1/700 USS Thule proposed ice carrier (Scratchbuilt)
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by Eric Mante |
World War II was filled with a lot of interesting inventions and military hardware used by a lot of countries. Some of which were used, and some of which were oddball and crazy, and never made it beyond the prototype stage. Take for example: Project Habakkuk.
Conceived and proposed in 1941 by eccentric British inventor Geoffrey Pyke, Project Habakkuk was a “monumental” plan (LOL!) to make an aircraft carrier out of ice, or rather a “super ice” known as Pykrete (Named after Geoffrey Pyke.), for use against German U-boats in the mid-Atlantic ocean which were out of range of land based Allied aircraft. This super ice was made with nothing more than water and wood pulp (86% water, and 14% pulp, by weight.), and then frozen. The consistency of the mixture before freezing would be comparable to oatmeal, but much thicker.
Pykrete has some rather interesting properties:
1. Relatively slow melting rate (due to low thermal conductivity).
2. Vastly improved strength and toughness over unmodified (crystalline) ice, actually closer to concrete.
3. Could float and was unsinkable.
4. Nearly impervious to various types of ordinance.
Pykrete is slightly more difficult to form than concrete, as it expands during the freezing process, but can be repaired and maintained from the sea’s most abundant raw material: Water. The mixture can be molded into any shape and frozen, and it will be extremely tough and durable, as long as it is kept at or below freezing temperatures.
Pyke then proposed the idea to Lord Mountbatten, who was Chief of Combined Operations, who then pitched the idea to Britain’s Winston Churchill. As an initial investigation into the viability of “Habakkuk”, a 1/10th scale model (In Width and Height, but not in Length.) was constructed in early 1943 on Patricia Lake near Jasper, Canada to test building materials and construction techniques. It was built from blocks of regular ice (Not pykrete.) cut from the lake with embedded air ducts for refrigeration.
Begun in February 1943, It was completed in April the same year. Although the prototype was a success in proving the validity of such a concept and the construction techniques used, the plug was pulled in June…….literally, and the refrigeration equipment was turned off. The structure lasted well through the summer until it finally sank to the bottom of Patricia Lake.
Specifications for the prototype were the following:
Height: 18-20 feet
Width: 30 feet
Length: 60 feet
Weight: 1000 tons
Construction Crew: 15-20 men.
Although the Habakkuk prototype was successful, Full scale construction of a massive Habakkuk carrier never took place due to financial costs, limited resources, plus the fact that Allied aircraft were flying longer ranges to scout for U-boats as the war progressed. For further information about Project Habakkuk and Pykrete, Please see the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk and also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pykrete
ORIGINAL HABAKKUK DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS: (Estimated)
Country of Origin – Britain
Name – HMS Habakkuk (Or given a U.S. name if built by America.)
Designed and Proposed by – Geoffrey Pyke
Date of Design/Concept – 1941-1942
Operational Status – None built. Project canceled.
Ship Type – Large Aircraft Carrier (CVBX)
Estimated Cost – 2.5 million British pounds or more.
Range – 7,000+ miles
Length – 2,000 feet
Width – 300 feet
Height – 200 feet (Bottom of hull to flight deck level.)
Displacement – 2.2 million tons
Hull Thickness – 40 ft. thick hull made with a material called “pykrete”.
Propulsion – Steam turbogenerators were to supply 33,000hp to
26 electric motors mounted in external nacelles around the hull.
Estimated Speed – No more than 6-7 knots.
Ship’s Crew – 3,000 to 4,000+ personnel.
Armament – 30 to 40 dual-barreled 4-5” turrets, plus lighter AA armament.
Aircraft – 150 to 200 fighters and/or twin engine bombers of various Allied types.
NOTE: While Project Habakkuk is of British origin, the project would’ve
been transferred to America and Canada, as those countries had better
resources to build such a vessel if the project had continued in WWII.
HABAKKUK 1/700 SCALE MODEL CONSTRUCTION NOTES
1. Since no actual Habakkuk carrier was ever built in World
War II, There are no definative finalised plans for how such a vessel was
to look. The model I built is based on a myriad of various sketches, designs,
blueprints, etc. found on the Internet. Everything about the Habakkuk is
pure speculation as to superstructure design, Armament carried, Paint scheme,
etc. In short, there is no "right" or "wrong" on what the Habakkuk looks
like. Therefor, a lot of creative freedom was used in the making of the
model. Although I did try to stay within the boundries of "technical believeability"
wherever possible.
