Amerigo Vespucci 1931 by schiffebastler - Mantua - scale 1:84 - Italian sail training ship build

[schiffebastler]

Hello,
after the warm welcome in this forum and the interest on a build log of the "Amerigo Vespucci", I will start it now.

 

As you may know it is an Italien sail training ship which was originally build 1931.

The model bases on the Mantua-Kit, which I tried to optimize according to pictures of the real Ship. I started to build the model in 1994, but just shortly after the begin, I had to disturb the building due to job, wife, house building, kids, ... A few years ago I restarted building the model again.

Some data:
Mantua Kit
scale 1:84
length 1,25m
hight 0,75m

In a german forum I have already started a build log of this ship a few months ago. Therefore, first I will present as an overview also the steps which I have done since this time. Unfortunately, I have got no pictures from the earlier steps, so I will start with a mostly ready body of the ship and show you first some detail pictures.

Hope, you enjoy it.
Best regards, Joachim

 

 

 

 

 

[schiffebastler]

Hi,

the next thing to do, is to build all the boats of the Amerigo. And they are a lot. In total the Amerigo has 11 more or less different boats.

I build them similar to the big ship on frames. The hull mostly has to be painted.

Due to a few pictures of the real boats, I modified the kit based boats and added a few things to them, e.g. propeller,...

 

First I will show you pictures from one of the motor boats.

 

 

 

Best regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Hello,

 

the second boat is a rowing boat which is placed in the tail of the Amerigo.

Because of plans which did not correspond with the real boat, I took the pictures from the existing one and build it according to them.

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Hello,

 

today I would like to post some pictures from next boat. It ist the captains barcasse.

Also for this boat I had to add a few details to the one which was in the construction kit, e.g. propeller.

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Hello,

now I would like to show you one of four similar boats. These are rowing boats, but also they have 2 masts with sails. First of all I produce one of those boats as a prototype.

Due to the fact, that the plan in the kit was totally wrong, I could referre only to pictures of the real boats. Based on the pictures I had to draw own plans of the boats.

 

In the pictures you can see some details of the construction of this boat, step by step.

After this one boat, the next step will be to construct the other three boats of the same type. And then they need of course paddles, masts etc..

 

Regards Joachim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[john46]

Joachim,

 

An impressive built. Will follow your log.

 

Regards,

John

[schiffebastler]

Thank you very much, John!

Now, the complete fleet of the four similar boats are ready. They are build in the same way as the first prototype. There are a few differences between the boats, eg. two of them have additional boxes in the bow of the boats.

At least there is missing the equipment of all the boats, but this I will do step by step.

Regards, Joachim
 

[Trussben]

Impressive work there, I shall pop in and watch with interest.

 

Ben

[schiffebastler]

Hi Ben,

thank you very much for your interest

Regards, Joachim

[md1400cs]

Joachim,

 

I ran across your new build as I was looking around. Beautiful! I really like your details with the long boats. Spectacular. I will follow this impressive build as well. This ship has always held a fascination for me. As usual, your skill level is remarkable. You are creating a superlative build.

 

Michael D

[tasmanian]

obviously a beautiful kit and good work on it but how long do you need to built it ?

[schiffebastler]

Hello,

thank's a lot for all your kind comments!

 

Concerning the boats of the Amerigo, they are still the original from the beginning (this told my a guy who stayed on the Amerigo for a few months). The boats are manly used for training and representation, for rescue they have a lot of liferafts.

For the kit the manufacturer obviously simplyfied the plans of the boats and use them also for different other kits. I saw (compared pictures with the plans) that the hulls of the boats are very close to the original one but the rest was partly different and too simple. Therefore I took the hull as a basis. Also I took many pictures, compared them with the Amerigo or people, or... which are on the background of the pictures and could approximate the dimensions for all the parts.

Unfortunately after I just got new pictures, I realised a few mistakes, so I have to rebuild partly the windows of the motor boats..

 

Now the question, how much time it took up to now to build the model, is very difficult to be answered. Looking back to all the years, I think it must be more than 1000 hours and less than 1500 hours.... My plan is, to be ready within one year.

