Building the Lone Star Models 1/72 CSS David

by Richard Eaton

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Introduction

OK so I am a little nuts about 1/72 Motor Torpedo Boats. (MTBs) I thought, why not do a model of the first operational MTB, the CSS David, one of several very innovative and dangerous designs that came out of the Confederacy during the American Civil war. These were desperate times for the South, Federal gun ships blockaded every port. The David, and, for that matter the Hunley, were both thought to be the answer for Charleston, South Carolina. In fact, the history, and ultimately the fates of these two designs became interwoven, as you will see.

The Boat

Some of these boats were made of wood and some were made of iron. It is not known exactly how many torpedo boats the CSN actually had. First of the lot was the David. David was built as a private venture by T. Stoney at Charleston, S.C., in 1863, and put under the control of the Confederate States Navy. The 54', 4-man steam driven cigar-shaped boat carried a 60- or 70-pound explosive charge on the end of a spar projecting forward from her bow. Designed to operate very low in the water, David resembled in general a submarine; she was, however, strictly a surface vessel.

The term "DAVID" came to be the generic term for any torpedo boat resembling DAVID that was the prototype of others built in Charleston. The names, if any, given to these other boats are unknown. Their existence caused some concern among Union naval officers but they were never a serious threat to the blockade. The exact number of "DAVIDs" built is unknown.

The History

On the night of 5 October 1863 David, commanded by Lt. W. T. Glassell, CSN, slipped down Charleston Harbor to attack the casemated ironclad steamer NEW IRONSIDES. The torpedo boat approached undetected until she was within 50 yards of the blockader. Hailed by the watch on board NEW IRONSIDES, Glassell replied with a blast from a shotgun and David plunged ahead to strike. Her torpedo detonated under the starboard quarter of the ironclad, throwing high a column of water that rained back upon the Confederate vessel and put out her boiler fires. Her engine dead, David hung under the quarter of NEW IRONSIDES while small arms fire from the Federal ship spattered the water around the torpedo boat.

Believing that their vessel was sinking, Glassell and two others abandoned her; the pilot, W. Cannon, who could not swim, remained on board. A short time later, Assistant Engineer J. H. Tomb swam back to the craft and climbed on board. Rebuilding the fires, Tomb succeeded in getting David's engine working again. With Cannon at the wheel, the torpedo boat steamed up the channel to safety. Glassell and Seaman J. Sullivan, David's stoker, were captured. NEW IRONSIDES, though not sunk, was seriously damaged by the explosion.

This was another first, if you will. It was the first time that a warship had been damaged by a torpedo boat. The enthusiasm from this event led to the raising of the submarine CSS Hunley after it had sunk, killing its second crew. The Hunley was rearmed with a spar torpedo, repairs were made, and a movie eventually made. God, I feel like James Burke.

The next four months of David's existence are obscure. She, or other torpedo boats, tried more attacks on Union blockaders; reports from different ships claim three such attempts, all unsuccessful, during the remainder of October 1863. On 6 March 1864, David attacked MEMPHIS in the North Edisto River, S.C. The torpedo boat struck the blockader first on the port quarter but the torpedo did not explode. MEMPHIS slipped her chain, at the same time firing ineffectively at David with small arms. Putting about, the torpedo boat struck MEMPHIS again, this time a glancing blow on the starboard quarter; once more the torpedo missed fire. Since MEMPHIS had now opened up with her heavy guns, David, having lost part of her stack when rammed, retreated up the river out of range. MEMPHIS, uninjured, resumed her blockading station.

David 's last confirmed action came on 18 April 1864 when she tried to sink the screw frigate WABASH. Alert lookouts on board the blockader sighted David in time to permit the frigate to slip her chain, avoid the attack and open fire on the torpedo boat. Neither side suffered any damage.

The ultimate fate of David is uncertain. Several torpedo boats of this type fell into Union hands when Charleston was captured in February 1865. The original David may well have been among them. There is a picture of a David class aground at Charleston in 185.

The Model

I picked up the Lone Star vac 1/72 model of the David at a local shop. The current Lone Star web site lists this kit as a resin. This would undoubtedly be an improvement. The kit consists of one vacuformed sheet containing the two hull sides. It also provides a very nice resin boiler face, brass tube stack, and metal ship's wheel, vents, spar mount, davits, and torpedo. The Vac hull has minimal detail and proved to be difficult.

Building the David

I went over the one sheet of directions. They call for extensive additions from the spares box throughout construction. I took a quick peek around and gathered styrene and brass wire I had laying around.

I cut the hull pieces out and sanded using normal vac techniques. The directions suggested joining the hull and then adding interior details. I chose to add parts and details with the hull apart. I made a interior deck out of .020" evergreen and scribed in board marks. I sprayed the interior of the hull with dark earth color and painted the deck light brown. I also used .030X .060 strip to add detail support structure to the inside of the cockpit. I painted the resin boiler with Testor's burnt metalizer and set it in the hull. I ran steam lines on either side of the enclosure with brass wire. After a little touchup I was ready to close the hull pieces.

The hull fit was poor so I used styrene shims internally to assist in joining and added strength. Even with that it was challenging. I used tape to go around and cement the hull together one part at a time. Once together, the cockpit walls were off center to the joining lines. A little putty and smoothing later and who cares!

Next I drilled out holes with various drill bits to attach the smoke stack and vents. I had to constantly align during this process to make the hardware line up with the Cockpit walls. I CAed the vents, smokestack and davits into place.

I found a picture of a beached David class boat on the net. It showed prominent planked weather decking fore and aft of the cockpit. I decided to simulate this aft with .030X .060 strip. I also used this strip to form a straight railing along the uneven top of the cockpit and make a wheel mount.

The screw provided is modern. I cleaned it up and attached it anyway. I then added a keel, rudder and strakes from .020 styrene. The spar mount had to be drilled and then mounted. I chose brass wire for the spar as there was no spar included with the kit. I cleaned up the metal torpedo and attached it to the spar. Once the parts were on it was time to think up a paint scheme.

The kit directions said that a painting from the period by Wise Chapman showed the David in a blueish gray scheme. The pictures I viewed were just a dark scheme. I found another David built recently with a two tone scheme and I went with that. I used Testors intermediate blue and light earth to make the kit a little more interesting. After 24 hours of drying, I weathered the kit with a wash of Tamiya acrylic brown. Drybrushing with Testors light gray finished up things.

I mounted the kit on a piece of brass wire to a small wooden base. This was handy for the photography.

Conclusion

This is an older kit with some problems with the vacuformed hull. I would think that the current kit with resin hull would be better. Anyway, I recommend the kit to experienced ship builders who would like to add a very interesting piece of history to their collections. The nice metal and resin parts really add detail for the enthusiast. Scratch builders will have a field day adding even more detail!

Sources:

• The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships Online

• Solomon, Robert S. The CSS David. The Story of the First Successful Torpedo Boat. Charleston, Comprint, 1970, 1976.