Blue Ensign

Here is a link to my Picasa web album charting my "Super-Detailed" build of HMS Surprise.
I have attempted a compromise between all available sources of information on the subject.
I did have a build log on the original MSW site but alas it's all gone now.
 
Cheers,
Pete.
 
The link is no longer valid.

I shouldn't really encourage him  but yet another mini masterpiece emerges from the fertile mind of Daniel, where will it all end
 
M.

Love that last shot Matti, such quality of work.
 
B.E.

Had a bit more play with some massing and using the fir planks with no pinstripe, I feel that I am on the right track now.
 
I will sit on this for a bit and if it still feels right then start framing it up.
 

 

 

 

 
I will keep the hatch to the port side, I am thinking also of a small slope forward on the raised section.
 
Michael
 
 

John, Mark, Joe, Tom, Bob, Guy, Thanks for the kind comments.
 
Back to the cabin Planking, I thought about the deck and so did another test this time with the planks being pine and the redwood to simulate the caulking. I haven't tried using Fir yet.
 

 

 
I'm feeling more comfortable with this combination. Which I suppose would be better.
 
Michael
 
 

Jay, John, thanks for the input on the cabin top planking. I'm torn about it because I really like the pinstripe planking, Like that on the power boats and the water taxi that was featured here on MSW 1, but it does feel a bit over the top on this boat. I'm just going to have to build one of those power boats down the road.
 
I did some other stuff today while I think about the Cabin.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Doing this took my mind away from the service this morning-- I placed a wreath at the Stony Plain Remembrance on behalf of the Royal Arch Masons... always a sobering memorial
 
Michael

John, no.
 
The inner core is some brass cross bored to accept a couple of small 1/4 inch diameter ceramic magnets the dial is a drawing done in cad I'm still playing with the final design.
 
 
 
 
 
The centre is bored out to 1/2 inch diameter.
 
 
 
The base which still need the holes bored for attaching it to the deck, has a 1/8th diameter rod with a dressmakers steel pin cut and glued into the top, At first I just used the pin but the magnets pulled to it , so with just a short piece the magnets are OK. the diameter is 1 3/16 or 9 1/2 in scale.
 
 
 
My silver smith  friend had given me a piece of copper that she had drawn into a cup shape on her press the OD is 1 1/4 inches in diameter I had to dome the top a bit because it was rounded but flat in the middle a bit like a copper end cap for plumbing pipe.
 
 
 
I machined up a ring of brass that will get the holes drilled for mounting on the deck  and some copper rivets to attach it to the copper.
 
 
 
 
A rotation to check that it is still working.
 
 
 
placed in front of Arnold who is sitting in the cockpit.
 
I still need to make the glass cover plate and brass ring. and nameplate.
 
I know its not fully gimbled, perhaps the next one.
 
Michael
 
 
 

A little progress - I finished the hawse pipes. The anchor cables which are shown in the pictures are not my final choice. But I still have some time to get me the “right” ones. 
 
 

 
 

 
 

The deck looks fine to my eye Jason, and I suspect by the time all the fittings and ordnance are on board any issues you have will recede from your eye.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Looks better with the Gammoning slots Ray, and it will surely make life easier for rigging the Bowsprit.
 
Regarding the boomkins on Pegasus I'm not sure they got the arrangement completely right and of course  gratings and seats of ease were not included in the plans.
 
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/332-hms-pegasus-by-blue-ensign-victory-models-enhancing-the-kit-a-build-log-of-sorts/page-2
 
I made some modifications, and as you can see in this link (bottom of page) the Boomkins should curve steeply down and be secured in the notches in the False Rail.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

My Sergal kit has this casting but I still don`t know what it is supposed to be so I just painted it about the right color.
 

 
Also got my upper deck cannons done.
 

 
I have been having problems getting pictures uploaded recently so I hope they came through ok.Keep getting error messages.

I've now done the starboard wale and also some of the stern planking. I planked the counters and a portion of the transom area, but not around the stern windows. I'm not going to do that portion for a while yet (until I figure out what I'm doing). 
 
I then painted the wales. In order to simplify the masking and painting, I had painted the upper edge of the top strake planks before installing them.  I used Pollyscale engine black, which unfortunately is no longer going to be available as the line has been discontinued. I'll miss the paints and need to start thinking about alternatives. 
 
Time now to do the lower hull planking.
 
