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HB 1/48 LCM-3 in D-Day Markings - Finished


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I'll be building a 1/48 LCM-3 as PA13-2 in D-Day markings. I also have Eduard's PE set.

lcm-start2.jpg

 

lcm-start0.jpg

 

lcm-start1.jpg

 

The decals enable alternate markings.

 

lcm-start4.jpg

 

I had originally planned on putting an M4 in it as shown on the box art, but I haven't found any evidence of that combination in Overlord. Looks like tanks waded in from LCTs or drove ashore from LSTs. I do have a picture of LCM PA13-22 and a Jeep, so I'll add Hasegawa's 1/48 Jeep if I have the time.

 

 

 

Edited by dnl42
PA13-22 was an LCVP
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Starting in on it. Given the nature of the subject, primary documentation is scant. First issue could be in the skegs and rudders. I noticed the leading edge of the kit part is flat and scales out to 4.3 inches wide. :OMG-OMG:

lcm-skeg.jpg

Here's the relevant detail from a picture of an LCM aboard a tank hauler heading for the Rhine.

s-FFAnb-W-skeg.jpg

This is more like what I expected. The partially balanced rudder is a flat plate welded to the rudder post. There are braces on either side that would protect the rudder during beaching operations. Also note the flat plate at the bottom of the skeg. Finally, I *think* I also see some fairing of the skeg before the props. In all fairness to HB, these boats were built by Higgins in NOLA and Boston NSY--perhaps the kit and photo are both correct. I'll keep looking before I attach the rudder assembly...

 

Time to head topside...

 

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I do intend to rebuild the skeg and rudders.

 

I've been working topside on the conning station. Attached the various PE bits to the bulkheads; two important improvements were the exterior handle and all of the door's interior (shown).

lcm-conning1.jpg

 

The IP was also a huge improvement. I used a Molotow Liquid Chrome pen on the back of the Eduard film; it really makes the gauges pop. BTW, this pen is outstanding for oleo struts, too!!!

lcm-conning0.jpg

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Built new skegs and rudders to better match that photo above. The skegs are a built-up tee section of 0.015x0.065 Evergreen strip. The rudder is 0.02 sheet stock glued to a 0.62 rod; I used a scrap of 0.2 sheet to center the rudder parts onto the rod.

lcm-newskeg3.jpg

 

Here's a view similar to the photo (well, except the coffee cup).

lcm-newskeg0.jpg

 

lcm-newskeg1.jpg

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Thanks!

 

Is that your pen? It's wonderful! Picked it up at the LHS figuring I would try it out--I was quite impressed on the very 1st use! I've put silver paint on the back of Eduard IP film before, but it was never this good. :worship:

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Here's a photo of my subject. Based on color photographs of LCMs in England, I'm thinking the hull is Navy Blue. Looks like the mast is white. Perhaps the gun mounts are Light Gray?

Not sure about the lower hull...

 

d03423.jpg

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Thanks!

 

Getting the inner hull strengthening ribs on took a surprising amount of dry-fitting to fit. :dontknow:

lcm-interior.jpg

I've got some work to get ramp lifting winch and cables correct. I can see that HB didn't quite get that right, but more research is needed to figure out how it should work.

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From the USN's "Skill in the Surf, A Landing Boat Manual"

Quote

Equalizing sheave and cable guard--the sheave, an inner wheel of a block or pulley, is a part of the tackle with which the ramp is lowered. It is located in the cable guard, a protective framework covering the ramp cable running forward from the ramp winch.

It's clear HB didn't understand this at all. They provide a simple c-channel-like part that is just attached to the port side of the hull with no apparent function.


I built up a channel from 2 Evergreen C channels laid on their side with a strip between then to form the back of the channel.

lcm-rampbits0.jpg

 

Judging from my primary reference picture, the channel is closed up front to prevent the equalizing sheave from running out at the bow, and open at the rear.

lcm-rampbits1.jpg

 

And here's the equalizing sheave. That's my testimony and I'm sticking to it... The sheave is built from discs cut from 0.01 strip using the #4 (0.089) and #1 (0.039) Waldron punches. The sheave body is 0.6x0.8 strip a #61 (0.039) ho;e and 0.3 strip.

lcm-rampbits3.jpg

Next are the bow sheaves, I'm not sure if the kit parts align properly now that I have a reasonable facsimile of the equalizing sheave and cable guard. I also need to build the sheaves and fairleads that run the ramp cable from port to starboard through the front of the engine compartment. I already cut away a gizit on the starboard deck where HB incorrectly placed a winch drum.

