Blue Ensign

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

An interesting project and conversion Kevin, she's going to look magnificent when completed, the lighting will make her very special. B.E.

Post One hundred and Sixty-two. Completing the Yawl The third of the allocated boats for Sphinx, it’s nice to come back to it with all the planking having been done previously. 00620(2) I have built this model before but on that version, I rigged her for sail. The Sphinx version is set up for rowing but will be tweaked a little to reflect the layout in the Pandora book drawings. I won’t bore everyone with blow-by-blow details of the construction I covered this in the log below. 18th c Ships boats by Blue Ensign – FINISHED - Vanguard Models -1:64 - - Kit build logs for subjects built from 1751 - 1800 - Model Ship World™ However, having thought that the Yawl would prove to be the easiest of the three to build, having done it before, it has turned out to be the most problematic. I wasn’t happy with the fit if the sternsheets, so I decided to scratch a replacement. 8287 Despite the fact that Lavery notes: The Yawl was unusual in that it was decked throughout its length, in three stages. I opted to use the provided brass etch decking and grating, altho' it did mean drilling thro’ the decking plate to attach the lifting rings. As with my first Yawl build, I reduced the foredeck by removal of the board adjacent to the mast support. 8482(2) With the Yawl I opted to use the kit non-operational rudder assembly, except I did not use the brass etch facings, preferring to laminate the core with 0.6mm Pearwood. The strapping was formed using laser board strip. 3814(2) This Yawl plan from the NMM (ZAZ7122) is set up for six oars which is right for the size and does show tholes set up each side on alternative thwarts. Does the plan indicate that there would be corresponding tholes on the starboard side of the hull? This would suggest that she is set up for double banking, but single banking would also work with this layout with tholes on the alternative thwarts. I have left the kit arrangement as is- set up for six oar double banking. 8465(2) I couldn’t resist seeing how two burly fishing boat skippers would fair sitting double banked on the narrowest thwart. 8501 and at midships, with a space of 5’ 9” It seems to work at 1:64 scale, but enough of this playing around. 8484(2) I used the provided Pearwood oars with the char removed, and with a very limited round applied to the shafts. These are delicate pieces, and the handles particularly will break very easily. At this scale there is very little option to model the swelling of the looms without working the shafts using separate 1mm Boxwood square stuff, something I was not prepared to do for the number involved over the three boats. I opted to paint the oars red as a contrast to the bright finish of the boats. 8502(2) 8506(2) The kit also provides very pretty little grapnels. These were silver soldered together before chemical blackening. 8481(2) 8476(2) The completed set: has taken a fair amount of time to complete the boats, but it’s time I don’t begrudge, they are interesting little projects in their own right. 8488(2) Fully convinced that Sphinx looks better without boats onboard. 8499(2) 8495(2) I will now return to Sphinx to attend to the final finishings. B.E. 22/09/2022

Looking great James, would have loved those lodging knees for Sphinx, would have saved me a whole load of cutting out. Ah well. B.E.

Hello Haiko, I’m pleased that you are finding my log of use. The main yard served as an example of my approach to the fitting and stropping of the blocks used on the yards, but there are differences both in the numbers and sizes of blocks used on the Topsail and T’gallant yards, and you go thro’ the log you will see that I have detailed the blocks used by size and type as I attend to each of the other yards. I didn’t use the kit rigging plans, my rigging was based on Steel’s rigging tables, and the excellent Volume IV of The Fully Framed Model, Rigging a sixth rate sloop of 1767- 1780 by David Antscherl. Regards, B.E.

In the days before the internet and MSW, each edition eagerly anticipated.🙂 B.E.

Nice collection Chris, remarkable similarity to my own library, even down to the old Model shipwright editions. Even now I can’t resist adding to the pile and your fishing boat kits have created a whole new category😊 B.E

Looks good James, realistic finish, I like it. 👍 drip tray a nice addition, I recall I had to make one for Sphinx. B.E.

Thanks Guy's, for your supportive comments, much appreciated.👍 I'll be fiddling with Sphinx for a while yet when I get back from the Lakes. Whether to fit the Hammock cranes or not is one thing on my mind as I look out of the window at Hartsop Dodd, thoughts of model making rarely go away completely.🙄 B.E.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been busily trying to complete the Yawl, which is now all but done. Sphinx is now back in her case whilst we decamp to the Lake District for a spot of hill walking. 8315(2) 8327(2) Deciding how I will display the completed model is something occupying my thoughts. B.E. 09/09/2022