Blue Ensign

HMS Harpy 1796 – Build Log Post 1 The kit arrived nicely presented and packed as I have come to expect from Vanguard. The plans are beautifully drawn with the usual high quality Build manual created by James. The early stages proceed very quickly taking only a short time to effectively achieve a hull in frame, and all without glue, made possible by Chris’s excellent design innovations. 0365 The parts slot together with precision and at this stage of my modelling career I welcome not having to spend hours doing the basic assembly of the carcase element of a build which will be ultimately hidden. The bulkheads slot seamlessly into the False keel, but as this is quite long and only of 3mm mdf there is quite a bit of longitudinal flex, be careful it isn’t snapped at this early stage. 0360 After the behemoth of Indy it is nice to have a keel that fits conveniently into the keel clamp, and turns easily within the confines of my bench depth. 0370 Additional strength to the false keel is provided by the addition of pieces either side making the total thickness 7mm. Longitudinal strips again fit perfectly to brace and square the bulkheads. Not one spot of glue has been applied at this stage. The next stage is to fit the lower deck and its limewood engraved patterns. I am going to stop at this point as I wish to consider how I’m going to proceed with the lower deck. 0374 I am not entirely convinced by the look of the Limewood deck and how it would react if I decided to darken it a little. Limewood is notorious for having a blotchy appearance if it isn’t sealed first. 0376 3366a There are numerous scuttles shown along both sides of the deck which accord with the Adm plans but they are free of any board markings, and look a little ‘printed’ on, which of course they are. If I decided to plank my own decks as I usually do those scuttles would certainly make things trickier. It is early in the build but I need to work out how much of the lower deck I want, or is feasible to have on view, and what impact those scuttles will have on my eye. The Upper deck is only 20mm above the lower so they would hardly fade into the shadows. B.E. 07/12/2024

Thank you Andy and Bob, I'm not thinking ahead of this build, but I doubt I will build another Frigate. Between Sphinx and Indy I think I have the type covered.🙂 B.E.

Thank you Grant and Johnathon, 3363A Cheers Chris, Harpy has arrived, and as luck would have it, tomorrow we are promised a severe storm, a perfect day to batten down the hatches and enjoy a day looking thro' this box of delights and savour the contents. Looks like the build log is about to start. B.E. 06/12/2024

Very nice Chris, I would buy one at 1:48 scale as a stand alone display model. I like that you have included the supports for the stretchers for rowers to brace their feet against. Now where can I get a crew of 1:48 scale rowers.🤔 Great stuff. B.E.

Cheers, Guys, I'm looking forward to getting started on Harpy, I don't think delivery is too far away. B.E.

HMS Harpy 1796 by Blue Ensign – Vanguard Models 1:64 scale. Since completing my Indy build my desire for ship modelling has waned somewhat, partly I think because I have been struggling to find a subject to excite my interest. That is until: I looked at Chris’s forthcoming Harpy kit. Once again Mr W has piqued my interest as he did with Alert, Zulu, Fifie, Sphinx, and Indefatigable. Harpy has all the elements that get my creative juices going; Below deck detail, providing intriguing options to detail the cabin areas. Fine lines and a hull length I can accommodate. I am pleased to see at last a round-up to the Head ledges, something I have had to modify on all my builds. I note also the Capstan step is included another authentic detail. Apart from the schooner Pickle, I don’t have a two masted ship type in my collection, and a Brig sloop will fill that gap nicely. I am also interested to try out Chris’s latest innovation in kit development, and as a bonus Mrs W has offered to buy it. (that's my Mrs W , not Chris's) Not entirely altruistic on her part, I suspect; having me ensconced in my office, with my mind occupied, rather than prowling around the house getting under her feet, is a prime consideration. I obtained the relevant plans from the NMM in advance of the kit release, but it’s never too early to start thinking about possible enhancements, and I do have the very clear photos provided by James in his excellent prototype build log. 0488 Plan ZAZ4491 = Lines and Profile. Plan ZAZ4492 = internal detail, Upper and Lower deck plans. 0483 The deck plans include details of the cabin layouts and purposes which will be of great use for any modifications that may come to mind once I get into the project. Looking forward to receiving this latest offering from Vanguard, but in the meantime I have been doing some of the preliminary research. B.E. 02/12/2024

Well done Haiko, a very nice looking model, and the Pinnace looks great on the Booms. B.E.

Looks much improved on the original, Chris, 👍and I like the clinker planking. Had you considered the centre plank running between the thwarts which was a typical feature of barges/shallops of the 18th century? B.E.

