chris watton

Thank you, guys. A snow! hmm. I am thinking of revisiting the Cruizer Class but at 48th scale at some point.

I think anything other than a USS Constitution won't sell that well (outside the US, that is ), and that subject is well covered - although I don't think there are any large scale versions...

The problem with HMS Anson is that it's a raze, and doesn't have the classic frigate lines - plus it has a poop...

I like the names of:

Apollo/Euryalus Class - 1798 (36 guns)

Boadicea Class - 1795 (38 guns)

Artois/Apollo Class - 1793 (38 guns)

Leda Class - 1794 ( 3 8guns)

Arethusa Class - 1778 (38 guns)

Something like that...

(I did once suggest the Indefatigable - but Sergio, my boss, couldn't even pronounce it.. lol) 

I use  Ronseal multi purpose wood filler. It is water based and I find it perfect for wooden model applications (Have even used it to simulate deck caulking!), as it can be thinned into a paste using water - plus it is very easy to sand. I find standard olde-type filler too hard - almost like concrete when set.

I have decided that I want to develop a super detail heavy frigate next - haven't done one since my first PoB design, Diana. (Have done Surprise, but that doesn't count, too small)

Any suggestions?

(would prefer one without solid front bulwarks - they just look nicer and more interesting...)

Love this thread..

Makes my 1:64 scale effort look positively bereft of detail!

Can you make a new piece using 1mm plywood? Is that stern assembly cast? I ask because I know how much metal casting can shrink compared to the master used.

lol - shurick (love that avatar, BTW) - it'll be a while yet, have to sort out the thousands of assembly pics and do the drawings first - gulp...

I will say that there is one area that I have thought about the most - the height of the bow deck. The sources I used for the main hull and deck designs show it at upper gun deck level, yet other sources, including the real thing show a platform added about 2 feet in height.

I have changed the designs twice, and decided to leave it at the deck level - why? - Well, I figured that it is much easier to increase the height of the platform than to lower it - as I do not know either way which is supposed to be correct, it is better to go with the option that is easier to change, depending on which side of the fence you sit on regarding this area.

Chris - You could make a wonderful kit of just the ship's boats. Very nice! I especially like the oars. I find it hard to get them to proper scale and look right. since the cannon barrels are white metal. How do you plan to blacken them? Just paint?

Thank you, Floyd

The barrels are being sprayed black right now. It would be the same if they were in brass, too. They are cast because the trunnion (the bar that goes through the barrel to rest it on the carriage) is offset rather than central.

I have been using  AK interactive's Brass Photoetch Burnishing liquid for the cannon balls on the upper decks and some PE parts. It works very well. I bought it from here:

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/interactive-brass-photoetch-burnishing-fluid-00174-p-36558.html

Oh yes, many have asked about colour, which I explained why I used what I did a few pages ago. If you look at the carriages here on the lower gun deck  middle gun deck, you can see the original Vallejo colour I was going to use - but after much thought, I went with what I know works for longevity and stability, as the model will be shipped around quite a lot and subjected to changing temperatures often.

we appreciate all the hard work - such a shame that most of it will be hidden

Thank you

You could always leave sections of hull planking off.

If you look through the gun and entry ports, you can still clearly see that they are full assemblies, and you can see other deck detail, too. Also, with the gratings off, you can see right down to the orlop - plus of course, you can have the stern windows in their open position, so you can look right down the gun decks. I wanted to do a kit where, no matter how hard you looked, there'd always be detail. Bellona was the test bed and Victory is the result.

Cheers

More ship's boats stuff - I try and add as much as I can to make the assembly less boring, so thwarts, knees etc. have been laser cut, too, and the floors and gratings are photo etched. The only things you need to do is plank, add the ribs and paint. (I would like to advise using something like Evergreen styrene strip for the ribs, instead of wood strip...)

Here are the differences between the 12 pounder long (upper gun deck) and 12 pounder short. Not much in it with the carriages, but the barrels have a huge difference in length! (The quarterdeck carriages are being primed, hence the white..and the upper gun deck carriage is a superfluous reject...)

@chris watton

There are 4 sizes of cannon barrel - no more off the shelf 'that'll do' parts...

Depth markings!

I have even added optional window frames for the poop gun ports:

hi chris.

it is a bit of a daft question.  but can you please tell me what the coiled rope is for, that is comeing out of the hull in your photos of the victory.

that your doing

regardes george

Fore and main sail sheets and tacks - it would be impossible to belay them properly to the upper gun deck bulwark cleats once the masts, yards shrouds, stays and boats are in place - just a bit of forward thinking.

ETA - Just had all of my cannon barrels and ships boat parts arrive!

A curious question, in the real world did they plank the ship then cut the ports for the cannon?

 

Just curious

 

Runner63

The gun ports were worked into the framing of the hull, so the planking were made to fit.

Look here ,the seven Provinciën...

 

The flagship of admiral De Ruyter  on that battle..

 

It was the same class, a twodecker...

 

I have a folder in my 'Future developments' folder on my PC with this ship in mind. I love the style and shape and would make an excellent partner with Prince.

I love this Mamoli model, too - greatgalleons is doing a great job on this kit.

i presume then if a wale is running through a gunport lid and you want to have all lids in the shut position then you have the perfect alignment set up -ie fit the lids and then the wale

Yes

Next in line was the fore topgallant yard. Here the dimensions in the plan are in agreement with what I found in James Lees’. It was a straightforward job.

