns. USS Kearsarge's Captain John Winslow might disagree.

Thanks for looking in!:oldguy::skipper::salute:
 
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Being nearly sure of placement of CSS Florida's stacks, I tried 2 different configurations. I like the look of the beefier resin parts, but their diameter makes them look too close together. The taller brass tube stacks get the nod, after adding the cinder deflector trunking. Steam vent pipes come next, then all the other deck details referenced from the smokestacks and stern rail.
Thanks for looking in!
 
I'm using Kenny's glue to fix the boiler steam vent pipes to the stacks. It works well with the "Apply, wait. Wipe off excess with a damp paintbrush" instructions. :victory:
Since no TLAR part is ever wasted, I will mold and cast the cool resin smokestacks as separate parts. Who can say what crazed project these may work well for?
 
Rhino said:
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CSS Alabama got her bowsprit. So did CSS Florida. Florida's smoke stacks are looking suitably raked, as her masts will also be. CSS Florida just looks fast. Like a sea-going Confederate sports car. Swift and deadly. a Size comparison between 1/700 Confederate Raiders and USS Constitution. I like to think both Raiders would escape before USS Constitution could pound the dog-snot out of them with her big guns. USS Kearsarge's Captain John Winslow might disagree.

Thanks for looking in!:oldguy::skipper::salute:
Click to expand...
Back in the mid 80's I worked as a deckhand at the Memphis Queen Lines. My boss, Capt. Jake Meanely had one of the Kearsarge's lifeboats. It had been converted to steam power at some point. It was advertised as the oldest operating steam boat on the lower Mississippi river. I suppose technically it was. We took it out into the Wolf River harbor a few times, along with Capt Jake, and his Dirty Harry .44
 
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