Blue Ensign

Post One Hundred and Seventy-four 18’ cutter – fitting out. 4571 A shot of the gratings and footwalings which are laser cut. A much better option than the brass etch version.👍 These take a little fettling to get them to sit fully down involving bevelling the underside of the parts, and shaving down the frames as required. The kit sternsheets are combined with the aftermost thwart. This is an arrangement I don’t like primarily because the grain of the thwart tends to run the wrong way and the set-up makes it more difficult to fit the vagaries of individual hull constructions. 4577 I find it easier to cut away the thwart and make a replacement from spare fret. I have also filled in the open stern area to create an additional bench seat. 4570 At the bow I thought the area looked a little unfinished with the remnants of the mdf construction block on view. The kit plan (sheet eight) does show a small fore deck in this position but I can’t locate such a part with the 18’ cutter fittings. 4582 This benefits from facing up using spare fret, and the addition of a breasthook above it. One other puzzlement with the 18’ cutter is the height the thwarts and sternsheets relative to the wash strakes. 4579 They are positioned as per the kit and instructions, but have very little freeboard. It is not a case of fitting them too high as the scale figures show a correct height between thwarts and footwaling. 4580 There is only 2mm between thwart top and wash strake top. This equates to 5” at scale. Working up from the 1:48 scale drawings of an 18’ cutter in The Frigate Diana AotS book the difference should be around 11” The new Vanguard resin cutter, what a beauty that looks, shows a much greater depth between the seating and wash strakes which looks more appropriate. 4583 Even so, visually the wooden version is a pretty little thing, and for most casual viewers this disparity won’t even register. 4588 I am fairly happy with the ‘clinker’ look but it does need a good clean-up. B.E. 08/05/2024

Post One Hundred and Seventy-three 18’ cutter – Jolly Boat I thought I would have another stab at clinker planking one of these bijou cutters to go with 'Indy'. My original cutter which sits with Alert was of the older version replaced shortly after I had completed it. This one is the current and revised version, which includes laser cut gratings and footwalings whereas the original had brass etch versions. I will be using 3.4mm x 0.6mm Boxwood strip, and of necessity the planking starts at the keel and works up to the Wash strake. 4315 The Garboard is applied first using pva. This is shaped at the bow but is otherwise untapered. 4320 The second strake overlaps the Garboard by 1mm. In proper practice there is a rebate or rabbet edge along the top of each plank to take the bottom edge of the plank above. At scale and with 0.6mm board I can dispense with this nicety. From the second plank above the Garboard I am adding a degree of taper both fore and aft. How much is down to eye and best guesstimate. 4528 As with all these projects clamping is an issue, more so as the planking rises. 4531 With three strakes added I move to the wash strake. This is fitted untapered into the bow slot. Twice the stem part broke but repair was effected and once the wash strakes are in place the area is more stable. 4542 As the strakes are applied the taper increases fore and aft until the final strake fits flush with the lower edge of the wash strake. 4552 4550 Planking completed in its raw state, but the lapstrakes are clearly evident. 4565 I applied a 1mm square Ebony strip along the lower edge of the wash strake to represent the wale. It looks broader than it is because top and face edges are not clearly defined on the photo. 4568 4569 There is a satisfaction to be had from completing the hull of this smallest of the boat range, but there is a fair bit of cleaning up required before the inboard fittings are put into place. B.E. 06/05/2024

Good move Chris, The one in the centre is apparently Nelson's sword found in his cabin after Trafalgar. The ones right and left are the surrendered French and Spanish swords. Cheers, B.E.

The detail looks amazing Chris, but I'm intrigued by the style of the sword. It does not resemble any Naval sword I recall seeing, was it perhaps a specific sword gifted to Nelson? It rather looks like the sword on the Nelson statue atop his column. The Nelson Companion edited by Colin White has a photo of the only sword that is known to have been owned by Nelson, and it is of the traditional type. For the purposes of displaying the figure on a model I think it would be safer to include a Naval pattern sword. Just a thought. B.E.

Nicely done Walter.👍 B.E.

I find it very absorbing how you deal with the trials and tribulations of model ship building, I just love your stuff Nils. Regarding the paint flaw on the s/b side, I obviously can't tell how it looks in reality, but from the photo it crossed my mind that some modellers would work very hard to achieve that effect on a hard worked light ship. Regards, B.E.

