Blue Ensign

For those who may be vaguely curious about the face behind the model, here's yours truly posing with Pegasus before she is cased.

 
B.E.
 

For those who may be vaguely curious about the face behind the model, here's yours truly posing with Pegasus before she is cased.

 
B.E.
 

For those who may be vaguely curious about the face behind the model, here's yours truly posing with Pegasus before she is cased.

 
B.E.
 

There was usually a Rudder Coat fitted to prevent ingress of water thro' the counter.
The Rudder Coat was a loose fitting bag like cover made of tarred canvas nailed to the rudder head and counter. Tricky little beggars to make at model scale but you will find examples around the model builds.
Where the Rudder head came thro' the deck another small tarred canvas cover would be secured around the head and to the deck to reduce any water ingress to the deck below.
 
The photo's below show the arrangement I used on my Pegasus build.
 

 
Rudder coat in course of fitting.
 

Canvas cover around rudder head, on Pegasus an additional cover was built over the rudder head to further protect it.
 
B.E.
 

There was usually a Rudder Coat fitted to prevent ingress of water thro' the counter.
The Rudder Coat was a loose fitting bag like cover made of tarred canvas nailed to the rudder head and counter. Tricky little beggars to make at model scale but you will find examples around the model builds.
Where the Rudder head came thro' the deck another small tarred canvas cover would be secured around the head and to the deck to reduce any water ingress to the deck below.
 
The photo's below show the arrangement I used on my Pegasus build.
 

 
Rudder coat in course of fitting.
 

Canvas cover around rudder head, on Pegasus an additional cover was built over the rudder head to further protect it.
 
B.E.
 

Just come across your log Hennie, that's a fine build you're doing, great work.
 
Regards,
 
B.E.

Very impressive work Pat particularly at 1:60 scale, and to your follow up Gregor.
 
B.E.

Fine Companionway you have made there Don.
B.E.

Cheers Guys,
These are the completion photo's, before Pegasus  is enclosed in her case, which is still wip.
firstly the detail shots:













 
The Rigging shots

 





 
With the Longboat, which will be placed within the case, but not on the temporary stand as shown below.



 
Overall shots





 
B.E.
 

My four year build log has alas fallen victim to the latest system upgrade, and like the ship she represents is now presumed lost, as Pegasus was in 1777.
To re-instate all the information contained within the orginal log which ran for over 100 pages is a bit of an ask but where I can pick up the information quickly I will include it in this replacement log with priority being given to specific aspects where I have modified the basic kit, to produce the model which is now allbut finished.
My log which was first posted in 2013 lacked much of the earlier stages of the build which had been going since 2010, and this revision will include aspects of the earlier build stages which may assist those embarking on a new Swan build adventure.
I would like to thank all those members who have shown interest in my build over the past four years, and for the many appreciative comments and 'likes' I received. I still can't believe that over 257,000 visits were made to the log, but it is nice to think that it was of use to the membership.
Also thank you to those who have messaged me with kind words about the loss of the original log, and with offers of help.
Hopefully this revised version, risen from the ashes, will continue to provide useful information to the membership, particularly those involved with Swan Class Sloops.
 
B.E.
5th March 2017

What a stunning sight
It just gets better and better.
 
B.E.

Hi Ken, I upload photo's directly from my computer photo files, and they appear along the bottom of the log entry I am making. You can do this for all the photo's you wish to include in a particular log entry.
I type in the blurb for the log, and then move the cursor below the line of print and click on the photo I wish to select which then appears in the body of the log.
Again move the cursor below the photo and begin writing again in the body of the log, and so on.
 
Hope this helps.
 
B.E.

Cheers Guys,
These are the completion photo's, before Pegasus  is enclosed in her case, which is still wip.
firstly the detail shots:













 
The Rigging shots

 





 
With the Longboat, which will be placed within the case, but not on the temporary stand as shown below.



 
Overall shots





 
B.E.
 

What a stunning sight
It just gets better and better.
 
B.E.

Looking splendid in those two update photo's on the previous page Michael, would make a fine display model even as she is.  
 
B.E.

