chris watton

Thanks Mike. This is the one I am developing: https://prints.rmg.co.uk/products/lines-and-profile-plan-of-the-sphinx-1775-j4272?variant=9699771220012 Like the Fly, but bigger. I did initially intend to do Atalanta, another Swan Class, but figured that too many others are doing this class now, and wanted to bring new classes to the market, rather than re-treads. At this early stage, at least. So r Atalanta was replaced for Sphynx.

The kit can now be pre-ordered here: https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/duchess-of-kingston/ And very well done, James!

OK, thanks to Jim Hatch (who has really helped me this year), the Duchess of Kingston is now available for pre order. All work for manual, plans and box art complete and just sent off to the printers. https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/duchess-of-kingston/ My wife told me she wants to keep the prototype model in the living room, as she seems to love it, too! Now I work on Sphynx. This will take time to develop, as I want to continue the same design philosophy I used for Duchess, only on a much bigger scale (and of course, I am back at work full time) - but this does take a lot more time than simply drawing out a bunch of bulkheads and supplying wood strip for the hard work. But, I hope, more modellers will be able to do a great job without having to need master modeller skills. And those that do, the sky's the limit! I have been working closely with Master Korabel to produce the short 9 pounders for this model. I received the samples today and they are quite stunning. Exact scale even down to the diameter of the trunnions, and finished in a nigh on perfect looking dull black. I will have more sizes made by them in the future. In the meantime, I am planning to have the 32, 24 and 18 pounder carronade barrels cast (and the early 12 pounder carronade with trunnions - plus a short 18 pounder for 18 pounder frigates). Would there be anyone interested in these, so I know how many to have cast? Cheers Chris

A lot of times, I usually add a little more than needed, especially if the parts are easily lost. Nothing worse than having to stop your build because a small part flew out of the tweezers and, no matter how hard you look, you can never find the damn part. Until a few weeks later, and it was under your nose the whole time...

The elevating thread bars were originally part of the casting, but they proved too fragile so I got rid of them and added the hole to which a length of brass rod will fit into, to simulate the threaded bar. If I had kept the threaded bars, I would have had around 75% scrap rate.

12 pounders are 46mm long in total, so are the 8'6" type (for the 50 gun Bristol) I do have some 37mm 12's, but not cast yet. These are for 12 pounder frigates, rather than the larger vessels. Also have a short 18 pounder for 18 pounder frigates (42,8mm), but this too needs to be cast for production parts. All barrels are for larger vessels at the moment (being around 48mm long in total)

OK, Duchess of Kingston will be available for pre order very soon, as it is almost ready. In the meantime, I had a set of cast black resin cannon barrels arrive, including a PE sheet for each. I am selling the 9, 12, 18, 24 and 32 pounder cannon barrel and carriage sets in pairs, which include the laser cut pear, photo etched parts (including flintlocks) and 2 cast black resin barrels. https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/cannon-carriages/ I also had sample castings for the carronade barrels, which look fine, so will order production sets to be made. Again, I have the PE sheets done for these, just need the barrels cast now. I have been working on my 7th kit, Sphynx, but because I am no back in full time employment, things are going slower than I would like. Still, get something done every day when I have the spare time. The short 9 pounder barrels (7 foot, as opposed to 8 or 9 foot versions) have been cast by MK, and the figurehead and stern decoration is being carved (digitally) right now, so everything's still moving forward...

I always buy copies of every original plan there is of each subject. These are the basis for the hull, decks and fittings (where and when shown). For detail that isn't shown on the plans, I have plenty of books for reference - the Anatomy of the Ship Pandora is of great use for this particular development, as this is not much bigger than Sphynx and would share a lot of the details for fittings. The ships stove would be slightly smaller, though, according to the tables in The Arming and Fitting of English Men of War. There are belaying pins, but there seems to be no Mizzen bitts and rail at all for this particular class. Am assuming a pin ring or cleats near the foot of the Mizzen...

Here is the final version of the main gun deck, complete with engraved chequer plating at the stern. This will be fitted to my prototype model and is cut from a scrap piece of veneer, hence the darker than usual colour variations...

I just hate 'Dummy Barrels', and the gun port patterns is now old hat, as every other company seems to have adopted this method (although still required for smaller subjects with thinner bulwarks). I figured that if I were to do a 3-decker, the model needs to have at least three complete decks, otherwise it is no more detailed, internally, as a sloop or frigate, the only difference being the hull is deeper. With this Victory, you do not start the outer planking until half way though the hull build!

