Scratchbuilding a 'Nam era, Program IV, Armored Troop Carrier, "Tango" boat

Finally got some help; hired on a Mini Me to work on things while I'm out. Here's Mini Me dry-fitting the bar armor while I was working on the running gear.

Running gear in progress.

I know, the hull bottom surface sucks. Yeah, not my best work.

Thanks, but I already thunk of that. Unfortunately it will only apply the the peripherals, since my next boat, if I do it, will be based on the LCM 6 Mod 1 hull, and will be a Program 5 boat. Though they appear very similar, there are lots of major structural differences. But the 24 life rings will come in very handy. 

This stuff is getting weird .  .  . I'm using parts of my brain I haven't play with in quite a while.

While waiting for paint to dry, I've completed the cox'n flat awning and started the control console. I still haven't found a large enough steering wheel yet so I'm working on the engine control levers.

I have a suggestion for you. As you are doing a lot of scratchbuilding and moving into the detail level, consider making lots of extra parts as you go. In other words, if you need 8 life rings, make 24. 

Since you are interested in the subject, those may come in handy for your next model.

One of the fun / scary things about scratchbuilding is the doing thing completely on your own. no drawings, no precut pieces, etc. (especially when you haven't done this stuff in years!) So, this mornings project was to install the rudder stocks, or actually, the wood block I set rudder stock stuffing tubes into. I'd measured, and then measured, and then marked, and then dry fit as best I could, then measured .  .  . well, you get my drift. So, today I had to drill through the top of the prop tunnel and set everything in place. Holy Crap, it worked; just like it was planned. What's that old line; "I love it when a plan comes together!" Okay, on to the next crisis.

As Elvis would put it, "Thank You, Thank you very much." 

Actually, I am now debating on making the bow ramp operable. I already put in the hinge, but I'm figuring if it's worth the effort to install the lift cable, sheaves, et al. It would mean I have to disassemble or "dig into" a few things. Decisions, decisions .  .  .

Hey:

 Now that is looking Shipshape and Bristol fashioned!

The boat is progressing fairly well so, the crew and supplies are starting to arrive to get this puppy going .  .  . For those with Navy service, you know how things go; yard periods, don't you love them!!!

Sounds right. I really lucked out on the scale as the armored gun shields scale down to almost exactly 4.5", the size of 4" ID plastic pipe. Also, for the plastic, anti-hand grenade covers, I found a particular brand of salsa has the perfect fitting lid. The question is whether that type of plastic will hold paint.

These mounts are rather unique as the circular shield is actually supported by the mount's pedestal, rather than a ring mount as in the PBR and PCF boats. Frankly, if I were designing this beast, I'd have put in two twin .50 ring mounts and a M134 minigun in place of the 20mm; just for the entertainment!

Another thing that I found was that a drywall router / roto-zip bit, chucked into a drill press can become a great wood mill; hence the slots.

Fine skills, very impressive. 

As for the gun tubs, I think you answered your own question.

Make them removable so that you can decide on your level of detail as you choose later.

Got more work done on the prop tunnels and the stern tubes, struts, shafts and props installed. There is progress topside too with the deck house and gunnel walls coming along nicely.

As many of you already know, building models, especially large ones, is not a project but a series of projects culminating in a single finished product. At this point the Tango hull is at 85%, and the superstructure / deckhouse is at 60%. I'm working on the shafting and running gear right now as well as prep work for the bow ramp install. I've decided that though the ramp will be open-able, I'm not installing an operating system. Retro-fitting one later is still a available option. 

At the start of this I was, and frankly still am, debating on the level of detail I would put into this. On one hand I want it to look good and authentic, but since it is to be R/C'ed, I don't want it to be too fragile. This decision factor is coming into play with the gun mounts. They are a rather unique build in themselves. I could construct them fairly realistically or just have the guns stickiing out of the armor tubes .  .  . decisions, decisions, decisions. No definite plan yet.

Hi;

        The single strut was more common than thought.

Thank you for the comments, I wasn't sure anyone was following .  .  .

Now, in actuality, though the upper works are progressing, I've been having some issues with the prop tunnels. as an afterthought I should have build them separately and then installed them as an assembly. If anyone would make this as a kit, I would recommend that the prop tunnels be molded / vacuformed plastic pieces that would be inserted, glued, and then glassed in.

Also, I'm going with a single strut rather than the 'V' strut. It's not "to spec", but the single strut was 'available'.

Yup!

           "Just what I thought. A waterborne Tank! I swear fellas that's what I saw!" Great progress!

Received a bit of assistance from friends, so here is the latest;

Gary,

As for the bar armor, or as it was actually called, "trigger shield", I am doing them section by section. I'm using wood for the whole thing. 1/8th square stock for the verticals, and 3/32nds round stock for the rebar. Assembled and painted, it looks pretty good. Unfortunately, they are labor intensive, and I've got lots of them to make.

TB - I'm sending you a private message and there's also the address of my website in my signature - where you can find out more under "contact" - so until next time! Have a nice day

Paweł

Pawel;

 Hi Guy. Listen There's a lot we can discuss. How do I get in touch with you in a specific Thread or Site?

