toms10

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Congratulations, Tom!  This is a well- deserved recognition of your talent and your careful work on the Leopard.

Thanks Tom and to all those at the conference. The USS Constitution Model Shipwrights Guild did a wonderful job putting together this year’s show. The enjoyment this hobby brings is reward enough and to be acknowledged by your peers just adds to the journey. Thanks again to all those who helped me along the way with this build. It was nice to see everyone  and the models in person. 
 
Tom

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

The Northeast Joint Clubs meeting was yesterday.  About 100 models were on display, 48 of which were entered into the Jim Roberts Competition.  These were generally fantastic models.  I'm sure that everyone who follows this build load would want to know that HMS Leopard won the Jim Roberts Award at the meeting.  This competition is sponsored by the Ship Model Society of New Jersey (SMSNJ).
 
The Jim Roberts Award was created in memory of Jim Roberts, one of the founders of the Ship Model Society of New Jersey (then the Ship Model Society of Northern New Jersey).  As a modeler, Jim was noted for craftsmanship, beauty, and attention to detail of this models.  The criteria for this award are designed to identify the model that best exemplifies the standards to which Jim aspired. It is a judged competition and a judge is provided from each of the five clubs that form the conference. 
 
The Leopard also took the first place award in the Sail Category of the Peoples Choice.
 
Congratulates Tom on a truly beautiful model that was up against very stiff competition.
 
Tom Ruggiero

Part 3
Installation of the gun barrel.
 
Karl
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Hi John
i did some checking on the canvas roof for the hurricane house. As ragove mentioned in his post theModel Shipway plans say to cover on canvas. I am not sure off the top of my head but I believe the Shipway plans are from about 1939. Unfortunately when I was aboard her last summer I did not get a good pic of the hurricane house and I don’t remember what the roof was made of. 

 
I also checked in the book “The Charles W. Morgan” by Leavitt. I could not find any reference to the roof material however, I did see a couple of pictures that lead me to believe it was not canvas. Below is a picture taken in 1903 on top of the hurricane house. Look below the kid’s left foot and you will see there are wooden planks. 

In another undated photo presumably after 1903 as it comes slightly later in the book, a man is photographed standing on the roof. If it was canvas I doubt he would be up there even if he were just walking on the framing. 

 
Hmmm.  When did the canvas come into the picture if it did at all. It must have around 1939 or why would the put it on the plans as this does not seem to be the norm?
 
I am not sure what my plan is going to be yet. Build her as she sits in Mystic or as close to “as built” as I can get. If it is “as built” there was no hurricane house so the question goes away.  I will also need to get the correct plans from Mystic. I am heavily leaning towards as she sits today.   Looking forward to comparing your plans with the Shipways plans I have. 
 
part of the fun in this hobby is the research. 😁
 
Tom

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Beautiful build.  You did a fantastic job on building this model.

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Congratulations!  Well done!

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Well the light at the end of the tunnel is shining brightly. After putting a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks I am ready to call my Leopard complete.  🍾. 
 
The journey was a bit long but was worth it in the end. Being my 2nd model and first scratch I expected it to be long but 4 1/2 years?  I would say a third of that was spent thumbing through reference books and a few breaks for weeks at a time.  Thanks again to all my MSW friends and my fellow club members at Connecticut Marine Modelers Society for all the help and advice. 
 
Here are a few pics of her all completed. Now I just have to build a base and case for her. After that I plan on taking some time to complete the 9000 piece puzzle I started but stored away a year ago. My next modeling adventure will be the Charles W Morgan whaler which is docked only about an hour away from me at Mystic. I hope to start that when the cold weather sets in. 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thanks again to all,
Tom
 
 
 

Hi JIm,
As far as sails they do change the way everything looks.  I think they are necessary if you are doing a diorama.  Not so much if just displaying a model. They added a few months to the build and added to the complexity of the rigging lines.   I may just do furled sails on the Morgan I will be doing just for something different.  We will see when the time comes. 😄
 
Thanks for the support and kind words over the course of my build.
Tom

Hi Jack & Tom,
Looking forward to seeing you on a few weeks at the New London conference.  I will be bringing her there to show.  I hope she looks as good in person.
Tom

Hi JIm,
As far as sails they do change the way everything looks.  I think they are necessary if you are doing a diorama.  Not so much if just displaying a model. They added a few months to the build and added to the complexity of the rigging lines.   I may just do furled sails on the Morgan I will be doing just for something different.  We will see when the time comes. 😄
 
Thanks for the support and kind words over the course of my build.
Tom

Very nicely done!  The sails come out excellent! - Hal

WELL DONE, TOM! . . . CONGRATULATIONS!
 
She's looking superb, with the sails filled with all the available wind!  When I look at mine now it almost looks unfinished - - - the sails make a big difference.
And 4 1/2 years? . . . mine took me 9 years although there were a few lengthy lay-off periods.

Well done Tom!

Nice job, Tom

Wow! She is beautiful! Your work has been an inspiration. Looking forward to seeing your building of the Charles W Morgan. Congratulations on finishing. 👍

Beautiful and precise work, Tom.   Do post a picture when have in a case.    BTW, 4-1/2 years isn't bad considering research, problem solving, etc., not to mention real life getting in the way.