Howdy folks,
Could anyone here help me? I have a Heller Victory with French only instructions. Does anyone have bilingual instructions or better yet instructions in English from the Aurora/Heller release? If so, could they be copied, scanned or emailed?
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Tory
Be warned, Goshawk: the “English translation” of the instructions in that kit is just about useless. (Caveat: I’m basing this on the ones that were included in the kit I was sent to review for Model Shipwright, about 25 years ago. But other Forum members, in various threads, have made it pretty clear that the ones being packaged with the kit now are virtually the same.) They are not, in fact, a translation of the French original. The “English” version appears to have been written - probably in a couple of hours - by somebody who (a) didn’t understand French, and (b) had never built the kit. (The first hint: he or she thought “le mat de misaine” was the mizzenmast. It’s not. It’s the foremast. The mizzenmast is “le mat d’artimon.” ) The “English” version really amounts to a few pages of generalized (and, for an experienced modeler, just about useless) advice, and instructions to look at the pictures. The French originals and a small French dictionary will help you at least as much as the alleged “translation.”
In any case, the text of the French originals doesn’t really convey much useful information. For the assembly of the hull and deck components it relies very heavily on the diagrams. And when it comes to the rigging, the Heller instructions - in any language - are just about worthless. They’re loaded with outright mistakes and irrationality, because the people who wrote them (and drew the rigging diagrams) didn’t understand how rigging works. (First hint: the kit contains no parrels, or any other means of fastening the yards to the masts. Anybody who designs a ship model kit with yards that are just supposed to hang there has no business giving instructions to anybody else.)
I imagine somebody here in the Forum can provide you with the Heller “translation,” but it really won’t do you much good. My suggestion is to get a paperback French-English/English-French dictionary, fight your way through the diagrams to build the hull, and when it’s time to start setting up the masts get hold of a copy of C. Nepean Longridge’s The Anatomy of Nelson’s Ships. Two other excellent books on the Victory are Anatomy of the Ship: The 100-Gun Ship Victory, and H.M.S. Victory: Construction, Career and Restoration, by Alan McGowen. But in my opinion the Longridge book is the most useful for modelers. The rigging diagrams and instructions in it are just as valid for the 1/100 plastic kit as they were for Dr. Longridge’s 1/48 scratchbuilt masterpiece.
We’ve discussed this kit, and the building of it, quite a few times here in the Forum. If you do a search on the word “Victory” you’ll find a ton of information that will be far more useful than those wretched instructions, which I personally regard as something of a scandal.
Good luck.
Thanks John, I certainly appreciate you candid response, which I will give very serious clout.
I had feared this to be the case, but had hoped (somewhat naively) maybe it would not. I will take your advice and go with it.
Tory
I’ve got the English instructions. For hull assembly, they’re actually not too bad. Some pages just seem like they were trying to show the assembly of just too many parts. Otherwise, hull assembly is pretty decent. It’s when you get into rigging where things begin to fall apart. It’s nothing that can’t be figured out. I’ve read and reread the instructions several times, jotting down a few notes. So now I’m starting to see what Heller was trying to do. It’s difficult to understand the rigging instructions, but not impossible. Of course, I tend to be a fairly optimistic person and love a good challenge, which the Heller Victory definitely is. A good challenge.
Let me know if you need them and I’ll see what I can do to get them copied for you. PM me with your snail and email address. It may be later in the week before I can get it done, but I’ll see what I can do.
Grymm
goshawk:
Here is a great site for building the Victory. They are a decitated groyup of fellowa with lots or refrence material and help. Its a great site.
http://www.chumster.co.uk/forum/index.php?mforum=bobbie
Dick Wood
Don’t you find it ironic that you have to get French instruction’s translated to build the HMS Victory’
Rod
Thanks for all the help folks!
Grymm, I sent you a PM with my email and snail mail address.
Dick Wood, thanks for the link, it will most certainly come in handy.
And yes Rod, it is just a little bit ironic!
Tory
Since it seems my buddy Grymm has fallen off the face of the Earth, would anyone else have a set of Heller Victory Instructions in English they might be able to copy, scan or whatever for me?
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!
I’m still here. I completely forgot to stop by Kinko’s on Saturday. Had a housefull of kids and it kept me a little busy. I’m going to try and drop by tomorrow and get it done as I’m on my way to work.
Sorry for the delay and my bad memory…
Grymm
There you are!
Glad you’re still with us!
No apology is necessary, providing you don’t forget again!;^)
Thanks,
Tory
Made the copy today. They came out just fine. I sent you an email regarding the same. But I cannot find your mailing address. Email it to me and I’ll get it out either Wed or Thurs.
Grymm