2. Scale of main Habakkuk model, Interior cross-section,
the ESSEX carrier, and the German U-boat, is all 1/700 scale. ESSEX carrier
painted black to act as a silhouette for scale reference. German U-boat
also for scale reference.
3. Habakkuk model project started in March/April 2009,
and finished 2 years later in April 2011.
4. Main Habakkuk model hull made from a block of wood
and measures approximately 34” long x 3 ½” high x 5 ½” wide.
5. Bridge superstructure kitbashed from two 1/700 ESSEX
carrier kits and one HORNET carrier kit.
6. Flight deck built in 6 sections of Evergreen thin styrene
sheet, then spray painted in Dark Sea Blue to simulate Deck Blue 20B. Masking
tape used to keep flight deck lines even in order to paint them yellow.
7. All other guns, life rafts, aircraft, ship’s boats,
cranes, deck vehicles, etc. came from spare parts box and/or other bought
kits.
8. Model painted in Measure 13 scheme. Testor Model Master
Marine Haze Gray for guns, superstructure, etc. TAMIYA TS-33 Dull
Red spray for the lower portion of the hull. Flight deck painted as mentioned
in #5 above.
9. Interior cross-section built with 1/16th balsawood
sheet for the outer insulation layer. 1/4” and 1/2” model railroad terrain
Styrofoam used to create the 40ft. thick pykrete hull walls. Evergreen
thin sheet used for the top flight deck piece as well as the interior walls
and floors, etc.
10. Engine pods made with air dry modeling clay with the aid
of a 1/4 teaspoon cookware measuring spoon. Propeller struts and propeller
shafts made with styrene. Resin propellers cast by a friend. First row
of pods approximately 7/8" below the waterline. Second row approximately
1/2" below the first row. Pods are approximately 3 1/2" between each other
in each row. Or about 1 1/4" between each other regardless of row. Only
the very last two pods at the aft end of the hull on both sides are not
lined up with all the other engine pods. This was due to various schematics
and drawings which showed them to be this way. Although the model should
have a rudder, A real rudder was never planned for a real Habakkuk ship
due to technical difficulties in mounting and controling a huge rudder.
It was initially proposed that the vessel be steered by varying the speed
of the motor nacelles on either side of the ship hull. Therefore, a rudder
was not added to the 1/700 scale model.
11. Aircraft elevators scribed with a drafting template.
12. Wood base made by a friend and measures 40” long x 14” wide.
13. Majority of US fighter aircraft painted TAMIYA XF-8 Flat
Blue. British aircraft painted TAMIYA XF-20 Medium Gray and XF-24 Dark
Gray. B-25 aircraft painted Testor Model Master Acryl US Navy Blue Gray
M-485 for a PBJ anti-sub aircraft scheme. Propellers for the B-25's made
from Evergreen clear sheet. All aircraft were from extra bought "cheap"
kits and did not include any propellers. My eyesight is too poor to work
with tiny 1/700 photoetch or plastic propellers. Also, all aircraft are
not glued to the flight deck. This allows me to pose them in different
locations if I wish.
14. At the stern of the model ship on the left side is a raised
platform on the deck. This is an LSO (Landing Signal Officer) platform.
If you look closely, you might be able to see a tiny 1/700 figure directing
a plane to land.
15. “Cutouts” for most of the 5” turrets and some of the 40mm
guns along the flight deck edges were cut with a scroll saw (For 5” gun
placement), and a Dremel drum sanding band (For the 40mm cutouts), in order
to place some of the armament semi-recessed below the flight deck level.
16. For further information about the construction of the Habakkuk
model, please see this forum thread: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43426
17. Notes for the Habakkuk Interior Cross Section: (Below)
HABAKKUK MODEL INTERIOR CROSS-SECTION REFERENCE LISTING:
(1) 40 ft. thick pykrete hull made with frozen water & wood pulp
mixture. Color would not be clear/white the way snow/ice would,
but rather a light brown or tan because of the wood pulp added.
(2) Composite outer hull insulation layer which is a complex 9 inch
thick material made of plywood & insulation boards (Masonite
type) in 27 layers.
(3) Sample engine nacelles and approximate positions.
(4) Upper & lower Port/Starboard aircraft hangars.
(5) Center engineering section.
(6) Crew spaces, Storerooms, & Workshops.
(7) Box girder for ceiling/flight deck support?
(8) Flight deck
