DanielD
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Keith, you are very observant! I guess a couple of pictures as well as an explanation is in order. I built the chock channels temporarily “removable.” This is only my second wood ship and I’m still working on my skills, painting being one of them. My goal with these chocks is to be able to paint clean lines between the white of the chocks and the black of the hull. I’m sure you have already figured out that white is particularly hard to paint and cover well, needing several coats, at least for me. As such I have not yet permanently attached the chocks to the hull. When I built them, I placed parchment paper between the hull and the new construction, which allowed me to easily form the curves against the hull as well as remove them for shaping, sanding and painting. During construction I drilled alignment holes which I then installed dowels in the chocks so that they align every time in perfect place when installed on the hull. I will eventually permanently glue down the chocks, not too distant in the future, just as soon as I have the hull painted. Below, the chocks sitting without the hull; the hull primed and ready to install the rivets on the armor plates with the chocks installed; and a close up with the effect I’m looking for, clean paint line between the hull and the chocks.
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Finally finished the installing the plating. A little more cleanup and some primer before starting the rivet project...
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Well, here is what I found about the cannons on the HMS Erebus and likely on the HMS Terror. A brass 6-pounder cannon from the wreck of the HMS Erebus. Image: Parks Canada (see image below) We know that the Terror and the Erebus were similarly fitted, so I will go with a set of 6 pound 1:75 scale cannons, if I can find them for the period. I admittedly know nothing about cannons, so any help or ideas (from anyone) on period cannons and the base they rest on would be much appreciated.
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This is a very good question and I admit that I don’t know the answer. I’ll do some more research and see what I can find.
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Well, today didn’t go as planned. I got side tracked with one project, then another, and before I knew it, I was painting the starboard chocks (ice bumper). I’m happy with the results so far.
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Keith, why Humbrol Matt 63 Sand? Was it common in the mid 1800's? I'm sure I can come up with something very close with the paint that I have, just curious if this was common at the time.
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Additionally, I found this on Matthew Betts build log regarding the color of paint on the inner bulwark. Woolwich Yard, 17 April 1852. Sir, With reference to their Lordships' letter of this day's date, we beg to acquaint you, that Sir John Franklin's ships, the " Erebus " and " Terror," were painted when they sailed, black on the outside, and weather works inside yellow. And followed up with this discussion: Lang’s choice of words in the first correspondence appears to be the source of the enduring discrepancy regarding the ships’ paint schemes. It seems Gould, followed by Cyriax, and then myriad others, interpreted the phrase “weather works inside yellow” to mean a band of yellow on the outside hull of the vessel. Indeed, the “weather works”, or upper works of a ship, are those areas of the vessel above the waterline exposed to the weather, including the upper hull and bulwarks both inside towards the deck and outside on the hull. However, Lang specifically states that the “weather works inside “ were yellow, meaning that the inside bulwarks were painted yellow. He makes no mention of a stripe on the outside hull, although a solid paint scheme without a stripe would have been unusual for a Royal Navy vessel of the era. Thankfully, a watercolour painting by Owen Stanley, who accompanied the ships across the North Atlantic to Greenland in 1845, provides important primary evidence which dispels much ambiguity (see below). The painting shows conclusively that the Terror and Erebus had black hulls with a white stripe along the outside weather works. The painting indicates that the white stripe was contiguous with the chock channel and that it ascended the outside stern frame of the Erebus at an angle. Another watercolour, which may also be the work of Stanley (it is clearly based on his 1845 drawing), confirms these characteristics, and also shows the yellow painting on the inside bulwarks (note also the very rusted condition of the iron bow plating). This image also suggests that the white stripe extended forward around the knee of the ship. Well, I’m not sure what to think about this. At the moment I’m thinking of using a yellow wash on the inside of the bulwarks, not to make it bright yellow, but to give a hint of yellow but allow the details of the wood grain show through.
