Louie da fly

Viking ship replica sailor and maintainer told me, that bigger waves can even broke the shileds in rack.
 
When there is no archeological evidence I go with my logic, or better by experience of viking replica sailors, to make it practical and usable.
 
But aesthetic solutions are also tempting, it will be display model after all :).

Thanks bigpetr, of course I have to get the holes drilled in the correct location when I get to that step!
 
The discussion on shields and other details of Viking customs is fascinating, thanks guys. The lack of solid evidence in certain cases would, it seems, allow some leeway for a novice modeler to chose personal aesthetic appeal over complete historical accuracy, since the latter may not exist.
 
Here is another article, which I probably originally found on MSW:
http://www.hurstwic.com/history/articles/manufacturing/text/norse_ships.htm
 
which says:  "The crew's shields may have been arrayed along the gunwales, held in place by a shield rack outboard of the ship. This kept them out of the way, but also provided some slight additional protection against wind and waves.",
 
... and "Perhaps shields were displayed only for battle, or to make the ship look especially fine when approaching land. Landnámabók (S.156) tells of Hella-Björn Herfinnsson who sailed into Bjarnarfjörður with his ship lined with shields. Afterwards, he was called Skjalda-Björn (Shield-Björn)."
 
Note they hedge their bets with words like "may" and "perhaps". Personally I think in a heavy sea the shields would not be much use, perhaps (there's that word)  even be a hindrance. As Louie says, it would be interesting to see if it's been tried on a replica. Lining them up for display or intimidation does make sense to me.

Refer to this site https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/viking-weapons-0013794  Read the story on the Vikings and their weapons. It provides historical basis for shields on the sides of their ships.

Here is a link for you. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/viking-weapons-0013794  Refer to the story of the Vikings and their weapons. It also provides historical basis for shields and their location.

Welcome to MSW! Although I've never built this particular model, there are a few completed build logs right here. Have a look here https://modelshipworld.com/topic/16920-greek-warship-bireme-by-moreplovac-finished-amati-scale-135/  . It looks like you might have a bit of filing to do for some reason. One good thing is that 'it's better looking at it than for it' and removing a bit of material is to me better than having to add some. Is there a parts layout on the prints that you can compare with? At any rate it looks like it will make a beautiful model and I look forward to watching it being built

Hi Tony, thanks for the update and suggestions.
 
I purchased a copy of the photograph from the SLV as a tiff and was able to enhance that in Photoshop.  You are right about the 2+4 in the photo and I can only put that down to a rig change after Norman had passed command over to the Marine Survey (Hydro) RN Officers.  Perhaps with the close-in to shore work they need a different rig?  I am more convinced than ever that Norman set-up the rigging initially in a Merchant Service convention (as inferred in the correspondence), probably the same as he experienced when commanding Queen of the South.  
 
I used the wrong Manual title above, it should read 'Boy's Manual of Seamanship and Gunnery', written by Commander Burney 1871 for the RN.  The description given in that corresponds nicely with what is given in the Rigging Warrant, and as such I am going with that rather than what is shown in litho 2 (not wrong, there is just no detail).
 
In this set-up, the buntline was rove through the upper sheave of a shoe block (similar to a sister block but one sheave is turned through 90 degrees) then both running ends are rove (from aft to fwd) through a double block at the top or cap (still to be determined), with one end then toggled to the foot of the sail and the working part/end sent to the deck.  The bunt whip was rove through the bottom sheave of the shoe block with a clip/sister/clasp hook on one end to clip onto the gullet becket as required, and the running part of the fall worked from the deck.  Lever and Harland both state this was the preferred way in the Merchant Service.    A very old fashioned way to do this, but apparently easier when minimum manned.
 
There was no jigger listed but a bunt rope was. Yet to establish positively what that was for, but may have been set up as a centreline bunt whip but called a jigger (possibly the bunt rope) to avoid confusion when calling orders from the deck.  The single block and hook sort of leans to this being the case.  It also makes sense as having shoe blocks at the bunts would have made the glut difficult to lift and a centre jigger with the centre line Bunt Slab line would assisted in getting that up and onto the yard.
 
The centre slab line was called a bunt slab line in the 'The Boys...' and informs that this was used to assist in hauling the gullet/glut of the canvas up and over onto the yard when the canvas had been got closer up during furling.   The whips were further outboard so they need something in the middle.
 
