chris watton

I suspect because it was virtually the exact same dimensions as Victory Class, and after spending years developing such a kit, half your enquiries about the kit would be 'Yeah, but when is Victory available, I want Victory'

Better to use PVA only along the inside edges of the deck, and around the inside of the deck openings, but not so close to the edge that allows the glue to seep out.

You can score the deck down the centreline, to enable it to fold, rather than bend.

And a very nice job you have done on her, great case, too!

I made a mistake in my post, this was 64th scale and the main source used for the hull was the original plans for the Concorde, and not Belle Poule, which has a completey different hull form.

I always find it better to do just a little fairing of the most extreme parts before gluing in place, and then doing the main faring once the whole skeletal structure is securely in place - because the material is homogonous, sanding should be quite easy when compared to ply.

Well done, and I can confirm that you chose a very good printer.

Well, all I know is that I cannot order my PE copper plates. If it is the same this time next year, then copper tape will have to be the norm for kits that need it. I much prefer the PE plates, but needs must...

According to my photo etch suppliers, copper is not available right now, and hasn't been for almost a year now.

I prefer to wait until copper becomes available again before developing kits that have copper bottoms.

A little longer on that, as we need to move to a larger premesis in order for me to produce another kit of that size. That or I let Indy stock run down completely, stop selling it and another large kit take its place. It comes down to space to stock the kit parts, laser cut sheets,materials, boxes, plans/manuals etc. Whe have, or the company has outgrown our home.

Around the same size as the Artois Class too, give or take a foot or two. And being a 36, she would have been armed with the long 18's, whereas the 38's had the short, in general.. I always imagined Hornblower's fictional 36, Lydia to be Phoebe Class....

Has to be sweet Phoebe, a frigate that seen a lot of action during her career. Almost did this before Indy.

I will do a Restoration Era warship at some point, but because it would be a two year development and also expensive, not for a while, and not while I have a 36 gun 18 pounder Napoleonic frigate itch that needs a desperate scratch at some point before then.

For belaying, if in doubt, just belay to the nearest appropriate point that doesn't foul any other lines.

After years of trying to figure out the best sequence for the standing rigging, I found that, for me at least, the best thing to do is add all shrouds, lower and topmast, incuding lower futtock shrouds. I then add the ratlines while the area is still uncluttered with rigging. After this, the topgallant shrouds are added, then onto the stays. I sometimes fit the yards before shrouds, pinning them so I can tilt them up or down when doing the ratlines. After shrouds and ratlines, rigging comes together pretty quick, as the shrouds and rats are last longest single job to do on the model.

I do have the gun brig Adder and another small kit that will soon be released in the new year (All they need is the prototypes building and then manual completed, as everything else is done, designs, cut files, plans etc.) - and yesterday I did make a small start on my 17th kit. ETA - This year hasn't been so bad, with Indy released in March, followed by Grecian and Trial cutter, plus the Speedy rework, which was no small job.

A little update: I am still very busy, and have just completed another batch of Sphinx laser cut parts. After that was complete, I moved onto the new cannon and carriages (including carronades), which I am almost finished laser cutting and 3-d printing. I will paste the full list of cannon and carronades I will offer below - the carronades are now sold in pairs, instead of singles. Once these are done, I need to produce more Indy stuff, as we are now getting very short of some parts. And after that, I can finally produce my laser cut part for my little kits, so I can get those prototype models finished. I have already completed all of the plans for them, but cannot continue until I have cut the prototype laser cut parts. Here is the full list for cannon and carronades I now offer (I am still waiting for the PE for the early 12 pounder carronade, which will be back in stock as soon as the sheets arrive): New and updates cannon and carriage kits - Cap Square now integrated with carriage sides All Sets are priced per pair and all 1:64th Scale. Laser cut pear and 3-D printed barrels Armstrong 3-Pounder cannon (Barrel overall length - 24mm) - £4.20 Armstrong 4-Pounder cannon (Barrel overall length - 29mm) - £4.40 Blomefield 4-Pounder cannon (Barrel overall length - 29mm) - £4.40 Armstrong 6 pounder, 6 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 34.4mm) - £5.00 Armstrong 6 pounder, 7 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 39mm) - £5.30 Blomefield 6-Pounder, 6 feet length (Barrel overall length – 31.4mm) - £5.00 Blomefield 6-Pounder, 7 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 38.5mm) - £5.30 Armstrong 9 pounder, 7 feet length (Barrel overall length – 37.2mm) - £5.80 Armstrong 9 pounder, 8 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 44.4mm) - £6.00 Blomefield 9-Pounder, 7 feet length (Barrel overall length – 36.5mm) - £5.80 Blomefield 9-Pounder, 8 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 43.6mm) - £6.00 Armstrong 12 pounder, 7 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 40mm) - £8.30 Armstrong 12 pounder, 9 feet length (Barrel overall length – 47.2mm) - £9.00 Blomefield 12 pounder, 7 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 39.1mm) - £8.30 Blomefield 12 pounder, 9 feet length (Barrel overall length – 46.25mm) - £9.00 Armstrong 18 pounder, 8 feet length (Barrel overall length – 42mm) - £8.30 Armstrong 18 pounder, 9 feet length (Barrel overall length – 47.8mm) - £9.00 Blomefield 18 pounder, 8 feet length (Barrel overall length – 41.8mm) - £8.30 Blomefield 18 pounder, 9 feet length (Barrel overall length – 46.6mm) - £9.00 Armstrong 24 pounder, 9 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 50.6mm) - £11.00 Blomefield 24 pounder, 9 feet length (Barrel overall length – 47mm) - £10.50 Blomefield 24 pounder, 9 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 49.3mm) - £11.00 Armstrong 32 pounder, 9 ½ feet length (Barrel overall length – 51.2mm) - £12.50 New Carronade kits (includes 3-d Printed wheels) Now sold in pairs and all to 1:64th Scale Laser cut pear and 3-D printed barrels and wheels Carronade – 12-Pounder (Barrel overall length – 18mm) - £7.00 Carronade – 18-Pounder (Barrel overall length – 20.5mm) £7.50 Carronade – 24-Pounder (Barrel overall length – 22.5mm) £8.00 Carronade – 32-Pounder (Barrel overall length – 24.8mm) £8.50 Carronade – 42-Pounder (Barrel overall length – 27.3mm) £9.00

I lied! I did add Clews, sheets and tacks for the square sail yards! I didn't mean to, must have got carried away.... I did mean to leave them off completely...

For the Grecian (and Duchess of Kingston) the rigging is simplified, as I left off clews, sheets, tacks, leech and bowlines, so the spars only have ties, lifts and braces, the bare minimum.

I sometimes start at the belaying point and then work upwards to where the line is secured to the yard...

If you want to have a go at a Victory that doesn't break the bank, the 78th Panart version isn't too bad, if you're willing to put the work in.

That is looking very good, very neat!

Carefully scrape off with a knife blade, and then re apply a drop of varnish. This is what I do, at least. I normally suggest 0.1 natural for rats becase it is not nearly as stiff as the black, so less likely to pull the shoulds too much. The Indian Ink then also helps secure the clove hitches - but always paper behind the shrouds, to keep any splashes to an absolute minimum.

When that happens with me (and it always does, even for braces sometimes), I apply diluted PVA to the lines and run my fingers down them. This does help.