Blue Ensign

Hi Ron, The brass rods have now been removed and I'm going to see how I like her with passing ropes fitted. I love your macro rigging shots they convey the complex nature of a sailing ship rigging beautifully. As far as the Fore tack is concerned, a miss is as good as a mile,👍 and it look fine to my eye. B.E.

That's exactly how Kit quarter gallery fittings ought to be, would've saved me a load of work on Sphinx. You lucky investors in Chris's Indy. 👍 B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-nine. Berthing Rails One feature missing from the kit are the Berthing rails that span the head to act as a safety rail. It is supported by an iron stanchion positioned midway, and hooks into eyebolts either end of the Main rails. In a working situation netting would be suspended from the Berthing rail. It is a little tricky getting the eyebolts set at the right height to suit the stanchion but is a fairly easy modification to make. I am using 0.7mm ø brass wire for the rails, a couple of modified kit stanchions, and small kit eyebolts. 8672 The first task is to gauge the run of the rail to determine the height of the stanchion and fix the height of the eyebolts. 8680 With the stanchion height determined the eyebolts are fixed and the rail cut to size to fit. 8676 Cleaning the brass is the next task followed by chemical blackening. 8687 8685 8692 8684 Unlike the Boomkins I quite like the rails in position, perhaps because they are a match for the cranes and other stanchions. B.E. 06/10/2022

That’s about it in a nutshell Marc, succinctly put.👍 B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-eight. A question of Boomkins I have been thinking about the finishing requirements for the headworks. The most obvious items as yet to be fitted are the Boomkins, pointing outwards and downwards to take the Fore tacks. The contemporary Amazon model has them in place, but most ‘Navy Board’ style models don’t. I have concerns that these not particularly attractive spars will detract from the graceful headworks of Sphinx. The only way to find out is to make up the Boomkins. 8669(2) The Boomkins as presented in the kit are straight, but I decided to add a degree of downward curve beyond the headrails. This was applicable up to around 1780, but my main purpose is purely one of aesthetics, adding a little more grace to these utilitarian spars. The kit version has a scale length of 9’ 7” (46mm) giving an outboard length of around 5’ 6” It looked a little short to my eye. 8646 The Pandora book plans indicate an overall length of 13’ (61.9mm) with an outboard length of 8’ 9” Pegasus has Boomkins with an overall length of 11’4” Lees refers to the earliest booms protruding outboard by around six feet but longer by around 1733. The acid test is really whether the Fore tack has fair running once all the other lines running inboard are in place. This won’t be of relevance on this build, but the subject tasked my mind a fair bit during my Pegasus build. I finally settled on a Boomkin length of 54mm which looked best to my eye. The Boomkins are made using 3mm ø walnut dowel, I selected a colour on the paler spectrum of walnut. The boom tapers to 2mm at the shoulder that retains the strop of the shoulder block that serves the Fore Tack. The shoulder is 3mm long. 8658 The angle of the Boomkins is positioned to line up with that of the Foreyard when braced sharply. (Lees) 8664 8656 8648 8655 To my eye they do detract from the grace of the headworks so skilfully replicated by Chris Watton, and I won’t include them on my display. On a masted and rigged version, they would of course be a necessary requirement. I will next see if the Berthing rails make the cut. B.E. 05/10/2022

Quite a journey you've had with this kit Glenn, and she does look impressive. Well done. B.E.

The relationship between the bridle port and the others Is fixed as they are pre-cut on the pattern. The rail runs between the ports, above midway height, does your tape need a little tweaking? There seems to be two options: Run the rail smoothly along the hull letting it cross the Bridle port where it does. Remove the planking in the area of the Bridle port, and infill to adjust the shape before re-planking. In this case the width of the Bridle port could be made slightly narrower, as was the actual case. I think it more important that the rail looks to have a smooth sweep along the hull. B.E.

Thank you Sir, for your kind words, but if anything has been nicked from the Science Museum, it’s nowt to do wi me governor😉 B.E.

Hi Ron, did you have any issues with the fair run of the Fore Tack from the Boomkins to the clue of the foresail? B.E.

With expected action all those panels and furniture would be removed to the hold, or even put in ships boats that would be towed behind. In the age of sail you would normally have hours before action was engaged, giving plenty of time to ready the ship. B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-seven. More on Cranes Having pondered on the subject of the Quarter cranes for a few days, I have finally decided to fit them. 8630 I do like to see iron work on ship models, and they do not obscure or detract from the decorative topsides which was my main concern. 8635 8629 I have included the micro back plates, but they are the very devil’s invention for handling and filing to fit. 8620 Several of them pinged away into the ether never to be seen again, but faux plates are easily replicated using thin black card, and the difference cannot be detected. 8615 As with the other cranes thin brass wire is threaded thro’ the eyes to help maintain position. 8621 Even with short nubs the cranes held well using a smear of ca to attach to the hull. 8614(2) 8628 Looks a little like a forest of cranes in these macro shots, but foreshortening gives something of a false impression. 8612(2) 8631 A little more enhancement to the Headworks now. B.E. 02/10/2022

Nice work on the internals Yves, pity to have to cover them, but there’s satisfaction knowing they are there, and of course you have the photos. The below decks shots are a great record to have. B.E.

