Hi Si -
I've been a bit of a lurker lately - modeling mojo gone a little flat but it always returns . I have been following your builds for a bit now and want to compliment you on your workmanship and I , like many , am amazed at your prolific output.
Keep it up - fuel for inspiration.
Cheers - Richard

Si,
It'll be interesting seeing your plan come to fruition. The old ship was quite stout, eh? Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

Gaz

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Si,
It'll be interesting seeing your plan come to fruition. The old ship was quite stout, eh? Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

Gaz

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Hi Gaz,

So will I, it is a bit organic. Like almost all aftermarket sets, the order of the kit and the Pontos instructions bear no relationship to each other, and neither of them bear any relationship to the order I do things in.


The pre-dreadnoughts were sturdy beasts for there size, and with those big guns on such a small hull made them look tough. I like the elegance of the ram bow, even though they were totally impractical at the time of this fine vessel.

Cheers

Si

...Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

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...Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

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I wonder if the ram-like inverted bows of Mikasa and other ships this era were actually intended to serve as rams or were they predecessors of the later bulbous underwater bows intended to increase buoyancy and reduce water resistance?

Si,

that's another very cool subject you chose! And another one I'm really happy that I don't have to serve on board....
Very nice start, and of course I'm in and following! Looking forward to one more special build of yours, mate!

Cheers,
Jan

I've been wanting to build Borodino or one of the other Russian pre-dreadnoughts. Finding one in 200 scale would be awesome.

Gaz

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...Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

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I wonder if the ram-like inverted bows of Mikasa and other ships this era were actually intended to serve as rams or were they predecessors of the later bulbous underwater bows intended to increase buoyancy and reduce water resistance?

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Tim, I believe the ram like bows were still part of Admiralty belief that ramming was an acceptable tactic.

By WW2 ram bows had all but been abandoned, and only later on, as more hydro testing data became available, bulbous bows were incorporated

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...Quite a pronounced ram bow, too.

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I wonder if the ram-like inverted bows of Mikasa and other ships this era were actually intended to serve as rams or were they predecessors of the later bulbous underwater bows intended to increase buoyancy and reduce water resistance?

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Tim, I believe the ram like bows were still part of Admiralty belief that ramming was an acceptable tactic.

By WW2 ram bows had all but been abandoned, and only later on, as more hydro testing data became available, bulbous bows were incorporated

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Hi Russ & Tim,

The Ram came back into fashion in the early Ironclads, which had few if any, guns capable of penetrating their opponent's armour and they had an appalling rate of fire. Ramming was used with varying success at The Battles of Hampton Roads, Lissa & Iquque in the third quarter of the 19th centaury. It's effectiveness was proved by the accidental ramming of the HMS Victoria by HMS Camperdown in 1893.

The ram was going out of fashion around the time the Mikasa was built, so this could be the "inverted bow" which was the precursor of the bulbous bow. The idea was to maintain the waterline length (the power needed to push a ship the water at any given speed is a function of speed / square root of the length on the waterline,) whilst having less deck exposed to the muzzle flash of the more powerful guns.

From the shape of this, I reckon it was designed to be used as a ram if the opportunity presented itself, whilst serving as an inverted bow.

Cheers

Si

and now we have the Zumwalt class

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Si,

Those turned brass guns are a big improvement! And that's a cool idea with the half open/half closed secondary guns - gives observers a reward for looking at both sides of the finished model.

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They certainly are Tim, I would have hated to have to correct & re-drill all 14 kit barrels.

I did like the option have the ports open or closed, seemed a waste not to exercise both options, and as you say it adds some interest.

Thank-you for looking in and your kind comments.

Cheers

Si


Thanks

Very nice start Si.....Cheers Mark

Yes, those brass barrels really do make a difference. Looking sweet Si.

Mark

Nicely added, Si! Bigger scale require more bling!

Gaz

I have this kit, mainly out of nostalgia as is was built in my home town and Mikasa Street runs perpendicular to my childhood home.

I've never built up the courage to start this build but your build will give me an excellent point of reference.