The Fight of the Hatteras and Alabama

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Frock coat of Lt. Low of CSS Alabama, Texas Civil War Museum, Fort Worth. July 2014.
 
If you're into the shipbuilding history of the Alabama, check out "CSS Alabama Builder, Captain and Plans" by Charles Grayson Summersell, University of Alabama Press, 1985. I have the 1rst edition of it. Great book. The images attached are of the Revelle 1/96th scale model of the Alabama I built back in 1997. I spent 9 weeks putting this together and rigging it, the sails are rolled muslin. The kit is almost impossible to find now and it commands a high price if you can find oneP8070007.JPG P8070008.JPG P8070009.JPG P8070005.JPG
 
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If you're into the shipbuilding history of the Alabama, check out "CSS Alabama Builder, Captain and Plans" by Charles Grayson Summersell, University of Alabama Press, 1985. I have the 1rst edition of it. Great book. The images attached are of the Revelle 1/96th scale model of the Alabama I built back in 1997. I spent 9 weeks putting this together and rigging it, the sails are rolled muslin. The kit is almost impossible to find now and it commands a high price if you can find one.
That's a good-looking model. Another reference I'd recommend is Andrew Bowcock's CSS Alabama: Anatomy of a Confederate Raider. It's crammed with both reproductions of original drawings and reconstructed drawings. Bowcock was a retired marine architect with Camel-Laird at Birkenhead, where the ship was built, and had access to all the surviving original documentation in the company's hands. He includes a discussion, as well, as to which of the three surviving models of the ship from the 1860s is likely the most accurate depiction of her.
 
If you're into the shipbuilding history of the Alabama, check out "CSS Alabama Builder, Captain and Plans" by Charles Grayson Summersell, University of Alabama Press, 1985. I have the 1rst edition of it. Great book.
I ordered this today. If you have suggestions on how explain getting yet another Alabama book, please let me know by Monday.
 
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It's a desperate move Andy but you might try a version of the insanity defense and make up some "new" mental disorder: "honey, look, I can't help it if I've got Alabama syndrome - and look at it in perspective; we're not out of house and home and I could be a meth addict." Best I've got to offer. Or you could just find better hiding places.
 
Andy, thanks for the compliment about my Revelle kit. It is actually a clone of the Kearsarge model kit which Revelle marketed back then as well. There are some different parts that were used and the kit is not 100% accurate but it still looks nice. The Summersell book has three fold out sets of plans in the back flap. I think you'll like those....I do have a copy of Semme's memoirs and a centennial 1962 edition of Philip Van Doren Stern's book "The Confederate Navy A Pictorial History" Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden City NY 1962. I'm sure you already have that one however.
 
Andy, thanks for the compliment about my Revelle kit. It is actually a clone of the Kearsarge model kit which Revelle marketed back then as well.
I agree with Andy, great job on the Alabama model !
When I see such a fantastic model, I'm inspired to finish my second attempt at the modelexpo HMS Sultana schooner. :smoke:

I'm pretty good with everything except the rigging.
Even on a simple RN schooner, attempting the rat lines on such a small scale makes me want to scream ! :banghead:
 
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IIRC, I spent more time rigging the entire ship inclusive of the cannons, davits to lifeboats, rolling the muslin and wrapping them up, all the chain work and the anchors all the while using the different types of thread included with the kit, as opposed to putting the model together and painting it correctly. The kit came with those cheap fakey looking vacuu-formed plastic full size white sails that I opted not to use; instead used some thin muslin scraps from the liner I removed from an old worn out re-enactor frock coat that I had at the time. Yeah it's one finished product best kept away from cats and small children. I get nervous myself picking it up and moving it when it's time to dust it off.
 
If you're into the shipbuilding history of the Alabama, check out CSS Alabama Builder, Captain and Plans by Charles Grayson Summersell, University of Alabama Press, 1985.

This book arrived today, Monday. It's a useful reference, and includes fold-out plans in a pocket in the back. My copy came with three:
  • A 1/8 inch scale sail plan and table of spars
  • A 1/4 inch upper deck plan and inboard profile
  • A 1/4 inch longitudinal section and below-decks plan, that appears to be traced from the original at Laird & Son, Birkenhead.
The included drawings are clean and sharp, and would look great framed individually, were it not for the sharp creases in them. However, I do not find a set of lines for the ship, either in the foldout drawings or in the bound volume. I'm not sure if there was a fourth drawing originally that included that.
 
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