BETAQDAVE

Another rusty hardworking heroine of WW2.
Here's another Canuck, HMCS Eyebright, post war, converted to a Dutch Whalecatcher.
W/C 11 X 9 inches. Jim   

Carrier Opps.
Essex class and I think the destroyer is Livermore class, but no doubt someone can confirm or correct.
Hellcat getting airborne.
12" X 9"

Another of Chapelle’s books not mentioned above is The Constellation Question, a published debate with Len Pollard on the authenticity of the relic vessel as one of the  first US Navy frigates vs a Sloop of War built in the 1850’s with Chapelle of course arguing that the relic was built in the 1850’s not the 1790’s.
 
Recent scholarship has proven that Chapelle was right on target permitting a historically accurate restoration of the vessel.  Fans (like me) of Chapelle, his work, and his writing will want to include a copy of this book to include in their collection.
 
Roger

Schooners are one of my favorite ships for modeling as they are a simple rig and not overly large, making them well suited to make in larger scales.  I have built mostly in 1/8" scale and details are very hard to reproduce to my satisfaction.  Having recently picked up a copy of this book, I am very happy to find so many of the finely drawn details shown in it that allow me a better shot at making them look more complete.  While it is true that trying to find a particular detail is sometimes difficult, when you do find it it is usually worth the extra effort.

The American Fishing Schooners: 1825-1935 By Howard Chapelle
Hardcover: 690 pages Publisher: Norton; 1st edition (April 1, 1973) Language: English ISBN-10: 0393031233 ISBN-13: 978-0393031232 This is a great reference book for any serious model builder, with lots of details and illustrations, clearly charting the evolution of the design of the American fishing schooners over the golden age of their careers.
 
The evolution of the American fishing schooner from the 18th century to the last working and racing schooners of the mid-1930s is recounted in this book. The designers, builders and crews are discussed, and 137 plans of schooners show graphically the development of the type. An important feature of the book is its illustrated glossary-appendix, which covers items of hull construction and equipment, rigging and gear, colour and carving, and includes notes by the builders and riggers themselves.
 
Chapelle was born on February 1, 1901. From 1919, he worked as a marine apprentice and designer for a number of shipbuilders. After 1936, he went into business for himself, and later served as head of the New England section of the Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, a New Deal project designed to research American naval history and staffed by unemployed marine architects.
 
During World War II, Chapelle served in the United States Army Transportation Corps ship and boatbuilding program. In 1950, he ventured to England where he researched colonial ship design on a Guggenheim fellowship. In 1956/57, he served the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization as a consultant on fishing boat construction to the government of Turkey. Upon returning to America, he was appointed Division of Transportation curator of the National Museum of History and Technology. Ten years later, in 1967, he stepped down as curator to assume the role of Senior Historian. He retired in 1971, accepting the title of Historian Emeritus.
 
Even though some of Chapelle's adaptations of historical designs were imperfect, his large collection of draughts and information is still valuable today.  Many (most?) of his plans are available from the Smithsonian Institute at the History of Technology Division of the National Museum of American History.
 
His other books include:
American Sailing Craft American Small Sailing Craft The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America, with Edwin T. Adney Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction The History of the American Sailing Navy: The Ships and Their Development "Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiffs" The History of American Sailing Ships The National Watercraft Collection The Search for Speed Under Sail: 1700 -- 1855 "Notes on Chesapeake Bay Skipjacks" Yacht Designing and Planning  
 

I have and I use American Fishing Schooners: 1825-1935 By Howard Chapelle regularly.  I love this book.   If there is one negative for me for this book it is the fact that there is no index that makes sense.  There is so much good information in the second half of the book, but none of the key items or words are in the index.  Worse still, each item in the main text is presented alphabetically, and not necessarily categorically.    Still, I believe this book would enable any builder of an American schooner to do a  construct a very accurate and detailed model.
Allan

Ed, that is really impressive metalwork, particularly at that scale.

Great techniques Ed.  You have accomplished quite some detail with the parcelling and serving at such a scale - the result is excellent.
 
cheers
 
Pat 

Ed, Thanks for taking the time to show such detail.  It is a giant help to those of us trying to reach a higher level  of proficiency.
Maury

Ed, I'm looking forward to following along--spot on about this genre being neglected! Thanks for filling in some of that gap with project.
 
