Blue Ensign

Impressive work Matti, particularly as it is your first pob build, and a bb kit to boot, not the easiest kits, I know  - I built Norske Love.
 
You have created a fine log for the build of Vasa, and I love your colour toning, another great build I now have to follow to the detriment of geting on with my own stuff.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Hi Revier, thank you.
 
The model has a plastic cover over it that fits inside the rim of the base.
 

 
At 1:150 scale that is the only way to keep it clean. The good news is that with the small scale the overall case size is not too obtrusive.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Hi Revier, thank you.
 
The model has a plastic cover over it that fits inside the rim of the base.
 

 
At 1:150 scale that is the only way to keep it clean. The good news is that with the small scale the overall case size is not too obtrusive.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

A departure from tying rigging for the guns to do something a bit more fun- the stern and other carvings. The cast metal has some nice detail that only comes out under paint. The kit provides a colour scheme which is a bit gaudy for my liking:
 
They do suggest bare timber is another option as the historical record is unclear on paintwork.
I tried a bit of simulated timber paint with a light buff colour as a base coat with a mix of 'woody' looking artists oils like raw umber, yellow ochre, some sort of red, burnt umber and white painted over the top.
This was brushed over with a clean brush to removed it from the top surfaces like dry brushing in reverse.
I think the wood effect is a bit much on its own so here's a test with half the background in the blue used on the rest of the ship.
Its very rough and needs a tidy but I like this as it ties in with the blue line on the capping rail so I'll continue in this direction.
 

B.E.,
 
This is one of my favorite builds that I have found so far on MSW.  The information and sensations, that your display conveys to the viewer about the age of sail is superb!  I have never waterlined a model before, though I am planning on it for a few dreadnoughts in my queue, but it never occurred to me to do it for a sail powered vessel.  
 
Congratulations on a very successful build!

CaptCraig, Ferit, Mort, Sjors and BE - thanks gents for the continuing support.
 
Some slow but steady progress, finally getting a chance to try the various different things that I've thinking about for the last month or more:
 
Have one carronade attached with breech rope.  Unfortunately my seized knot ended up looking more like a baguette than a knot after all the manhandling, hopefully this will get a little easier with practice.  I'll probably play with this some more to get final placement so it looks natural.
 
Made up a couple of hooks and attached to a double and single 3mm block to see how this would look.  Hooks are made from the small 0.3mm brass etch eyebolts bent to shape.  Once rigged, managed to get one of the crew to test things out - thumbs up.  Pretty happy with the way my first carronade is shaping up.
 
I'm probably going to frap the tackle falls around the blocks as per current practice on HMS Victory rather than cheese them on the deck - no Admirals inspection for me...
 
As always, suggestions welcome.
 

Detail shots of the completed model


Long boat with the sheep pens beneath.
 

Activity on the Qtr deck, the crew are converted ‘N’ scale rail figures.
 

Poop deck detail.
 

 

Crew ascending the Main shrouds.
 

Fore deck detail.
 

Crew at the Fore Topmast head.
 

 

Head details.
 


 

 

Stern Qtr details.
 
 
Full shots of the model
 


 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Secure in her protective case.
 
I think this has been the most exacting build I have undertaken due to the small scale and my
less than good eyesight, I am very pleased with the result but I don’t think I
will attempt another at this scale.
 
I am much more comfortable with 1:64 scale, as with my current Pegasus build.

B.E.


 


 


 
 
 
 
 


 



 
 
 


 


 


 
 


 


 
 


 


 


 


 
 


 
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Continuing:

Details of the sails.




These were drawn from the plans of Boudriot and are made of Modelspan
tissue .
 



 



 
Attaching reef points nearly destroyed what little was left of my sanity.



As did the ratlines using 125g copper wire.
 

Almost done.


 


 


 

 







 

A simple man’s guide to sail making (part two)
 
The sail has been cut out complete with a hem all the way round, the positions of the cringles have been marked along the edges.
The hems are folded over and a small slit where the cringles are to be placed is made with the scalpel.
0.1mm line is then placed along the hem inside the fold and fished thro with a small pointy thing, to form the cringles.
This is the position so reached.
 

 

After the first few cringles have been formed the hem is glued down using neat PVA to hold the cringles in place.
 
In the pic below all the cringles have now been put into place.
 
Down each side from the top are the three pairs of Reef cringles, followed by three Bowline cringles; the leech line is attached thro’ the top two.
 
At the clue is the cringle for the blocks..
 
Across the foot of the sail are the cringles for the buntlines.