Peter Goodwin in his book The Cutter Alert makes reference to Admiralty orders specific to the provision of boats for cutters. He cites an order of December 1763 that during winter only one small 4 oared boat should be allocated and that it should be carried rather than towed to avoid being lost. An order of June 1779 mentions 16' boats for cutters, another in July 1783 recommends the addition of a second boat, and in September 1793 an order decreed that cutters employed against smuggling should replace their 18' boat with one of 20' The Cutter Alert book by Peter Goodwin indicates a boat stowed on the centre line but from the plans there is room only for a 13' boat. Cheerful would certainly have carried at least one, probably two, but space onboard is severely restricted. There is not room between the winch and the pumps, and storage of even a modest 14' four oared boat stored on deck either port or starboard would effectively fill the deck space. The Model Shipways kit of a 1:48 scale Longboat would be in scale but is far too large for a deck stowed boat, and at 26' is on the large size for a towed boat. On Cheerful only a small boat could be carried on deck so it is more than likely a larger one was towed. In the Alert book there is a photo of the model of the cutter Hawke carrying a small boat on the starboard side of the deck. For my build I knocked up a version of a 14' cutter to assess whether I like the look of a boat on the Cheerful deck . 8426 8429 8431 For the purpose of the exercise I used a Caldercraft Resin hull, with added Boxwood fittings. B.E. 07/11/24

A Display cover for the Medway Longboat. I thought I would give a heads up for the Acrylic cover I ordered for the model. The dimensions: Thickness 4mm Internal Length 490mm Internal Depth 180mm Internal Height 170mm The cover was obtained from: Custom Display Cover | Tielo The company is based in Hull, Yorkshire, and the delivered cost was £42.64 (free delivery) 2992A 2993A Difficult to get a good shot of the cover but it is very nicely made and at a competitive price compared to other UK suppliers I checked out. B.E. 11/10/2024

Thank you Clark, Rusty, and Glenn, I do have a 'dio' in mind to while away the dark winter days. B.E.

The way the sheet is rigged on the contemporary model looks typical of the period, but it is difficult to believe that sailors would adopt such an impractical arrangement as the horse below the tiller. The NMM which holds the original model makes no reference to this. Our kit is a model of a model and individuals can decide to 'tweak' it as they wish. Regards, B.E.

Cheers Guys, Sitting in my office/workroom I am surrounded by eleven models (and there are another eight around the house) not including those lying in ordinary in the loft. This disjointed view around my office gives you the effect. I can't imagine at the moment where I would put another, the desire is still there, but I will have to see how long that can be suppressed.🫤 Thanks again for the interest shown. B.E.

And finally….. Those familiar with my logs will know that I create a build photo book for my builds. The one for the ‘Medway’ Longboat has just been received. 2932a 2933a 2936a 2938a 2939a Purely for my own satisfaction but it is nice to have a ‘hard copy’ recording one’s efforts. One of the reasons I didn’t mast and rig her apart from space considerations is that I also have the Chuck designed Model Shipways Longboat at 1:48 scale, fully rigged. 0318 0319 0324 My eyes find it hard to believe the scale difference between 1:48 and 1:24 for basically the same boat, but I love the look of them both. 0343a I’m currently taking a break from ship modelling, for how long I don’t know. Regards, B.E. 24/09/2024

They are supposed to represent Top rope scuttles, top ropes were used to raise the topmasts, but were usually taken down once the task had been completed. Did the kit not have small gratings to fit these openings? Even so, personally, I find the arrangement unconvincing and prefer to display them as flush scuttle board covers with lift rings. B.E.

An interesting project, and quite a step up, I wish you well in your endeavours Daniel. 👍 B.E.

Post 44 A final fussing and faffing around the model, touch-ins here and there, and a final coat of w-o-p. I have tried various combinations to display the mast and spars alongside the model but arrived at having the Mast and Boom on the display base, and the Bowsprit and Gaff onboard the boat. This avoids having to have a wider display base which I don’t really want. So, here are the completion photos. 0271 0276 0280 0283 0284 0288 0291 0292 0295 0296 0300 0279 As with the Queen Ann Barge and Cheerful the ‘Medway’ Longboat has been a pleasure to build. The combination of quality materials, excellent designs, and elements that test your ingenuity and skill provide a high level of build satisfaction. Thank you, Chuck for the makings. I do have a few more related photos that members may find of interest; I will add these in a separate post. B.E. 06/09/2024.

Thank you Cisco, with w-i-p shots I just tend to use my old Pentax Bridge, hand held, and not too fussy about the light, as long as it shows clearly the detail I want to get over. I take more care when setting up for the completion shots. B.E.

Post 43 Finishings - bits and pieces. The rigged contemporary Longboat has an iron horse athwartships at the stern, along which the main sheet runs. 109crop This sits below the Tiller which naturally begs the obvious question. It is a question asked and discussed many times in this forum, but that is how the contemporary craftsman back in 1742 did it, so monkey see, monkey do. The contemporary unrigged model does not include it, so I could dodge the issue and follow suit. Still, I like such fittings on a model so I have included it. A length of 1mm brass wire was used for the purpose. 0263 There is a slight round-up to the Horse. The spar set is now complete. The Boom is unusual in that it tapers from the centre both fore and aft. The taper is slightly less forward to a finished diameter of 4mm. The Bowsprit and Gaff are straightforward to make turning and tapering on the wood lathe. 0252 I used Ramin dowel for the spars rather than the square stock Box I used for the mast. 0253 I will need to work out how to display the mast and spars off the model. Mast step Chuck has provided a pre-cut step as a simplification; one that I am happy to accept. In practise the mast heel would have been located in the keelson. I doubled up on the pieces as I thought it looked better than the single thickness. 0219 Positioning the step is another testy little exercise and I had left the thwart aft of the mast unfixed to aid this process. I used a dummy mast stub to hold the step for position and I used tape to mark the lines and to prevent any glue spread. 0225 Small weights are used to ensure a good bond. 0239 The thwart aft of the mast is not properly positioned in this shot As I’ve made the sticks might as well see how they look in position. 0234 It is very tempting to mast and rig her, but she does have quite a large footprint. 0233 0237 Not quite done yet. B.E. 04/09/2024