Thank you, Glenn, Dave, and Ron. @Ron. I can see your dilemma, there is only effective room for the bowers just aft of the forward port with the bill supported on the fish davit support. If the spare Bower and sheet anchors are fitted, the bill will have to be supported on the forward end of the gangboards. When I look at rigged contemporary models where anchors are fitted, there are mostly only two in the examples I have seen across all rates. Most rates would have carried at least three large anchors, plus Stream and kedging anchors. In terms of your under sail, ‘at sea’ depiction at least the anchor cables would have been removed and the hawse holes plugged. The anchors would be secured with ring stoppers. Shank painters and lashings. 5464 5466 This is how I envisage the Sphinx anchors being stowed, which fortunately I won’t be troubled with. In practise there would probably be a chock of sorts where the anchor palms of the sheet anchor would rest. 5467 Pegasus carried slightly smaller 20cwt bowers, the aft anchor here is the smaller Stream anchor. You can see here the shank painters, ring stoppers and lashings. I hope this helps a little, but the best information about handling anchors is contained in the book Seamanship in the age of sail by John Harland. Regards, B.E.

Well done Glenn, looking good👍🏻 B.E.

Thanks Ron, I can understand you omitting the flanges, they mostly need filing down to fit and they are the devil to hold to do it. On a fully rigged model their absence won't be missed. Post One hundred and sixty-six. Looking at Anchors. As a break from the main event (and to avoid making a decision on the cranes) I decided to make up a couple of the Bower anchors. 8590(2) These are pre- formed in mdf, a departure from the usual white metal versions. I am familiar with ‘wooden’ anchors from my Cheerful build and excellent realism can be achieved. 8591(2) The Sphinx anchors, effectively blanks, will stand a fair bit of fettlin’ to make them look the part, assembled as is and they will look clunky and unconvincing. Builders could do worse than consult Chapter 14 of the download instructions for Cheerful, from the Syren Ship model Co. One major difference tho’ is that the Syren anchors were made of Boxwood which will take a cleaner edge than mdf. This is relevant because there is properly a narrow bevel edge running down the shank and along the arms. If this can’t be done cleanly on mdf, it is best left alone. As I’ve got four to play with, I think I can risk one to check it out. 8576 The anchors clean up very well and the sanding of the bevels didn’t result in a feared fluffy edge. At least with mdf, sanding is a fairly easy operation. For the life of me I haven’t managed to find the kit anchor flukes (0.8mm ply, part 52) or even find them on the plan sheets. Fortunately, they are fairly easy to replicate, there is a 1:64 plan in the AotS Pandora book. 8578(2) I made them from 0.8mm Pearwood stuff. The bill beyond the palm of the anchor should ideally be fined down to more of a point than the chisel finish shown on the kit anchor, which looks a little broad to my eye. The anchor stocks are Pearwood, faced with engraved Pearwood patterns detailing the treenails and iron band positions. 8580(2) In this photo the anchor stock is shown as supplied, but each half should properly have a slight taper on the outer faces from the centre section banding to the tips which needs to be done before the detail patterns are applied. Anchor ring For a 29cwt anchor Steel gives the thickness of the anchor ring as 215∕16”, 18⅛” in the clear. 8583(2) This scales to 1.00mm ø brass wire formed around (in my case) a 7mm ø brass tubing section. 8588 The rings are fitted before the stocks. 8592(2) The stocks are fettled to sit square at right angles to the arms, but when glued to the shank the glue is applied to only the outer third of the stock to allow the split line to be apparent. 8600(2) The stock bands are slices of heat shrink tubing which is my preferred medium for this sort of thing. 8606(2) For the ring puddening I have used Syren 0.30mm ø line. 8608(2) 8609(2) 8601(2) The final stage is to apply a little weathering powder to enhance the iron look. The anchors won’t be fitted on the ship but will be included in the display case. B.E. 30/09/2022

They look excellent figures Ron and have come along at just the right time to man your Camilla. I'm not sure the athletic member of the gun crew with the admirable 'six pack', whose job it is to insert the charge down the barrel, would be pleased about being called a powder monkey. Perhaps Chris will produce a young boy, short and nimble, to transfer the charge from magazine to station. 😉 B.E.