 

So far, regards Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Thank you Gary!

 

Fortunately, I had the chance to see the Amerigo sailing. Since I was on the university, I am sailing nearly every year, mostly in the north of Germany (e.g. baltic see) or on the Mediterranean. And during these cruises I was able to see the Amerigo. I can tell you, it is a really impressive moment! Of course, I visited the vessel also during great sailing events which take place every year, but a really great moment is, to pass the vessel on sea or sail nearby! These moments had been the reason for building this model.

 

I had a look on your Soleil Royal, a really wonderful work! I put it in my list for following it. Due to my own work on the small boats I can really understand your remarks to your own boats. But, looking to your impressive model, I am sure, you will succeed also with wonderful boats.

 

 

Hope, my english is not too bad to understand...

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

The next post concerns the pins and the pin rails (hope it ist the right word??).

Originally, the kit contains the big pins from Krick. Years ago I used these pins, you can see them on the first picture. But now I don't like them any more and wanted to have more suitable ones.

So I decided to build them for myself. First I build a metal shape and milled the wood. I tested several woods to find the suitable, in german its name is "ramin" but I don't find a translation for it.

After producing 150 pieces and shorten them, I could produce new pin rails. The result show the pictures.

 

Regards, Joachim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[schiffebastler]

The next post concerns the pins and the pin rails (hope it ist the right word??).

Originally, the kit contains the big pins from Krick. Years ago I used these pins, you can see them on the first picture. But now I don't like them any more and wanted to have more suitable ones.

So I decided to build them for myself. First I build a metal shape and milled the wood. I tested several woods to find the suitable, in german its name is "ramin" but I don't find a translation for it.

After producing 150 pieces and shorten them, I could produce new pin rails. The result show the pictures.

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

I think the last time, I doubled the post .. but I dont know how...

 

Nevertheless, now a few small things - life preservers. Build with small wooden rings, a small cord around each ring, small white paper stripes around the rings to fix the cord.

 

Regards Joachim

 

 

 

 

 

[schiffebastler]

Now I produce the two reserve anchors which have to be attached at the tail of the ship.

The anchors are made of metal. The fastening you can see on the first picture. They are painted black and fixed on the ship together with the anchors.

 

Regards Joachim

 

 

 

[laps]

Hi Joachim

 

Found your log today. I must say, you are doing a splendid job - like the way you bashed the small boats. I do not have access to any drawings so I will mostly follow the instruction - at least where they don't show mistakes.

If my AV is going to look half as good as yours, I'm very satisfied.

I'm currently well under way doing the rigging - doing yards at the moments.

 

 

Keep those pictures coming.

 

/Lars Peter

[schiffebastler]

Thank you very much Lars Peter! But as I wrote in your log, your model is excellent!

 

More and more I use as basis for the detail the real pictures of the ship.

Here is a very interesting link, maybe it still can also help you a bit:

http://www.congedativespucci.it/galleria/1999-index.html

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Now, I would like to show the building of the davits (hope, this is the right english word??), they hold the small boats.

 

First a few small balls which have to be placed on wooden bars where the boats are leaning on.

The davits are made of brass, which has to be turned.

 

 

 

 

Into some holes which I drilled into the davits, I put the small holders for the bars. Then a ring is fixed onto the bottom of the davits; it fixes the davits at the ship - within the ring there is installed a metal stick. The bottom of the davits are fixed on the ship also with metal stripes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rigging of the davits and the placement of the boats will be done after rigging the whole ship, becourse otherwise it will hindering the rigging of the ship.

 

 

And sorry for my bad english, but I hope, you can understand the content anyway - at least together with the pictures...otherwise, please don't hesitate to ask me...

 

Regards, Joachim

[riverboat]

this is truly one beautiful and inspiring build. Thanks for sharing your talent with us.

Frank

[schiffebastler]

Thank you Frank!

 

The next are the rods for the awning at the tail of the ship.

