In an effort to stave off impending insanity from a resin figure which seems riddled with airholes and other monotous tasks, decided to get back to the one real modeling love i have above all, ship models from the age of fighting sail.
I built one of these for a friend years ago and thanks to getting another kit recently for little money curtosey of evilbay, time to do a better job. 6 pages so far and more to come. A good enough reason to take time out from the usual grind every now and again.
It’s either supposed to be from the 18th Century or the early 1800’s, the litrature in the kit is contadictory there so i just decided elements of early 1800’s English ships and the rest is just there to be pretty.
Nice interior detail, but is there something wrong about the gunport lids, they look to me to be on upside down and inside out - or am I missing something?
Gunport lids? i haven’t even made them for this one yet, or are you referring to the one i have already built?
If so then be aware that the one already constructed was built straight out of the box about 7or 8 years ago unlike the example you see in the WIP pages. I think this kit as built is based very roughly and loosely on European ships of the 1700’s to 1800’s.
And when i say loosely, i mean real loosely. Singular thick gunport lids that just open up rather than the thinner or even split lids of later years used by some navies.
Yes it’s the completed one I was looking at, it wasn’t the thickness I was concerned about; looking at it again I think it’s the fact that the lid is painted red around the edge as is the inner rebates of the gunport, but the inner face of the lid is varnished rather than matching red, which was a norm certainly with british warships of the 18th /early 19th century; this is what threw me, and gave me the impression that the lid looked as if it should be the other way round.
As you say, as a generic European 18th centuryish depiction I suppose anything goes, even if it looks a little quirky to my jaundiced old eyes.[;)]
Quirky or not, there are some very nice things being done with the pieces in that model box. Excellent looking piece of work and please keep posting photos at your site, I’ll be enjoying following this build.
George, i wouldn’t worry about it sir. It does look a bit odd i agree knowing what i do now but hey, i was still a wet behind the ears ship modeler back then.
Since that time i’ve upgraded to only slightly damp behind the ears i hope [:)]
Built as is, it’s ok but now at least i can do summat different or maybe even better than the one i did all them moons ago.
Speaking of which, gave up me usual sunday evening as i got an idea or three.
I think you already have Ray, (bettered the first one) Its the advancement that we make as we progress from build to build that makes our hobby so rewarding.
Your current build looks excellent, and I look forward to following it to completion.
ps; As a Victoryophile I was down at Chatham last year, great place to visit, rope walk was impressive.
An excellent and informative progress report Ray, I do like the look of her.
As a point of interest was there a particular reason why you chose to show the Hammock netting as tarred rather than natural hemp.
Personally I like the look of black netting on models but I’m not sure that it is historically correct.
For many years Victory had black hammock netting but this has been replaced with natural hemp to reflect I think a more accurate depiction.
I don’t think the netting would have been tarred for obvious reasons, indeed authorisation was given in 1780 for the tarred canvas covers to be painted rather than tarred so as not to mar the hammocks.
The other point I would mention is that the netting would have been, and is, hung between the cranes and not fitted as separate pieces along each side.
As far as my trip to Chatham was concerned the rope works were not operating, but I was picked on by the tour guide to make a rope, or close it, as we professionals say , [;)] and the result now graces a large scale model of a 32 pounder I have, as the breeching rope.
I do intend to re-visit Chatham, this time in warmer weather, we went in March last year and it was brass monkeys!
With the black netting, well as you put it sir, it’s the look/ Plus if i was to do hemp then i would have knotted it all together correctly as it should be. I’ll chicken out with the best of 'em sah!
True enough on the hanging but again, for the look but most importantly, as a time saving measure for yours truly. This is only a time filler and boredom/frustration relife from commission work. Which at times can be so dull i think ditchwater is going to lodge a protest.
I never intended this to be a paragon of historical accuracy, if i had then i would have built it all from scratch. Mind you, i probably wouldn’t be all correct even so.
Saying that, i think the outrage wagon on accuracy will really get rolling when I finally get started on my Caldercraft Victory [;)]
I have plans for what i want to do but trying to replicate the 1805 Vicky? Nope, as she appears on the cover of McKays’ book is how i like her. Especially the planksheer line as it runs to the taffrail from the foreward end of the poop deck.
My ship so i’ll be building her to suit me and wait for the rampaging mob of historians to hang me in effigy, or hang me in Gillingham perhaps [:)]
Nice!, genuine Chatham rope as a scale breeching hawser, most special. [:D]
Got any pics of the said piece of ordinance?
Yeah, weather can be a mite unpredictable. I think the Medway towns has it’s own micro-weather system going on sometimes.
As Grem says, an excellent build and a very good ‘how to’ guide for anyone who fancies doing this kit. I trust you will replicate all these fittings when you start the Caldercraft Victory.[;)]
Well done Ray.
ps I haven’t got around to taking a photo of my 32 pounder with its Chatham breeching as yet, but will do so.