Paddleducks
Paddler Modelling => Construction => Topic started by: Hankwilliams on April 04, 2008, 05:16:11 AM
-
Hello, dear friends and neigbors,
now I would like to show you some other pictires of my last model.
It is the steamer of the German Africa Explorer Count Claus von der Decken (1832 - 1865).
His last expedition in 1865 led to East Africa, it´s end was tragic even the journey was very well preparedwas. The Reiherstieg shipyard in Hamburg constructet the 37 Meter paddlesteamer "Welf" and a small screw steamboat for Decken`s expedition to today`s Somalia.
The parts of the boats (metal work) were shipped to Sansibar and then assembled. In June 1865 von der Decken startet with his compagnons travelling north along the East African coast. The small screw steamer got lost at the mouth of river Juba.
But with the paddlesteamer "Welf" it was possible (with many obsticles and difficulties) to make a journey on the river at a distance of 760 km until the city of Baardeere. About 20 km north of the city the boat ran aground and couldn`t be repaired.
Short time later von der Decken aund some of his compagnons were murdered by somalian tribes.
The surviving participants in a adventuring trip were able to escape and drive in a rowboat down the whole river. Later they arrived Sansibar and in 1866 the came back to Hamburg.
It is not known, what became of the wreck of the "Welf".
I tried to found the place of the attac by google earth, but even the region north of the city of Baardeere is so blurred, that you can`t see any details.
The model`s scale is 1 : 30, I drew the plans from a drawing of the boat in the book of the expedition.
The dimensions are: Lenght 1270 mm, breath of hull 160 mm, the deplacement is 4,7 kg.
The boiler is a flame tube type, the engine is the Regner "Primax". The boat shows a nice appearance as you can see, but she is not very stabil, I can drive her only in good wheather when there is no stronger wind.
Greeetings
Thomas
-
very very nice work...i like the details of the work...i would like to see some old pictures of the ship...if there is one...
once again NICE JOB
-
A lovely model Thomas...
Does the name "Welf" mean anything in German?
-
Hi Thomas, thank you for an unusual story and a most interesting model.Could you give some details of the models construction and possibly some close-up pictures of "the engine room" and the paddle costruction. I like the last photo in particular. With that dark murky water it could be the real thing in some african river estuary. Thanks again, Walter Snowdon.
-
Hello,
it's nice, to receive so much interest of my boat.
There are two historic wood engravings made after drawings of artist Eduard Trenn, who was a member of the expedition.
he also was murdered by the attac of somalian tribes. Further in the book "Die Reisen des Carl Claus von der Decken in die Länder der Galla und Somali" of 1871 a plan of the ship is printet. I have enlarged this plan and made some detail drawings.
There were no drawings of the frames, I drew the frames like the pattern of other coastal and river steamers of this time.
The paddlewheels are simple with fixed paddles, it's made of 0,8 mm brass.
"Welf" means the aristocracy family of the "Welfen" in the kingdom of Hannover in Germany. the last King Georg V of Hannover gave some suppord of the expedition. In 1866 the Kingdom of Hannover was allied with Austria. Both countries lost the "Deutschen Krieg"
(German war) in this year against Prussia. Hannover was then annectet by Prussia, King Georg went into exile.
In the preparation phase of the expedition King George made arrangements of building a big steam driven (!) 1 : 12 model of the "Welf". The model has being maintained in the magazin of the Hannover Historic Museum. Of couse the big vertical boiler is not authentic (I'm not shure, that the model's stability in water was sufficiend with this toplast), but photos of this model gave much help by building my boat.
Pictures of this items will follow soon, I hope in today`s evening.
Regards
Thomas
-
Hello
here are the pictures!
1 - 3 are shows my boat, pic 4 shows the assembling of the "Welf" in Sansibar, pic 5 is the wood engraving made after a sketch of Edurd Trenn, pic 6 - 9 shows the historic model in Hannover museum.
Regards
Thomas
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/1346/lastscanwd6.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/1443/lastscan2gh6.jpg
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8333/lastscan3nj3.jpg
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2034/lastscan4az7.jpg
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1588/lastscan5dk3.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/4493/lastscan6ro5.jpg
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/2223/lastscan7ke8.jpg
-
here are the pictures!
1 - 3 are shows my boat,
Hello Thomas,
What's that beatiful tropical river steamer in the background of
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/8333/lastscan3nj3.jpg ?
Also one of your model?
Moritz
-
Hi Moritz,
the model behind the "Welf" is the Congo sternwheeler "Ville des Bruges".
I will introduce her later.
The photo was made at Sinsheim steam meeting 2008.
Regards
Thomas
-
There are some news.
-
Interesting news about relicts...
Last week I visited a friend who has found an interesting article in italian language in the net. In 1986 the author Vincezo Meleca made an expedition of Juba river on Somalia. He found the place of the attac by somalian tribes of the Carl Claus v.d. Decken expedition of september 1865. There are relics of the "Welf" paddler: The whole boiler with funnel and parts of the engine are maintained. You will find article and photos on: Vincezo Meleca, Il relitto misterioso del fiume Giuba.