Starting to come together?
 
cheers
 
Pat

Here are a couple more photos -
 
Waterways added to the aftercastle deck (absolutely vital -  to cover up gaps at the edge of the decking which you can see through down to the gunports below).
 

 
 
masts and bowsprit dry fitted. Still sanding the underwater planking.
 
   
 
 

 
 

Ah, but he's a king. How do you know he's a king? Because he hasn't got sh*t all over him (Monty Python and the holy Grail).

Ah, but he's a king. How do you know he's a king? Because he hasn't got sh*t all over him (Monty Python and the holy Grail).

They turned up a lot for feet!
 
Yes, neutralising his feet would help.  I suspect that mediaeval life would have a generally darkening effect on footwear.

Thats some great progress since last time I looked in   and I see your  having a go at figure work.
 
OC.

Thanks Andrew and Jeff. I think I need to tone down the whiteness of his shoes (even though the Breugel Holbein painting shows them that colour) - it makes his pedal extremities look colossal (his feet's too big) 
 
 
 
Steven
 

Thanks Andrew and Jeff. I think I need to tone down the whiteness of his shoes (even though the Breugel Holbein painting shows them that colour) - it makes his pedal extremities look colossal (his feet's too big) 
 
 
 
Steven
 

Is that a challenge? (Note the extra gigantic match stick . . . 9 metres long )
 
 
 
   
 

 

 

 

 
He's 9.4mm (just under 0.4 inches) tall. That's 188 cm (6'2") in real life - Henry was very tall for the time. Looks better to the naked eye than he does in the photo (possibly because with the naked eye it's all blurry to me).
 
And I've done some sanding of the planks:
 
  
 
  
 
  
 

 
Starting to look much nicer, and most of those ugly inequalities in the planking that were preying on my mind are vanishing.
 
I do love that beautiful curve at the stern.
 
Steven
 

- Actually, from the archaeology I've seen, planking usually was a case of "what can we get hold of ?"

Thank you, Roger. When I first built her I had the lines at the stern completely wrong - the bilge was almost down to keel level. in fact it wasn't until I was making the new frames for the rebuild that I realised that with a flat stern the bottom of the hull shouldn't go all the way down - it should end near the waterline so the water could flow past it and reach the rudder. And that was one of the main things I had to change with the rebuild. One of the big advantages (apart from increased accuracy)  is the much more beautiful underwater lines at the stern.
 
    
 
Looking back on it I myself am amazed at what I was able to achieve at that age. I'd previously done two pretty basic solid hull waterline models (a brig and a frigate), I'd made two fair-sized plastic models of the Victory (Revell and Airfix) and I'd built a (probably very inaccurate) balsa model of an excursion ferry called the Zephyr that plied across to Rottnest Island from Perth in Western Australia where I lived. (I think it must have been POB - I don't remember).
 

 
Some of the things on the Great Harry model - to be honest I have no idea how I did them back then. But I agree - despite having to replace/rebuild much more than I'd expected, I believe she was definitely worth restoring. Because of the difference in wood colours, it's pretty obvious which bits are original and which are new - but though I didn't like it to start with I now think that's a good thing. 
 
Steven

The Great Harry planking has been a real trial for me, but I must say I'm glad I decided to make it a learning process rather than try for perfection. I've made quite a lot of mistakes - the planking of the two sides isn't equal and as it's effectively POB (i.e. there were only a small number of "frames") I could only have the planking shift repeat every three rows, not the four I'd hoped for. And I kept losing track of the planking shifts - another lesson to learn, particularly when the arrangement was affected by drop planks. Still, unless you're really looking for the mistakes they're not obvious, and once I've sanded the planking I think it'll look pretty good.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Note the lack of symmetry between the planking of the port and starboard sides. But who's going to notice except me? And in future models I'll take much more care to keep it even. Lots of excess messy glue but the sanding will take care of that.
 
And here's the planking of the port side finished:
 

 
Ever since I heard the Flanders and Swann song Have Some Madeira M'dear I've wanted to use the word antepenultimate (the posh way of saying "third last") in a sentence.
 
 
And I've finally got my chance.
 
Here is the antepenultimate plank in place . . . going. . .
 

 

 
Going . . .
 

 
Gone.
 

 

 
And now for the sanding . . .
 