Post One Hundred and Seventy-two Sphinx and ‘Indy’ I thought members may be interested to see the comparison between Chris’s two premier kits, Sphinx and Indefatigable. They sort of represent the alpha to omega of British frigates. Sphinx, the bijou 9 pounder vessel, and ‘Indy’, the pocket battleship of her day, carrying 24 pounders supplemented with 42 pounder carronades. I recall that when I built Sphinx I thought she was quite large, when ‘Indy’ arrived I thought I’m going to need a bigger bench! 04505 04506 04507 04508 04512 05413 05414 04517 If a large statement model is required ‘Indy’ is a good choice, but if masted and fully rigged she will take up a lot of room. Built Navy Board style she is still a heavy model and a glass case even with reduced height and width adds considerably to the weight. Sphinx is certainly of a size more amenable to a domestic setting; a pretty little frigate that appeals to my deeper affection for the more decorative vessels of the 18thc. before austerity took over as the expensive Napoleonic wars ground on. Indefatigable sort of spans this period, all black and yellow, no decorative topsides, but the stern gallery still looks good to my eye. She is modelled with an open Fo’csle before her bulwarks were built up, and she does have a magnificent Figure at her head. I am more than happy to have both in my collection. Thank you, Chris, for providing me with an engrossing thirteen months of work. It is a tribute to your designs, to be able to build a model of this quality and detail in such a short time. Thanks are also due to James, for producing the prototype ‘Indy’ build which provided a very useful reference guide. B.E. 02/05/2024

Thank you guys for your supportive comments and likes throughout this build, hope it will be useful to those following on. @ Nils – I have a glass case ready; it was cheaper than using acrylic, but the downside is weight. It is going to be an interesting exercise getting her into display position.🤔 B.E.

Post One hundred and Seventy-one Album photo's I have at last got around to taking the completion photo’s which will form part of the Photo build record book that I’m currently putting together. 4395 4361A 4392 4364 4365 4391 4390 4396 4369 4405 4395 2161A 2145a 4397 2162a 2164a 4380 4379 4388 4494a I am currently faffing around with a clinker built 18’ cutter, and ‘Indy’ is yet to be enclosed in her case, so the story has not quite ended. Then there’s the 26’ Launch, still on my mind. Cheers, B.E.

Hi Bug, I used three each side on the Fore and Main Topmast shrouds, none on the Mizen. I used the aftermost ones for the fore and Main T’gallant yard lifts. I didn’t use the other two. Two each on the Fore and Main lower Shrouds, one on the aftermost Mizen shroud (used for the Mizen Topmast yard Lift) I recall that I used the TFFM Vol IV to decide which lines went where. TFFM indicates the fore and Main topmast shroud cleats were also used for the t’gallant clues, and the Fore topmast shroud cleats for the Main T’gallant Bowlines. I belayed a lot of lines to the rails as indicated in the TFFM. There are no belaying pins on my Pegasus. Nice work on those shroud cleats.👍 B.E.

Thanks Mike, Vol 111 arrived this morning, quick delivery across the pond. Quite a hefty tome, I look forward to savouring its contents in the coming days. Regards, B.E.

Post One Hundred and Seventy Completing the Cutter. Apart from painting the bottom Ivory, and the wale Black/grey, the boat will be finished using w-o-p only. The rudder is a plain laser cut affair intended I think to simply display in the sternsheets of the boat. There are no fixings to hang the rudder either on the stern post, transom, or rudder. I chose to add these fittings including a tiller of the yoke type. 4287 Still requires a little further fining down, this is the third attempt which may still break. 4289 Trial fitting the rudder.; a few tweaks required. One consequence of changing the rowing arrangement from double to single banking is that the provided oars are too short for purpose. 4290 They are fairly easily modified but it does require using two oars to produce one. To improve the look of the oars the blades should really be thinned towards the tip. 4295 4298 4299 4311 Set -up for single banked rowing. 4302 4306 4307 I quite like the look of her on the skids and the Pinnace and Cutter don’t obscure much of the Main deck. B.E. 16/04/2024

Thank you Nils and Nipper. @ Nils - the figures are industrial workers which I found suitable for my Fishing boat models, but don't really fit naval figures of the early 19th century. @ Nipper - I don't really like action figures on my models, but I do like figures to demonstrate scale on a model. I agree the cook and the Pellew/Hornblower figures fit that bill perfectly. Others that would appeal to me would be a Helmsman standing by the wheel, and a Marine Sentry to post outside the Captains Quarters. I'm not holding my breath tho'😉 B.E.

Post One Hundred and Sixty – nine Progressing the 24’ cutter The floor of the cutter is covered by gratings at the stern, open boarded footwaling for the body, and a small close board platform at the bow. 4265 I changed the footwaling to a close boarded version as shown in the AotS book Diana which contains 1:48 scale drawings of a 24’ cutter. Before I add the ‘false’ ribs I use a copy of the kit plan to mark the positions of the thwarts. Positioning the ribs really needs to take into consideration the position of the thwarts and the related rowlocks for the oars, which are cut into the wash strake. 4268 The AotS drawings show the 24’ cutter arranged for single banked rowing. This is the arrangement I will follow, apart from any other consideration, there are less rowlocks to cut. 4270 I firstly fix only those ribs that fit aft of the thwarts before fixing the Rising, (thwart support strips) The remaining ribs can be slotted behind the Risings in the correct positions. The risings are fitted using a 4mm depth gauge but in fact follow the line of the second strake down from the top. Once fitted it is useful to check both the levels and the correct height of the thwarts above the footwaling. 4273 My 1:64 scale figures are useful for this purpose. 4275 I would like to see a sitting figure produced by Vanguard. A sitting Captain would serve well to give scale to the splendid Vanguard cabin furniture, and also the stern sheets of the boat range. 4277 I like to add small features to the boats such as here; the cap square for the Mainmast and step to take the mast heel on the Keelson. 4279 4280 4281 4280 Needs cleaning up now before finishing. B.E. 15/04/2024

Glad it's not just me. B.E.