 

 

 

New pillar in place

IMG_3027.jpg

 

I’ll have to scratch away the superfluous CA glue

IMG_3030.jpg

Those nasty pillars still haunt me. So much so that if I don't have the exact height and diameter, I not have them laser cut for the profile and the modeller then just has to file/sand the corners smooth - they then look much better.

Nice job, by the way, I enjoyed looking through your build

I like "the Admiral" standing on deck. Gives scale to the ship.  Did you carve?

Jaxboat

It is a 64th scale Amati figure - I placed it near where nelson fell....

Great work Chris!

 

There is an excellent portfolio of Victory photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Portchieboy/VictoryReference?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSnmbSV56rtLA. What I noticed in relation to gunport lids is that, although they may in principle be quite thin, in fact the outsides are profiled to follow the profile of the hull. These particular shots illustrate it well:

 

IMG_2373.jpg

IMG_2420.jpg

 

Have you thought about adding timber to the outside to reflect this?

 

In relation to the gunports I have often wondered if the drip mouldings currently visible over the openings, and which you and others have included in their models, are original or whether they were added once Victory was moved into dry dock to help with the weathering of what are now windows. I don't recall seeing them on contemporary models, but I may be wrong.

 

Best wishes

 

Rob

All the gun port lids have been profiled( All of the ones that require it, that is). All of the lower lids, (you can just about see it on the lower lids in my photos) the last four middle gun port lids and the last three upper gun port lids - They all follow the hull profile. I made the hinges in 0,25mm photo etched brass so that they could be manipulated to follow the steps in lid profile easier. . This brings the thickness up to almost 2mm for the lids with the wale detail, and 1mm for those that do not.

As for the drip mouldings, I couldn't say 100%. All I know is that every drawing from the most well known and respected sources seems to show them, so it would be very remiss of me to leave them off. Like the stern davits, you don't have to add them if you don't want to - it's one of those sets of fittings that isn't structurally significant to the build. Since adding the scuttles to the lower lids, I have re designed them so they look exactly like the real ones.

ETA - I should mention that all of the gun port lids are laser cut, and each one is specific to its particular gun port opening - so if you don't keep 'em in order, you're in trouble!

LOL you build a brand new pre production kit - in a short period of time, that looks far superior to my 800+ hours build and at only 1/2 of what you have done, - its just not fair

I may have spent more time on this - don't forget I work on it all day, virtually every day - I also try and design my stuff so that all the mundane bits are cancelled out, meaning we can build them slightly quicker than other kits.

Wow, this is really incredible.  Absolutely stunning work.  One day hopefully I'll have half that skill 

 

Sorry if I missed this early - is this 1:64 or 1:72 scale?

Thank you, it is 1:64th scale

I just 'tried' to take a few pics of the quarterdeck/poop area, to show it before the new bulkheads arrive, but they didn't come out too well. If you wanted yo, you could leave out the bulkheads and have the deck 'cleared for action', as the deck (all the decks, in fact) extend right to the end of the stern - no hacking and slashing required...

Seems like I go out of the way to hide the fact that the hull is wood....

Gun port lids are as to scale as they can be. Too often I see way too thick lids in kits, usually at least 2mm thick! If you look at this picture I taken of the real thing, they are not that thick:

Also note the lack of sill on the lower inside edges of the gun port openings.

 Gary S wrote this in the beginning of this discussion. I would love to see online-hobbies return. I ordered some things there and they were alway's polite, fast and good. 

Hi robboxxx,

Unfortunately, we no longer have time for the hobby site, as Chantelle (my wife) now works full time now we're back in the UK. It was initially set up for Chantelle, as something for her to do when we lived in Italy. She tried again, but her job recently changed, so not only does she work Monday to Friday, but is now on call-out, too.

Cheers - although looking at Kirsten, it looks as though I pointed a gun to her head!

OK, Someone asked if I could take a picture with someone next to Victory -  I have just done that using my step daughter to model....

Chris

Love the workshop  . I feel much better about mine now  . I am in the corner of my garage. I live in Florida and basements are non existent in my area. The model is simply awesome!

Best

Jaxboat

Cheers! lol.

I promised myself my new car before sorting out the garage (I spent most of my money tarting up our previous house to sell) - since we came back from Italy, all of my money has gone on house refurbishing. the line has to be drawn her - no further - I WANT my car before I do this one..). If there's one thing I love more than modelling, it's small 2-seater sports cars with big engines and track days.

Chris,

 

All I can say is excellent build log of the Victory.

I just retired and some day will  take a trip across the great pond and visit her in Portsmouth.

I will wait for the Amati Kit of the Victory, hope it will be released soon.

Joe

Thank you, Joe.

Not sure when it'll be released, as I am still working on the development. I have been informed that my laser and PE files for the ship's boats and other stuff, including the 100 full length cannon are on their way to me from Italy.

I hope I have designed it for those who really love building the kit (it is a long build, twice as long as anything I have done before) - but I think this is due to all of the deck detail, and nothing to do with having to make the parts, as it is all pre cut. Even every hatch combing and shot garland - I hated doing these on older kits, took ages and never looked 100% right anyway, and it was so mind-numbingly boring. With this in mind, I even did the gun port opening sills in laser cut wood, along with the lids.  Same with the gratings - they are photo etched in this kit (and Revenge, Golden Hind and Bellona - this way, they can be exactly the right scale size, rather than having to make the combings (which themselves are restricted by the dimensions of the wood strip used) fit the off the shelf gratings - another little pet hate of mine. I hope I have designed it so that it's fun to build..

Great thread!

Styrene strip is an absolute godsend for both plastic and wooden models...