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Mississippi 1870 by vossy - Sergal - 1:50 - Riverboat


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Hey Brian, thanks for your kind words. You are right, the kit is large and although the initial cost may be prohibitive to some, I tend to try and break down and justify the cost by the amount of time a kit takes to build. I have been on this one for just over 12 months now, but that is by no means working on her everyday. I think if you put in a solid 2 or 3 hours everyday you could probably finish this in a few months. It is also a great kit to add on to. The horse bay area for instance was just bland if you followed the kit to the letter of the law. I added pretty much all the detail there. As for scale, I don't really get too fussed with it. This is really a fantasy boat as such and so if something looks ok I go with it. If it looks odd I will rectify it.

 

As you can see, I live in Australia. I got this kit delivered to my door 4 days after I clicked buy on the Cornwall Model Boats site in the UK. It cost me, with postage, about $650 AUD. Exact same kit here in NSW would have cost me $1300 AUD. Go figure? I am in no way affiliated with CMB but I would recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat.

 

I have the Chaperon waiting for me when I finish this lady. After that I would like to tackle the Occre one you are currently doing. Good luck with your build, I will follow along with it like many others.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Quick update on progress. More railings on Port side. Pictures don't really do it justice, as I reckon it looks heaps better irl. But then again, I might be biased, a bad cameraman, or both? Anyway, here are some pics.

 

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Any criticism, good or bad, greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

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Not to shabby vossy. You might get her in some daylight with a somewhat more uniform colour background. That would improve your image considerably ... She looks pritty, so far a job well done. Fortunately we are our own worst critics ...which keeps us on our toes

Carl

"Desperate affairs require desperate measures." Lord Nelson
Search and you might find a log ...

 

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Chris:

 

She looks just great.  

 

Regards,

David

David Robinson

Boston, MA area

 

Completed:  Constructo J.S. Elcano, Artesinia Latina Sanson, Dumas Mt. Washington, Bluejacket Nantucket, Amati Revenge, Artesania Latina  King of the Mississippi, 

Amati Grand Banks Heritage 46, Amati HMS Fly, Amati Titanic, Dumas Chris Craft Commuter, Mantua Cutty Sark, Mantua Bruma, Kolderstok Batavia, Vanguard Models HM Cutter Alert, Caldercraft HMS Victory, Dumas USCG Fast Response Cutter

 

Currently Building:  Amati Bismarck

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Looking really good, Chris.

 

We do get some good weather here in Ballarat. Sometimes as much as 10 minutes at a time😀!

 

Steven

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You could bring her over, and take some shots here near the pond ... currently we have dry periods with infrequent short moments of percipitation ... besides that, I can see her "in the wood" ...

Carl

"Desperate affairs require desperate measures." Lord Nelson
Search and you might find a log ...

 

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So back to the Bow and Starboard side to finish off this level of railings.

 

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I have been working on the main smoke stacks behind the scenes, so once all these railings are done the updates should be a bit more interesting. Well at least I hope so.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

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Rain, what a novel concept. Here we're classified as Extreme Drought and on the edge of Exceptional Drought (the scale doesn't go higher). I agree that cameras and harsh lighting are the modeler's enemies. I really like the curtain effect behind the other details. For what it's worth, the stacks were normally called chimneys on these riverboats.

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5 hours ago, Cathead said:

Rain, what a novel concept. Here we're classified as Extreme Drought and on the edge of Exceptional Drought (the scale doesn't go higher). I agree that cameras and harsh lighting are the modeler's enemies. I really like the curtain effect behind the other details. For what it's worth, the stacks were normally called chimneys on these riverboats.

Thanks for the info Eric. Maybe you can answer another question for me too? My next build is going to be Chaperon. I have the kit but wont start until this one is 99% done I reckon. However, I have been planning the build and how I would like it to go. Now, rightly or wrongly, it is my understanding that many of these boats were built by local artisans on the side of the river where they worked. Don't know if Chaperon fits this category or not? Anyway, given, well if, they were, would the paint have been more of a see through whitewash type mixture, as opposed to a more solid commercial brand available in the day? Maybe they would transport good quality paint in to finish vessels like Chaperon? So should I finish Chaperon as a slightly see through finish, or make it a more solid color?