Aha!!

    Boy do I know those locations " G ". That seal was as wide as the last Thunderboat I saw in Martinez. Oh, as well as the one in Rio Vista! The one in the last location was stumbled upon as I got lost getting out of Station Rio Vista after visiting some " Coastie " Friends.

      Had to check measurements on some items on a 95' cutter for a presentation model. They were doing Swimmer insertions into the Sacramento river that day. Closest I ever got to a C.G. Dauphin Helo!

Will keep an eye on this thread, as I want to do something similar.  I'm going to attempt to build a 1/48th waterline version of the CCB my brother served on in Vietnam with RAD 112.  It should be just over 15" long, so not as difficult to find a place to display it as yours.

Interested in how you plan to do the stand-off rebar armor.

Gary

Like I said, They won't make it if we don't tell them we want it!

Amen,Amen, I say to thee: Send me a 6 by any mfgr. Pleeeeze

Well guys, with all the stories out there, there appears to be a 'need' for these models. I suggest that we each either call, write, or at least email the wonderful folks at Dumas Products, (909 East 17th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719) and let them know about this 'need'. It may help; I mean, all things considered, a six boat hull can't be all that hard to engineer into a model. Twenty frames, looks like a shoebox with a big ramp at one end. The hardest part would probably be the prop tunnel, and I would suggest that that part be a molded plastic insert. The tunnels are damn near identical and could easily be made so.

I would suggest an LCM 6 Mod 1, as that model was used for nearly e v e r y t h i n g !!!

Just my humble opinion. 

This is enjoyable to read.

I have a small story. Tanks will know the locales. 

In the late eighties I was designing (on a team) a State office building in the Civic Center in San Francisco. The design included an eighteen foot diameter State Seal over the main entrance. 

We had the thing made up in Petaluma in a barn owned by a guy who did a lot of large scale models in the early days of Industrial Light and Magic. Star Wars stuff all over the place. For a number of reasons it had to be made in one piece.

When it was finished, a side of the barn was removed, the seal was loaded on a flatbed at about a 45 deg list to one side, and driven on backroads down to the Petaluma River docks.

There the rig was backed onto an LCM. Now, that boat's purpose in life was to dredge oysters in the Bay to be used for feeding the cluckers up there in the "chicken capital of the world".It had a sort of backhoe mounted amidships just forward of the wheelhouse.

To describe it as a smelly mess would be an understatement.

Four hour trip down the Bay to a pier in Mission Creek, where there's now a big ballpark.

Early the next morning the trailer was hauled up Third Street to Market Street. There the Muni Railroad dropped the trolley wires to allow the seal to cross. Up Third from there to Van Ness, and installed on the building.

Somewhere I've got photos.

Bill

Hmmmm;

         I would like to see both. I found out, if, I could've obtained an 8 boat, that the hull to cargo well distance was such I could put the LORI boxes and brushes inside the hull. Instead of mounting them over the side like on my 6s.

   There are so many uses these poor boats were put too. They certainly, like the WW-2 Fletcher and late war Gearings filled a need. Plus, time proved they were actually " Overbuilt"

   I found one down here in TEXAS that has had nominal but regular care and maintenance. She is still performing as designed with her ORIGINAL engines! I guess the adage "Keep it Simple, Stupid" worked there .

     There is a need for a larger L.C.V.P. too. Just think ! One converted to a dive boat!

Good idea, done .  .  .  though I'm still trying to get our friends in Tucson (Dumas) to produce an LCM 6 kit in 1/2 " or 3/4" scale. My goal is to give fellow modellers a base hull from which to build the several Vietnam era riverine crafts, in addition to the various workboats, dive boats, and other alterations, besides building them as working landing craft. I'm fairly sure it will be a long time coming, but hey, I got to try.

So, just to keep all up to date .  .  .

TB - I'm lookin' forward to news from you, but please post them in my thread or in your thread, so as not to clutter up this one - it's far too nice for that!

By the way - Brian - don't you think it would be better to change the name of this thread to something like "Scratchbuilding a Vietnam Tango Boat"? You can do that by editing your first, original post - change to it's title changes the title of the whole thread.

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

Hi;

      There was an instance our stability was tested big time. Picture this. Stormy night with eight footers running in the bay. Wind at 28 knots . Lost engines. By the time we got started again we had heeled to the point the lower deck aft( next to the rise for the engine hatch) was trying to go under. 

       I thought, with our Wheelhouse and Spreader rig for the oil gear we were gonna go over. Everything on the Port side of the House wound up on the starboard side. Well deck Gear too. Suddenly she just popped upright like she had a sailboat keel under her! We all checked out clothing after that!!

Pawel;

    You and I have had discussions that have gone along nicely like this. What is it that allows us to do this? Must be we are just interested in the subject, and not Argumentative about it?

     Now that said, Here's one for you. Somewhere in the forums I have posted about two new paper(Card) models I am getting. I will keep you posted. T.B.        P.S. I like the Euro Name ( Card) for the models. " Paper" makes them sound childish to vendors here.