Ab Hoving

The gift from a friend inspired me to build a model of the type that is shown in the drawing. (See https://modelshipworld.com/topic/22309-what-did-you-receive-today/page/154/#comment-1083544) Fortunately I have a nice drawing. It is for a ketch-rigged ship, but changing that into a standing gaff rig is just a matter of minutes: So I spent a day to set up the basics for a nice paper hull: So far I do not see any problems for the near future. Making a hull with this material is just a breeze. But the point is that I wonder into a world I know nothing about. A Dutch yacht would not have been any problem as I have shown earlier (https://modelshipworld.com/gallery/image/17836-satenjacht_3_lrjpg/?context=new), but about the English counterpart many details on the hull are unknown to me. And here (I hope) you come in.... Is there anyone who has clear close-up pictures of a model like this or maybe even draughts? Can you please post them here? I'd be most grateful.

Hi Chris, I had no idea you wrote this tutorial. I would certainly have referred to it in my book. Why didn't you mention it when you edited it? Your work is substantial and advisable for every beginner. Sorry for my ignorance! Ab

Thank you Jan. I don't think there are UK people who want to deny the event, just that it hurts to be confronted with another nation having invaded their country. Yes Steven, it is, but from my own experience there are people who have problems accepting it. That's all I wanted to mention. As I said, the Dutch were beaten by the English several times and maybe it depends on what your vision on history is how you cope with it. My 'corrector' obviously had a different vision than I had. I suppose this forum has a max for uploading pictures. Therefore I will send you the high res picture in a PM. Thanks for your appreciation. Ab

I really hope so David. Years ago when I did a contribution about the stern carvings of the captured Royal Charles for Model Shipwright, a beautiful English magazine, a desk editor, who had no business at all with the content of the article, changed my somewhat ironic text into something much more acceptable (for himself). John Bowden, the editor was furious about what had happened, but it was too late. It shows that the matter might touch an open nerf for some people, even knowing that the British did defeat the Dutch fleet several times most convincingly...

As I promised earlier hereby the (temporary) 'natural surrounding' of the frigate Postiljon. It is the situation during the Raid on the Medway on June 22 1667. Earlier the fortress Sheerness at the mouth of the river was conquered, the chain that closed the river was broken and here Upnor castle is under attack by the Dutch frigates. Three of the king's ships laid up near the castle were set to fire and little later the flagship Royal Charles was taken and brought to Holland as a trofee. The action speeded up the negotiations for a profitable peace and is still in the Dutch history books as a showpiece for the abilities of admiral Michiel de Ruyter (although he himself only arrived at the end of the action). I'm sure English history books have another view of the event if mentioned at all. Emiel tried to keep as close to the facts as possible.

Thank you gentlemen, for all for your undeserved praise, @druxey: The shapes of fluits have been a subject of mockery from the beginning of its development. Still it was a most functional vessel for those days. @Alvb: At the moment Ter Velde is laying the fore deck: @TheDuckDetective: Next summer the full size plastic fluit will be built on the premises of the old Willemsoord Navy yard in Den Helder. @flying_dutchman2: You are making nice progress with your fluit. @Baker: Thanks Patrick, I cannot stand in your shadow with your 'noblest ship' @Michael Mash: Thanks Mike. Still, as a paper modeler yourself you know the tricks. @firdajan: Wonderfull work on your SoS, Jan. @scrubbyj427: I have a confession to make JJ. Usually I never picture a specific ship, because it suggests that I know all the details. I don't. I prefer building a ship type, on which I put an invented name in the stage when the taffrail has to be added. But it is all fake. There are almost no 17th century ships of which we can be sure above a certain level. All I had as a source was this Van de Velde picture, which shows some peculiarities, like a two-rails beak head instead of a three rails one, the locations of the gunports, the ship's ladder, the absence of the forecastle deck, and some more details which I tried to model Furthermore what James Bender tells us in his book Dutch Warships. All the rest is general knowledge of how the decks were detailed, dimensions of the rigging, etc. To make a long story short: what I make is little more than a mixture of general knowledge, logical thinking and the impression the images Van de Velde left us, translated in paper and paint. You can get any support for your build you want from me, but don't expect your model to be a true replica of the original. At least mine is not.

