Blue Ensign

Erik, if you can get hold of Sailing Trawlers by Edgar J. March there are details of her scantlings and rigging sizes, together with four pages of plans. B.E.

I wish, and who could resist a day out in The Forest of Dean, our spaniel would love it. 😃

Relief short lived then,🙄 My two bottles bought some time ago have the control numbers K-03-06 on the label. B.E.

Don't bother wrapping it Chris, I'll drive over and pick it up😉 B.E.

I didn't realise that James may have been referring to a different 'Red' I picked up the use of 'flat red' from members who had used it on their builds. I think I first used it back in 2017 on my Model shipways Pinnace build, and have used it on all builds since, latterly on the Royal Barge kit. It always pays to test any paint on a strip of the wood to be used, before applying paint to the model. B.E.

Thanks James for the heads up, I'll keep a watch out for that. 👍 I had a similar issue with Admiralty Red Ochre some years ago, one bottle came out with a distinctly unappealing pink effect. Regards, B.E.

Thinking About colour There are four main colours other than black to be used on the model. Red, Blue, White, Yellow, and shades thereof. On every build I have done the actual shade has exorcised my mind, particularly for the colour blue. I am interested to see how various tones look against the mainly Pearwood finish. 3538(2) This is my rough colour comparison chart painted on a Pearwood background. All I am interested in here is how the colour relates to what will be the bright finish between Wale and Waist rail. The colour selection features paints from Vallejo, Admiralty (Jotika/Caldercraft) and Humbrol. The majority are water based but the Admiralty Red Ochre and Humbrol RAF Blue are oil versions as I didn’t have the acrylic versions to hand. I favour the more muted tones as seen on contemporary models, and I hope with this build I can settle on a colour that does not require mixing as that relieves me of working out a formula for re-mixes. My initial thoughts are:- Vallejo Flat Red - inboard works and some deck fittings. Vallejo Grey/blue - Ground to the Topsides and stern decorations. (Humbrol RAF Blue (96) runs a close second.) Admiralty Yellow Ochre – Frieze decorations, but with other shades of yellow and white for toning and highlights. I don’t intend to use gold on any area of the model. There is a very good section on painting decorative friezes in Volume 11 of the ffm, the techniques of which can be applied to the brass etched versions supplied with the kit to good effect. I am undecided about the lower hull as yet, if it’s good enough I may not paint it at all, but if I do I may need to tone a bright white down a little. This is the last of my musings before that large box hopefully arrives next week and the build begins in earnest. B.E. 21/08/21

Not as many as with Pegasus I hope, this is a very fine offering from Chris. 🙂 Thanks Jason. B.E.

Thank you Jacek, I used the AotS series book The 24-gun Frigate Pandora which gives details of the ships boats rigging. In addition to the Yawl a rigged Pinnace is also shown. I also used Steel's references for the rigging of ships boats for the mast dimensions etc. You will find details of my builds of small boats under the kit build logs 1751-1800 section. (Ships Boats, Page 9, of the log index.) The Yawl build follows on from the Cutter build. Regards, B.E.

I have entertained myself this week building Chuck’s delightful little mini kit of the double Capstan derived from his HMS Winchelsea kit. 3534(3) At 1:48 scale it won’t unfortunately fit the forthcoming Sphinx build but it will sit in her case as an example of such a device of the mid-18th century. I am ahead of the game in one respect, I have already made the 22’ Yawl which will also be supplied with the kit. 610(2) At least one tiny element of the Sphinx build will be rigged. 620(2) 631 I have already decided to have only the Pinnace displayed on the hull so the Yawl too will sit within the case of the completed Sphinx. B.E. 20/08/2021

Hi Glenn, I’ve got an A4 sheet of notes to myself of questions and possible mods, but I need to wait until I see the model before I commit to anything. I’m certainly thinking of minimal deck planking and the addition of Lodging knees, Hanging knees, ledges and carlings. On the hull I’ve mused about the possibility of Open hull framing in the area of the Orlop/ lower deck; the kit does include the Orlop deck and ladderway down from the Lower deck. It’s a very exciting prospect, made more pleasurable by the thought that I don’t have to worry about where to put it, altho’ my younger self would probably have masted and rigged it. Regards, B.E.

Very nice progress Richard. The absence of lower Quarter pieces at the Transom is problematic, and I couldn't live with it, it just doesn't make sense. I had two nibbles at stern modifications before I was more or less happy with the result, it was however a fraught exercise. It's one of those 'time to bite the bullet moments' in a build. B.E.

Looking good Glenn, I always follow the proper planking arrangements for the first layer, I think it gets you into the rhythm for the top layer. Good training also for when builds such as Cheerful or Winnie are taken on where there is no second layer comfort blanket. 🙂 B.E.

