aliluke

Continued... Stern transom decorations with quarter badges. I intend to improve these to make them look more like carved wood. Installed. I'm jumping around as I can't remember the build sequence...I wasn't happy at this point with my 'F' for Fly placement and replaced it. The letters are gold Letraset. Placed with the quarter badge. Then closing out the forecastle. The bitts and the crosstrees are a combo of scratch parts and modified kits parts. At the time I was asked about the rounded head rivets that i used on the gun carriages and the bitts. They are from www.scalehardware.com and are 0.7 mm rounded head rivets. Lots of things here never to be seen again when the deck goes on. And on it goes with planking complete. Added hatches and the stove flue. I ganged the hatches and flue together as I found keeping them as three separate elements was difficult and looked wrong to me. The flue is a very easy scratch with styrene tube, styrene baffle, brass rod and eyelets. The bitts need their rivets but are otherwise a hybrid of kit parts plus scratch. Returning aft. I continued with other bits... Scratched the rudder head housing - I will probably paint this red. It looks enormous but is just 7 mm high. The gallows were an issue - the kit supplied version is slightly strange and I went with a scratch of the FFM version. Kit first followed by scratch. the camera is doing weird stuff with quarter deck planking... Another break...

Thanks all, Liking your Speedy Spyglass! Hi B.E. The K80 in your studio photo catches my eye - is that HMS Bluebell? Is it from a kit? I'm still studying your Pegasus log - the definite volume to be read alongside The FFM. I've just ordered prints from the NMM of the Fly profile and deck plans. I'm guessing you have the same for Pegasus in your studio? Hi Allan - Yes I will post my copper trick in the plating forum but with a big caveat - use at your own risk... Hi Hamilton - Just catching up on your logs - Bluenose is looking superb. Carrying on with my compacted log... Attached the quarter deck - a nerve-wracking element to install but all went well. Beginning the planking the quarter deck. I planned this using the FFM but probably oversized the hooded planks. Completed quarter deck planking. Although this is telling most here how to suck eggs, my approach is first to plan the deck - butt joints and scarfed joints at the edge - then to lay the central plank and run it the full length of the deck. Check this for any waver off the line and then plank out from that to the rails. As I am also insetting the hatches into the decking, I make them beforehand and trim the deck to suit as I go. As said, probably old rope to most people here. Hatches test fitted and deck treenailing complete. I made the clerestorey skylight - adding the sidelights was beyond me... Tested in place. Taking a break - will continue shortly.

Hi Hamilton Just catching up on your logs. The Bluenose looks amazing. I doubt I'll ever stray into scratch building except for the small parts. I avoid power tools and suspect they are vital... Cheers Alistair

Thanks Spyglass & Allan Next update to compress my old log. I was determined to try to copper the hull no matter how the boxwood planking turned out. I marked the waterline using a very expensive kit of an old cardboard tube with a pencil piercing it. The coppering went well but the result was far too bright and shiny. The process was tedious but I stuck to the FFM concept of copper planking which more or less follows the hull planking. The bead at the waterline is a thin styrene strip painted black. Unwilling to wait for the copper to naturally tarnish, I decided to accelerate the process. My wife, an architect, used to work on the design of high end resorts in Indonesia. They used horse urine to quicken the aging of copper roofs. I don't have a horse but I make urine - so why not try? Unpleasant to use but repeated applications over two to three days got me there. The speed of aging takes place within that time but needs careful working by brush on, wipe on and wipe off. By this point I had also painted the upper works in my interpretation of the blue. For me Humbrol 157 enamel with a touch of added grey. After the aging of the copper the entire hull is sealed with Testors Dullcote. All of this is done by hand with brushes. Next I tested the quarter badges for the look and started the process of adding the hull rails. Improvements to the rails included making new coils for the end pieces. I also painted the upper most works in red. Next up (actually I played with this earlier in the build) was the vexed issue of the cannons. The kit supplied ones are pretty awful (an understatement) and not to scale. I mucked around with alternatives and settled after a while on RB Models barrels set on Syren Models (I think - memory a bit lost here) carriages. The RB Models cannon is pretty much the exact right size and it fits perfectly with the carriages. It was quite an expensive exercise trialing and getting the right bits in place but the cannon is a (the) central part of a warship and getting these wrong would let everything else down. Test One - carriage good - barrel too big. First test versus kit supplied cannon. Ugh - And my test barrel and carriage are still too big. the next test put a new barrel (from where I can't remember) in the foreground up against the RB Models barrel in the background. RB wins. Having settled on the cannon I now need to get them under the forecastle and quarter deck - where they'll never be seen again. The rig is single 2.5 mm block to double 2.5 mm block with 0.25 mm tackle and 0.6 mm breeching rope. I know the single to double block arrangement is wrong for this sized cannon but it is easier to rig and I don't have enough single blocks at 2.5 mm to do the job... Lower capstan, beams, bitts, rear bulkhead and cannons (rope coils to come) installed before tackling the quarter deck installation. I'll leave it there for now.

