Blue Ensign

Just catching up Ferit, beautiful work on the deck details, I love that last photo particularly.

A pleasure to follow your build.

Regards,

B.E.

A lot of interesting deck detail there Michael, the replacement capstan looks excellent.

Regards,

B.E.

That's a nice shot of the top Augie, neat bit of belaying around the shroud cleats

Cheers,

B.E.

Nice work on the guns Timmo, I was faced with the same issue when deciding on the size of the breeching ropes for the Pegasus six pounders.

The breeching rope is 4” circ = to 0.5mm ø line at scale, but I thought it looked a little thin so I upped it to 0.70mm ø which looked better to my eye.

Cheers,

B.E.

It seems evident to me Chris that the Livesay drawing was the basis of the Victory restoration, and subsequently followed by all modern authors and producers of Victory models from Caldercraft to Airfix.

I think John Livesay can be relied upon to have reflected accurately how the stern of Victory looked in 1805/06, as Drawing Master his role was to teach Naval personnel not art but the ability to draw what they saw for technical and record purposes.

I think you can rest easy with the design of your Victory stern.

B.E.

I am aware of that model Chris but I rather think the contemporary drawing by Livesay has to have greater credibility.

But regardless of all that it is a very fine Victory you have designed, we are lucky to have you

Regards,

B.E.

I'm slightly puzzled by your thoughts Chris in that if I were to design the stern as per her Trafalgar configuration, the stern would look very different to how it looks today,: contemporary evidence, in the form of a sketch of the stern by John Livesay, Drawing Master at the Royal Naval Academy in Portsmouth, dated December 1806, shows her looking very much as she does today even down to the decorative figures. The drawing was done on her return from Trafalgar.

The Prince of Wales feathers are also absent, these were a later embellishment being fitted in 1837 having been removed from the Prince.

I certainly agree that the Foc'sle looks better with the exposed timberheads, regardless of any historical considerations.

Regarding the Stern Davits there is a reference in 'Nelson's Ships' by Peter Goodwin, in relation to the contemporary model of Victory in her 1803 configuration:

"Also there are no fixed boat davits, these were abolished with the introduction of the closed stern circa 1796." (NMM)

Presumably this is why they no longer appear on HMS Victory, which they did for many years.

Regards,

B.E.

Hi Chris,

Good to hear from you again, your Victory looks magnificent, beautiful lines on the stern and Quarter Galleries.

One question, I see you have included Stern Davits, does this mean you are not aiming the period of the kit specifically to the Trafalgar configuration?

Regards,

B.E.

She's looking good skippy, and some nice modifications, Pickle is an excellent kit to play around with and add little personal touches. The windlass is a great improvement, I couldn't do anything to get those irritating octagonal sections to look good.

Glad Caldercraft are continuing with their good customer service, hardly worth upsetting a customer over a few copper plates.

Cheers,

B.E.

Hello Nick,

This is what James Lees has to say about rigging the Euphroe and crowsfeet.

The rope is spliced around the strop of the Euphroe block, its other end reeving through the central hole in the rim of the top from above, up thro' the next hole to port, through the upper hole of the Euphroe block, up thro' the inner starboard hole in the top and so on until the end finally came out of the outer hole on the starboard side of the top.

There it was  hitched to the underpart of  the previous lead thro' the top.

The Euphroe tackle comprised a single block strapped to the Euphroe block and another seized to the stay. The standing part of the fall was made fast to the Upper block. The running part , after reeving thro' both blocks was either hitched to the stay below the lower block, or was made fast around the tackle.

Steel shows 23 holes around the rim of a 36 gun Frigate. The rigging line for crowsfeet was quite small ¾” circumference at full scale.

Hope this helps.

B.E.

I wonder if Jotika sent you the right amount of plates Skippy, I've just checked back on my original log and I had around 110 plates left over, and I also scrapped a few due to mis cuts and spoiling with glue.The waterline level looks fine on the photos.

... and hello to Billy, it's always good to have a canine assistant, always supportive, never judgemental

B.E.

Nice job on the name Jason, but then I may be biased

Seriously, those dry rubs do look better than the brass etched supplied versions, not least because the names on British ships were also painted on rather than stuck on in relief.

I think the dry rubs give a  more period look to a model, It is a pity that letraset don't do a  greater range of fonts and letter sizes.

Cheers,

B.E.

Progressing very nicely Vitus, another fine Fly on the stocks

B.E.

Your hull is looking good Skippy, and you've gone the extra distance in treenailing the planking, something I passed on.

A very nice little build you have developing there

Regards,

B.E.

1:48 is the classic scale for scratch ship modelling and it does allow for realistic detailing. However, models at that scale can be very large and create accommodation problems.

1:64 I think is a reasonable compromise, and for kit builders especially, there is a good range of quality fittings  now available at that scale. There are also some of the best kits on the market at that scale.

I do know that the older I get the bigger the scale required

B.E.

A fine looking build Len, I wish I could achieve the neatness of finish you display in all areas. I like what you've done with the stern, and the decoration looks excellent to my eye.

I know we all fixate on those little areas where we think it hasn't perhaps gone as well as we would hope but my favourite saying is a model is more than the sum of its parts, and  the sum of your parts is shaping into a very attractive  Billy Ruffian.

Regards,

B.E.

My old boss used to say tidy desk, tidy mind, when viewing the detritis that was my desk, I would reply tidy desk, nothing to do!

JP is the exception that proves the rule, and the completion of a very successful planking  phase is an ideal time to have  a GTU.

ps.JP -  Don't under-estimate persistence as a talent, it's what gets the job done.

Cheers,

B.E.

You're making excellent progress Hamilton, I'm very pleased to see that the sweep ports are shaping up nicely.

Regards,

B.E.

She looks magnificent Bob, a very fine build, something to aspire to, thanks for providing these wonderful reference photos.

Regards,

B.E.

Your gun rigging is excellent Ferit, and those blocks look about right to my eye.

Thanks for the reference to GS Cement,  I hadn't heard of it  before, but it looks an interesting addition to have , I will order some.

Regards,

B.E.

I think you made the right decision Mark, we can spend forever fiddling around not progressing the build. 

The deck looks fine and when all the fittings and Top decks are in place, that great expanse of upper deck currently on view will in anycase be a much less singificant feature.

Cheers,

B.E.

A very fine build derebek, a wonderful sequence of photos showing how you carved the figurehead, you are a true artist.

Regards,

B.E.

Sorry Dusty but not having seen evidence of the ST with Quarter davits I can't really help. However such davits were simple affairs, baulks of timber extending clear of the ship side and fitted in the area of the Mizen channels. Each davit would be fixed between lugs attached to the ships side, in which it could pivot, and would be supported by topping lifts.

If you wanted to add them to your model, in the absence of any other evidence, you could do worse than  copy the arrangement on HMS Victory.

Regards,

B.E.

Those ring bolts are a far better option than the bent eyebolt, and that broadside shot of your Syren is impressive, especially when it is brought up to full size.

Great work Thomas.

Regards,

B.E.

Well done JP, a fine job,  and well worth the wait.

B.E.