I'm sure you will enjoy this build Erdict, it is a fine model to make. As for emulating the builds of others, we all do it, picking up ideas, and learning from methods employed, it's a lot of what MSW is all about. Have fun. B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-five. Back to the Qtr deck cranes I’m not entirely convinced about fitting these items, but I’ll look at them as the manual and instructions are somewhat thin on these fittings, and hopefully fill in some of the gaps. As previously noted, these are position specific so will be dealt with on a pair-by-pair basis. There are eleven sets of these which require sorting, fettlin’ and blackening before fitting. They are present as indicated on the contemporary model of Amazon. Amazon Model The cranes look a lot finer on this contemporary model than on the kit. I also note that the first two cranes are single unlike the kit, but to what purpose? 8530 This is the foremost crane along the Quarterdeck and the base plate has been fitted to the crane prior to fitting to the hull. The plate mortise required some adjusting before it would fit onto the crane, and the plates needed a little filing before they would fit into the available space. 8528 The crane in place; they are fiddly little items to assemble, but it is a mark of Chris’s attention to detail that the base plates are even supplied, I suspect many kits would have the cranes just slotted directly into the hull, even if they were supplied in the first place. 8551(2) I do not intend to glue the base plate to the crane, only the stem of the crane to the slot in the hull. 8573 The cranes are chemically blackened with the base plate attached and a spot of ca will secure the unit to the hull. 8560 Those two foremost double cranes do rather catch my eye, even if they are a logical structure. For this section, beyond the Quarter rail, there is nothing otherwise to secure the inboard side of any netting. 8559 8562 8556 For the purpose of this test I have left the base plates off to give a more secure fit in the hull. 8568 I don’t think I would like to fit these cranes post full rigging, it will be a very tricky operation, and I can understand why James left them off. Personally, I would have fitted them first, but if fitting post rigging, I would have left the base plates off, which will make it easier to get a firm fit into the hull. 8565 Another decision to make but one I will defer for a few days while I get on with something else. B.E. 26/09/2022

Great job on the sails Ron, she is looking wonderful. Glad you've recovered from the ‘plague’ B.E.

I run out of superlatives to describe the quality of your work Glenn, suffice to say I greatly admire what you are achieving. Regards, B.E

I'm sort of thinking that also Glenn, after all Navy board style by its nature is incomplete in many respects, and I don't want to over egg it. I usually ask myself - What would Chuck do but he hasn't got to the iron work aspect of his Winnie yet, and maybe doesn't intend to. The waist cranes are fixed, along with the Foc'sle stanchions, but the breast rail cranes are removeable. The contemporary Amazon model has them fitted, but they somehow look finer on that model, and not so intrusive I think I will make up a few of the quarterdeck cranes to get an impression of how they will suit my eye and refer back to my peer group. Thanks for your advice. Regards, B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-four. While I ponder on the best way to fit the Quarterdeck Cranes, or even fit them at all, I turn my attention to the Waist Hammock cranes. The cranes are beautifully formed and detailed brass etch fittings even down to the hooks and eyes. Amazon model I do have the excellent example of the contemporary Amazon model which includes the cranes, and having test fitted them on Sphinx, I have decided to follow suit. 8525 My approach to fitting these cranes is to glue the foremost and aftermost cranes first and use fine brass tubing to align the holes. I then fix the centre crane, and infill with the remainder. Ca applied to the crane stems fixes them in place. 8518 8524 I will leave the brass tubing temporarily in place to highlight their presence and hopefully reduce the risk of knocking them as I continue to work on the model. 8534 The Foc’sle rail stanchions are location specific, and these are separately bagged, and blackened before fitting. 8546(2) 8545 Cranes are fitted along the Quarter-deck breast rail. 8549 The stanchions for the boarding ropes complete the ‘ironwork’ set in this area. Now, what to do about those Quarter deck cranes. 🤔 B.E. 24/09/2022

Hmmn 🤔 I wonder why that would be, still I'm more occupied in working out how to fit them. B.E.

Easy for you to say James, I'm scratching my head as how to proceed.🤔 B.E.

Post One hundred and sixty-three. Final touches. With the boats put aside it’s back to looking at what is left to do on Sphinx. I turn my attention to the Hammock Cranes, sorting and prepping the individual parts. I find myself puzzled by the Quarterdeck cranes. There is scant mention of these, a brief comment on p102 of the manual, referring to fitting them later, but nothing follows. Prototype build. I note that James dodged the bullet in the prototype build, they are missing from the final completion photos. The cranes are identified on Plan sheet 11, Suppl. drawings 7. (PE93 – 103 R&L) The cranes are handed, and specific to each location. This presents issues when the items are to be chemically blackened because each set ideally has to be kept separate, and there are eleven sets. They can’t therefore be batch blackened, and the cleaning and blackening will have to be done on a set basis to avoid mixing them up. 8510(2) Each crane consists of two parts, the crane, and a tiny base plate into which it fits. presumably up to the nub on the shaft How it fits is not immediately clear and it looks like the base plate needs drilling out to allow passage of the crane thro’ to the hull. The secondary question is whether it is better to glue the plate to the hull first, then drill and fit the crane, or attach plate and crane first, and then fit to the hull. CA is probably required to glue these fitting, which raises the concern of how to fit these without marring the blackened surfaces. I rather feel that a brief explanation of this fitting and a couple of supplementary photos would have helped in this area. B.E. 24/09/2022