Steven
 
 

Hang in there, Kris. You're actually making progress and finding out what works and what doesn't.
 
Even if it may be a little frustrating for the time being it will stand you in good stead in the future. We've all been there and you'll find that as you gain more experience you'll cast aside what doesn't work and spend more of you time doing what does. I still make a hash of cutting out and have to cut everything rather too big and then trim down with knife and sandpaper (or more often a file in my case - I just feel more comfortable with a fine file than with sandpaper).
 
Steven

You're a legend, mate!

Thanks Andrew and Jeff. I think I need to tone down the whiteness of his shoes (even though the Breugel Holbein painting shows them that colour) - it makes his pedal extremities look colossal (his feet's too big) 
 
 
 
Steven
 

Thanks Andrew and Jeff. I think I need to tone down the whiteness of his shoes (even though the Breugel Holbein painting shows them that colour) - it makes his pedal extremities look colossal (his feet's too big) 
 
 
 
Steven
 

She's looking really good, Marcus. Having followed your build, I've decided that no matter how beautiful a fluit may be, I really don't think I want to take one on. Just TOO difficult getting the shape right. I take my hat off to you for your persistence - and your courage in ripping stuff off and starting again till you get it right.
 
Steven

I haven't been back to this for awhile. It's really looking good!

Thanks for the link, Larry. However, I'm afraid much of this article is fairly shallow, and a fair bit of it is wrong. (That it uses footage from the horribly inaccurate TV show "The Vikings" is also a point against it. That really isn't what Vikings looked like and the author should know it.) 
 
The quote from the link "Special fastening points were developed that allowed the shields to be fixed along the boat’s edges." - no problem with that part. But "This protected the crew from any projectile weapons from the shores, but also made for an efficient wind and wave break." is speculation with no real proof.
 
There's no evidence that the shields were used to protect against archery from the shores (though it's an interesting idea and by no means impossible - absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence).
 
I'd also take issue with the idea that shields would act as a wind or wave break - in my opinion they'd be quite likely to be dislodged by any sort of a decent sea. I haven't studied the pavesade (shield rack) on Viking ships in any detail, so I can't say this with any great confidence, but that's the way it seems to me. Round shields are pretty open to acting like a sail and they'd have to be tied on pretty securely not to be blown away or swept away by waves. It would be interesting to find out whether anybody's ever tried it out in heavy seas with a replica Viking ship - there are enough of them around.
 
I spent 20 years as a Viking period re-enactor and got heavily into the historical basis for this stuff. The Viking weapons, except perhaps the two-handed axe, were no different from those of the cultures they warred against. Their main advantages were surprise and mobility, appearing out of nowhere and attacking before a proper defence could be assembled. In set-piece battles - one army against another -  against, say, the Anglo-Saxons, they lost about as often as they won.
 
 
Steven 
 

Thanks for the link, Larry. However, I'm afraid much of this article is fairly shallow, and a fair bit of it is wrong. (That it uses footage from the horribly inaccurate TV show "The Vikings" is also a point against it. That really isn't what Vikings looked like and the author should know it.) 
 
The quote from the link "Special fastening points were developed that allowed the shields to be fixed along the boat’s edges." - no problem with that part. But "This protected the crew from any projectile weapons from the shores, but also made for an efficient wind and wave break." is speculation with no real proof.
 
There's no evidence that the shields were used to protect against archery from the shores (though it's an interesting idea and by no means impossible - absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence).
 
I'd also take issue with the idea that shields would act as a wind or wave break - in my opinion they'd be quite likely to be dislodged by any sort of a decent sea. I haven't studied the pavesade (shield rack) on Viking ships in any detail, so I can't say this with any great confidence, but that's the way it seems to me. Round shields are pretty open to acting like a sail and they'd have to be tied on pretty securely not to be blown away or swept away by waves. It would be interesting to find out whether anybody's ever tried it out in heavy seas with a replica Viking ship - there are enough of them around.
 
I spent 20 years as a Viking period re-enactor and got heavily into the historical basis for this stuff. The Viking weapons, except perhaps the two-handed axe, were no different from those of the cultures they warred against. Their main advantages were surprise and mobility, appearing out of nowhere and attacking before a proper defence could be assembled. In set-piece battles - one army against another -  against, say, the Anglo-Saxons, they lost about as often as they won.
 
 
Steven