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Yesterday I came across more Terror information that is new to me. Below are two images, some HMS Terror plans (as fitted 1845) with two cannons at the bow. The image of the wreck is from the HMS Erebus clearly showing two cannons and we know that the two ships were similarly fitted. Lastly I found an Inuit record from the area and around the time the two ships were stuck in ice, in which the sounds of cannons were heard, which at the time was a form of communication between the two ships. I guess I have some cannons to find...
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Today I installed the keel with some modifications. Added some metal plates including rivets to hide the seams of the keel. The rivets are 3D and should show up nicely when I paint the hull black.
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Started working on the ice bumpers. Still have some more finish work to do, but getting close.
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In the shop today, I took some liberty with the model which I believe makes it more like the real ship. I used the scraps from the second planking, turning them into 60mm length planks, and used them to line the (inside) bulwark. The appearance of horizontal planking can be seen in Matthew Betts model and the original plans for the ship show inside planking on the lower decks. It makes sense to me that the weather deck would look the same.
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Well a good day in the shipyard. Finished the stern with the second planking. The hardest job done (in my opinion).
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Finished the starboard side of the second planking. Sorry, the pictures done do it justice. It’s nice and smooth without gaps. Should look great painted black.
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I’ve been thinking of what to do to hide the seam of the keel pieces. Then I was looking at Matthew Betts plans and had an idea, to put a piece of metal across the seams with appropriate rivets...it’s just an idea at this point. I know they won’t be in exactly the correct place, but close.
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In the shipyard today I finished the second layer of planking on the port side. There are a few minor issues, but I’m planning on painting the hull black so shouldn’t be an issue.
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It took a bit, but I found the image from one of the dives of the HMS Terror which shows a spider band on one of the masts.
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Back in the workshop today. Finished the first planking layer and lots of sanding. Then more sanding, a little filling, and more sanding. Attached are the results. Today’s questions: 1) I see some model builders add the ice bumpers before the final planking while others follow the OcCre instructions and finish planking before adding the bumpers. Is there a reason to add the bumpers first? 2) as I think ahead, I’m looking toward the straps on the masts. Should they be rope as in the kit instructions, or should they be metal? I’m happy to help do the research, but I don’t know where to start. It seems that Matthew Betts blog is not to that point yet. I did see in one shot of the found Terror wreck, a metal spider band at the base of a mast, presumably for belaying pins. Could this mean that the other bands were metal also? So many questions. 😬 Today I realized that the OcCre kit contains wood 4mm deadeyes and plastic 5mm deadeyes. Why would they do that? I’ve now ordered new wood deadeyes as well as new chainplates as the ones that included in the kit are not even close. I also found some scale figurines to add interest and a few other enhancements, like a new wood life boat kit, similar to the one Keith found for his build.
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Wahka_est, I looked to see if someone had answered this question, and I saw nothing, so here is my two cents. I use white/clear bees wax to coat the string/rope. I pull the string through the end of a block or wedge of wax 2-3 times before I use the rope for rigging. The wax does two things for me, hide the “hair” on the thread which is what you are looking for and also allows the thread to slightly “stick” to its self which helps when rigging, but for me it helps hold the knot when finished. I still secure the knots with a small drop of CA glue or watered down white glue, but I kind of wait until I have a section finished and secure all the knots at once. I know this info won’t help much on your HMS Terror, but could on future ships. BTW, your Terror is looking great! Daniel
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Yes, full length planks! I was surprised too. The Golden Hind I did last year did not have full length planks. I’m a very happy person.
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Last night I finished the lighting portion of this project, with everything working well. Then it was back to working first planking project. I realized late in the night when testing the lighting before going to bed, that as well as I believe I’m placing the planks, light still shines through the seams. When I experiment with the thin finish planks, I can see a faint glow through the planks. So....I ended up lining the hull with black card stock. A bit of extra work, but it couldn’t hurt to be safe.
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