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

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just caught up with the build Chris.........she look'in great!   well done on the railings.....decorations look sweet as well  :) 

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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Cog, not that I know of. Smaller, unpowered riverboats used oars, but I haven't heard of steamboats doing so. The current was generally too swift for sweeps to be of any use driving that bulk upstream, and downstream they'd still be unlikely to provide enough thrust for steering or navigation. Really, to make any difference in a riverboat, you'd need a giant crew to man them, way more than these boats carried even with passengers. The machinery and cargo were way too heavy.

 

Chris, most American riverboats operating within the Mississippi River system were built along the upper Ohio River, near the ironworks needed for the machinery and the dense forests of the Appalachian Mountains. Some were built further downstream in places like St. Louis. There were established yards that built most boats, but individual craft tended to be artisanal in the sense that there weren't necessarily blueprints or standard designs, they were just built in place according to whatever design and plan the builders wanted. This may have become more standardized toward the end of the era (Chaperon is relatively late), I'm referring to the 1840s-1860s primarily. The yards could be highly established and skilled, but they weren't traditional shipyards in the coastal sense. They tended to be built fast and loose, using rough wood and as light framing as they thought they could get away with, given that the average life of these boats was so short and their operating conditions so rugged.

 

As for paint, my guess would be a basic whitewash and a basic red, probably locally produced and not too high-value. Kurt or Roger are the best ones to answer that detail, though. The tradeoff here is that the owners wanted the boats to look flashy even if they weren't, so there was some impetus to have enough solid color on there not to look trashy. Chaperon came along late enough that maybe more high-end paint was available or used, I'm not sure. Personally, I think perfect, bright paint jobs tend to look a bit fake on a model even if they're accurate, so I'd go with a more faded look anyway, but that's obviously modeler's choice.

 

Again, Kurt or Roger may well correct some or all of the above and are welcome to do so. Definitely looking forward to your Chaperon.

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Oops, Carl, I completely misunderstood you! Sorry to ruin your joke. It was a reasonable enough question under the other interpretation...

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good info Eric none the less :) 

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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Looks wonderful, Chris.  The quality of your work is astonishing.

 

Regards,

David

David Robinson

Boston, MA area

 

Completed:  Constructo J.S. Elcano, Artesinia Latina Sanson, Dumas Mt. Washington, Bluejacket Nantucket, Amati Revenge, Artesania Latina  King of the Mississippi, 

Amati Grand Banks Heritage 46, Amati HMS Fly, Amati Titanic, Dumas Chris Craft Commuter, Mantua Cutty Sark, Mantua Bruma, Kolderstok Batavia, Vanguard Models HM Cutter Alert, Caldercraft HMS Victory, Dumas USCG Fast Response Cutter

 

Currently Building:  Amati Bismarck

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Oh, geez, I hate to be a party pooper, but is the signage the original from the kit? It should read "Natchez", not "Netchez", at least if it's meant to refer to the real Mississippi River port. There's no "Netchez" that I know of, and a branch of my family's lived in that area for over a century.
 

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Par for the course for these kits. Of course, no in one Australia will know the difference, just as no one here in the American Midwest will ever recognize all the various faults in my Corel revenue cutter!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Installing the top level railings

 

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Given Wednesday is my Birthday I reckon I may break out and make an early start on Chaperon as a present to myself. I will definitely be doing a log on her if anyone is interested. I will definitely still be completing this model as I go however.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

 

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Happy (early) birthday, Chris!  She looks great.

 

Regards,

David

David Robinson

Boston, MA area

 

Completed:  Constructo J.S. Elcano, Artesinia Latina Sanson, Dumas Mt. Washington, Bluejacket Nantucket, Amati Revenge, Artesania Latina  King of the Mississippi, 

Amati Grand Banks Heritage 46, Amati HMS Fly, Amati Titanic, Dumas Chris Craft Commuter, Mantua Cutty Sark, Mantua Bruma, Kolderstok Batavia, Vanguard Models HM Cutter Alert, Caldercraft HMS Victory, Dumas USCG Fast Response Cutter

 

Currently Building:  Amati Bismarck

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I'll wat for Wednesday .. but keep in mind you do not start to look like popeye, and  try to keep several builds in the air at one time ... 9I'm guilty meself too)  Not to shabby those railings ;) Those really give a finishing touch now you are nearing completion ...

Carl

"Desperate affairs require desperate measures." Lord Nelson
Search and you might find a log ...

 

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