HMS Victory by Jeff-E - FINISHED - Panart - 1:78 Scale - Bow Section

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

I started this model last Christmas, sorry I have been so long in starting a log , but I was alsostill building the 'Norfolk'. Then the kit went back on the shelf while I finished the 'Norfolk' and I contemplated a problem I was having with the planking, that lasted for about 5 months!!

 

I finally got her out of storage a couple of weeks ago and have been slowly building again in between house renovations.

 

I have taken heaps of photos so please be patient while I upload them to catch up to where I am currently with the build.

 

I would like to make a few comments about the kit. The timber and laser cut parts are all of good quality, however all of the planks including the deck planks are walnut this makes for a very dark interior on an open model. I think they should have supplied a lighter timber for the deck planks as a contrast. all of the fittings are of high quality material although the bow figuere head does seem a bit large and akward. There were a few parts missing which I have replaced. I also have brought some extra blocks  and eye pins so I can fully rig the guns and some heart blocks to replace the 3 hole blocks they supplied for the forestay.

 

I intend to fully rig  the guns on the middle and upper gun deck and to rig at least the breeching ropes on the lower gun deck.

 

My plan is to fit the middle and upper gun deck after the hull has been completed so I can rig the cannons on each deck before fitting the deck above. We will see how that plan works out    

 

Here are some pic's of the kit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will post some more pics later Enjoy

 

 

[AntonyUK]

Hello Jeff.

Look's like a nice kit.

Sounds like a good plan on the sequencing.

Keep the decks sealed from dust as you progress upward on the next deck's. Oil and stains collect the dust and it's hard to remove after. ):

Will follow this build as I like my cross sections and was looking at this one for the future.

 

Regards Antony.

[patrickmil]

This looks pretty sharp! I wonder if they also make a kit for the stern.

[Jeff-E]

Hi Anthony and Patrick,

 

Thank you both for looking in.

 

 Anthony this is the first cross section I've attempted so it will be a learning curve but I do like all the extra detail you get with a cross section of the different decks that you don't see on a normal model.  I hope you enjoy the build

 

Patrick , I have not seen a cross section of the stern in kit form but it would be interesting, maybe a scratch build in the future  

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

First off acouple of pic's of the plans

 

 

 

They are basic drawings but give you the necessary dimensions

 

The next lot of photos is of the keel, frames and decks cutout also the assembly plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeff-E]

The rest of the decks

 

 

 

 

And now the frames and decks dry fitted. These all fitted together very well with minimal adjustment required

 

 

 

 

Well that is all for now I will post some more progress tomorrow

[Stockholm tar]

Hi Jeff,

 

I shall be following this with interest as I too am building this kit – although it is on hold at the moment whilst I finish my present build, the cutter Sherbourne.

 

Like you I agree that it is an interesting model, and that the interior as built is rather dark and drab, so I intend to paint a lot of it white. I am also thinking of some interior lighting. I intend to do quite a bit of kit - bashing, which I hope will improve it considerably, by fitting out the various decks as close to the actual ship as possible. Leaving off some of the planking on one side might also be an option. I have also decided to extend the length of the model by adding an extra frame, which will make her end at the break of the fo'c'sle, and am thinking of giving her a full-height foremast (the latter necessitating the former, to accomodate all of the shrouds and backstays). I have even thought of making her a waterline diorama (!) partly to do away with the rather awkward stand, but I shall have to think more about this when I resume work on her.

 

I am not too happy with many of the fittings supplied. For instance I think the figurehead is very poor, and the guns I will probably replace. I also believe there are rather too many pillars shown on the plans – and some are actually in way of the guns.

 

Anyway, enough about my bow section. I hope yours goes well and, as mentioned, I shall be following with interest.

 

 

[jarero]

Count me in for watching this one as well.  I have been fascinated lately with admiralty, cutaway and cross section models that show life below deck.

 

Jared

[JPett]

Ahoy Jeff

 

Interesting subject, thanks for posting that great review

 

Looking forward to your progress

[Jeff-E]

Hi Kester, Jared and J.Pett,

 

Thankyou all for looking in and I hope you enjoy the build.

 

Kester I too intend to paint the interior walls and ceilings white on the orlop adnd the lower and middle gun deck. I think the upper gun deck walls were yellow ochre and the cieling was white, while the in the hold the walss were left unpainted  but the ceilng was white. That is based on photos of the ship as she is now from the official site but she may weel have had a different interior colour scheme at the time of Trafalgur.

 

Your ideas to modify your kit sound great   but I don't think my skills are up to that stage yet so I will build this one pretty much as comes out of the box with a few modifications as I go along.

 

The figure head is the one part that I may change when I get to that stage. i have heard that the Caldercraft one is very good and much closer to the correct scale.

 

Jared your seat is reserved  

 

J.Pett thank you for your kind words  

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

After dry fitting the frames and ensuring a good fit the next step was to roughly fair the first three fames and the bow planking supports because I would not be able to support them properly once they were glued to the keel and it was easier to shape the bow planking supports before fitting them.

 

I then glued the frames to the keel. The first frame was squared to the keel, glued on and allowed to dry then the other three frames were glued on using the decks, which were temporarily pinned and clamped to the frames to keep them square.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeff-E]

While I was waiting for the frames to dry I made up the magazine store which will be fitted to the hold deck

 

 

 

It was then planked with 0.5 x 4mm walnut strips

 

 

 

And finally the door was made up and fitted

 

[jarero]

Jeff,

 

Nice looking work.  I was curious what the hinges and door knob are made from?  Is the door functional?  Thanks for the update, I look forward to more.

