Virtual Destroyer

[JeffH]

Ran accross this site while surfing last night. This gentleman rendered a 3D model of a WWII Japanese destroyer down to the absolutely finest detail possible. He's now working on a heavy cruiser, and the amount of technical detail just around the funnel area is simply incredible. Fascinating stuff.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid103/p550e22076ed50851aca95e36a4e4cef2/f9aadaa2.jpg

Find it all here (http://www.ijn.dreamhost.com/)

Edit to add: I just noticed he had the sidelights in two colors, but leaves that unexplained. Anybody?

Jeff

[ 02-09-2004, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: JeffH ]

[J. Dillon]

Looks good . smile.gif What's with those side lights ?
:confused:
JD

[JeffH]

Har! Just noticed the same thing. A mystery!

Jeff

[ 02-09-2004, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: JeffH ]

[Noah]

Well it's war...why not reverse them to confuse the enemy? Maybe back then it would work?

[Otter]

My theories on the lights:

1.) The colors on the lights are multiple because at sea the regular ones are used. When moored its a pachinko parlor, which as we all know requires different colors.

2.) The green lights on starboard were for regular running. The red lights were turned on as stop lights to stop American torpedoes as seen in wartime Popeye cartoons.

3.) When Cheap Trick played on it in '78 Robin Zander refused to play with a mono-color background.

4.) Make the ship look 3-d to bomber pilots wearing special 3-d goggles.

[John E Hardiman]

I just noticed he had the sidelights in two colors, but leaves that unexplained. Anybody?
[/QB][/QUOTE]

Most likely station keeping/recognition lights for backout steaming.

[brad9798]

"4.) Make the ship look 3-d to bomber pilots wearing special 3-d goggles. "

ROTFLMAO!!!

THAT is great!!! :cool:

[LandLubber No More]

Not side lights, too far behind the funnel. Sidelights are supposed to be seen from right ahead. I would say they are signal lights for refueling at sea. I was 10 years in the Canadian Navy and we used a similar system except ours were hand held. My two cents worth.

[mmd]

Sorry to disagree with you, LLNoMore, but I'm pretty sure they are sidelights - at least one set of 'em. No clue as to why there is a reciprocal set, but I'll bet on John H's assesment. None of the Canadian ships I did work on had 'em.

(P.S. - what an amazing set of 3D renderings. Wow!)

[ 02-17-2004, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: mmd ]

[LandLubber No More]

If the model is a true representation of the real thing I can say with certainty that they are not side lights. A sightlight has a specific and definite arc of visibility - from right ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam - . the lights depicted on the model could not be seen from right ahead nor do they seem to have a definite cut off point aft as all side lights do. As for how refueling lights work in the Canadian Navy, we had them, hand held red and green lights for night and red and green paddles during the day. Red meant stop and green meant go (pumping that is). There can be no arguing that as I have used them and saw them used countless times. I have also seen rigged lights on ships from other Navies which are similar to that depicted on the model.

[LandLubber No More]

OK I took another look at the pic and am willing to eat crow on the lights. I took the aspect to be a stbd beam view when on further inspection it looks like a stbd bow aspect, if that is the case the lights would have the appropriate arc of visibility. I would then assume they are all sidelights. The two colours would be used to confuse the enemy and the two sizes for the same thing. Todays warships have the ability to reduce the intensity of its lights so as to make itself seem like a smaller vessel. My comments about the signal lights for refueling hold true though. I have spend many sleeplees nights watching those refueling lights in action. Cheers!