Post 42 Bowsprit fixings (Part Two) Now comes the tricky bit - getting the aft support in the correct position and correct length, because the forward thwart must be drilled. l approach this job with Chuck’s warning you only have one shot at this seared into my mind.😬 I can almost sense that index finger 🫵 pointing from across the big water. A scary thought as I have already glued the thwart and knees in place. With the Bowsprit temporarily held in place adjustments are made by degrees to both length and position of the shaft on the thwart. 0113 0114 I used a short length of rod and tape to determine where the thwart hole is to be drilled. 0160 0169 0178 Note that the Bowsprit does not sit flush with the capping rail but has a slight downward angle created by the height of the aft support. If it followed the capping rail it would have an upward angle. 0216 Love the sheer line on this model. 0211 0141 0197 0152 I have decided to leave the aft support in place. Getting close to completion now but there are some cosmetic flaws to be attended to and a few bits to make. B.E. 02/09/2024

Post 41 Bowsprit fixings (Part One) With the unrigged version I need to adopt a different approach to that used by Chuck. 002a As can be seen the stem ring hangs loose so the use of tape to simulate the ring is not an option. I would in any case opt for heat shrink tubing for this item. I will use a brass ring silver soldered to the stem bar for the purpose but I first need to make up the Bowsprit to gauge the fit of the rings. 0102 For speed I did the turning using 5mm ø Ramin dowel. 086 For the ring I used 7mm ø Brass tubing for the Bowsprit stem support. 089 1/16th" wide slices were taken from the tube. The support bars for the rings were cut from 1/16th" square section brass rod. 094 A pin was filed into one end to fit a small hole drilled into the rings before cutting. 04a I noticed looking closely at the contemporary model that the aft Bowsprit support is of rectangular section rather than round which makes better sense. 098 I remade a square section ring for the aft support. This shot shows the items after silver soldering but before cleaning up. 0100 With the fit to the Bowsprit established I can move onto the fitting of the ‘ironwork’. B.E. 02/09/2024

That's the puzzlement John, the deadeye set simply hooks into the straps, in fact all the rigging is designed for a quick set-up /take down. It seems to me that the straps would be left in place, maybe angled flush with the capping rail when not in use. They do not feature on boats set-up for rowing, either in art or models as far as I can see. B.E.

Post 40 Thinking aloud - The question of rigging fittings, and what to do about the iron work. I am thinking about whether to attach the rigging fittings to the boat in the absence of actually masting and rigging her. We know that ships boats were all rigged for sailing as well as rowing, some with one, some with two masts, and a variety of sail plans. The Medway Longboat is perhaps a rare exception of a contemporary model shown as rigged, most boat models and plans don’t have these details. The fittings are quite simple, a couple of deadeye straps and ring supports for a bowsprit. 002a 003 The contemporary unrigged model does not have these fittings, apart from the Bowsprit ring at the stem, and the mast support clamp on the thwart. There is no indication of the location points where they would otherwise be fitted. 003(1)a The deadeye straps would need to be firmly fixed, how was this done; presumably bolted to the side thro’ the wale; were they left insitu when the boat was being rowed or fitted as required? in that case surely the fixing points would be apparent. It begs the question whether the 18th century modelmaker had simply left these things off, but why not the hole thro’ the forward thwart when you’ve bothered to show the stem ring. I have found no other contemporary models of boats that show deadeye fixings, and none of the complement of boats set on HMS Victory have any indication of fixing points for rigging. I think I will certainly add the stem ring but am less certain about the deadeye straps which may spoil the lines without the masting and rigging in place. The aft Bowsprit support ring also may look odd without the Bowsprit in place. It could of course be made and placed across the forward thwart. Enough of these musings, I need to do it to see it. B.E. 31/08/2024

Well done for your perseverance Cisco, silver soldering is a useful skill to have. I find that holding the pieces in the correct position for soldering is the trickiest part, sometimes you have to get quite inventive. I'll be getting my set out shortly to make Bowsprit support rings. Your sloop is looking wonderful, just love that planking. B.E.

Post 39 Making the display base I had an initial look back in Post 37 but now seemed a good time to make up the base. Assembly is straightforward after careful cleaning up of the char. 044 I did add three lateral wood strips beneath the base to counter any tendency for warp. These also provide handy clamp points on the vice for the application of w-o-p. 041 The tricky part is the placing of the keel supports. I made careful measurements with the boat in situ and marked these with Tamiya tape. 043 I decided to varnish the supports before fitting, and glue them into place before applying varnish to the veneer. I was careful not to get any pva on the veneer surface. 060 065 067 069 073 075 B.E. 29/08/2024