Hubac's Historian

I am glad to be reminded of one of my all-time favorite models. Drazen, I hope you are well, and that we may soon see your latest progress. All the best, Marc

Beautifully realized.

Success! Nice save, Eric!

Congrats on your 5-month anniversary, Bill. Your progress, in that span has been nothing short of remarkable! She’s looking spectacular. The deck weathering shows particularly well.

She’s looking really good EJ!

I agree with this 100%. Think it through. Come up with a plan, and proceed with caution.

The stove is taking shape nicely. I still have to build out the interior, which is clad in iron plating. I’m toying with representing the brick work, on the top edge, but it will not be visible at all. I have to also attach the three skids that the stove sits upon, on the deck: This is a fun little scratch project. There are also rings and other small bits of hardware that will be attached. Thanks for looking in!

Thank you T_C and Eric! Well, it is interesting to attach names of artists to the one aspect of the original ship’s ornamental appearance that was well documented: the great cabin ceiling. Below, is the correspondence that details which artists were to be paid, and in what sum for the seven painted panels of this elaborate coffered ceiling: The survey of 1688 details precisely what these paintings were composed of: There are a couple of things about the ceiling drawing, apart from the artwork, that interest me. First is the aft-ward taper of the ceiling, culminating in the round-up of the stern. I have learned, over time, that this kind of drawing is often very precise and reflective of the true shape and reality of the thing in question. The other main example of this is Berain’s stern drawing which reflects the pre-1673 reality of SR’s wing-transom. That being so, it is really fascinating to me how closely the shape of the ceiling mirrors the aft portion of this drawing from 1679, by Etienne Hubac, which illustrates the ideal proportions of a first-rate ship: Unlike SR, though, the wing transom in Etienne’s drawing is shown below the stern chase ports, in accordance with the Reglements of 1673. Getting back to the ceiling, though, it’s shape is significant because the ceiling was preserved, during the re-build and then re-installed on the ship. This suggests that the framing of the ship, and her shape would not have changed much - beyond the reduction of her sheer-line - even if much of the so-called dead-works (above the waterline) was horribly rotten and had to be replaced. The other interesting detail of the ceiling drawing is the space and pilaster arrangement of the stern windows. There are five full openings and two half-openings at the ends. My Quebecois friend, Guy, believes that this may be why the Tanneron model only shows five stern windows, within the QGs. Given my position that Tanneron’s model is a hybrid between what SR 1670 may have looked like, and what SR 1693 probably looked like - that makes some kind of sense. Remember, though, that this ceiling drawing was made before the ship was taken to pieces. Personally, I believe those half-lights, at the extremities, were likely false-windows that appeared whole from the exterior; their framing would simply overlay the timbering structure of the ship’s sides. What this means is that the ship would appear to have 7 stern lights, between the open-walk quarter galleries. The early constructions of the First-Marine seemed to favor a profusion of stern windows, or at least the appearance of such. Along those lines, SR’s near-sister La Reyne, as drawn by the VdVlds in 1673 with 8 stern lights: Consider, also, this drawing if the DR of 1668, showing 7 stern lights: And the RL - also with 7 stern lights: As for Tanneron, as I have mentioned before, he seems to have consciously departed from the Berain drawings of Le Brillant and L’Agreable, when making his models of those ships. Very pertinent to this ceiling discussion is the Berain drawing of L’Agreable from 1697, which shows 7 stern lights within the QGs: Tanneron chose to model 5 lights: Similarly, Berain’s drawing of the coronation of Le Brillant’s stern is notably different than what Tanneron chose to model: Where is the lambrequin carving that should be beneath the central crown, and from which the swagged draperies hang down and frame Louis’ cameo relief? Why Tanneron chose these departures, I cannot say.

I appreciate the thoughts there, guys. Thank you very much.

