Just picked up the Revell charles W. Morgan (14" length). Has any one built it and are there any snags I have to watch out for.I have built the Cutty Sark so I don’t anticipate any trouble.
Yes I have built it and it is a VERY DETAILED kit for it’s small size. This is one of the best ship kits for it’s size out there. There is a lot of sub-assembly and sub-detail painting you will need to do.
My email is jbgroby@bellsouth.net if you have detailed questions, please drop me a line.
There are a lot of small parts to set aside to sub-paint white,
Here is the link to ther web site:
http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/upk/mystic/morgan/morgan.html
Thanks for the input and link.
Yes, I built it 10 years ago. Pretty detailed. Be careful with the rigging part. You may want to replace the sails with something that looks more like cloth than plastic. You could leave out the sails altogether. No guns though. But it was a whaler after all.
IT’S HERE! Anyone have a recomendation for cloth sail material? Maybe a quality t-shirt? Or maybe I should go to a sewing store. Well any way it will be a while before i need that.
What? You mean to tell me there’s actually ships out there with no AA guns?
Just kidding. I built the Morgan awhile back, and it’s a great kit, no accuracy problems that I could find based on the builder’s plans.
Jeff Herne
Modelwarships.com
Regarding sail materials:
I have offered up this reference before, and stand by it: “Historic Ship Models” by Wolfram zu Mondfeld. He recommends white cotton cambric, or other very thin close woven materials. The intent is to reduce the weave in scale so it is hardly noticeable. Wash the material in warm water first to make it more pliable. He also gives a method for dyeing the sails with tea to achieve the correct colour.
Use paper templates, kind of like sewing patterns. Don’t forget accessories such as the bolt ropes, reef bands, etc. as they will show up in your scale.
I like to furl my sails as I think this looks better than a static model under full sail but this is only my opinion. Another idea is to brail up the lower sails so as not to impede the view of the deck (upon which you have lavished such care and attention, right?).
Ships under sail always look better (I think) with the yards braced around as well.
Let me know how you make out …
Regards.
B. LeCren:
Thanks, that is what i needed.
Anyone:
The instructions call for grey on the inside hull from deck to gunwale but the pics I have seen of the real deal show a yellowish (mustard?) color. same is true of marlin spike rails and the cabin. The real tryworks appears to show brick on the fore end only, sides and stern covered with iron and the top coppered but the kit shows all brick. What is correct?
Hull and deck is progressing nicely, masts are assembled and primed shortly it will be time for rigging. Unfortunately the rigging plan is, IMO, only good for the standing rigging. The running rigging lacks details like blocks and some of the tackle so research is the name of the game now (Mystic Seaport wants nearly $90.00 for the plans).
I do need to find a source for 1/96 scale blocks so if anyone knows of one please post.
Bluejacket Shipcrafters in Maine sell a nice line of blocks in brittania (white, leadfree) metal. The only down side is they have to be primed and painted. A wide range of sizes is available. Model Expo in Florida also sells wooden blocks in a wide range of sizes. Both companies are on the web.
Model Expo also sells the Model Shipways kit of the Charles W. Morgan. You may be able to get the plans only for a lot less than from Mystic. If not, drop me a line off list. I have a copy of the plans somewhere and they may be in copy condition. If not, I could do a text version detailing what you need.
Long Island Ed.
claymore,
Where did you find your Charles W. Morgan kit ? When I was 12 yrs old, my Mom and I built the Morgan. That was 35 yrs ago, and I don’t remember too much about how the final outcome looked, but I do however remember being proud about it. Unfortunately, the model suffered an untimely demise when our house was being remodled. I now wish to build her again. I’ve looked at all the internet hobby stores I know of. Can ya steer me in the right direction ?
Thanks,
Ted
Derek
Derek
Did you realize that the real Morgan still exists at Mystic Seaport in Conn? I suspect their website has photos of the ship.
Claymore,
Are you sure the scale is 1/96th. that’s big for the 13" model, I’m building a 1/96th Cutty Sark for a client. The revell model is 1/96th. which is 3ft. long, if that is correct you can order a set through Heller for the HMS Victory, probally run you about 20.00 with shipping.
Jake
P.S.
Send a few pictures to me if you can.
I got mine on e-bay for about $20.00US incl. S&H. It’s Revell kit # H 346, Overall length of about 14 inches.
My apologies for the tardy reply.
Yep, it’s 1/96 (by my measurements) she was just a small ship. The pics at mystics website aren’t much help although I can buy a set of better ones. I have some in progress pictures I’ll post as soon as they are developed.
I fone of you guys that built the USS Constitution or Cutty Sark have leftover rigging blocks you could send It would be appreciated, I will reimburse for postage. Thought I would ask you guys before I bought some.
With ref to sail material for small scale model boats/ships.
I have used three different materials.
- Drafting Linnen. A bit difficult to find these days due to cad. Wash well before use.
- Coat lining material. A nylon fabric can be cut with a soldering iron and coloured with boot polish for tanned sails. Used it on my Thames Barge Kathleen.
- Light weight spinacer cloth.As above but has a weave problem in some cases.
I might suggest Plank on Frame Models by Harold Underhill vols one and two would be of great help.
Dai.
Hi Claymore 68,
my email changed to jbgroby@cox.net email off bb and I’ll link you a few pictures of the morgan I started doing for a client just recently. Also I have the finished pictrue of the Cutty sark.
Jake
Big Jake,
Thanks for the offer, will be in touch. My Cutty Sark met an untimely demise.[V] Cats![:(!]
Some in progress pics. Due to age the whole kit was yellowed and translucent so it was primed with flat white.
Aft deck structures minus cabins.
Same as above but better pic, you can see where the mounting lugs for the cabin walls had to be trimmed away.
Fore structures.
Hull profile after first coat of black.
Clatmore,
The large aft skylight has windows in it, you can use white glue to simulate. Acording to the recent pics I found of the CWM the masting and all walls outside of the deck houses were tan and the inner bulwarks were light grey. No matter how well the crew cleaned up after a kill-fleshing they could never clean the “yellowish” tint off the paint, so they painted it light grey.
Hope this helps.