Friday 6 September 2013

The Thunderbox - part 1


Before we delve into further detail I would like to take this opportunity to allocate blame where it is due.  This all began a couple of years ago when all-round good chap the notorious David Crook gave me a plastic toy mortar.  A spring (or rubber band?) loaded device, this lobs round plastic 'shells' to a range of 2-3 feet.  So far so good.  But hang on (I thought recently) - hadn't I seen pictures of similar mortars mounted on railway cars during the American Civil War?  Well yes I had - and so defying all logic and without the aid of a safety net  I set out to recreate such a thing.
I selected the scruffiest of my O gauge flat wagons, dug out a sheet of balsa and with a fresh blade in my Swan-Morton craft knife, set to work.  Clearly the overall size of the thing was limited by the dimensions of the wagon.  This did little to add to it's aesthetic appeal.  The 'shield' and sides were pinned together before being glued.
The aperture took a bit of trial and error before the shells would fire through it without incident.
While the PVA was drying I used a ballpoint pen to draw on the 'planks'.
My reference work - this splendid book from the Blandford series is highly recommended.
Coming soon(ish) - the 'finished' Thunderbox!

20 comments:

Col said...

Well Modelled Tim. A subject you do not see modelled all that often.

Tim Gow said...

Col
There may be a good reason for that!

Paul Foster said...

Now thats just splendid Tim!

Archduke Piccolo said...

Ah-h-h... that kind of thunderbox... Very well set up model, Tim. Well done!

Tim Gow said...

Paul Foster
It must be pretty daft if you like it!

Tim Gow said...

Archduke Piccolo
I wouldn't rule out an appearance by the other kind....

Prufrock said...

Looks like a fine place to sit down and read a wargaming magazine for 20 minutes!

Sean said...

Looks just like the reference. Well done.

Tim Gow said...

Prufrock
Bit noisy though!

Tim Gow said...

Sean
In a bad light - yes!

Peter Douglas said...

Tim

Looks wonderfully wacky. Will you show us video of the wonder weapon in action?


Cheers
PD

Conrad Kinch said...

I was looking at this on my phone at first - after reading the title, I was much happier to read the text and discover that you hadn't gone mad and decided to model a loo.

Tim Gow said...

Peter Douglas
I'll see what I can do!

Tim Gow said...

Conrad Kinch
Stop giving me ideas....

The Dancing Cake Tin said...

Most impressed!

Tim Gow said...

Dancing Cake Tin
And that's meant to reassure me?

PatG said...

I have this:
http://www.amazon.ca/Civil-Railroads-Models-Edwin-Alexander/dp/0517530732

Let me know if you ever want plans. :)

Tim Gow said...

Pat G
That looks an interesting book!

David Crook said...

Hi Tim,

Great idea - I would never have thought of that! Then again, your modelling dexterity and fertile imagination is the stuff of legend....and doubtless several medical reports as well...;-)

Bonkers, but in a good way and I am looking forward to seeing it finished and also the game you inevitably put on around it!

All the best,

DC

Scott B. Lesch said...

Good!