HMS Victory by gil middleton - FINISHED - Caldercraft - 1:72

[gil middleton]

Many thanks Popeye.  Computers seem to get old rather fast.  Let's hope our models have more staying power.  And a Happy New Year to you and your family.  Cheers, Gil

[Jerry]

Hello Gil,

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Happy and Health New Year, and to thank you for all that you have done to make life easier for the many ship modellers attempting to build the HMS Victory kit, myself included.  I hope to enjoy your work for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Jerry.  

[gil middleton]

Happy New Year Jerry.  I'm facing the same delemma that you did, the Victory is almost finished, and what then?  However, I'm having too much fun building the small boats to quit now.  From one old geezer to another, all the best.  Gil

[gil middleton]

I plan to have one boat (the launch) on the upper deck skids, and one on the starboard davits. On the model, the davits are 3.9" apart, equivalent to approximately 23.4 feet.  However, the small cutter or Jolly boat in the kit measures only the equivalent of 18 feet.  Hence, I decided to build a 25 foot cutter as shown in McKay's drawings in McGowan's book, HMS Victory, Her Construction, Career and Restoration.

 

Since there are no parts for that size cutter in the kit, I decided to modify the pinnace (28 ') into a cutter (25').

 

Starting planking using the pinnace keel and forward bulkheads.

 

 

A new larger transome was fashioned for the cutter.  The pinnace transome circled at left.

 

 

The portion of the pinnace keel to be removed is highlighted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gil middleton]

Planking is to the larger transome.  Excess keel to be removed.

 

 

After rough sanding and filling.

 

 

Continuing with fairing the hull

 

[dgbot]

Nice conversion Gil.  You were able to not only change the length but the body style as well.

David B

[gil middleton]

Thanks David.  I was rather pleased with the hull shape.  The uncertainty was that the pinnace would produce a boat with a narrow beam and too little freeboard. However, with a few shims and a wider transome, it turned out OK.

 

At my age, one tends to reflect on the state of ship modelling.  With the advance of technology, we may soon buy our models in some form of thumb drive or DVD disc, take it to the color 3D printer and presto, a finished model.  But, good luck with the rigging.  It doesn't sound like much fun to me.

Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

Continuing with the 25' cutter.  Bulkheads have been trimmed and ribs added.

 

 

Gunwale and rising plank added.

 

 

Final fairing, sanding and painting, sanding and painting, sanding and painting, painting, painting, painting, etc., etc

 

.

 

Weathered thwarts and floor boards (a bit too much), and comparison with the launch

 

 

Still a number of details to be added, aft seating, rudder, lifting rings, thole pins, etc.

 

 

[gil middleton]

Thanks so very much Lawrence.  I'll try to keep the log interesting and understandable to our Canadian friends. Having lived in Vancouver, Halifax, Edmonton and Toronto, I speak Canadian rather well.  Right eh!  Cheers, Gil

[popeye the sailor]

very nice work Gil.......takes a bit of doing to modify 'em,  but in the end,  what you came up with looks superb!   they look great together!

[gil middleton]

Thanks Popeye, I wasn't sure what I'd end up with, but the further along I got, the better I liked it. Sometimes we just get lucky. Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

Fashioning pintles and rudder.  At small scale, it is easy to lose track of size.  The rudder looks fine except that the tiller at 1:72 would be in reality 5" to 6" (12 1/2 to 15 cm.) in diameter, and totally out of scale.  The tiller handle was replaced with painted wire, equivalent to approximately 1 1/2" (4 cm.) diameter at full scale.  Gudgeons added to the transome and thole pins at the gunwale for rowing.

 

 

The cutter alongside the launch.

 

 

Painting scheme for the cutter.

 

 

Marlinspike seamanship has been practiced for hundreds of years, including knots, hitches, splices and decorative knots.  Decorative ropework was typically seen on tiller handles, bell ropes, hand rails and stanchions, etc. although only one "turkshead" was seen in my photos of the "Victory".

Here is a crude example to simulate a decorative ropework covering on the tiller.

 

 

Next:  Attaching the cutter to the falls from the davits.

 

[mtaylor]

Sweeeeet..  I love that cutter.