From a life standpoint, my sister and I have made tremendous strides in sorting out our father’s affairs, and our current biggest hurdle is getting approval from his long-term care insurer for assisted living. Steadily, we are getting there, and I appreciate those who have asked, just as I appreciate everyone who comes to visit me here. I have managed to sneak-in a few hours, here and there, and I have completed all of the port side buttressing knees of the channels, and I got everything nicely re-painted and pretty. In general, lowering the channels pretty dramatically changes the whole aspect of the model, and the difference is pleasing to me: The mizzen channel knees were challenging to cope over mouldings and around the fleurs, but I am happy to have lowered them to here, where there is less interference with the frieze: I am using this portrait of the DR, circa 1680, as justification for this placement: I continue to comb through the archives, but I have yet to find anything vividly descriptive about the ship’s pre-refit external appearance. Despite the beautifully florid cursive, I’ve come to realize the hard truth that the letter writers and record keepers of 17th C. France were basically clerks. Mostly their correspondence has to do with SR’s comings and goings; armaments and dis-armements; payments made/owed to painters and sculptors; cost estimates relating to her refit, etc. It is all fascinating, and it will all get its due mention in my book, but it does not help me paint the picture of the ship. Where are the artists sharing their wonderfully descriptive observations, when you need them?! What I’m hoping to find is something along the lines of this: ”The morning fires shone brightly upon the gilded ornaments of Soleil Royal and her heights rose up and became one with the azure sky. The warrior of the Americas clung resolutely to the port side, while that of Africa peered off in the middle-distance - daring his lesser adversaries to emerge from the morning mist. Presiding above, with shimmering rays of gold and silver gilt bursting past his golden chariot is the Sun King, himself…” And, so forth. It must be out there, somewhere, right? Anyway, I can now get busy with fitting and prepping the starboard upper bulwark for paint. I can also go ahead and design my stove - that will make a nice little side project. Before long, I can design and make the next tier of stern lights, which will enable me to finish off the wrapping stern walk. As always, thank you for your likes, comments and for looking-in. More to come!

It doesn’t get any better than this, Siggi!

Interesting - that’s a tool I had no awareness of. Is it the case that the teeth will produce a chattered cut, if you don’t file in the right direction?

Well, alright - here we go!

I am out of superlatives, but I continue to be thoroughly amazed. The rigging is extraordinary, and the chandlery just goes beyond the beyonds.

Good morning, Eric. Although it seems you are past this stage, I was considering the problem of your aft templates. Although I don’t know much about ships of this period, it does not seem insensible that the aft bulwarks would transition from almost perpendicular to the deck, to an inboard taper at the transom. That being said, your decision to shape to the parameters set by the decking and bulwarks seems like a sound approach. As long as your hull is fair and symmetrical, you can’t go too far wrong, here. If you decide to introduce camber in both directions, you’ll want to begin with the longitudinal deck sheer first. The shape of this arc, between stem and sternpost should be indicated on the sheer plan. Once that’s established, you can camber down, athwart-ship, from the centerline. I hear what you are saying about the decking material only bending in one direction, but I wonder whether the degree of camber, in both directions, might not be manageable because it isn’t extreme. If you were to use veneer tape to join the main deck halves, it would be a pretty simple test to see whether this is possible, before you ever take a rasp to your currently flat deck space. As for the clamp dents have you tried to steam them out?

Matiz, your pace is astonishing! Are you able to work on the model, more or less, full-time?

Eric, I hear you. We’ve had a fun family Halloween party today, so my head isn’t so clear, at the moment, but I will post my thoughts tomorrow. ATB, Marc

This has been a very impressive restoration, LDF! It has been a while, since I checked-in, but you have made tremendous progress.

Nice planking job!

Really nicely done, Mike!

I have to say - the Auriou do look like finely made tools.

Hello John - Yes, I suppose my obsession knows no bounds. It is the puzzle-like nature of the problem of Soleil Royal - that, and the persistant sentiment that this just can’t be done that motivates me. While there are some exceptions in portraiture, the early first-rate, First-Marine ships of the 1660s/70s carried their channels above the main deck guns, just as Heller has modeled them. However, as the 17th C progresses, the channels move to below the main deck guns. Presumably, this is a structural consideration, as the timber scantling at the main deck level would be notably more rigid than at the quarter deck level. Well, Bill, I would always recommend the Heller Soleil Royal to interested parties. The kit is definitely problematic, in many ways, but despite what its numerous critics have to say, it still delivers a very close facsimile of one of the world’s most admired museum models into the living room of the average person. That is really something, in the grand scheme of things. And, as I hope I am demonstrating, many of these problems can be corrected, or at least minimized. All it takes is time and patience.

It’s a first-rate mystery for sure!

It really is interesting how the printing process creates a subtle and credible grain structure. Fantastic stuff!

That is just a spectacular achievement, Kevin - BRAVO!!