Thanks to all the people who liked my model. Inspiring! Special thanks to Alvb and Jsk for their kind remarks and to Alvb: No, neatness and accuracy are not my main purposes. I must confess the lack of them in my models are partly a result of the physical problems I encounter, but I never felt much attraction in polished, neat, shiny ship models, although I admire the skills of those who produce them. In the end we are all here to inspire others and when it sometimes succeeds, it is a reason to be contend. Oh, by the way, I built another model this summer for a friend who is building full size vessels from wasted plastic. Here is his web site. https://www.clean2a.nl/onze-schepen/ It is worth to keep an eye on him, because next summer, after he finished his pleasure vessel after Witsen, he will start a full size 100 feet long fluit. For inspiration I built him this model: Just a paper finger exercise. Best, Ab

In spite of my shaking hands and fading eyesight I just could not resist the building of this light frigate. The Postiljon only measured 100 x 24,5 x 10,25 feet and was armed with 20 guns. Het crew existed of 75 men. She was part of the group that executed the Raid on Chatham, an occasion at which many British warships were burned and the flagship Royal Charles was captured and brought to the Netherlands. Postiljon only played a modest roll in the event, but she was on the Medway, so she wrote history. I pictured het counter-braced to come to a halt. We will probably come with images showing her in her natural surroundings. For whoever is interested, here are the plans in 1/77 scale. The model measures 52 cm over all, bowsprit and lanterns included. I hope you like it. Ab Postiljon_rev_1_77b.pdf

Fantastic result so far Patrick!

Amazing, dazzling, beautiful! Congratulations. Well deserved.

Hallo Rik, My compliments for your work and your research. They both make sense. @TheDuckDetectiveAs for the book 'In Tekening Gebracht', I'm sorry to tell you that is has been sold out for years. Maybe second hand (try Boekwinkeltjes.nl)? I do have an English translation though, so if you are interested I can send the pdf. As for the model NG-MC-498, you can find pictures of the model at the Rijksmuseum site and I have a draught after my own measurements. Let me know what you like. Best, Ab

Most interested to see what you make of it Chris. The model this whole project was based on dates from my wood-building period, long ago. It was built in 1988 and was the start of my museum career. It still sits in my window-sill. A little dusty nowadays... Best, Ab

As to your second question: In 2000 I published a book called 'De schepen van Abel Tasman' at Verloren Publishers (www.Verloren.nl), both in Dutch and in German and English especially for model builders. The Dutch version was sold out long ago, but probably you can get it second hands somewhere. A lot of what you need can be found in the book.

Thanks for the compliment Marcel. I sent you a PM with the Dutch version. Too big to post here. Good luck. Ab

A pleasure to watch your thread Patrick. Ab

Nice work Constant.

Fantastic project Patrick, very well done!

That's the spirit!

I remember now I had this problem too. But if you want to show the hood in the backwards position, you don't see the mess right under it. I must have repressed this, because I never saw the mistake again. I always looked at the model with satisfaction, even though much of the paint has been eaten by now. Perhaps I have to do it again, but there are so many other things I like and so little time... Pity to leave a good model unfinished.

Don't say I didn't warn you about the fitting of the outer skin. Any slight mistake is punished mercilessly here. A hard lesson to learn. Ab

This was the first Halinski kit I ever made, years ago. I was deeply impressed by the detailing and the way everything fitted together like a glove. Especially the outer skin, covering the cockpit made me aware that every mistake made on the inside had disastrous results for the outside. I learned sanding a model here. (I never use laser cut frames) Many, many Halinski models followed. By now the model is still on the shelf, but it has been heavily attacked by paper fishes, which seem to especially like the printing ink. And though much of the color has faded nowadays I still cannot get myself so far as to throw the model into the dustbin. It was a wonderful experience building a top-kit like this one and I am looking forward for your report.

I'm sure you will make a good model out of it GrandpaPhil. Good luck!

Hello GrandpaPhil, Nice to see that you take the challenge of the cat. And even with corrugated board. I did not know it was possible. I always held that material for inferior, but one can obviously be wrong. One piece of advise: Use more frames in the midship part. In the course of building you will often hold the model in one hand or between your knees (I do that a lot), adding or adjusting things. The chances that you will press too hard and squeeze the model are high. Good luck with this project, I will follow with interest (I never built with corrugated board). Ab

Well, in that case: (here come the commercials) wait for my new book, containing several tutorials for scratch build paper models, like for instance this one: smalschip.mp4 Prepared frames and hull sheathing, rigging details, etc. A perfect model to enter the field of freedom! :-)) Soon to be on the market. Ab

Nice work. I have a question and I hope you are not insulted by me asking if you ever built from scratch? With the talent you so clearly show I would be inclined to say that you must be able to do amazing things without pre-built kits. It will open a new dimension for you (I think, but who am I?).