[Jeff-E]

Hi Jared,

 

The hinges are made form 2 pieces of 0.75mm brass wire and the door knob is the round head of a brass nail.

 

Sorry the door is not fuctional

 

Thanks for dropping in and for your comments  

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

After the frames were dry I faired them some more, very carefully, with a smooth file.

 

 

 

As I said before I am going to paint the inside of the hull so my next job was to mask up and paint the frames before all the decks are fitted. the walls of the hold deck and the area below it, the bilge, will be left natural timber. So the frames in this area will be stained with a walnut stain.

 

 

 

Afte masking up the frames I glued on the false deck for the hold and then painted the frames.

 

 

 

[Stockholm tar]

Jeff,

 

Looking good so far, and it's probably a good idea to paint various parts before installing them, when you then can't get to them easily – like the frames.

 

Btw, have you any of the books on the Victory, that you might use for reference. They might help the rather poor instructions (nothing new there).

[Jeff-E]

Hi Kester,

 

Yes I do have a couple of reference books to help me . I have C Neapean Longridges 'The Anatomy of Nelsons Ships' and John Mckay's 'Anatomy of the 100 Gun Ship Victory', the latter gives an excellent breakdown of each deck, which does differ somewhat form the model.

I agree that the instructions are poor in some respects especially when it comes to the rigging they are also some what confusing in the build sequence.

 

I will try to paint as much of the interior as I go as some spaces will be impossible to get to when the planking is finished

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

Just A small update to complete the hold deck. It was planked with 0.5 x 4mm walnut strips in a 2 butt shift pattern, I will follow this pattern for all of the lower decks as you won't be able to see them once the model is complete however i will do a 4 butt shift pattern on the fo'csle.

 

 

 

 

 

The deck waas then sanded and the magazine store was fitted

 

 

 

Also as you can see in the last 2 photos the lower frames have been stained with walnut

[AntonyUK]

Hello Jeff.

Looking real nice and you are a fast builder.

The kit looks really nice from the pictures you have posted

Keep up the good work and plan ahead.

 

Regards Antony.

[Jeff-E]

Hi Anthony,

 

Thank you. I'm really not that fast a builder as this part of the build was completed earlier this year before I put her into hibernation while I finnished the Norfolk. Sorry for any confusion  

 

I am currently just finnishing off the first planking and hope to catch up with that stage here soon    

[Captain Slog]

Hi Jeff,

 

Magazine is looking sweet.  Is there a lot of 'furniture', fixtures and fittings on the decks? these are thetype of things I like doing most on a build.

 

cheers

Slog

[Jeff-E]

Hi All,

 

Once the hold deck was complete 3 coats of clear varnish was applied to the deck of which I thought I had taken a photo of before the next deck was fitted, but if I did I can't find it  

 

So it is on to the next deck the Orlop. John Mckay's book shows a single companionway leading from the Orlop deck to the hold but the kit has 2 companionways going down. I have decided to stick with the kit version as I said in my opening post that this would be an out of the box build with a few modifcations.

 

I lined the companionway openings with 0.5 x 4 mm walnut and the sanded them down to the thickness of the false deck. This was not in the instructions but I did it to cover the ply which would be seen when finished.

 

 

 

 

The next job was to paint the underside of the false decks, the ceiling of the hold deck.

 

 

 

The deck was then glued on ensuring the mast hole aligned with the deck below

 

 

 

 

[Jeff-E]

Hi Slog,

 

Thanks. Yes making the deck furniture is also one my most enjoyable parts of a build, those and the rigging

[Jeff-E]

The fo'csle was left temporarily pinned for stability of the upper frames and to check the mast  alignment with the lower decks

 

 

 

The deck was then marked for planking and the planks laid

 

 

 

[AntonyUK]

Hello Jeff.

Are the faces of the frames/bulkheads faced or is it plywood ??

I see you are also a fisherman .. The weights are a giveaway

The last photo really shows the decks camber nicely.

Well done. Will keep looking in on this build.

 

Regards Antony.

[mobbsie]

Hi Jeff,

 

This is an interesting build which I will follow closely.  Been thinking seriously of taking on a build like this as space is a premium.

 

I have loads of questions which I wont ask because the answers will become evident as you progress.

 

Your doing good work here so keep it up.

 

mobbsie

[patrickmil]

You are doing very nice work with this kit. Are you planning on putting in any of the framing below the decking?

[Jeff-E]

Hi Anthony, Mobbsie and Patrick,

 

Firstly thank you all for your kind words

 

Anthony, the frames are just plywood although I don't know what type  and yes the weights are a bit of a give away but sadly i have not had much of chance lately to use them what they are intended for

 

Mobbsie , Space to display the model is one of the main reasons I am doing this kit. At the moment I am living in a small 2 bed townhouse and space is a bit of a premium but it also an interesting kit.

Please ask as many questions as you like I just hope I can answer them  

 

Patrick, No I don't intend to frame below the decks. I would consider doing it if part of the decks were going to be cut awayand the planks left off but i wont be doing that on this build

[jarero]

Hi Jared,

 

The hinges are made form 2 pieces of 0.75mm brass wire and the door knob is the round head of a brass nail.

 

Sorry the door is not fuctional

 

Thanks for dropping in and for your comments  

Jeff,

 

Thanks for the info about the door knob and hinges. No need to appologize that the door isn't functional. I was just curious.

 

The build is looking great! Thanks for sharing the updates.

[Jeff-E]

Hi Jared,

 

No Problem. I'm happy to pass on any info that I can