Hi After mothballing my HMS Fly for eight years and delving in making Wingnut Wings WWI plastic kits, I am returning to Fly with the intention to render it as a hull only model but keep the option for future rigging by making the mast stubs removable. Here, in this reloaded log, I will compress my previous log but keep the information that might be useful to other Pegasus/Fly builders. After I finish the reload I will delete the old log. Many years ago I bought all four volumes of the the FFM Swan Class Sloops from Seawatch Books which I have been studying in the last few days as I did when I was working on Fly. Stupidly during the first phase of building I kept no notes of what I was using - rope sizes, paint colours, block sizes; etc. - so the old log is good for a memory jolt. I will keep a notebook from now on! As a rule I try to get the details historically correct - the FFM helps as do other logs here (especially Blue Ensign's) - but I also defer to my own aesthetic taste in instances where this may be slightly incorrect, e.g. my quarter badges which attracted some comment back then. My method of weathering the copper clad hull also attracted a lot of comments! But I stand by it. So to kick off this reload: I started by scratch building the binnacle - this was to get my head around the model's scale and to navigate my way forward with the build: Next I reworked the quarter badges - I think 'Realworkingsailor' sent me the profiles. I got some comments about how this was historically wrong for Fly but I still much prefer them to the flat white metal kit supplied badges. I also reference VII of the FFM, page 293 - 297 which describes a similar badge. I'm using styrene to build the window frames but kit PE for the panes. The "dolphins" are also kit PE but difficult to fit to the window head. At this point I'm still avoiding the hull... Scratched quarter badges versus kit supplied: Next I got into the hard yards of the hull. I actually really enjoy this part of the build as mere frames become a three dimensional thing. Through practice and many failures I have lost the fear of planking but I know it is a steep learning curve for first time builders as it was for me. Framing complete The lower deck is planked where it might be seen through the hatches. The 'false' main deck is checked for fit and marked out for future planking. In my model version this deck comes in two halves which needs work between fit with the frames and uplift in the middle. Next I fair the frames and balsawood block and fill to the bow and stern which really helps both with the fairing and with planking. It gives you shape and adhesion where you most need it. I added a bulkhead at the end of the main deck. This is not glued at this point. Made from cardboard with a light, dirty wash and walnut frames. I try in vain to see it now but it is there... Next up the deck is installed smoothed off, main mast partners installed and deck planking begins. I bought after-market holly for the decks. This was after experimenting but holly is very white and almost free of grain. I like it but it might not be for everyone. On many models I see poor decking is a let down for an otherwise really good model and I think it is worth experimenting and planning before you commit. I mapped the main deck on tracing paper and transferred that to the actual deck. I also have trouble with treenails on a model deck. Black nails can start to look like pimples especially if the deck set out is not well planned. So I opted for a pale wood paste for the deck nails. Several people pulled me up for this but I like that you can see them when you want and they disappear at other angles. Caulking was done with a pencil on one edge only. With a tightly fitted deck that works fine to my eye. The hatches are from boxwood with box corner joints. They sit within the decking rather than on top. this requires a bit of cross coordination but works for me. The top edge of the hatch is slightly rounded. Lego is a great squaring device for making hatches. Next I test the hatch fit and smooth off the main run of planks. I still haven't grappled with the edge planking but it still fits my mapping. I'm not saying I got this right but certainly the planning made me feel better about the outcome. Then I drill for the treenails...this to me looks far too pimply so I fill with pale paste. At this point it is time to do the first planking. Gulp. This kit, as many others do now (or then, I can't remember...), provides a plywood pattern for the gun ports and upper works. As challenging as this is to fit - it just takes time and patience - it is a brilliant guide to all the planking that is to come. However poor fitting of the patterns has undone some modelling. I think Chuck expresses this perfectly - "Just take your time." It is an adage for all model making...Notice that the forecastle and quarter deck templates are dry fitted to guide the plywood pattern. Finally getting the patterns to join at the bow is when you know it fits. And take some extreme measures such as clamping and nailing. Get these parts right and you are underway. Next it is finally time for the first planking layer. Although this is only my fourth plank on frame model, I now treat the first layer as if was the only one. That is I try to make is a good as I can as that teaches me for the second layer. I don't approach it as being sacrificial and try to make the plank runs flow from stem to stern as they must on the second layer. Next is the outer layer of planking. The kit provides walnut but I find this too dark and too variable in colour. I replaced it with boxwood which is a colour I prefer and a beautiful timber to work with. The second layer was eased by the effort on the first - I just followed those planks with full adhesion along the length of the hull. Next up for me was painting and fiddling those details. Then fiddling with other details such as making a stove. And the capstan upper and lower details. Another thought on the photo above. I work hard to fit the gratings into the hatches so that all the edges are symmetrical across and along. the two aft hatches here have a thin edge aft and forward and a fatter edge starboard and port but they equal. It seems minor but is easy to do and the alternative just looks...bad. Next up were the wales. These are critical to the hull shaping and look and were the most scary part of the hull build. Wales that waver off line look really bad, even on a good hull. I challenged myself to make them in the correct figure pattern - I don't know what to otherwise call this - but it helped with the part. I sure know that the stem to stern look and flow of the wales is critical to the model and defines everything above and below on the hull. Unfortunately my efforts to paint and polish the wale almost completely eliminated any visual proof of the planking technique. And it does have a wobble here and there. Will continue tomorrow. time for bed now. Cheers, A