Thoughts about Pegasus
This post concludes my build of seven years, and one I have thoroughly enjoyed, as I have enjoyed sharing this journey with my fellow modellers on MSW.
The  beauty of this model is that it is large enough for detail but not so big that it raises any serious display issues. It is also highly decorative and is placed in the period before the Nelson chequer and austerity removed much of the decoration from Georgian ships.
Victory models are the ‘posh’ end of Amati a bit like Lexus and Toyota, and the basic kit produces an attractive model of this pretty bijou Frigate.
Thanks are due to Chris Watton who designed the kit, and to Amati who produced it. Even so, most commercial kit manufacturers make simplifications to extend the appeal to a greater range of modeller ability, and include somewhat out of scale and generic fittings and Amati is no exception.
Much of the enjoyment for me has been in enhancing the kit by use of different materials and fittings and bashing it about a bit with a fair amount of scratch building.
Apart from the basic skeleton and some of the brass etch, very little of the kit provided material and fittings have been used, and I am quick to gloss over the additional costs involved.
Outside sourced materials and fittings.
Boxwood strips and section
http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/product_details_335.htm
Rigging blocks and associated attachments
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
http://www.model-dockyard.com/
Rigging line.
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
http://home.foni.net/~agondesen/left.htm
Guns
http://www.rbmodel.com/index.php?action=products&group=023
Anchors
http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/Fitting_Front.htm
lantern
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
Dowels- Ramin for lower masts
Various suppliers - check online
Additional brass etch.
http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/Fitting_Front.htm
Scratched modifications
Stern Gallery style and decoration.
Great Cabin interior.
Beneath the Foc'sle deck.
Foc'sle rail and belfry.
Quarterdeck rails.
Head works and Cat heads.
Capstans, Gallows, and pumps.
Hatch Coamings
Swivel gun posts.
Masts and yards.
Scratched additions
Galley Stove, Galley Chimney.
Binnacle, Steering stanchions, and Tiller.
Rudder head Cover, Rudder coat.
Clerestory Style Companion top.
Hatch railings, Gang planks, Fish Davit.
Pinnace and Long Boat.
Swinging Booms, Flag staffs and Ensigns.
Reference Works.
For references I primarily used Steel and the Fully Framed book series by David Antscherl, cross referred to Lees, and Marquardt.
Particularly in relation to Masting and Rigging I used Steel to work out the dimensions and line sizes.
http://www.hnsa.org/resources/manuals-documents/age-of-sail/the-elements-and-practice-of-rigging-and-seamanship/
 I am quite pleased with the end result of my build and there are only a  couple of things I would have done differently were I starting now.
1) I would have reduced the width of the first(Bridle) port to make it narrower than a standard gun port.
2) I would have included the bands of top and butt deck planking on the upper deck.
 I would also hope to improve the finish in some of the areas where my knowledge exceeds my skill to carry it out.

I will finally post some completion photo's in the next few days. 
 Thank you all for following along.
 Blue Ensign
8th April 2017.

Sign me up for a book also

Stern Gallery Modification Mark 11
My eye kept drifting back to the  stern decoration on the NMM plan

The decoration is classical and is related to Pegasus. Not that what appears on the drawings would necessarily be reflected on an actual ship, but it does make sense.
 
In the centre of the Tafferal is the ships namesake (as with the kit) Top left and right the head of Medusa, complete with snake hairdo. On the Port side of Pegasus is Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa, and to the Starboard the headless body of Medusa, from whence Pegasus sprang.
On either side of the stern gallery on the Upper Quarter piece, where the Norman Knights reside on the kit, stands Perseus, and below him sea creatures presumably representing the watery kingdom of Poseidon, the father of Pegasus.
Note also the space between the hull and the Upper Quarter piece on which the figure of Perseus stands. I rather think that the standing figures are facing slightly outwards and are carved in solid relief.
 