Thomas
-
Unfortunately the satellite picture of area Harriento/Matagassile and the other of the relics of the "Welf", fhe place of attac and wreckage are small and not very well focussed. Still gives an impression os the tragically end of a good prepared expedition 154 years ago...
Thomas
-
Thank you for your detailed explanation of 'Welf'....I had just assumed it was 'wolf cub' and was SO wrong!!!
Without attempting to be pedantic I should confirm that the 1866 war is known in English as the 'Seven Weeks War'.
As someone with a keen interest in European military history your notes has triggered an interest to learn more about Hanover in this period. Usually I focus on the battle of Lissa, Custoza and Koniggratz, the three major battles of the war.
I also really enjoyed the details of your East African exploration. I didn't realise there was a German interest in Africa before unification in 1871 so I have also learnt something new again.
Keep your projects and information coming please!
-
Thank you, I didn`t know, that the "Deutsche Krieg" in Englis is named "Seven weeks War".
11 Years ago I posted some historical pictures of the Decken expedition. Because they are vanished, it may be interesting to post them again.
-
Thanks for posting the pics again Thomas. I was about to mention that the imageshack pictures were not available anymore.
-
Good work, Jurgen. But the bore for the rudder seems a little bit displaced. No problem, the bore can be enlarged and the split can filled with resin.
Thomas
-
That war is also referred to, in English, as the 'Austro Prussian War'.
To English people the term 'German/y' refers to the sovereign state of Germany after unification of the german speaking states under Prussia in Jan 1871 following the defeat of France in the Franco Prussian War. Before that Austria had always been the dominant power in 'german' Europe.
It lost that lead in the 1866 war.
Sorry to divert this into a history lesson but it's one of my key interests!
-
No, your knowledge about the historical events short before German unification in 1871 is very instructive. In this coherence: The aristocraty family of the Welfen of Kingdom of Hannover, which were confederate with Austria, still in our days has big propertys in Gmunden/Austria. The fellowship with Austria wasn`t accidentally, two members of the Decken expedition (Captain von Schikh and engineer Kanter) were Austrian citizens.
I now made an connection via facebook to an inhabitant of Baardheere, Somalia - Diwanka Taarikhda Baardheere. There is a informative page in Suaheli and English and he is well informed about von Decken and his tragical end in Baardhere.
Thomas
-
Here some further nice historical pictures of Decken`s expeditions and one of my "Welf" model. 0990 must be at east coast of today northern Kenya or soutern Somalia, 0991 at Juba river and 0992 is a view of Kilimandjaro of Decken`s previous expedition.
-
Sorry, the file was too large.
In the preparation phase of Decken´s expedition a large model of "Welf " in commision of King Georg of Hannover was manufactured. It was one of the early live steam models. Scale was about 1 : 12, which gives a lenght of 3 meter. The model survived in his original shape the courses of time until end of 20. century. Then it was completely restored to the original Welf, but looses his home made model steam engine with vertical boiler. So the present model has loose its originality. The pictures shows the model before conversation. The second last pictures shows my model.
-
Interesting history lessen here. Apparently only in German language the seven weeks war is referred to as the "german war". In spanish it is also known as the "guerra austro-prusiana". If you search Google for "guerra alemana" (German war) you find links to all kind of wars, but not this one. Searching for "guerra austro-prusiana" leads to the seven weeks war.
Another beautiful model of yours Thomas.
Jurgen
-
A fabulous model of, to me, an unknown prototype......straight from my period of historical interest.
As someone who had a Viennese mother I found the details of the 2 Austrian participants of particular interest....additional food for research.
Incidentally do you know the identity/type of the deck breech-loader pivot gun? Did you make or buy that item?
-
I noticed after going back to your earlier photos that she had brass deck cannons on trucks. Did you replace those for any specific reason?
I ask since I too, on my model of the US built Italian ironclad 'Re d'Italia' sunk at Lissa in 1866, wrestled with trying to establish the deck guns identities....after failing to find an answer I went for breech-loading Armstrong 110 prs.
-
So many really interesting posts and questions. I will try to answer as good I know: The brass (in original bronze) cannons on deck were a present of the Indian goverment, I don`t know the calibre.
The pivot gun on the foredeck was a 6 pounder, disposaled by King Georg of Hannover from the Hannover arsenal, it`s not common which factory made it. For the model I used a whitemetal kit of a pivot by American civil war - yet from the same time and similar construction of the original Welf pivot.
The original "Welf" has had an oscillating low pressure engine in V shape with condensor, power was only 45 hp.
The two Austrian members of the expedition: K.k Ritter (Knight) Karl von Schickh (Captain) from Vienne and k.k Maschinenmeister (engineer) Nikolaus Kanter from Vienne.
As I wrote, I have a connection via Facebook to an Baardheere inhabitant, perhaps it`s possible to find out some more informations about relicts of the wreck of "Welf".
A add one historic picture of the killed persons of the expedition.
Thomas
-
Every question I raise leads to more areas of interest....!!