 

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Indeed, the port HB ramp sheaves are incorrect. As provided, the port ramp cable would route from the end of the cable guard to the upper cable

lcm-rampbits4.jpg

I need one more sheave to route the port ramp cable from cable guard to the upper ramp sheave.

lcm-rampbits5.jpg

The kit's ramp sheave assembly will need some surgery.

lcm-rampbits6.jpg

Looking at my reference, the HB part doesn't look so bad, well, aside from the missing sheave. Hm, I need to add a fairlead at the bow, too...

lcm-rampbits7.jpg

If you look carefully, you can see the ramp lock release line above the cable guard. It routes all the way back to the engine compartment--HB missed that, too...

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Thanks!

 

Documentation is truly scarce. Right now I've got WWII US Landing Craft in action and Skill in the Surf mentioned above. I also have  Allied Landing Craft of World War Two coming, should be in next week. But, my "golden doc" is that image above. While there is no excuse for contradicting it, interpreting it has been a challenge.  Some videos gave me the first hint on the ramp release mechanism when they showed movement in the cable guard when the ramp was lowered.  The Skill in the Surf book's description helped me understand what I was looking at in the picture, including the existence of that ramp release line.

Edited by dnl42
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  • 2 weeks later...

I think I've identified the cable runs.

Yellow is the ramp lock release cable

Green runs from the winch to the equalizing sheave.

Red runs from the port ramp attachment through sheaves into the front of the cable guard, aft through the cable guard, around the equalizing sheave, forward through the cable guard, around sheaves at the front of the cable guard, below the cable guard to a sheave at the forward end of the engine compartment. That sheave routes the cable through the engine compartment to a similar starboard-side sheave and then forward to sheaves at the bow, and finally to the starboard ramp attachment. The equalizing sheave ensures that equal tension is maintained on both sides of the ramp.

lcm-cables.jpg

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Making sheaves. The leftmost sheave is the kit's example, at 0.16 diam and 0.065 thick for a full-scale size of 7.68 diam by 3.12 thick. As it appears that HB just guessed at what was going on at the bow, I'm considering that size as notional.

lcm-sheaves0.jpg.

I made some sample sheaves from 0.01 and 0.02 sheet, and 0.13 tubing. The Waldron 0.16 punch is about the same diameter as the kit sheave, while the 0.12 punch looks good for the inner diameter of the sheave. I was able to get a good square cut on the tubing with a UMM™ Tubular - Micro Mitre Box. I made 3 sheaves. The 1st sheave I made, next to the kit's example, used 0.02 sheet for the outer and inner disks, with a total thickness of 0.06. The next sheave to the right has a 0.035 slice of the 0.13 tubing between 0.01 thick disks, with a total thickness of 0.055. The right-most used 0.01 sheet for the outer and inner disks, with a total thickness of 0.03. I prefer the middle sheave, with the tubing slice, putting the full-scale size at 7.68 diam by 2.64 thick.

 

I need 7 sheaves total, 3 at the port bow, 2 at the starboard bow, and 2 to guide the ramp cable athwartship at the forward end of the engine compartment.

lcm-sheaves2.jpg

 

An extra never hurts...

lcm-sheaves3.jpg

 

HB seemed to think there were 2 ramp winches, one on each side. The LCM has a single ramp winch driven by the port engine. HB also appeared to get several aspects of the ramp winch housing incorrect.It looks taller and thinner to me and the cable exits the winch housing from the top of the drum.

lcm-rampwinch-actual.jpg

 

Now I need to work on the port sheave mounting to add that 3rd sheave. HB's part isn't too bad, but it does need some fixing beyond just adding the new sheave.

lcm-sheaveguide.jpglcm-rampbits7.jpg

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Thanks! I suppose if HB had something plausible, I may have just run with it. But, they just had a strange channel stuck on the port side that didn't make any mechanical sense. So I started looking for documentation and am now fixated on having a plausible mechanism that's consistent with the data I've collected, especially that photo of my specific vessel.

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I've got the ramp sheaves done. Here are the parts

lcm-sheaveguide0.jpg

 

And the assembled sheaves. I still need to add some small details. As you can see, the HB part wasn't that bad for the port side, which only has 2 sheaves. The starboard side has the additional sheave.

lcm-sheaveguide1.jpg

lcm-sheaveguide2.jpg

 

Also did some work back aft. That Molotow Liquid Chrome did a really nice job on the instruments.

lcm-conning0.jpg

lcm-conning1.jpg

 

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