1/192 Scale HMS Nelson 16"/45 (40.6 cm) Mark I Guns as seen when launched in 1927. These are highly detailed parts for anybody wishing to build HMS Nelson as launched. These are highly detailed replacement parts modelled from plans and many reference photographs and information. Barrels are printed seperately and can be angled as desired. This set corrects the errors and inaccuracies on all available HMS Nelson turret sets available. Many thanks to the Imperial War Mueseum for their vital photographic reference. See My Shop for other sets covering different scales and time periods.
Details include:- Accurate armour thickness and dimensions
- 40ft Rangefinder with Sighting Hatches open
- Hex Nuts, Rivets, Periscopes, Non-slip Turret Roof walkway, Stanchion Holders, Eye Hooks, Sighting Ports and Hatches
- Barrels are printed separately and can be angled as desired to a maximum of 40º
Historial Information
These weapons were originally intended to be used on the never-built "G3" battlecruisers. When those ships were canceled as a result of the
Washington Naval Limitation Treaty, the guns and turrets already on order were redesigned slightly and then used on the only two British battleships built in the 1920s, HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney. These were the last wire-wound guns built for the Royal Navy and the only ones to see service mounted in triple turrets. The unusual all-forward turret arrangement was adopted in order to save weight, as this meant a reduced citadel length. A similar approach was taken in the later French Dunkerque and Richelieu designs.
From
inadequate firing trials, a mistaken theory was promulgated by the Director of Naval Ordnance (DNO) that held that a high-velocity, low-weight projectile would have superior armor penetration characteristics at large oblique angles of impact, a conclusion which was the opposite of previous findings. This theory was not substantiated by later trials, but these took place too late to affect the decision to use a lightweight APC projectile for new designs. As a result, these guns proved to be only marginally better in terms of armor penetration than the previous
15"/42 (38.1 cm) Mark I and much less satisfactory than those older guns in terms of accuracy and barrel life.
Numerous problems with liner wear, interlocks and turret roller-bearings were found and corrected in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but it wasn't until 1934 that Nelson's guns were first fired in a long, sixteen rounds per gun, all-gun sequence. A number of breakdowns occurred during this test, resulting in an energetic effort to correct the deficiencies. By 1939 the majority of the problems found had been rectified. However, these mountings were never trouble-free during the careers of Nelson and Rodney and they cannot be considered to have been a successful design. Nevertheless, it should be noted that these guns on Rodney proved to be more reliable than did the new
14" (35.6 cm) guns on HMS King George V and HMS Prince of Wales during the two battles with the German battleship Bismarck.
Constructed of a tapered inner A tube with two rear locating shoulders, A tube, full length taper wound wire, B tube, overlapping jacket and breech ring, and a shrunk collar on the rear of the A tube. A breech bush was used to attach the Welin breech block which was operated by an Asbury hydraulic mechanism. Some 29 guns were made by Elswick, Vickers, Beardmore and the Royal Gun Factory.
Cleaning Information
Some part cleanup will be necessary. The 3D printing process uses a waxy substance to support certain part features during the printing process. Although the parts are cleaned by Shapeways, some waxy residue may remain. It can be safely removed with water and a mild aqueous detergent like "Simple Green" using an old, soft toothbrush, Q-tips or pipe cleaners. During the printing process, liquid resin is cured by ultraviolet light. Microscopic bits of resin may remain uncured.
Let your parts sit in direct sunlight for a few hours to fully cure the resin.
Water-based acrylic paints meant for plastics is strongly recommended.
Other paints, especially enamels, may not cure on Frosted Detail 3D-printed plastics.
Use dedicated model sprue cutters to remove parts to minimise the risk of damage to parts.
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Painting tips and preparation