Building a Revell 1/96 Kearsarge

I had sent the following message to Gene, but it seems appropriate here.  "Concerning the Alabama kit . . . You should check online for the deck plans because the Revell kit's deck arrangement is very wrong.  Scaledecks has done a wooden correction that is quite accurate. Perhaps you could give it a look.  No, I am not saying that you should purchase one given your skills at painting, just look at the photos. Also, Alabama's masts were stepped with a very pronounced rake that the kit doesn't duplicate.  Finally, there is a very nice set of corrected cannons by Cottage. You will need this set, which can be readily found on eBay, because the Revell kit simply uses the Kearsarge's parts."

To this I would add that the upper wales on the Alabama kit's hull halves need to be removed.  Also, the gun ports should be repositioned. Plug those weird cutouts in the stern.  These corrections would give you a much more accurate model. Any other hull revisions might be too major to undertake.

Bill

Have you seen this writeup that compares the Revell Kearsarge and Alabama kits? http://www.steelnavy.com/Alabama&Kearsarge.htm

Interesting reading. There's no date, but I think I remember first reading it back in the early 2000s. (Back when we hadn't seen a release of the Kearsarge on the market for over 30 years!)

The author points out that the Kearsarge kit is a mix of 1864 and post-1888 refit features, while the Alabama is a modification of the Kearsarge molds to try to make it look different, but has some serious dimension and shape errors... (The Alabama was 11 feet longer than Kearsarge, for starters.)

The conclusion is that the best way to get an accurate Kearsarge model is to start with an Alabama hull!

As I said, very interesting reading. Even if you're not looking to undertake such a big conversion project, you may get some ideas about simpler changes you could make to Kearsarge to make her look more like the the 1864 version.....

  Bill & Don, I will read it, & I have 2 books that I got on ebay & more on order at my library. I didn't have the Semmes book on order yet because I didn't have the ame of it. I am going to build all the Steam /sail civil war boats I can find. I have theHarriett Lane Lindberg boat & it is real nice & can be detailed a lot. 

  GM, Thanks for the advice, most of that I am doing. I use big wood dowell on smaller ships & subs. I have been doing your method on all my ships & even on the ones where I use the big fancy pedestals.. I usually put my points 4" apart on smaller ships & 6" on the Kearsarge. I don't go further than that as it is too hard to fit the wood inside if it gets any longer. Thanks, & did you have a health problem? I hope you are ok. 

   How is your Corvette? I stay on that Kearsarge & do nothing else. It is really a fun build.

Semmes wrote Memoirs of Service Afloat about his time as Captain of both the CSS Sumpter and CSS Alabama as well as his service as an Admiral commanding Confederate naval forces defending Richmond.  It is one of my most treasured books.  Also, John Kell wrote of his service as First Officer/ XO in the Sumpter and Alabama, and of his service commanding the ironclad CSS Richmond.  They both make interesting reading.

Bill

Hi Gene,

Another sail/ power build. You must be the original steampunk.

I too look forward to the build.

When a model has a keel, a single point mount in the centerline is asking for trouble. I would suggest that you use a dowel around 1” in diameter.

Or a short length of brass or copper pipe.

Make a kerf cut through the top equal in width to the keel and at least as deep.

Then you can run your bolt up through that and it’ll be much more solid.

Looking great!

Have you read the book about the battle, written by Capt. Semmes (spelling?), the Captain of the Alabama?  Interesting book.

Bill, A masterpiece because you gave it to me. I thank you as I work on it. It really has been my most fun model. I am thrilled that that wasn't you that was sick. I hope whoever it was is ok. I played footsie with the old reaper 26 years ago when I had 4 90% blocked arteries & had quit my bussiness moved to the mountains & was building our new house within 3 months of surgery. The doc did a great job & it is still ticking like crazy, with no blowouts.

  I got yourmessage & thank you. I have been looking at scaledecks deck. Iwill be happy to be looking at them both , because it means I am on my way to 88. Thanks again , Bill.

Steve, I have waited too long too many time & it makes it much harder to do. The best way is to glue the hull together, with lots of glue in that area. I do use a bead of super glue all along the hull joint. I shape the 1x2 in a vise & mark the center all around & have a line to work to.I plane each side to fit the hull. Take a little more off in the front & rear & check the fit. It need not be perfect, enough will touch the hull.Load it with ACC or epoxy. I bought the plane when I was 19 & it built a lot of houses.

  Now I mark the 2 screw points & drill a small pilot hole, with my wife helping me be straight. I use a small square for one way & she sights the other way. Then I use 2 or 3 more larger drills, progressivly larger & it won't split that way. 

  I use a #6 wood screw 2 1/2", but you will use a #8 3" long at least. You can screw it to a work base with shorter screws.

Gene,

Yet another masterpiece!  I sent you a PM with the corrections necessary for the Alabama, and I am looking forward to seeing the pair together!

Bill

gene ,

another masterpiece on the way ,it's good to see you are doing a WIP , on this build . and the explaination as to what you are doing .when you drill the holes in the bottom for the pedestal's , how do you go about it gene ? , the bottom up , top down ., as you've no doubt fathomed , I have never done it , and the glue join isn't that wide , how do you prevent it from splitting ?

steve5

 I wanted to add that for glueing anything like a painted deck I use Formula 560 white Canopy glue used by flying plane modelers. It drys super strong & can be washed off with a wet Q tip. I use it to glue cannons on the deck & all sorts of things like that.

  I also tested the deck before i glued it together to see that it would snap into a glued hull. It worked perfectly. Thats why I just glued the bottom of the hull together & then glued the deck in & glued the rest of the hull together. 

  It  really looks good now with most of the deck detailed. More pictures later.