Jay

Very nice metal work Ed; thanks for the piccy and discussion re 'peening', which will be very useful.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Hi Zach. They didn't have much time for 'house keeping', especially the small escort vessels.
Heres a busy merchant ship quite rusty as well. Passing Schooners fishing the Grand Banks.
jim

Thank you very much for your complement. In return here is one to honour the part played by Belgian Seamen
unofficially allowed to wear two Ensigns!.
Jim
Godetia was one of two Flower Class Corvettes manned by the Belgian Navy. 'Buttercup' was the other. Here Godietia is picking up survivors from 'Port Auckland' and the French ship 'Zouave' sunk in convoy SC-122, 17th March 1943 by U 305
Jim  

I received one of these fine saws from zootoyz today.  It arrived very carefully packed and included the Japanese cloth which itself is quite nice as a decorative wall item.  Very happy with the transaction and saw.  They sent me several emails regarding the status after placing the order.  I've tried the saw, it works great, very easy to control, and it's definitely going to come in handy.
David

Howdy all.  My modeling time is currently in short supply thanks to my three-month-old baby.  Even though I don’t have the time, energy or concentration to really dig into a model I’ve still had the urge to work on something.  ANYTHING.  I had recently purchased a Serv-O-Matic from Syren and the cherry it’s made of was so beautiful I decided to make it my project. 
I don’t think I need to do a review of the project as I see so many of them in use on various build logs, but I’ll just say to anyone debating about getting one – Get it!  The quality is terrific, and Chuck’s service can’t be beat.  Mine had a very minor issue when I received it and Chuck had it corrected wicked quick.
I followed Chuck’s instructions and spent a goodly amount of time removing all the char from the pieces.  Time consuming but worth it.  I used a true sander as much as possible to avoid rounding the edges too badly.  After sanding to 220 grit I assembled everything but did not affix the gears or end pieces.  Then I rubbed in by hand a coat of 100% pure Tung oil, wiped off the excess after an hour or so and then repeated the oil coat the next day. 
After that I allowed the unit and all the pieces to sit in the brightest window of the house for about a week turning the pieces each day to make sure they got even coverage.  As most of you probably know Cherry darkens and reddens naturally and that process can be sped up by exposing it to bright natural light.  Once I figured the Tung oil was as cured as it was going to get (not really at all but it’ll at least stop seeping) I applied two coats of semi-gloss water based polyurethane with a careful sanding between coats.  Lastly, after allowing the poly a week or so to cure I applied a coat of past wax to get that soft burnished look.
So below you see the result of me turning what most people would do in a few hours into a two or three week project.  In one of the pictures you can see an untreated piece of cherry which gives you an idea of just how much a little work will bring out the color and character of the wood. 

Drew this yesterday, 'coloured it in' today.
I am presently reading 'With Utmost Dispach' a Richard Bolitho novel, in which he is in command of three Royal Navy Cutters in the English Channel. It provided the inspiration for this painting.
This famous Quotation also came to mind!. 
"We are off to look for trouble. I expect we shall find it." Capt. Tennant. HMS Repulse. Dec. 8 1941
23" X 14" watercolour.
 

Thanks Nils. This is called Cruisers Cruising. L to R  Dido class, Town class and Colony class cruisers.
I like this one. Nothing fancy and the ships are pretty accurate Reminds me of calm days in the Mediterainian.
Jim

A couple with Thames Spritsail Barges. The 'orange one I used as a family Christmas card.
Jim.

And today's effort 
HMS Belfast lowering a boat to investigate the German Steamer 'Cap Norte' disguised as Swedish ship 'Ancona'
Watercolour 12" X 9"
Jim 

Lou and Ken , thank you for your comments. My Mother always said I had a vivid imagination, although a lot of what I paint is helped from personal experience. This painting of HMAS MELBOURNE. Been there,Done That. Got the yellow surcoat. Different ships and a/c .
Jim

Another of my all time favourites 
Armed Merchant Cruiser Carinthia on the Northern Patrol 1940 she was Torpedoed west of Galway Bay by U 46 at 13:13 on the sixth of June 1940. Four crew members were killed.
W/C 12 X 9 inches.
Jim

Thanks for that Lou. I've never been up that way, in fact I haven't been on the West coast at all unfortunately. So the location for the painting is made up from memories of films or TV programs of the area.
I've  still got lots more paintings I can post. It is really nice to get comments and 'meet' people from all over.
here is the watercolour sketch for the Mellon painting which is acrylic on canvas.
jim 

Thanks Jason. The sweepers you mention were a bit after my time. It was mostly 'Tons' in my day, and they. Would be based at HMS LOCHINVAR (Port Edgar) opposite Rosyth.
Her is another with the Edinburgh sky line.
These are the ship served on by Edward George Bourne, (stoker).
L to R HM Ships Iron Duke, Galatea, Icarus, Centurion, and in the distance Indefatigable in which he was unfortunately killed at Jutland.
This was a commission for a lady who wanted it for her children, his descendants. The skyline of Edinburgh in the background 
Acrylic on canvas 30"  X 14"
Jim

It's a Small World Chris!
Heres a couple inspired by our trip to Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk.
Yasin class
Borei class
Jim

Minesweepers in the Firth of Forth with North Berwick the Bass Rock and Berwick Law in the background
The picture now hangs in a house within sight of the location.
Jim