NSE Naval Gun Set

[dougnelson]

I saw this set in Pittsburgh and I was (briefly) excited.  However, upon further study, of course the 50' flat cars are not correct (not even PRR) and the gun looked suspiciously long.  Measuring the photo, the gun is approximately 103' in length.  The largest US naval guns are 16" 50 caliber guns which were approximately 66' long.  Maybe for the fictional Guns of Navarone, but not for US battleships or coastal defenses.  This gun may be about right if you cut off the smallest barrel.

The bolsters and blocking looks pretty good.  But with a capacity of about 100,000 lbs, and the guns weighing 239,000 lbs, the flat carrying the breech end would likely collapse.  The PRR specifically designed the F22 "gun flats" with a capacity of 199,000 lbs. to carry these unique loads.

N Scale Kits may be producing the PRR F22 gun flats in metal castings.  Now to find a correct gun.  Like many NSE offerings, this one is a fun one, but it falls into the realm of fantasy rather than prototype.  But, if you are a collector, how could you resist.

[narrowminded]

Barrels were machined at Mesta Machine in Pittsburgh.  Some of the largest machining capacities in the world and a leading steel mill equipment builder.  Much of their equipment is still in service worldwide.  It's now a water park.

[aikorob]

stacked plastic rods of the correct diameters..............or maybe 1/35 tank barrels?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16%22/50_caliber_Mark_7_gun
http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/USNAVY/GUN-BARL-CONSTRUCTION-1.html

[chicken45]

Barrels were machined at Mesta Machine in Pittsburgh.  Some of the largest machining capacities in the world and a leading steel mill equipment builder.  Much of their equipment is still in service worldwide.  It's now a water park.

Interesting. There were a lot of cool flat cars that were used around there, between Mesta and Westinghouse, and of course, Sandcastle.

[up1950s]

The proto shot looks like 40" flats .
The barrel on the model looks like it is sagging muzzle down .
120.00 is too steep for me .
I would pay 40.00 for the hardware holding the barrel .

[peteski]

The proto shot looks like 40" flats .

Those flats look to be much longer than 40"  but also shorter than 40'.   Didn't @chicken45 build some models of shorty PRR flats?  Those would probably be appropriate cars to carry those guns.

[narrowminded]

Interesting. There were a lot of cool flat cars that were used around there, between Mesta and Westinghouse, and of course, Sandcastle.

... and American Bridge at Ambridge (near the hump yard), the largest fabrication shop in the world.   Literally miles of steel mills on both sides of the river from the point up, shipping major tonnage of product out but also some amazing and massive equipment coming in. Making every kind of steel and steel product from sheet, to bar, to nails, to rails,  galvanized sheet, annealed sheet for the Fisher Body and American Can plants,, re-bar, beams, pipe, tubing, etc, and in every alloy imaginable.  If it was industrial, it was here.  The first nuclear reactor at Forrest Hills, the Navy submarine nuclear reactors designed and developed here.  The first Nuclear power plant in the world,  Westinghouse air brakes, Westinghouse power station generators, industrial motors to hundreds of HP.  It goes on and on.  At one time not so long ago Pittsburgh ranked fifth largest in the nation for corporate headquarters and number one for industrial corporate headquarters.  It was an amazing place with a LOT going on.  There's a LOT of history here.

[VonRyan]

I'm finalizing the necessary background work on some pre-production samples of a 16" and a 14" gun.

As stated elsewhere, the samples will be completed and available for viewing and photographs at this year's N Scale Weekend. At that point the samples will be just the gun barrels themselves, and the loading hardware will be finalized later.

[chicken45]

Those flats look to be much longer than 40"  but also shorter than 40'.   Didn't @chicken45 build some models of shorty PRR flats?  Those would probably be appropriate cars to carry those guns.

Yes, good memory! In fact, the VERY cars that carried those guns, PRR F22 class flats. The problem, again...the bowing from the 3d printing.

[dougnelson]

The PRR F22 "gun flats" are 30'.

Here are some good photos of HO models:  http://www.rgspemkt.com/215-P1.html

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with Cody.

[peteski]

Yes, good memory! In fact, the VERY cars that carried those guns, PRR F22 class flats. The problem, again...the bowing from the 3d printing.

Isn't N scale Kits coming out with these as a metal casting?  Or did they make them as 3D printed models?

[chicken45]

Isn't N scale Kits coming out with these as a metal casting?  Or did they make them as 3D printed models?

They are, but those kits make nervous. I'm mostly critical about ride height and the surface of the metal. It's a 30 foot flat. It needs to ride low. I'm worried about couplers, too. Needs to be a MTL 2004 or something.

[Chris333]

I saw some MILW idler flats that looked like 30 footers.

[sirenwerks]

They are, but those kits make nervous. I'm mostly critical about ride height and the surface of the metal. It's a 30 foot flat. It needs to ride low. I'm worried about couplers, too. Needs to be a MTL 2004 or something.

You worry a lot.

[peteski]

You worry a lot.

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