Hi B.E. I've just been catching up on your prolific outputs since I last wandered around MSW eight years ago. Extraordinary and all to the very highest quality. The Indefatigable looks like a fantastic kit and - no surprise - you are already proceeding at pace but with your usual accuracy. I will follow along as I will also troll through your other logs as they are always very informative. You are indefatigable! The UK must have more hours in a day than we have downunder - I'll have to check that as I'm surely wrong... Cheers, A

Hello my old friends on this forum I have a number of books in my library that I no longer look at and might never look at again. This message is to sense whether there is any interest in them. Please PM if so. I'm not looking to make money I'd just like them to be owned by someone who will get more value out of them than I am currently. So happy to sell at a reasonable price - I have no idea if they are rare or expensive in other contexts. Shipping costs would suggest that someone in NZ or Australia would be a wiser buyer but happy to ship anywhere at cost - NZ shipping tends to be reasonable especially compared to the US rates! Happy to send pictures of any item. Conway Ship Types: The Bomb Vessel - Ware - hardback with dust jacket - jacket is a little tatty at top of spine - otherwise immaculate The Heavy Frigate Volume 1, 1778 - 1800 - Gardiner - hardback with dust jacket - immaculate Conway Anatomy of the Ship: All hardback in immaculate condition with dust jackets (unless otherwise noted). All have fold out plans on obverse face of dust jacket. All have slightly faded colours on the dust jacket on the spine. Endeavour - Revised Edition - Marquardt Pandora - Revised Edition - McKay, Coleman - dust jacket has a split on lower left hand front cover Granado - Goodwin Bounty - Revised Edition - McKay Beagle - Revised Edition - Marquardt Bellona - Revised Edition - Lavery I also have the Seawatch Series Vol I - IV of The Fully Framed Swan Class Sloop in immaculate condition which I want to sell but that might not be appropriate here...? On another note I've decided to "complete" my HMS Fly model as a hull only model with mast stubs etc. Once finished there is a lot of materials and spares which I'll offer back to other forum members as a bulk lot - but that is in the future... Cheers, Alistair