Bands, patches and linings
Additional strengthening pieces of ‘cloth’ are now required to be added to the sail. These are all attached to the aft side of the sail as shown above (Fore side on British ships.)
They comprise:
The reef bands, three narrow strips thro’ which the reef points are fixed.
The Patches small squares of material below the reef cringles at the leech.
The Top lining, the most distinctive addition whose purpose is to protect the sail from wear by friction against the mast top.
The Lining cloths which are strengthening strips staggered down the leech of the sail.
A bit like wallpapering this part, cut it to size, slap on the paste, and stick it down.
 

With the light behind the full effect of the various additions can now be seen.
A series of holes were drilled thro’ the Reef bands to take the Reef points, and again on the Head lining to take the Robands.
Some 150 reef points are required on the Topsail.
 
Once the sails are in place they can be manipulated at any later stage by the simple expediency of wetting them down.
 

The Mizen sail, the Brails that control the sail furling are all in place, there are matching lines on each side of the sail.
 
 

a simple wet down of the sail and haul on the Brails and the sail is loosely furled.
 

 
Modelspan is a tough material and in my workings with I had no failures.
 
 

 

I would use modelspan for kitting out models certainly up to 1:96 scale.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Just for you JP I'll dig out my posts on the subject.
 
A Simple man’s guide to small scale sail making.
 
For this I used modelspan tissue at 21gsm.
 
This is where it all starts, my patent jig for sail making.
 

 
Well alright it’s a box with a hole cut into it.
 

The Modelspan tissue is taped over the hole – make sure the hole is large enough for the sail dimensions.
 

The witches brew – ear of bat, eye of toad, you know the sort of thing - actually pva diluted to the consistency of milk with a little yellow ochre  paint added.
 

Once the potion is mixed it takes on a fetching ochre colour.
 

The potion being applied, note the colour change and how the tissue has started to sag.
 

The completed effect, just needs to be set aside to dry............. but if you’re impatient like me...
 
 

A quick blast with the CPO’s hairdryer, diffuser in place – and were ready to go.
 
The tissue is now as tight as drum skin and much the same colour, a little more ochery than appears in the photo.
The sail ‘material’ is removed by cutting around the edges of the hole with a scalpel, or any other such sharp implement that is to hand, and is taped over the drawing as previously made.
 

I had previously  drawn out a scaled sail from the works of Jean Boudriot.
 
The lines are transferred and the fiddly business of making the sail up begins.
 
This will be the subject of the next post.
 
B.E.

Cheers Mark, trouble is the whole log runs for 196 pages with 550 photos,  I think it would have become a life's work re-posting it.
 
B.E.

Detail shots of the completed model


Long boat with the sheep pens beneath.
 

Activity on the Qtr deck, the crew are converted ‘N’ scale rail figures.
 

Poop deck detail.
 

 

Crew ascending the Main shrouds.
 

Fore deck detail.
 

Crew at the Fore Topmast head.
 

 

Head details.
 


 

 

Stern Qtr details.
 
 
Full shots of the model
 


 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Secure in her protective case.
 
I think this has been the most exacting build I have undertaken due to the small scale and my
less than good eyesight, I am very pleased with the result but I don’t think I
will attempt another at this scale.
 
I am much more comfortable with 1:64 scale, as with my current Pegasus build.

B.E.


 


 


 
 
 
 
 


 



 
 
 


 


 


 
 


 


 
 


 


 


 


 
 


 
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Continuing:
 

Raising the Topsail yards.
 
A word about yards.
 

Working out the details.
 

Parrals at 1:150 scale are pretty small.
 

Topsail yard in place,
 

A member of the Royal Corps of Marine Infantry gives scale to the top.
The sails were attached, dampened and pulled into position using the Buntlines, Leechlines, and clues.
 

Rigging the anchors.
 
 
 

Continuing:

Details of the sails.




These were drawn from the plans of Boudriot and are made of Modelspan
tissue .
 



 



 
Attaching reef points nearly destroyed what little was left of my sanity.



As did the ratlines using 125g copper wire.
 

Almost done.


 


 


 

 







 

Continuing


Waist with Longboat and sheep pens.
 

Quarterdeck modifications with added cabin detail.

Modified berthing of the Main Ladderway and added Chicken Coops on the Poop deck.


Modified Head.
 

Copper wire and strip used to make the chains and preventer plates.


Upgrading the Long boat.


Modified ‘N’ scale figures fit just right.


The finished boat.
 