Alex is a master model maker, making unique models, but only one model, with no consideration required for manufacturing hundreds of the same. What I will do is laser etch the detail (as per Duchess of Kingston yacht), as I cannot get any strip with such mouldings at this small size. Plus they end up in scrolls - better to have the whole rail as one so they 'flow' as they should, as far as I am concerned. Most kits supply 1x2 or 1x1mm wood strip for these parts. I am already worried that I am adding too much to this kit, which increases costs....

I will paint the inner bulwarks red for the prototype. The modeller can paint or varnish as they wish. (Spirketting planks added once deck laid)

I so wanted to paint the topsides of my prototype model black, as it should be...

Still in pre-prototype stage, but am now ready to start laser cutting for the actual prototype model, now that I have worked out all essential patterns required. These pics will not reflect the actual model, as the inner bulwarks will be wood, plus there gave been quite a few minor changes to everything...

I think that Sphynx is a nice size, not too big, not too small, and noticeably larger than the 16 gun Swan Class. Designs are well beyond those of Fly/Pegasus, though, even Victory. The drawback is the sheer amount of laser cut parts and materials for it, making it more expensive, but as easy to build as it can be. For the much larger kits, I may have to hold back on the designs (making them more traditional and stay at Amati Victory levels), though, as prices would start to get too high, as I do need them to sell...

Hope you enjoy the build, Erik!

Caledonia immediately springs to mind, followed by Commerce de Marseilles...

Cheers ASAT. I don't know know, though, I love Chuck and CAF's models, they are great, and lot more technical than mine. But I try to design with the novice in mind, and hope they can build something that looks great out of the box without too much 'kit bashing', like we're used to with the older mainstream kits. ETA - Forgot to mention, bulkheads and bow/stern patterns are thicker MDF and keel is 3mm, to be clad either side, like Duchess of Kingston for etched details and rabbets.

Gun port spacing

Don't know finished dimensions, haven't looked at masts and yards yet, as I have only just started. I know the hull is around 605mm without any spars. Am figuring about 770/780mm overall length, as there's no mizzen gaff boom jutting out from the stern (being 1775) No Jim for this one, am on my own, as Jim has the Amati Victory to do, the two timer!

OK, am now fully up to date with the Duchess of Kingston manual, not much left to do on that. So today I cut the second 'pre-prototype' Sphinx parts, which have quite a few little changes from the first. One of which is making sure the bowsprit sits correctly when added. Still only MDF for most parts. Gun deck is split into halves. I did try bending a complete deck into position on the first prototype, but only managed to damage the bulkhead tabs. Nothing is glued at all at this stage, just checking critical alignments. In fact, I shall recommend that nothing is glued until the 2mm lower/birth deck is in place. The upper tabs look vulnerable, but the gun port 'stringers' are added (3mm MDF) once the gun deck is in place, making them a lot stronger as they connect to every single bulkhead. In fact, because the deck is in two halves, they could be added before fitting the deck...

Yep, HMS Sphynx, will be my 7th kit, a real step up in size and complexity. Am laser cutting 2nd lot of 'pre-prototype parts now. I thought the 1mm pear for ladder sides, especially double layered, looked a trifle thick. I ordered a batch of 0.6mm pear sheet (more expensive, but prefer things to look more in scale), and designed and just laser cut a pair of ladders for the orlop and mid deck hatch. All ladders will be designed to suit each hatch opening. I copied the ladder profile from the original plans.

It is ship rigged, armed with 20 x 9-pounders, Fly (Swan Class) had 16 x 6 pounders plus swivels, as built. Am sure many have already worked out the name and class..

What a great job you have done, love it!

I think I will keep stern frames as is, as I would like the modeller have the option of fitting out that area if they so wished. If they are all solid (but completely fool-proof), then it's a lot of work to try and mod that area. Better to meet half way, allow the modders a fighting chance whilst also allowing the general model maker to sand the area for the stern fascia with minimum risk of breaking anything - so the frames are a lot deeper that they should be, scale-wise. Oh yes, also I shall add coamings and gratings for that lower/berth deck But, I must stop this now and concentrate on the Duchess of Kingston manual, which shouldn't take too long thanks to Jim.