Thank you Nils, They are an eclectic mix of sitting figures purchased from Deans Marine. Having separate arms and torso helped the 'conversion' to Royal Watermen of the early 18th century. Unwanted detail was removed using the Dremel, and the tunics were added using Artists modelling paste, Milliput, and styrene strip. These stage photos give you the idea. 3257 3388 3283 Regards, B.E.

Whilst I await the arrival of my next project I have continued to play around with more Watermen figures to people the barge. After much faffing around I decided on six figures as this seemed to give the best balance on the boat without giving an overcluttered look. The figures as with the original oarsman are all derived from various 1:24 scale figures from Deans Marine. In setting the figures the trickiest part is fixing the oars in the vertical position. I had to resort to smearing ca on the palms of the rowers to secure them. I didn’t wish to mar the varnished thwarts, so a thin strip of Blu-tac was used to secure the oarsmen in place. 3422 3423 3413 3425 3438(2) 3437(2) 3411(3) 3398 3401(3) I think I can now declare the model finally finished, time to clear the workroom for the arrival of Sphinx. B.E. 16/08/2021

Great planking job Derek. 👍 B.E.

If you click on the gallery pictures across the top of the page to enlarge it, you won't have the scroll function. You need to click on the build title at the top left of the photo; this brings up all the photo's in the set, enlarge the first one and the scroll arrows will appear. B.E.

WoW it’s like Pegasus on steroids, 11½ feet longer and 3¼ feet wider at full scale. Come on Chantelle. 😉 B.E.

Sounds like a bargain to me, not only do you get the Boxwood version, but the boring stuff has already been completed to a good standard. Hope you get a result. B.E.

Well done Chantelle, quite a mammoth task I would imagine.👏🏻 I hope you are now fully recovered from your leg break and are firing on all four. I look forward to receiving the fruits of your labours in the very near future. Thank you, B.E.

Thanks guys for your support, I do hope I live up to our joint expectations. 🙄 @ WestPort – Thank you, glad my Pegasus build has been of use. @ Greg - I will be using your build of Pegasus as an invaluable reference work for my deck plan layout. @ Neill – matrimonial harmony - Good thinking, assists a build no end. 😄 @ Mark – I’m looking forward to enhancing the exposed deck beams with carlings, ledges, and knees etc; B.E.

HMS Sphinx 1775 Sixth Rate 20 guns ship - 1:64 Scale model from Vanguard. This will be my latest project, a project the size and type of which, only a short while ago, I thought I would not be doing again. I hadn’t counted on Chris Watton’s ability to beguile me in this late stage of my model building career to return to another 18th century square rigged naval ship. However, as Jim’s prototype build developed, I thought what a fine Navy board style model this would make given the detail included in the kit, and importantly proper deck beams, and full run decks unimpeded by hull carcase bulkhead structures. The inclusion of an engraved proper lower deck with hatches and ladderways down to an orlop deck, is a nice touch and opens further opportunities. I will be building this kit as a Navy board style model without masts or rigging, and that way space considerations will not be a big issue. Joseph Marshall paintings of Sphynx / Sphinx held by the Science Museum. (They are available for purchase as prints.) These two perspective paintings by Joseph Marshall commissioned by George 111 will be my inspiration, as was his painting of the cutter Alert for that build. Altho’ delivery is still a week or so away, I am gathering information, and I have some jottings about possible additions/modifications, but I won’t pre-empt the arrival of the kit. I have also ordered the Lines and Profile plan from the N.M.M. (Ref j4272) Apart from providing additional information, these make very attractive art works to my eye at least, and the framed print will join those of Pegasus and Cheerful on my walls. I have also realised that my copy of The 24-Gun Frigate Pandora (AotS series – by John McKay and Ron Coleman) has much useful information relevant to Sphinx. So, as I continue finger tapping on my desk, in eager anticipation of that large box arriving, I will entertain myself poring over the pdf of the voluminous build manual. B.E. 11/08/2021

That's the way to approach a build 👍 B.E.

I replaced the provided (2mm) balls on the Alert kit with 1.5mm diameter ball bearings (natural iron) but it did mean that I had to re-do the shot garlands. 1.5mm balls will be a much better scale fit, with presumably garlands cut to fit, you're leaving me very little to do Chris 😃 B.E.

As I recall, the Margin planks didn’t cause much difficulty. I cut them out in one single strip on the jigsaw having used the deck edge to give me the profile. The margin planks can be put down once the inner planking has been completed. If you do it before, extra width will need to be allowed for the thickness of the internal planks. I marked and cut the joggles into the margin using a scalpel point and micro chisels. B.E.