EricWiberg

Thank you for the welcome! I managed to get some time yesterday to do a few simple things, like thickening the gun port walls, adding anchoe linings, filling in the butt joints on the wales, etc. But two things are making me think before I start addiitonal work. I was an engineer for 35 years, and while I am not necessarily a stickler for precise historical accuracy, I think what often happens in life/history is that "the simplest solution"usually is the result 1) gun port lid rope holes. There seems to be a debate between 1 rope vs 2 ropes for the gun port lids. It's curious that the 1977 box art clearly shows 1 rope, and yet the gun port lids in the kit have two tiny little rings engraved, indicating 2 ropes! The box art also shows the single rope hole in the plank directly above the gun port, while there are other pictures/models that show the rope(s) coming out of the hull higher up, in the plank above the first wale over the gun port (which is much closer to the ceiling of the deck above). I also think that I should put a tiny tube in the rope hole(s), ala what I see in HMS Victory photos, as I can't imagine that the rope(s) would be allowed to run back/forth over wood? 2) ladder railings. I can't imagine how I would clamber up the wooden steps while gripping a wooden railing that is completely affixed to the side of the hull along its entire length. I could only grip the railing with my thumb and index finger. If the railing stood away from the hull several inches, I could at least wrap my fingers around the back of the railing, which seems a lot simpler to me. I did see a photo of a beautiful 74 gun Fench model ship that simply had a rope coming down through the center of every step with no railing... that seems to me the simplest solution, as you could simply wrap both hands around the rope and rapidly clamber up the wooden ladder. I don't want to overthink - too much! - but I am curious as to what others think. I like the rope running through the steps concept, as that is so simple (perhaps not as simple to create on this kit, but I would be game)!

Another Heller Soleil Royal in 1/100 scale... but I started this 45 years ago as a freshman in high school. After 2 years, I had much of the hull assembled.. and then the model sat... I was too busy with sports and school, and then I went off to college in 1980. The hull sat as a "prison ship" in my parent's basement, and then my basement. Over the years, gun lids and other small parts fell off; I don't know why I never threw the model away. About a month ago, I somehow stumbled on this website and marveled at what people were doing with this kit! However, after not having done any modeling for 45 years, I decided that if I were to start with a new kit, I would start with the Heller HMS Victory. I told myself that HMS Victory would be my gift to me in the summer of 2024.... until one night last week, I took the Soleil Royal "hulk" down from storage. The thought occurred "what if??"... and I slowly manged to pull the poop deck free from the hull with no damage. Within two hours, I had broken the hull and the decks and - you name it - apart with basically no damage. Now what? I knew that I had to get the old enamal paint off, so a soft plastic brush and lengthy soakings in isopropyl alcohol got almost all of the paint off. In the last week, after studying what other people had done, I realized that I needed to create fenders, drill rope holes for gun port lids, etc. That's it... I devour the build logs of other people and realized the possibilties were practically endless. I am actually really excited - as if I feel like a kid again! The HMS Victory may have to wait a bit, as the Soleil Royal will help me develop some much needed skills.