Hi lads
I'm restoring/finishing a large scale model of HMS LION, the WW1 battlecruiser and I'm stumped on some details. I've asked on a few fora and, to be frank, no-one knows much about her. So I'm trying here now and casting the old net further and amoung sailors who used to sail the blxxdy things. Well the grandsons thereof...
Can I ask my questions here and see what comes of it? Thanks.
First off (and in no particular order) on top of the hawse pipes are some gratings of capital ships, the LION plan shows solid plate that looks set down from the rim... yet all (2) of the images I've found showing these plates on a capitl ship show them laid on top of the pipe.
Here's LIONs plan:
and heres wher I'm up to on the model. I'd built it years ago and put solid plates just a touch inside the pipe. I then aquired some nice brass fittings for these plates (2 are sat atop 2 of the pipes). I need to know if these new gratings are used along with the solid plate further down or instead of?
Here's the 2 images that show these gratings is use:
What is the policy regarding these plates? Where are they stored when not fitted to the pipe? Are they fitted 24/7/365? Does the LION plan show them as solid plates or is there a solid plate in some hawse pipes and the grating goes on top of the rim?
Anyone help?
Does anyone know what a 'searchlight control position' was like on these ships? What it entailed?
Likewise, Main derrick boat hoist controls. I have a brief image of them but I could do with more info, really.
Another thing is the twin 24" searchlight fitting used in early WW1 RN ships, has anyone got a clear view of one of them?
Around 'X' turret barbette was a 6½" towing hawser that was 'clenched to the fore side of 'X' turret. Anyone got any info on how that looked?
Here's 2 images of the top/aft of her aft superstructure: The first is from off the bow looking aft:
The 2nd is from the rear looking forward at the same area of the same side (port):
I could do with identifying the 'unknown mounting' and what are the bases by the question marks? Are they saluting gun mounts?
And that brings me to what is the tower in the background? A torpedo control tower with rangefinder? does that structure have a roof?
Or what is the white column I've marked as a '4" sighting hood'? The 4" sighting hoods where in this area, they were little steel domes with a slit in them that just poked through the cortiscene deck there. But they could have altered with updates to equipment.
Lastly, I could do with speaking to a signaller who could design a rig for a set of flags at Jutland. Say, give me a hoist with a meaningful message with maybe advice about the battle-ensigns. I do have a colour painting of her at Jutland but have no idea about what the flags are saying:
As you can see, I'm a confirmed landlubber who has no idea about the finer points of the navy, I've read a lot but I haven't found the answers to these queries yet... but I know an awful lot more than I did in 93 when I started her, (I didn't finish her and got tired of it and I'm just starting to finish it now... but to a better standard)
So I'll leave it there as I've asked an awful lot, but I don't know wheer else to approach except the national museums and I'm not sure of their policy. Thanks for any help
Paul
p.s does anyone know anything about the 'fighting lamps' on these ships? I know they were dim blue and I think I've identified them on this image:
Are they are 3 lights across the top of that short wall? They look over the top of 'X' turret and face the rear. Would different ships in this class have a slightly different arrangment of lights to identify during night?
I'm restoring/finishing a large scale model of HMS LION, the WW1 battlecruiser and I'm stumped on some details. I've asked on a few fora and, to be frank, no-one knows much about her. So I'm trying here now and casting the old net further and amoung sailors who used to sail the blxxdy things. Well the grandsons thereof...
Can I ask my questions here and see what comes of it? Thanks.
First off (and in no particular order) on top of the hawse pipes are some gratings of capital ships, the LION plan shows solid plate that looks set down from the rim... yet all (2) of the images I've found showing these plates on a capitl ship show them laid on top of the pipe.
Here's LIONs plan:

and heres wher I'm up to on the model. I'd built it years ago and put solid plates just a touch inside the pipe. I then aquired some nice brass fittings for these plates (2 are sat atop 2 of the pipes). I need to know if these new gratings are used along with the solid plate further down or instead of?

Here's the 2 images that show these gratings is use:


What is the policy regarding these plates? Where are they stored when not fitted to the pipe? Are they fitted 24/7/365? Does the LION plan show them as solid plates or is there a solid plate in some hawse pipes and the grating goes on top of the rim?
Anyone help?
Does anyone know what a 'searchlight control position' was like on these ships? What it entailed?
Likewise, Main derrick boat hoist controls. I have a brief image of them but I could do with more info, really.
Another thing is the twin 24" searchlight fitting used in early WW1 RN ships, has anyone got a clear view of one of them?
Around 'X' turret barbette was a 6½" towing hawser that was 'clenched to the fore side of 'X' turret. Anyone got any info on how that looked?
Here's 2 images of the top/aft of her aft superstructure: The first is from off the bow looking aft:

The 2nd is from the rear looking forward at the same area of the same side (port):

I could do with identifying the 'unknown mounting' and what are the bases by the question marks? Are they saluting gun mounts?
And that brings me to what is the tower in the background? A torpedo control tower with rangefinder? does that structure have a roof?
Or what is the white column I've marked as a '4" sighting hood'? The 4" sighting hoods where in this area, they were little steel domes with a slit in them that just poked through the cortiscene deck there. But they could have altered with updates to equipment.
Lastly, I could do with speaking to a signaller who could design a rig for a set of flags at Jutland. Say, give me a hoist with a meaningful message with maybe advice about the battle-ensigns. I do have a colour painting of her at Jutland but have no idea about what the flags are saying:

As you can see, I'm a confirmed landlubber who has no idea about the finer points of the navy, I've read a lot but I haven't found the answers to these queries yet... but I know an awful lot more than I did in 93 when I started her, (I didn't finish her and got tired of it and I'm just starting to finish it now... but to a better standard)
So I'll leave it there as I've asked an awful lot, but I don't know wheer else to approach except the national museums and I'm not sure of their policy. Thanks for any help
Paul
p.s does anyone know anything about the 'fighting lamps' on these ships? I know they were dim blue and I think I've identified them on this image:

Are they are 3 lights across the top of that short wall? They look over the top of 'X' turret and face the rear. Would different ships in this class have a slightly different arrangment of lights to identify during night?