Building The Crockett, First Impressions Options

[Iran Ausley]

After visiting Rogers website many time in the past, I acquired the Dumas Crockett. I would like to share some of my observations. In my particular kit the wood quality was quite poor. The plywood was separating in the sheets that had the hull formers. It was very nice of Dumas to replace the several of the die cut plywood sheets although the new sheets were not too much better than the originals. The instructions are very scant. I am not sure of the date of my kit. It is very possible that this kit is an early one and perhaps Dumas improved the quality somewhat. It's nice that Roger was able to sift through them and come up with an improved building plan.

I built up the hull and found it very difficult to follow the instructions that Dumas provided. I put planks 1, 2, 3, and 4 on in the opposite order. As it turned out, it made planking much easier for me. However, the planks meeting at an imaginary line past the keel was very deceptive. I decided to add a piece of balse along the stem of the keel and shape the balse into a crude shape of the cutwater of the bow. This gave me a visual reference as to how to run the planks at the bow. The sheer knuclke came out quite nice and I think it will look good once painted. The hull has been glassed and yes it took a bit of elbow grease to smooth things out. I also used two coats of resin.

The deck turned out to be a little larger than the outside dimensions of the completed hull. A little trimming was necessary to get the deck to conform to the shape of the hull. Perhaps due to the two sheers not spaced properly when attached to the frames.

Happily, I am past what I hope is the difficult part and am looking forward to the rest of the build.

My first question for Roger and the group. When assembling the rear hatch where the Bofors mounts, is the frame section under the hatch discarded or is it used to maintain a camber in the hatch itself.

Looking forward to some discussions on this build,

Thanks

Iran Ausley

[rktman56]

Iran,

Do not get too tied up in trying for an "exact" scale in your running hardware. I would tend to bet that your measurements are NOT off. I will have to dig out my plans (I have the same ones) but I remember I ran into a problem with the rudder placement also. But with my model I could not move the rudders because when I changed my runnung gear from the Dumas props, I had already mounted my rudder posts. Changing the size of the rudders to a "smaller" size can reduce their ability to turn the model. But off setting the rudders, you may improve this ability... and still allow you to run the smaller rudders. IF you use eparate controllable props (a speed control for each prop), using smaller rudders will not be a factor at all!

Using the 3/16" shafts will allow you to use Dumas oilite bearings for your A Struts. Make sure you tighten the new porps up tight (after you paint the hull, and use locktight!)

Don't worry about your "exact scale". Build what you are happy with. Unless someone gets out a ruler and measures, no one will ever know. And IF anyone does say that the running hardware is wrong, just tell them you modeled your USS Crockett after it into dry dock for modifications to it’s screws and rudders!