If you look back to the photo’s the original posted put up, the line for the copper plates seems to have been masked off in a straight line instead of following the copper plate line. That was my comment, it didn’t look accurate to my eye, but I might be wrong about it.
Mike T.
I believe the arrangements of the copper plates are not entirely realistic. The top strake of copper plates would not have followed the wooden planking. Instead it would have followed the waterline so that the top edge of the coppering would have been horizontal. Also, a thin strake of wood would have been nailed to the top edge of the top run of copper plates to keep the edge of the top most copper from being accidentally peeled back by such actions as boats rubbing along the side of the ship.
Thanks Jim, The Aurora kit, whether by accident, or design, was 1:87. The hull measurements, with an HO scale ruler, match the dimensions of the prototype. The figurehead was, as best as I can tell from B&W photos, black like the hull. If the mallet you reference is the narrow gauge, I used the Little River Baldwin as a guide for appurtenance placement.