Hi Doug I have been absent from the forum for a long time. I'm just dropping in to rekindle my fire for HMS Fly. Work/life got in the way... Love what you are doing - it looks great and you have got over that hurdle that curdled me - all of the full cannon rigs. Your head works - which did my head in - are also superb. Great stuff and I'll follow along again but probably not keep up with my Fly for a wee while yet. Started building WW1 planes instead... Cheers, Alistair

Hello old friends! It is good to check back into your wonderful logs. My Fly is marooned but very safe and will float again. Wonderful work Martin - it is looking the part. You are well past where I got to when I put it on hold. It is great to reconnect to your log, B.E's finished work - what can be said but "amazing" - and I'll hunt out Landlubbers next. My Fly hull with deck fittings complete is in the corner of my eye on a spare shelf every time I work with plastic kits. No guilt - plastic is really unforgiving compared to wood. Sorry just a brief visit back - I'm rather addicted to WW1 plane models at the mo and the turn around time is very fast. But as a longer journey - HMS Fly will, by my hands, be finished one day. I'll start checking into your logs again in the meantime to re-light my juices. best regards, Alistair

Hi Maurice I have been so long and so far away from this forum and I decided to come back for a look. First - congratulations on your wonderful rendition of this elegant sloop. You are the master of this kit and your work always inspired me to keep going when I was going (and not going very well). Your end result is as remarkable as your journey - surely one of the most informative logs - it is the "how to" for all who tackle this beautiful ship in kit form. The brilliant outcome speaks for itself. I doff my cap to your skills and patience. One day I'd like to bother you for a visit to admire the outcome in reality - I'd need an invite of course!!! Mine lays over on it's side - I ran out of puff but the wind will lift it off again one day...I can't resist modelling though - WW1 planes at the moment. And then I'll return here to finish my HMS Fly. Brilliant man. Keep building!!! Best regards, Alistair

Could be that your pumps have got too big (out of scale) with all of the beautifully added detail? Just a thought - I reckon you'll want to tie off something or other to the bitt later...looking all good though - sweet work all round.

I'll add to that chorus - it is a really great kit and you'll learn a lot for any future build. Ask away but my memory will fail me in some instances. Although it will it will have some detractors - Bob Hunt's AVS practicum is really good in my opinion - I followed it for my model and it taught me heaps.

Hi Zoran I'm very interested in your kits. I followed your building here. I'm wondering about your kit for the Brazzera with its amazing hull shape. What are your shipping costs to New Zealand? I'm away for a few weeks - summer holiday - so forgive me if I'm slow to reply. Thank you and kind regards, Alistair

Superb. The standard for the AVS has been reset. Congratulations it has been a great pleasure following along. Cheers Alistair

Great work Brian I did say my method might not be accurate and you've proved it so! Despite the brilliance of your rigging I'll leave mine be and learn for the next time. Cheers Alistair