Bob
 
 

The bow Section continued
 
I then taped the two parts of the grating together to see how it fitted in the space between the rails and the head timbers, it sat rather high so I cut and ground down the tops of the head timbers so that the gratings sat below the top of the main side rail.
I then made the cat-heads as per the instructions, the cast decorative rails were then shaped and added, after painting, and I cut them off where they turned flat onto the hull. The cat-heads and their support timber were glued together and fixed to the hull using cyno, and a couple of pins, the second part of the cast strip was then shaped and joined to the cat-head support and the strip on the hull. I then made a pair off second support timbers as shown in The Anatomy of ships Diana and added them, and to finish off fitted the timber covers over the side of the timber heads where the cast rails run through them, the sides of the timber heads did need a bit of fettling to allow a neat finish to the covers. Lastly the whole job was painted and touched up where necessary.
 

 
Decorative rail and timber covers fitted

 

 
The grating was finished next, I made a frame to fit inside the space which did not match the plan, but the space, I added the seat`s of ease ( the use of these  must have a bit tricky at night in a gale )and then fixed the assembly in place. I added a gold lines down the covering timbers (it looks much better in real life than the photos) a final paint touch up, and the gold painted decorations were added, the only thing left is the stanchion rail and netting which I will add later.
 
The grating

 
Ready for finishing off

 
Bows finished

 

 

 

 
 

Thanks Guys for your generous praise, and for all the 'likes' also.
 
@ Robert - I'll try and get a round to posting in the Gallery.
 
@ Nils - I made the base Nils, but I had the cover made for me by a chap in Devon, he attends various
              model shows and I collect them  from him usually around this time of year, when he fetches up in
              my area.
              ps: things seem to have gone a little quiet on your 'Swan' build of late?
 
@ Scott, -  thanks for looking in, Modelspan is superb for sails at this scale, and larger, good even for 1:100
                   scale I think. Hopefully we will see the fruits of your labours in a log in due course
 
B.E.

BE,
 
I am so happy to have seen your work.  I have this kit and now am excited to try your silkspan technique on the sails.   You show that there is no limit on what could be done with these Heller kits.
 
Thanks,
Scott

admirable model B.E. !
also nicely presented sea surface structure, model colours, sails, and the Little figures all around that bring life into the ship.
Is the glass/acrylic protection case self made ? it Looks great
 
Nils

Hi B.E.,
 
I just like to revisit your Superbe every now and again -- it is so beautifully done!  Those sails ... that water ... really and truly a work of art!  Got me to thinking ...
 
I'm sure you have nothing but free time on your hands  , but if you ever have a chance, some photos of her in the completed model Gallery sure would look nice.  You know, maybe just a couple dozen.
 
Cheers,
Robert
 
 
 

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.
 
 
 


 
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Well the ratlines are done - thankfully! This phase of ship modelling always feels like a weird stall...the repetitiveness of it, the endless clove hitches...I'm thankful it's done - now I know that it will feel like things are picking up again. Of course I probably won't have much time to work on Blandford in the coming weeks, but it's good to know that the standing rigging is now complete! Here's a photo. Enjoy and happy modelling
hamilton
 

At this point I thought it a good time to fit some items of the running rigging – those which belay at the foot of the mast and the small pinrails inside the shrouds, access to these areas being much easier without the shrouds in place. These were the toprope, the throat and peak halliards, and the boom topping lift – all four lines being 0.50mm. in circumference, their purchases 0.25mm. Incidentally, the short pin rails inside the shrouds only contain six pins per side, which I estimate as not being enough for any additional rigging, and the foremost pin on each side already belays the rigged burton pendants. However I fitted them – and will probably resort to shroud cleats later in the build.
 
The first line to be rigged was the toprope, which was used to raise or lower the topgallant mast. There has been some debate as to whether this was actually left in place, but I decided to include it out of interest. Having treated the line with beeswax, I fastened one end to an eyebolt in the larboard (port) side of the mastcap, threaded it (to starboard) down and through the sheave hole in the foot of the topgallant mast, and then up and through a single 5mm block fastened to another similar eyebolt, on the starboard side mastcap. From there it runs down the mast and is seized to the upper 3mm double block of a purchase, a similar lower double block being fastened to the deck at the foot of the mast, just outboard of the anchor cable. The line was rove between both blocks, coming off of the top one and belaying to one of the mast cleats on the starboard side. (My favoured method for fixing the lower blocks to the deck is to twist some thin wire around the score in the block, forming a ’tail’ which can then be carefully be painted black, and glued into a hole drilled in the deck. When positioning, the block should ideally be orientated in the direction of pull towards the pin.
 

 
The throat halliard was seized to the upper of two double 5mm blocks, secured to an eyebolt in the aft side of the mast just above the shrouds. It then runs down and through a sheave of the lower block and is then rove until all the sheaves are taken up, finally coming off of the top block. It then runs down inside the starboard shrouds and again is seized to the upper 3mm double block of a purchase, the lower block being fastened to the deck close to the 4th pin in the rail, to which the fall was belayed.
 
