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HMS Bellona by harlequin - FINISHED - Corel


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10 hours ago, Morgan said:

Just catching up on this superb build. I’d never been a fan of the Corel cast ports, but I’ve changed my mind looking at your Bellona, the natural wood finish complements then nicely.

 

Gary

cheers Gary......I had not intended to use the cast gunports but would have had to remove the entire planking a second time and probably ruin the frames underneath. I considered scrapping the entire ship but then thought i'd give the gunports a go and see what happens.....not perfect but otherwise a half decent build saved from the scrapyard.

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  • 2 months later...

hi...am new to this site as have just started the Corel Bellona and find your posts and pics very informative and a great complement to the plans. I will probably have a few questions as I go as have just commenced the first planking. As per the second planking, did you plank around the gunports or planked over them and then cut them out?...,,,thanks

 

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On ‎1‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 11:57 PM, foxbat said:

hi...am new to this site as have just started the Corel Bellona and find your posts and pics very informative and a great complement to the plans. I will probably have a few questions as I go as have just commenced the first planking. As per the second planking, did you plank around the gunports or planked over them and then cut them out?...,,,thanks

 

I planked over then cut them out...…...It was at this stage that I nearly binned Bellona as I had removed the second planking once to start again and the whole build was getting on my nerves......I had to make a big decision scrap the build or go for the corel metal gunports not supplied with the kit.....I chose the metal gunports and managed to rescue the build. I don't think the gunports look too bad actually...….good luck with Bellona and if you need to ask I will try to help. 

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20 minutes ago, harlequin said:

cheers kier......I wouldn't say great .... more of a how did I manage that ? corel kit builder..

It looks to me like you've done a very good job, I've never heard anyone talk about how easy Corel kits are to build and yet your ship is very clean and straight and pretty Bristol fashion to my eye. 

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A return to work on the hull with the addition of the remaining mast channels. The supports still need to be added and positioned, similar to the ones on the mizzen channel. Corels metal dead eyes are very fragile and I will have to be careful I don't snap them.

 

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Edited by harlequin
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cheers Wallace....it has not been without its problems as with every corel kit.....it came so close to being scrapped as I just fell out with it. I have replanked it twice and swapped the gun ports for metal ones which was a necessary evil. Five years plus in the making to this stage and I quite like the old girl now.

How is your Victory getting on?

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I have been on the Victory several times and it really is an eyeopener to just how cramped it was on those ships. She used to fire a broadside every now and again but time is taking its toll on the old girl and I don't think they do that anymore.....the footage is available on youtube…..I read that Nelsons wound he received from the French sniper would not have been a fatal wound today, if they had known how to treat the wound he would have survived. Incidentally during the Falklands conflict with Argentina every soldier that was brought to the hospital ship survived their wounds. Surgeon Major Jolly saved every Argentinian and every Brit that made it to his ship. Sadly he died last year, a real hero of that short lived conflict. 

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starboard channels and supports fitted....the hull is getting closer and closer to completion now. I am not going to overdo the rope work on the deck cannons because there is just not enough space at this scale to include everything. The whole hull needs a varnish to bring out the natural wood colours. It is not long ago that Bellona nearly headed to the scrap yard such was my frustration at how the build had gone. It has languished with the odd part getting displaced and damaged. Now the frustration has been replaced with an optimism that she will be completed this year.   

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You have a lovely ship going together here Harlequin, as others have said the wood tones are very pleasing and you've done well to make some of the lesser quality fitting really blend in.  Will be following from here on if I may...

Cheers,
 
Jason


"Which it will be ready when it is ready!"
 
In the shipyard:

HMS Jason (c.1794: Artois Class 38 gun frigate)

Queen Anne Royal Barge (c.1700)

Finished:

HMS Snake (c.1797: Cruizer Class, ship rigged sloop)

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decision made....this is the only rope work I am going to fit to the deck cannons.....the scale at 98:1 is a bit small for cramming the deck full of unrealistic looking ropes and pulleys. I am happy with this and it is enough of a suggestion to show how the cannon were fitted. First of only ten cannon and six carronade and the hull is virtually complete......anchors and lamps still to be fitted and cleats and hooks and eyes but Bellona is taking shape. 

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12 hours ago, Beef Wellington said:

You have a lovely ship going together here Harlequin, as others have said the wood tones are very pleasing and you've done well to make some of the lesser quality fitting really blend in.  Will be following from here on if I may...

cheers Beef Wellington.....been an arduous journey with her tbh….I am one of these that what is in the kit I work with....i'm a bit weird that way.....apart from the gun ports but that was a build or scrap moment.

Edited by harlequin
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On ‎1‎/‎31‎/‎2019 at 11:18 AM, bill24 said:

excellent work Harlequin, I have just re started with my build on the Bellona, will post pictures later, still struggling with the quarter galleys at the moment.

You have set a very high bar for the build standard.

 

 

Cheers Bill24.....yes post some pics and if I can help I will.....the quarter galleys I think I pretty much followed the corel instructions, it is such a long time ago now. I like you have seen many months between when I worked on Bellona and when I didn't to the point that I very nearly scrapped her altogether. I had reached a point with her that I couldn't get passed. I don't know what happened but I think I had a few days off work when I just got my head down and decided this was her last hurrah, if I didn't like what was happening that was it. Thankfully I kept going to the point where I think she looks ok....the hull is virtually completed and I am in a happy place with her.

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