Hi Martin Went back into my own Fly log to remind myself about the cannons. Certainly centering the barrel in the port is the key. I used the Syren carriages combined with the RB barrels. What size Syren carriage are you using? Is that the issue? I had no issue with the fit of mine for centering so can't understand where yours comes from as everything else looks just fine. Any way I'm dipping my toes back into the Fly/Pegasus forum with a view to getting back into my own model. Time is not on my side but with you and Vitus catching me up/passing me and Blue Ensign pulling well ahead and all of them looking so bloody good the juices are flowing again. It isn't a race but your logs remind me that there is all sorts of great things to challenge, make and meditate upon as the building of ship model unfolds. May be next year if I can get rid of the weekly travel... Your Fly looks great - sort those cannons - I'm sure you will. Cheers Alistair

Beautiful rigging Brian Just popped around the corner (into my dining room that is) to look at my own and realise how the serving of the ropes on yours makes it look so much more real and properly scaled. That'll be a new learning curve for me next time.

Welcome back Vitus. My Fly is still on hold - just no time to spare. You are well past me now and it is looking great as well. Cheers Alistair

Brian You are headed for completing the definitive version of this great kit - it looks absolutely fantastic. You have taken it much further than I did with results that speak for themselves. I look forward to seeing more. Shame we are not nearer by and I could look over it in reality. Buckeye is a wee bit far away...

Beautiful work Chuck. Every time I see this model I know I have to attempt it one day - it is a stunner.

Hi Brian An alternative method for the yoke is to use PE brass hooks straightened out. I just think it looks a bit cleaner and more realistic than what you have done. The method is well explained in Blue Ensigns Pegasus log and I attach a picture of my go at it for my Fly build (will delete this in a few days time to avoid confusion). It is bloody hard to do! The barrel is one of Chucks and is blackened but the yoke is painted. Although I haven't touched my model for nearly a year it is one of those repeat processes that I don't look forward to. I just used the white metal kit supplied swivels on my AVS but wish I had upgraded them now. The kit ones for the Fly are truly bad - an upgrade was definitely needed! Another wee trick I did on my AVS was to wrap a bit of rope around the joint between the mast and the mast wedge at the deck. When painted this looks authentic as I believe this item was covered in canvas to seal the junction and the rope wrap covers up any gaps in the joint. Cheers Alistair P.S. I think I have enough PE brass hooks for yokes to send you some if you want to go down this route...

Really great work Brian I can quickly nip around the corner from my computer to look at my AVS and you should be confident that the ropes cover up many things. The sheaves on my jib boom were drilled holes and a slight etching to mimic the sheave. Even that small effort is lost to the eye when the rope is threaded through. None the less your work on the mast and spars is much better than mine was and I think it'll shine through in the finished ship. Probably said it before but when that sprit and main mast goes in the dimensions of the overall ship make you go WOW!

Hi Brian I still look into MSW now and again. Your sloop is looking really good. Fantastic sweep ports and scuppers - way better than mine. I reckon a little enhancement to the swivel posts is worth it. I just did a wee wrap of blackened paper around them to look like a strap tying them back to the rail. I also left the swivel post that sits among the shrouds dry fitted only until the shrouds were done so that I could adjust its position to fit with the shrouds. Some people leave this post off altogether because it is so hard to get right in relation to the shrouds but dry fit and later adjustment worked for me. Well done on the sprit too - this was really hard in my memory especially to get it sitting down on the deck combined with its rake being at 90 degrees to aft rake of the mast. You've done a beauty with the shaping. The next phase of this build is the best with the masts and sprit in you really get the sense of extension from the hull of these parts and it takes on a whole other dimension and comes to life. It suddenly looks like the speed demon that it was. I did a clean on my AVS a few weeks back - with all the dust gone I really like the way it has aged. You're doing this cool little model real justice - it'll be a stand out - keep enjoying! Cheers Alistair

Superb Brian I well remember the angst that this part of the kit gave me. You've cracked it with style!!!

Hi RMC I'm so far out of the loop here on this site.Work has interfered with my entire life and as much as it draws me, I haven't touched my model for months now. I really like what I see on your Vanguard. It looks brilliant and, as you say, it looks like a real ship. Keep it up - you inspire me to pick up the tools again....