RN-SRN4+

[PR19_Kit]

It wasn't too bad in the main cabins Dave, the engines, four Proteus, were well buried in the walls between the cars decks and the side cabins and were pretty well soundproofed. The engine noise was about the same as being in the passenger cabin of a Viscount.

That's more than can be said of other noise though as the crash and bang of the craft bouncing off waves could be quite loud, and very low frequency too, so you felt it rather than heard it. 

Where I worked, right aft and next to an APU (about 1 foot away!  ) the noise level was horrendous, and it was just to the rear of the port aft Proteous so good ear defenders were mandatory!

[PR19_Kit]

I found all the pics that I took at Lee-on-Solent 

Here's the ones of the cabin, and I got the crew positions wrong I think. The guy at the rear seems to have been more a Navigator than an Engineer as I have one shot of his console that shows two massive CRTs, rather than engine gauges. Anyway, here's a mass of pics for you, and remember these are all of a Mk III.



Overall view of the two front seats and panels etc.




Captain's seat and panel.




1st Officer's seat and panel.




Nav/Engineer's position looking aft, taken from the door on the port side. The seat in the foreground is slid back over the floor entry hatch in this pic.




The Nav/Engineer's main panel, the engine stuff was on his right and I don't have a pic of that I'm afraid.

I've got LOADS of other pics of the outside of this Mk III if they'd be of any use.

[Scotaidh]

Wow!  Thanks, Kit!  Really shows just how close the quarters were - verging on submarine, that is!    Although, I remember the RN's T-class as having a rather spacious control room ... and carpeting.   

Um, I was going to kinda just leave the control cabin as Airfix did it - with the added armor reducing the window space somewhat it'll be tough to actually see anything in there, 'specially as it'll all be black.    I do wish they'd have given me some crew figures to put in there

I've got other stuff to decide and/or implement, such as chaff launchers, and ducting for the props.  I might have to give the ducting for fans a miss - it's harder than you might think to obtain the correct shape.  Also, when cutting tubing, I need a band saw with a V-block - and I don't.   

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, it was pretty 'adjacent' in there.   

As I've only got full pics of the Mk III, and you're doing a Mk 1.5 I think leaving it as it is would be the best solution.

[zenrat]

There's acres of space up there on the roof.  Why cram the crew into such a tiny area?

[PR19_Kit]

Most of the roof of the SRN4s was non-load bearing, and you were only allowed to walk on the marked walkways. Plus a lot of the roof was the upper side of the ducts from the main engine fans, and the housings for the prop drives.

I expect on the Mk IIIs they could have devoted a bit more space for the crews but it was an 'as cheap as possible' upgrade, so much so that the middle bits came from the retired Hoverlloyd Mk 1s, and a new control cabin was outside the budget.

[jcf]

All naval vessels must be able to operate in the face of the enemy.  This normally takes the form of both offensive and defensive measures.  Offensive usually means weapons;defense usually involves such things as chaff, ECM, and armor. 

Not being much acquainted with the Royal Navy I had some research to do, and some things to buy in consequence.  From Shapeways I obtained four of the 25mm MK38 MOD 2 guns I'm told the RN uses; once they arrived (today) I was able to dodge up some hard-points for them.  That would be the red and black things on the upper deck.  You can see one of the guns beside the craft - elegant wee things they are.  I don't know the purpose of the oblong boxes on the roof - I'd guess air conditioners, but I really don't know.  I'd kinda planned to use them for the gun mounts - as you can see, I drilled out the near forward one - but they're too narrow - the gun base is as wide as the box, so I put the boxes in place.  The drilled one will be filled once the glue dries.

Unfortunately where you placed the fwd guns is one of the weakest parts of the roof structure. 
There's only three roof frames in the area, fairly widely spaced, and no longitudinal beams.
The corrugated middle section is probably the only place thsat would be strong enough.

[Scotaidh]

<snip>
Unfortunately where you placed the fwd guns is one of the weakest parts of the roof structure. 
There's only three roof frames in the area, fairly widely spaced, and no longitudinal beams.
The corrugated middle section is probably the only place thsat would be strong enough.

Well, I did think about sacrificing the fwd passenger lounges, but I wasn't up to that level of surgery, so I'm going with a reinforced roof, much as I've had to go with a reinforced vehicle deck.  I did think of just plating over all the windows, but I haven't upgraded the engines that much, so I tried to keep it within the bounds of reason ... sort-of. 

[Scotaidh]

This model is showing its age - the roof almost meets the bulkheads!  Of course, Airfix seemed to go through a phase of "Fit is what happens to other company's models."   The bit in the red circle is my scratched up Corvus Chaff launcher, before paint.



I guess this is when I put up or shut up - usually when folks moan about bad fit and old molds I get all "Time to show us you're really a modeler, then!"  Now that shoe is firmly on my foot - and I do not like it, sir!  I do not like it!  [Sorry - bit of Dad's Army there ...  ]



In the fore-ground are the shrouds for the props.  There's a lot of PSR there, as well as bracing to work out, but it shouldn't take too long, I hope. <knock on wood>  I did up some clear plastic discs for the props - with the skirts fully inflated meaning the engines are running, so the props must be turning, even if at neutral pitch.

[zenrat]

 

[PR19_Kit]

I like the prop shrouds. 

What did you use to make them?

As for the roof fit, or lack of it, I quote the garage manager's reply, 'They all do that sir'.................... 

[Scotaidh]

I like the prop shrouds. 

What did you use to make them?

As for the roof fit, or lack of it, I quote the garage manager's reply, 'They all do that sir'.................... 

Plastic wine flutes from a party supply store - 20 flutes for $10.  They're actually double thickness - I stacked two, and cut off the lower one even with the top one.  I used a marker on a block to mark the height, used some tape at the rim to hold them both together, and then used a rotary-tool to cut them both off.  This kept the lip - important for the shroud's profile.  Rinse and repeat 3 times. 

Wrap & glue a thin strip of sheet plastic around just behind the lip, and then putty, putty, putty.  I mostly use aggressive (rough) emery boards from a woman's beauty supply shop, but I have several grades of miles as well, from machine-shop quality mill files down to Swiss files. 

I'm using Squadron putty, because it does have an advantage over Aves - in this application, where I have to file very thing parts.  Squadron is very easy to file; doesn't set up as hard as Aves does.  'Course - it needs more filing.  :/

[PR19_Kit]

VERY ingenious, and impressive too. 

[buzzbomb]

The effort will be worthwhile. 

[zenrat]

The effort will be worthwhile. 

It will be.  And it's a better (and lighter) solution than the one i used to make fan ducts on a tilt fan - plumbing wastewater connectors.