On the top of the rods I drilled small holes. The rods are connected with ropes where the awning can be put on.

The rods are fixed outside the ship with metal stripes.

So far today

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards Joachim

Edited March 30, 2013 by schiffebastler

[schiffebastler]

Hello,

 

the next step is, to add raindeflector to alle windows and portholes (... and there are a lot ...).

These 'eyelashes' are a specific characteristic of the Amerigo.

 

I produced them from 0.8mm wire which I turned around a spar and a timber. Then cutting the pieces, sticking on the model and painting in the appropriate colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards, Joachim

[laps]

Hi Joachim

 

I like the way you are making your model more authentic looking - big job.

 

You're approaching the rigging job quite fast - big job I can tell you and not much help from the instructions.

 

/Lars Peter

[schiffebastler]

Thank you all for your kind comments!

 

The next step will be, to produce the gangways. Actually, I am analysing the pictures of the ship and I try to understand fully their operation, in order to produce more realistic gangways and a few more details than the kit itself offers. We will see...

 

Regards, Joachim

[schiffebastler]

Bevor I will start with the gangways, I had again a look to the doors of the bulwark. On the picture you can see, the existing one based on the kit. But I don't like them and they are absolutely not corresponding with the original ones.

 

 

 

So, I teared them off. Then I build new ones with a ledge arround, added some hinges and metal composite, and of course the exterior side was painted.

 

 

 

The Amerigo has three doors, one at the starboard side and two at the other side. Although I intend to show the model with fully sails, I like to show at least one of the gangways in extended version, another partly extended and the other in 'closed' version. Becourse of this, the back door at the larboard side will be closed.

 

 

 

 

 

And now I continue, analysing the pictures of the Amerigo, in order to understand the operation of the gangways, which will follow after being ready.

 

Regards, Joachim

Edited April 2, 2013 by schiffebastler

[Bender]

Joachim, wow. You have really added a lot of details to this ship. Looks great.

[schiffebastler]

Thank you Al !

 

Today I would like to show you the sea ladder (hope, this is the right name...). Due to many details and different types, this will give multiple postings.

I will start with a short overview with most of the important parts.

The Amerigo consists of three sea ladders. Each of them consists of two segments and each of them consits of a podium and a ladder. The sea ladder segments are fixed outside of the hull of the ship.




At the podiums and the ladders are fixed some holders where the stanchions are pluged in. These holders I have build with small pipes, inside 0.8mm and length 1.5mm.




In order to enable the folding and fixing of the podiums there are some rods below the podiums where some stanchions are are fixed in a flexible way. The ladders are fixed at the podiums an can be moved.




The ladders have some metal strengthenings along the stringbords ant metal pipes inbetween.





In order to fix the sea ladders or to shore them, there are needed a few holders and pillars.

 

... will be continued ...
 

 

[schiffebastler]

... the first shown sea ladder will be in running version, fixed at the hull.


As you can see, each sea ladder consists of two segments, each of them with a podium and a ladder.




Each podium can be foldet up to the hull. The movement is supported by outriggers with which the elements are veered. Each ladder lays on outriggers with their tail. All outriggers can swing.

The podiums and ladders are lashed or fixed with metal fittings (I found both versions on pictures).

 

 

 

 

All outriggers, which are not necessary in that moment can be moved to the hull and fixed.

 

and again some pictures...

 

will be continued ...
 

 

[schiffebastler]

... now I will show you a totally opened sea ladder, which is ready for boarding small boats.

As you can see, both podests with their ladders are moved down. The ladder of the lower segment hangs on a gallow with chains. With this the lower ladder is beeing hold in position or feered. On the second picture, behind the gallow, you can see an outrigger (white colour) where later a rope is put through. With this outrigger the movement of the sea ladder is done.

 

 

At the end of the lower ladder can be fixed an additional smaller podest.

 

For this purpose of use, there are use very simple stanchions made of brass. These are put into the existing holders.

 

The pillars below the podiums are moved to the outside and shore the podiums. Below the additional podium there is moved also an outrigger.