For those of you who didn’t study Classics at school - A little bit of Greek mythology.
Pegasus was the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, so quite appropriate for a ships name. His Mother was the Gorgon Medusa and Pegasus sprang from her neck when she lost her head to Perseus.
Medusa was apparently a bit of a looker, but the sort that knew it; She attracted the carnal attentions of Poseidon, which upset the Goddess Athena who gave her a snake hairdo and a look that could turn men to stone.
As for Pegasus he took up an association with a likely lad from Corinth called Billy Ruffian but it all ended badly for Billy whereas Pegasus found a comfy billet in the Olympian Stalls and was given a job in logistics by Zeus collecting and delivering his lightning and thunderbolts. Slightly bigger bangs than the six pounder pop guns on his namesake the Sloop Pegasus.
The whole family have been well represented in the names of British Naval ships, Gorgon, Medusa, and Poseidon, (if you stretch a point and use his Roman name Neptune). There never was an HMS Poseidon as far as I know, but the unfortunate Billy did get remembered. So there you have it Classics in a nut shell.
 
The Upper Quarter piece tapers down to the lower quarter piece which fays into the Wale at its lower end and on the kit is decorated with a sea serpent much as shown on the plans.

Decoration is also shown on the top outer edge of the Tafferal
The profile of the Quarter badge also seems to be flat but the decoration is closely followed by the kit.
 
All this mythology stuff started to dwell on my mind and my aversion to the stern decoration finally got the better of me and I took the scalpel to the stern.
Early attempts to create three dimensional figures using Fimo had not been a success, but given a lead to Preiser 1:87 scale figures, provided me with suitable candidates to replace the incongruous 'Norman' Knights that featured on the stern Quarter pieces.

Some in this Adam and Eve set looked to have potential for my purpose, providing I can get them to look right on the model.
I have modified a couple of the standing figures to represent Perseus.

Here for the Port side Quarter piece, Perseus is depicted holding the severed head of Medusa.
The figures are 22mm high which match the 'Norman' Knights but the Norman Knights extend above what would be the Quarter piece onto the Transom. This presents a problem in fitting a three dimensional figure without performing some radical surgery on the transom as a whole.

Firstly the Upper Quarter piece is cut back and the transom is notched to take the head of the figure. The lower Quarter piece is modified at its upper end to form a platform for the feet of the figure.
For this three dimensional 'carving' the idea is to give the impression that the figure has been cut from the solid.

Having created a platform to support the feet of Perseus the figure is super-glued into place.
All looking pretty rough at this stage.
Work then proceeds to infil with timber strip and filler to 'bond' the figure to the Quarter piece and give it more of a hewn look.

 

 

 

Still a lot of tweaking and cleaning up to do, but the project is coming together as I envisaged.

Moving on ....

The Starboard stern works receive the scalpel treatment.

All looks a bit scary, particularly as I'm sort of making it up as I go along.

The Starboard Quarter figure has now been modifed. This one again represents Perseus with the shield given to him by the Goddess Athena to deflect the gaze of Medusa

I have started to infill around the Portside figure.

May be a tad grand for a simple Sloop but who's to say; even Eighteenth Century model makers grandified the decoration and there are examples of contemporary sloop models with decoration that probably never ended up on the vessel.
The next post should see the completion of the stern bash.
B.E.
 

Cheers Guys,
These are the completion photo's, before Pegasus  is enclosed in her case, which is still wip.
firstly the detail shots:













 
The Rigging shots

 





 
With the Longboat, which will be placed within the case, but not on the temporary stand as shown below.



 
Overall shots





 
B.E.
 

My four year build log has alas fallen victim to the latest system upgrade, and like the ship she represents is now presumed lost, as Pegasus was in 1777.
To re-instate all the information contained within the orginal log which ran for over 100 pages is a bit of an ask but where I can pick up the information quickly I will include it in this replacement log with priority being given to specific aspects where I have modified the basic kit, to produce the model which is now allbut finished.
My log which was first posted in 2013 lacked much of the earlier stages of the build which had been going since 2010, and this revision will include aspects of the earlier build stages which may assist those embarking on a new Swan build adventure.
I would like to thank all those members who have shown interest in my build over the past four years, and for the many appreciative comments and 'likes' I received. I still can't believe that over 257,000 visits were made to the log, but it is nice to think that it was of use to the membership.
Also thank you to those who have messaged me with kind words about the loss of the original log, and with offers of help.
Hopefully this revised version, risen from the ashes, will continue to provide useful information to the membership, particularly those involved with Swan Class Sloops.
 