I gently rub the base on sandpaper until it is very thin, and then snip around the feet with sharp cutters, I suspect using a dremel would be overkill. B.E.

I've not seem a specific reference to Foreign Service locations, but I suspect it generally meant any location beyond home waters , particularly the tropics where repair facilities may be restricted. Clinker built boats were more difficult to repair and WE May (The boats of men of war) cites that in 1800 it was decided that the only cutters to be sent abroad should be Jolly boats. Navy board orders to Dockyards PRO adm 106/2512 no's 430 440/441. For the purposes of this build the cutter will be issued as carvel built. 9898(2) 9899(2) I do however, have a clinker built 18' cutter (Jolly Boat) ready to serve. Cheers, B.E.

Post One Hundred and Sixty-Eight Feeling somewhat miffed about the failure with the Launch I am moving onto one of the 24’ Cutters, if for no other reason than ‘getting back on the horse’ I have made 18’ Cutters previously, along with Yawls, and a 24’ Cutter should at least on paper be less fiddly. 4245 Before I had barely got started the tab broke off the transom piece, and once again the stern post broke part way up. This is before I even get to the delicate stem with its planking slot. I am beginning to think that use of 0.8mm Pear is just too thin for the structurally important keel part. It is pertinent that the grain on these parts is horizontal whereas any pressure tends to be lateral. It seems that any pressure, however light, gives a high risk of breaking these parts. 4243 At least with the 24’ cutter there are two sets provided, and in my case one was cannibalised to get to the keel and frames assembled. 4248 With the fairing completed this is the same point at which things went wrong with the Launch. I added further support to the stem before I began planking, and this time I resolved to use pva on the plank edges in addition to ca on the frames. 4252 The first four planks fit into the stem rabbet, or slot, happily without mishap this time. At this point the structure is much stronger, and damage risk to the stem much reduced. 4254 The garboard planks are fitted using 3mm strips. 4256 There is too little room to follow any sort of tick marking for plank shaping, so its basically done by eye. The aim is to get any less than realistic planking strakes below the round of the hull, out of sight. 4258 I achieve this by spiling the last plank. Unlike the Pinnace, removal of the central bulkheads did not result in disassembly of the planking, no doubt due to adding pva along the strake joints. 4259 There is no access to clean inside glue stains during construction so there is inevitably marring present once the bulkheads are removed. 4260 A gentle approach is necessary, I clean the insides initially by damping the excess glue with a small paint brush and gently scraping with a micro chisel. Water is used for the pva and acetone for the ca. very small amounts are used to avoid affecting the main construction. A little more fettlin’ and I can move onto the next stage. B.E. 11/04/2024

I like the muted tones, and a good decision to dispense with any bling. I also very much liked your Diana which I can see in the background. Cheers, B.E.

Magnificent work Jason, that is truly impressive. B.E.

....... or not as the case may be, we will see.

Thank you Mark, and Ron, It still rankles Ron, moving onto the 24' Cutter, we'll see how well I can mangle that one.🫤 B.E.

She looks good Christian, and deserves to be finished. Regards, B.E.

Perseverance pays off David, well done👍 B.E.

Post One Hundred and Sixty-seven The 26 ft Launch - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Altho’ the main work on Indy has been completed, the overall display requires further work. Building the Launch continues my work on the boats. I like the Launch because it offers opportunity to add detail such as the windlass. I have been here before as I made up the 24’ Launch for Sphinx. This didn’t however guard me against breaking the stern post (twice) during the fitting of the transom. 4227 Again, I thought it prudent to add little support pieces to the build board to reduce any flexing during the fairing business. These small boats are delicate and require gentle handling particularly in the early stages. 4232 The fairing went ok. 4235 Regrettably, the stem broke in two places along the planking slot during the testing of the first planking strip, hardly touched it Gov’ner, and the repairs didn’t hold. 4236 I suspect it was a combination of the inherent weakness related to the planking slot, plus possible grain run of the stem. 4239 I did think about replacing the stem element, but removing the frames from the base resulted in what our American friends may describe as FUBAR. Sadly, Indy will be without her Launch, but stuff happens – right. B.E. 07/04/2024