Coastal Lightships?
 

Coastal lightships:
I don't know how common they were in the rest of the world or if they were even in operation along the u.s. east coast during WWII, but i know of one that was sunk in WWI near the shore of North Carolina (Diamond Shoals Lightship #71 sunk by U-140 in 1918). During the first few months of drumbeat the u.s. didn't really adhere to a coastal blackout even if there were no lightships in operation.

Question to the shipwrights or lighting gurus: Has any one ever attempted to mod such a ship?? Is there any interest??
I think it would be a great atmosphere addition to place one at the entrance of certain harbors instead of a lighthouse or at certain map locations such as cape lookout or cape hatteras along the u.s. east coast or any other area in the world that might of used them. (unfortunantly it won't be able to be made by me any time soon as i'm just starting to fiddle with basic file changes:nope: ) . Just curious if any one has attempted such or if it is even feasible?

Image added:http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/324/dshoalshu0.jpg

I'd love to see a light-ship, especially one with a working light.

The community's been prioritizing warships and -planes over eye-candy.

Its not eye-candy as you call it. It would be a new merchant.

Not really a new merchant as it would look silly in the middle of a convoy so its really eye candy for ports
Still a great idea though

I was going to start kitbashing one out of the Tugboat tonight, but I am having problems with Wings3d. I have started an appropriate thread asking for advice on what went wrong.

Here is a nice pic of a lightship that was built in Australia in 1913 and was removed from service in 1983!!

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7718/carpentiv2.gif

bookworm_020,

Just curious, do you know of any lightships still in use in your area?? If i remember correctly, the ones here (at least in north carolina) were phased out. I believe the diamond shoals and frying pan shoals ones were replaced by modified derricks with light towers in the 60's and 70's.

Hi U-snafu,

All light ships in australia have now been removed from service. The Carpentaria Lightship shown in the photo was used in the gulf of Capentaria till 1983, then moved to Bass straight and used there till 1985! More photos and quick details on the lightship can be found below.

http://www.maizels.nu/lights/lightships/

This is a link to the cleaning and maintaince of the light ship in the Gulf. Not a job I'd like!!:o

http://www.lighthouse.net.au/Lights/...arpentaria.htm

Just wanted to say that despite the fact that Wings3d refuses to work properly on my laptop, I am going to try to kitbash a lightship anyway. Hopefully, the problem is just a graphical one which will nort affect the operation or results of work done with the program. I couldn't do anything over the weekend because of a law assignment, and I also have a final exam for a law foundations course on Friday, but I should find some time this week to work on the vessel.:up:

AG124--thank you!!!! take your time and good luck on the exam. just grateful your gonna try it!!


bookworm_020---thanks for the info and link--After spending some time on the N.C. outer banks over the last few years i've become interested with the history of lighthouses and the past coastal livesaving service (now U.S. coast guard).

Looks like it's going to work. Of course, I don't have anything presentable yet but I should by the weekend (or maybe even sooner).

:sunny: :yep: :up:

Great to hear, if it's like any of the other ships you've done, it will be great. By the way I hunted a convoy last night which had your pryo ammo ship and rose ore carrier as ships. Didn't sink any as I was too busy sinking the large number of tankers that were there:arrgh!: And just two escorts!!! (Both which got to see my torps at work!):D

I am continuing to work on the vessel, but I need to know something. On some of those pictures, there appear to be tarpaulins covering the forward and aft decks - is that what they actually are? And do you think they would look good on the one that I am building?