The peak halliard runs through four 5mm single blocks, two being fitted to eyebolts on the after side of the mast, with two being attached to the gaff. The end of the halliard was first seized to the upper block of the two on the mast, situated just below the doubling. From there it runs to the block at the peak of the gaff, threads up through it from below and then runs back again to the upper block on the mast, reeves down through that and then runs to the second block on the span at mid-point on the gaff. It threads down through that and then reeves through the lower mast block, from where it runs to the deck on the larboard side, and is seized to the upper 3mm double block of the purchase. Again the lower 3mm block is fastened to the deck near the rail as previously described, and the fall rove between them, coming off the top block. It is belayed to the fourth pin in the rail.
 
The final piece of running rigging fitted at this stage was the boom topping lift. This simply runs from an eyebolt fitted at the end of the boom and reeves through a 5mm single block, which is bent to a strop fitted around the after end of the lower mastcap. From the block it runs down to the deck on the starboard side, and again is bent to the upper 3mm block of the purchase. The lower block is positioned at the after end of the rail, and the fall is belayed to the last pin.
 
There are, of course, other lines to be rigged inside the shrouds and to the foot of the mast, but these will have to be done when the shrouds are in place. With that in mind the fitting of the ratlines will, thankfully, be left until as late as possible!
 
The shrouds went next over the masthead in pairs – or rather in this case, around the mast below the doubling – following the burton pendants. There are four per side. I used 1mm black, waxed, thread and they followed in the normal way: the first and second to starboard, first and second to larboard, third and fourth to starboard, third and fourth to larboard.
 

 
The shrouds, and the other items of rigging, were set up with the model raised to a more comfortable working position – on top of a small work box, with a cloth on top to secure it from slipping! The approximate amount of thread required for each pair of shrouds, including an additional length for turning in the deadeyes, was then centred round the mast. To pass the seizing, I temporarily fixed the shroud ends by employing a drill stand – which was of a similar height – positioned a short distance from the model. Once fastened to this, the now near-horizontal shrouds were given some slight tension (but obviously not enough to pull the model off the box!) by carefully moving the stand.
 
This then left my hands free to attend to the seizing, using black 0.25mm thread. The seizing was merely a series of overhand knots close against each other, and passed alternately above and below each pair of shrouds, until a suitable length was produced. The ends were then cut short and fastened with a small drop of glue. The finished eye was then bedded down on the mast stop, the shrouds being lined up with the lower deadeyes on the channels.
 
When turning in the upper deadeyes the same procedure was followed with all four shrouds, beginning with the first pair to starboard. First, the distance between the upper and lower deadeyes for each shroud had to be gauged, and to do this I used a short piece of stiff wire of the appropriate length, the ends of which were bent at right angles. These ends were then passed through the centre (ie the upper and lower) hole of each deadeye, the wire being thick enough to be ’push fitted’.
 
With the upper and lower deadeyes thus connected by the wire ’spacer’, the groove in the upper deadeye was then smeared with glue and the end of the shroud passed around it from the fore side. It was then crossed over its standing part at the top of the deadeye, and held with self-closing tweezers. Following some slight adjustment, in which the shroud was worked taught (but not too tight), the glue was then left to dry. The end was then backed up the shroud, cut off at an appropriate length, and glued to the standing part – on the fore side of  each shroud to starboard, and the after side to larboard. The wire spacer was then removed from the deadeyes, in order to to reeve the lanyards.
 

 
The lanyards for each pair of shrouds were rove as each was finished, using O.25mm tan, waxed thread. I gauged the length of each lanyard as being six times the distance between the holes in both deadeyes, with an additional length for fastening off on the shroud. Beginning with the first pair of shrouds to starboard, the lanyards were all rigged in the traditional way – starting from the right hand hole in the upper deadeye, the lanyard being passed from inboard. (Naturally I couldn’t use the traditional wall knot, so a simple overhand knot had to suffice!)  With all the holes in both deadeyes taken up, the lanyard comes inboard off of the left hand hole of the lower deadeye, and then runs to the shroud above the upper deadeye, where it is fastened. Before I did this however I rigged all the shroud lanyards, leaving them with long ends, in order to be able to make final adjustments. As each was done, the lanyard could be finished off, the end being passed through the gap between the shroud and the upper deadeye (I used a needle for this) and then hitched to the former. The end was then cut off close and given a touch of glue.
 
The final job was to pass three small seizings around the lower shrouds, one just above the deadeye, another at the end of the tail length, and one in between, for which I used 0.25mm tan thread. With that done the shrouds were finished.  
 
Next time: the standing backstays. The next will also be the first instalment in ’real’ time, rather than in retrospect, since work on the model is now up to date. I also have a suspicion that the captain may also be coming aboard...

Great series of photos John, good colour on the deck houses. Still can't get my head around that tiller/wheel arrangement.
 
B.E.