Landing craft Tank and friends

They are excellent, but quite pricey, I am working on my own version.

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The LCG(L)4 or Landing Craft Gun(Large)4 was based on the LCT(4) hull. The tank deck was decked over and fitted out partly as magazines, partly as mess decks. The ramp was plated over, Splinter proof armour added round the magazines and guns and 2 ex-destroyer guns from W-class destroyers were mounted on deck. Experience with the LCG(L)3 indicated a need for more AA armament so 7 twin 20mm Oerlikons on hand operated mounts were fitted. A 9ft rangefinder was mounted on the bridge. The result was a powerful monitor type ship whose main limitation was the limited elevation of the old 4.7" guns. The main catalyst for restarting the LCG was a 3D printer, my Christmas present. I experimented quite successfully with printing 13.5" guns at 1/96 scale in a working barbette before trying the 4.7s


First 4.7 barrel

Two basic 4.7 guns, no detail yet but proof of concept

Same pair from rear

…and from side.
I was excited enough about these to build the deck and magazine box on the hull and position the guns…

Then I had to complete the Magazine armour just to see what it looks like

Looks like I have a viable model. The 4.7s were always my biggest problem
The printer is an Ender 3 Pro, filament printer and I am using FreeCad for design and Cura for slicing (preparing the design for printing. More to come another day

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That looks awesome!
Roughly how big is it? Im currently building a 52" Gato class submarine.

The LCT4 and LCG are both 31” by 6.5” beam. Because of the shallow draught they need to be light. The LCT5 is 19” long and about 7” beam and even lighter. Servo motors for power and AA batteries

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That must be around 1/72 scale, Gatos are big subs, and good looking too. I have a part built 1/48 K-class sub that is stupidly big. Need to do quite a bit of work on it, future project?

Yes it is 1/72, I have a build log here on the forums if your interested in reading through.

I would love to see that K-sub be finished! :grin:

Read your build log and am impressed

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Next stage is add the Oerlikon zaribas, funnel and scuttles. The zaribas and funnel are both 3D printed and reasonably happy with the result. The zaribas are three different patterns. Scuttles are brass tube let into holes in the plating. The LCG is promising to be the ugliest ship I have ever built

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Although the LCT had been fairly complete when I got her out of the loft, the bow ramp hinges were broken. A chance to try the 3D printer! The first design was in one piece, it warped badly due to the uneven heat distribution. Number 2 I printed in three pieces, that worked but the hinges were too weak.
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No 3 in three pieces with simplified stronger hinges worked fine.

A redesign enabled a one piece design that printed well. No 3 is currently fitted. The original model design had anticipated a working ramp so a simple mechanism was designed, printed and fitted. It worked well from the start.

The original speed controllers in the LCT were not very good and I had a idea to replace them with a arduino controlled unit, I used this to slow down the servo to provide realistic ramp lowering and raising. With the ramp sorted inspection of the hull and rectification of the minor problems and repainting the forecastle heads where the original stanchions had been removed. New stanchions in etched brass were bought, I needed about 70, from Deans Marine. I needed a fair bit of 0.5mm brass wire, that came from Simply Wires on eBay in a 500g reel. Stanchions and handrails were fitted using cyano to secure stanchions in pre-drilled 0.6mm holes, threading the wire and soldering in place.

The paintwork was a bit grimy after 15 years neglect but I decided I liked in that way and left it alone, however, new paint does look a bit too fresh. I am thinking of leaving it like that as paintwork on a ship of this type could be quite variable. Zaribas, anchor, cable reels were all printed, the bridge front was the wrong shape so a new one was printed along with gratings for the bridge deck and a flag locker. A binnacle, signal lights, tripod mast stays and blocks for halliards need to be made.



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Looks great!
The rust streaks look perfect!

Andrew, that LCT looks fantastic! I look forward to a video of her underway and dropping the ramp, etc. when she’s ready (hint, hint)! :smile:

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Really excellent work.

Cheers

Alan

Hi Tim, should be soon, been adding stanchions on the forecastle and quarterdeck, need a few minor fittings and the tripod legs for the mast. Just need to find a time to visit a pond now and see whether those little props and motors are man enough to push her along

Thanks Alan

Although I haven’t been on for a while I have still pushed on a bit. The LCT now has her tripod mast and all her stations and rails. Binnacle is made but not yet painted and the anchor davit base is done, but not fitted. Had a problem with spray can of satin varnish, it spattered varnish that had to be rubbed off. Crocodile trailers now painted and tanks re-painted in a darker green



Meanwhile, the LCG has her camouflage, along with corrections of the armour round the 20mm and the deck paint.

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Progress also on the 20mm. 5 out of 7 needed now assembled though not yet painted or fitted


A preview of the ship with guns in place and bottom painted

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Sailed the LCT today, behaved really well once the reversed steering was corrected. Sailed for an hour and a quarter, the boat handles well, and is slightly over-powered for scale speed, ideal really. The Arduino control worked perfectly.












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LCG moves on, Oerlikons fitted, bollards, fairleads, capstan, water tanks and hatch bases all fitted and painted. Now RU ammo lockers, 6 4.7 cartridge per gun, 6 4.7 shell per gun, 4 20mm per mount, that’s errr….takes socks off……52 lockers in three different designs!
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LCG moves on, Oerlikons fitted, bollards, fairleads, capstan, water tanks and hatch bases all fitted and painted. Now RU ammo lockers, 6 4.7 cartridge per gun, 6 4.7 shell per gun, 4 20mm per mount, that’s errr….takes socks off……52 lockers in three different designs!
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Sorry all, pics came out upside down and I have no idea how to change them, they were ok on the iPad

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I was never happy with the camo on the LCG, it was based on photos of LCG680 but apart from the photos I knew little about the ship. Found some more photos, either with lighter camo or better exposed that are revealing details I didn’t have before. They are LCG939, built Teesside Bridge and Engineering, Middlesbrough. She was attached to the 2nd Support Squadron, Flotilla 331 assigned to beach suppression, Juno Beach on D-Day. The colour now appears to be Light Blue and White, grey Bridge. The details of ventilators, Flotanet gratings, and structural reinforcement are clearer. So, I repainted, and pushed detail on some, there will be some errors when I have finished but they were built before I found better detail.
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Once again iPad photos have come out inverted and I can’t change them! Whyyyyy?

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