Large
wheels could go up to 6’ diameter with 12 spokes. Small ones down to
24” diameter with 6 or 8 spokes. The centre nave or hub was black iron
or polished brass. Brass rims are optional but your model would have to
be pretty big to go to this elaboration.
HATCHES are made from wood blocks, adding moulding
(cardboard) at the base. They may be built up as in Fig. 45B, including
planks or a sheet scored as planks for merchant ships. Liftrings are
another detail; can be made from eyebolts, bent flat, or instead fit
handholes in the planks. On heavily manned warships, a grating covered
the hatches to give maximum ventilation, one of the sorest needs in
large vessels. In foul weather, a tarpaulin was stretched over the
hatches. Making your own grating is a craft trick you might consider.
The process is described in more advanced modelling books. On warships
the hatches were rimmed with handy racks (troughs or garlands) for
solid shot. Fig. 45B
is the earliest form of solid covered hatchway with wooden coamings as
on a merchant ship up to the latter half 19th century. The tarpaulin
was lashed down by ropes around the coaming and when necessary
additional cross lashings from ringbolts on the deck or the coaming.
The last clippers and windjammers with metal coamings had iron cleats
to take horizontal steel battens wedged over the tarpaulin. Tarpaulins
could be black, grey or white.