As someone who spent a period of my life living in India, and thereby acquired a keen interest in it's history, the origin of the cannons prompts me to ask which Indian government you refer to.
If before 1858, do you mean the Honourable East India Company or one of the princely States? From the date of the expedition it's also possible that they were a gift from Queen Victoria's Indian Empire that took power after the end of Indian Mutiny in 1859....I think the date was around 1861+??
I apologise again for more history and it may be that the moderator would like us to move to another section?
-
In 1871 a very exact book about Decken`s expeditions - he made 5 Journeys into East Africa, Zanzibar, Madagaskar, the Seychelles and last to the land of the Somali and Galla - was published by Otto Kersten, Decken`s Companion of the Kilimandjaro ascent. Basic of the work were the preserved diarys of von Decken. In this book only is referenced that "the four bronze cannons were a present of the Indian Government". From the present time and because Decken`s last expedition was well prepared and well known, I suppose that Queen Victorias Indian Empire was the donator.
The journey from Zanzibar to Jumbo and then up the Juba river also is very exactly described. For example - in this time it was well known in East Africa, that the "White Man" has annected Hindustan and probably would annect Africa also.
Regards Thomas
-
So the locals were unable to differentiate between British and 'german' colonialism in East Africa?!
Thanks so much for spending so much time on addressing my tedious questions...I will take it from here as a bit of research.
-
The later German and British colonialism were quite different. In toto one can say, that the German colonialsm was rigorous, but the justice between white and colored people was almost equal. In Deutsch - Ostafrika (Tansania) before 1914 great projects were startet - for example the railway between Daressalam and Tanganijka Lake, the alphabetism of the colored people, many schools were established. The rights between the tribes were not touched.
Also the much longer British colonialism has made great advances at the infrastructure and the system of communikations. As far I know the system of administration between German and British colonialism was different. It seems, that the juridical differents of white and colored people in the British colonies were more evident.
But this all is a long time ago - today it seems that Germany will go into direction of a failed state because of wrong and lack of reponsibiliy politics and administration.
-
If my Merkel serves me correctly you are right!
-
I fear, that I am right!
-
This is a very interesting thread, fascinating history!
Thomas, could you please show some better pictures of the steam plant?
-
Greetings to my favorite city of Vienna!
Of course I will post some pictures of the steam plant. It`s a small oscillating engine made by Laspe in the 1990-tis, bore is 10 mm, stroke 12 mm. The engine is made very precise and doesn`t need much steam. The home made brass boiler`s diameter is 100 mm with a lenght of 105 mm. The return copper tube with crosstubes produces steam for about 35 - 40 minutes.
I add two pictures of the last run in 13.06.2019. Quality of this pictures isn`t very good, because pixels are too high and I had to photograph from my pc.
Thomas
-
Here are the pictures!
-
:great :great :great :great :great
-
Very nice, thank you for the pictures. You seem to be a big fan of geared down engines, I think I've seen them in all the paddlewheel steamers you have shown here.
-
Not at all, dear friend. Directly driven are: The sternwheelers "Zambezi" and "Ville des Bruges", the ironclad "Choctaw", the Irrawaddy steamer "China" and of course my paddle launch "Fulton`s Folly". If the stroke of the engine is long enought, direct driven paddleshaft is the better and more original choice.
I will post some pictures soon.
Thomas
-
Here are some pictures, I hope, the file will not be too large!
Thomas
-
Wow, they are all highly interesting and nice. Are there videos of the engines working?
-
Yes, there are two films on youtube. A longer one about "Choctaw": Battleship "Choctaw" in action at steam exhibition Karlsruhe EDHT 2015.
A short film about "Fulton`s Folly: Paddlewheel steamboat original size at steam exhibition Karlsruhe EDHT 2015.
Hope, you will enjoy the videos!
Thomas
-
Morning.....I had not seen this video link before ....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es07XvyeHM0 .......brilliant!
Questions
1. what are the round pins...maybe 3 diameter s 60 long....fitted @ 180 degrees to the paddle crank on each side?
2. are the crank flywheels [next to these pins] made by Winfried Niggle?
3. was the calculation of Choctaws displacement or should I say free-board difficult?....as she certainly floats close-by the water
Derek :beer
-
Hi Derek,
the pins in the flywheels are the driving pins. The whole engine can be lateral shifted to lose the coupling of one paddlewheel in turns, only rudder isn`t sufficient because of the wide hull. The cranks of the engine will gear in either in both flywheels or only in the port or starbord one. You see this in 3.11, only the outer paddlewheel is turning. As I remember the flywheels are from Regner.
The freebord of the "Choctaw" was very low, I will add two original pictures. With the strong armoring the boat was very heavy, also speed only reaches 2 - 3 nautic miles against the river, but this wasn`t decivise - with the armoring the boat becames as good as invulnerable.
Thomas
-
There are 2 short scenes of "Fulton`s Folly" on youtube: Paddlewheel Boat "Fulton`s Folly", steamdriven
and: "Fulton`s Folly" first trip after 1 hour experience
Thomas