[Kevin]

So do I

 

lovely work

[Jack12477]

Me too !  Love the "fancy rope" on the tiller. I have a [uS] Coast Guard friend who does fancy rope as a hobby. It's really beautiful workmanship- yours and his.

[gil middleton]

Mark, Always a treat to have your comments. But how do you keep track of all of us as an administrator and get any work done on your lovely Licorne?

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR ADMINISTRATORS FOR MAINTAINING THIS GREAT SITE !

 

As always Kevin, many thanks.

Jack, It's fun to try something different.  The next detail could be scrimshaw, if one is adept at engraving the image of a ship on the head of a pin. Perhaps I'll pass.

Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

The Cutter, secured to the falls from the davits.

 

 

Flags, name on transome and a mounting base before fitting a case.  Cheers, Gil

[Jack12477]

Outstanding ! Beautiful !

[Jerry]

Hey Gil...Beautiful job....It looks just like mine.

LOL

Jerry

[mtaylor]

You're getting close, Gil.  That little cutter looks right at home on the davits.    BTW, i'm not a moderator anymore after stepping down for personal reasons. So, I get more shop time. 

[Remcohe]

She looks really wonderful Gil.

 

Remco

[gil middleton]

Mark, I'm glad to hear you'll have more shop time. However, your 8000+ posts have encouraged a great number of ship modellers. A special thanks from one of them.

Jack, If I had only known. I would have checked out your lovely longboat before starting on my own.

Thanks Jerry, I'm finally catching up with you.

Remco, Your comments are greatly appreciated.

 

A few more small details, clean up, touch up, etc.

Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

Finally getting around to the flags, attaching the White Ensign, Union Jack and Vice Admiral's flag.

The White Ensign on the driver yard flag halyard.

 

 

Nelson's Vice Admiral flag at the foremast peak. The flag is flown on a "Pig Stick" so that the flag is not fouled by the stay or back stay. A pig stick was and is a common way to fly a flag above the mast head.

I'll replace the flag.  This one degraded by paint bleed

 

 

For those unfamiliar with the term pig stick, a simple sketch should clarify it's use.

 

 

The Union Jack at the jack staff (anchored or moored;  at the main mast when underway)

 

 

Name plate.

 

 

Now to attaching supports and a base plate.  Drilling through the keel and internal reinforcements placed at the beginning of the build. With any luck, I won't drop the ship in the process.

Cheers, Gil

 

 

[gil middleton]

Many thanks John. It will be reversed. Gil

[Jerry]

Hi  Gil

The finishing touches only prove that excellence prevails throughout your endeavor.  Lovely as usual

Best,

Jerry

[popeye the sailor]

such a great finish Gil...........I hope I can say that.   such a superb build........the finishes.....the rigging.....a very high quality museum build!

.....and lets not forget the ship's boats..........awesome! 

[gil middleton]

Many thanks Jerry. Wouldn't it be fun to host a gathering of the "Victory" models. Daniel, Grant, David, Kevin, Lawrence, Derek, Patrick, Glenn, and Rosemarie to name just a few. However, I think we've all discovered that the only thing more challenging than building a large model is transporting it. I guess we'll have to be satisfied with MSW.

Popeye, I've looked back over your many many posts and sincerely thank you for your six years of support. If I ever get to Manchester, NH, you'll certainly get a call.

Cheers, Gil

[Shipyard sid]

Greetings Gil

Like SJORS I simply sat back and watched your build develop over the past few years, and simply enjoyed every minute of it. When I first joined MSW and decided to build the Victory i was immediately directed to ....The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships by Longbridge and Gil Middletons log. I don't know how many times I have asked a member a question for advice , and been asked " have you had a look on Gil's log ?" or " Has Gil got a jig for it ? ".. The answer was often there. There were quite a few times we would read the words next to a photo saying....The real ship.. Which you probably had to tell us, or you were playing spot the difference. Yep your build was a joy to follow , thanks a lot and good luck with whatever you decide to build next. I shall wait in anticipation. Regards DAVID

[pompey2]

Gil, A great job in every aspect. I have been keep track of your build for quite a while and it has been a great source of guidance.

she looks just great.

 

Nick

[monkeyman]

That's absolutely... stunning. Victory's one of my favorite ships and your model of it is just marvelous! Hope someday I'll be able to complete something like this :-)