B.E.
5th March 2017

Hi Ken, I upload photo's directly from my computer photo files, and they appear along the bottom of the log entry I am making. You can do this for all the photo's you wish to include in a particular log entry.
I type in the blurb for the log, and then move the cursor below the line of print and click on the photo I wish to select which then appears in the body of the log.
Again move the cursor below the photo and begin writing again in the body of the log, and so on.
 
Hope this helps.
 
B.E.

What a stunning sight
It just gets better and better.
 
B.E.

Cheers Guys,
These are the completion photo's, before Pegasus  is enclosed in her case, which is still wip.
firstly the detail shots:













 
The Rigging shots

 





 
With the Longboat, which will be placed within the case, but not on the temporary stand as shown below.



 
Overall shots





 
B.E.
 

Thoughts about Pegasus
This post concludes my build of seven years, and one I have thoroughly enjoyed, as I have enjoyed sharing this journey with my fellow modellers on MSW.
The  beauty of this model is that it is large enough for detail but not so big that it raises any serious display issues. It is also highly decorative and is placed in the period before the Nelson chequer and austerity removed much of the decoration from Georgian ships.
Victory models are the ‘posh’ end of Amati a bit like Lexus and Toyota, and the basic kit produces an attractive model of this pretty bijou Frigate.
Thanks are due to Chris Watton who designed the kit, and to Amati who produced it. Even so, most commercial kit manufacturers make simplifications to extend the appeal to a greater range of modeller ability, and include somewhat out of scale and generic fittings and Amati is no exception.
Much of the enjoyment for me has been in enhancing the kit by use of different materials and fittings and bashing it about a bit with a fair amount of scratch building.
Apart from the basic skeleton and some of the brass etch, very little of the kit provided material and fittings have been used, and I am quick to gloss over the additional costs involved.
Outside sourced materials and fittings.
Boxwood strips and section
http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/product_details_335.htm
Rigging blocks and associated attachments
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
http://www.model-dockyard.com/
Rigging line.
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
http://home.foni.net/~agondesen/left.htm
Guns
http://www.rbmodel.com/index.php?action=products&group=023
Anchors
http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/Fitting_Front.htm
lantern
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/
Dowels- Ramin for lower masts
Various suppliers - check online
Additional brass etch.
http://www.jotika-ltd.com/Pages/1024768/Fitting_Front.htm
Scratched modifications
Stern Gallery style and decoration.
Great Cabin interior.
Beneath the Foc'sle deck.
Foc'sle rail and belfry.
Quarterdeck rails.
Head works and Cat heads.
Capstans, Gallows, and pumps.
Hatch Coamings
Swivel gun posts.
Masts and yards.
Scratched additions
Galley Stove, Galley Chimney.
Binnacle, Steering stanchions, and Tiller.
Rudder head Cover, Rudder coat.
Clerestory Style Companion top.
Hatch railings, Gang planks, Fish Davit.
Pinnace and Long Boat.
Swinging Booms, Flag staffs and Ensigns.
Reference Works.
For references I primarily used Steel and the Fully Framed book series by David Antscherl, cross referred to Lees, and Marquardt.
Particularly in relation to Masting and Rigging I used Steel to work out the dimensions and line sizes.
http://www.hnsa.org/resources/manuals-documents/age-of-sail/the-elements-and-practice-of-rigging-and-seamanship/
 I am quite pleased with the end result of my build and there are only a  couple of things I would have done differently were I starting now.
1) I would have reduced the width of the first(Bridle) port to make it narrower than a standard gun port.
2) I would have included the bands of top and butt deck planking on the upper deck.
 I would also hope to improve the finish in some of the areas where my knowledge exceeds my skill to carry it out.

I will finally post some completion photo's in the next few days. 
 Thank you all for following along.
 Blue Ensign
8th April 2017.

Hi Ken, I upload photo's directly from my computer photo files, and they appear along the bottom of the log entry I am making. You can do this for all the photo's you wish to include in a particular log entry.
I type in the blurb for the log, and then move the cursor below the line of print and click on the photo I wish to select which then appears in the body of the log.
Again move the cursor below the photo and begin writing again in the body of the log, and so on.
 
Hope this helps.
 
B.E.