 

Rigging the ‘show’ guns was a bit of a challenge at this scale



 
 

 
Rigging can get a tad untidy at this scale, blocking yourself out is so easy.
 
 
 



 
 




 
 


 
 
 
 

From Le Superbe to Le Praetorian – A  Heller Seventy-four, after Boudriot

This is a summarised record of my attempt to modify a small scale plastic
kit by reference to the works of Jean Boudriot. Very few of the original kit
fittings were used in the build.
 
This was to be a first attempt at fully detailing a model of this scale,
adding sails and displaying in a waterline setting.

Early progress
 

 

Lower deck detail.
 

Upperdeck showing Galley and Pastry oven.
One unfortunate fellow is spending time in the bilboes, for swearing on a Sunday.


Restyling the Foc’sle rail.
 

 

Modified waist railings using brass strip.
 
 
 


 
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Continuing:

Details of the sails.




These were drawn from the plans of Boudriot and are made of Modelspan
tissue .
 



 



 
Attaching reef points nearly destroyed what little was left of my sanity.



As did the ratlines using 125g copper wire.
 

Almost done.


 


 


 

 







 

A nice bit of scratching there hamilton, the decks are gaining interest as all the fitting are put into place.
 
It is worth repeating this is a small ship at only 1:100 scale, not easy making convincing fittings at that size.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Feels like a long time since I've made a post.  With a bit of focused effort all 16 carronades are ready for final assembly (last cannon is getting close), I'm taking maybe a rather convoluted approach but hoping it will work OK.  The pedestals are all attached to the deck, but I'm leaving the slides unattached for now so I can rig the breaching ropes off the ship.  It also give me a chance to align the elevations individually using the small elevation screws before attaching the turning handles.  I'm not sure of the correct elevation for these, but think it would make most practical sense to have a small gap at the top of the gunport as I've tried to achieve.
 
I'll leave off the deck fittings until everything is rigged to hopefully make this task as easy as possible.  Think I'm finally homing in on the approach to the rigging which I suspect will be the next never-ending task, but hope not.
 

 
 
 
 

Looks a good result Jason, those pre- drilled bowsprit caps are a pain because as you say the cap should be in a vertical plane when viewed from the side and the hole for the jibboom needs to be angled to suit the stive of the bowsprit. To make it so the hole becomes too big.
 
An additional problem on Pegasus was that there was no provision on the starboard side to take the Jack staff; I got around the problem by scratching a new cap and fixing angled inserts in the vice to give the correct stive for the hole before drilling.
 
Enjoy your trip back home.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.
 

Build Update:
 
Completion of the Exterior Planking:
 
My Syren hull really turned out to be a tale of two halves.  Being that this is the second model that I have ever planked, and that it was a lot bigger than my Longboat, it was a first rate learning experience.  I planked both sides down below the waterline pretty much the same, then I continued with the starboard side until it was complete.  Next I completed the port side, finally putting the wales and sheer strake on.  
 
I had a lot of fun with this step for a couple of reasons.  The first being that, I learned how not to do it on the first side.  The second, that during the planking process I went on vacation to a family camp, which had a wonderful craft space.  Our days were packed with hiking, sailing, and fishing, but the evening was dedicated to crafts.  So I took my Syren with me and worked on it over vacation.  Part of the fun in that, was that so many people came over to investigate what I was doing, that I got to talk about the hobby to quite a few people.  Thirdly, my son has taken an interest in what I am doing, so I have been able to start instilling a desire to make things in him.  I hope that I am also passing on some skills as well  .
 
Crafting on Vacation:

 
The Last Plank:

 
The Next Generation:

 

 

 

 

 

Great deck planking job Ray, I wish had gone the extra mile on Pegasus with the top and butt.
 
B.E.

Deck FittingsAt the same time as making up the main deck guns and rigging them I also started making some of the deck fittings, hatches, bits, ladders and the stove the photos below show the progress.
 
The first hatch

 
The first hatch finished

 
Hatches and ladders

 
Hatches test fitted


 
Stove added

 
The fittings and the guns


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

At last the ship's boats have been completed. Believe me, it was a real challenge.
 
First of all the boat's resin hulls should have been sanded. Otherwise you can have big problems when glueing the cartridge paper for the ribs into the hull. My big awareness...
 

 
But the rest was quite easy.
 

 

 

 
Well, the lauch is very tall and I'll don't fit it until the rigging has been completed.
 

 

 

 

I see you have a few kits stacking up under your workbench and I love that Mahogany flooring!
 The quarterbadge redo looks very good!