flyer

The standing rigging on the main mast was now finished.

Amati’s 2,5 mm deadeye with a single hole seemed worth a try as wooden thimbles. They look ok.

The bosun is happy about the new thimbles.

Installing the crowfoot on the main top I saw that I had made 2 mistakes on the mizzen: First I took the wrong (0,2) thread and for the euphroe block I only took one photo etched part while you better use the two identical parts together, glued back on back. I will have to rig the mizzen crowfoot again.

Main top with finished standing rigging

Ascending to the main top

Main topmast trestletrees

Foot of the foremast with topmast stay and preventer stay

Hi Michael

You are overdoing the compliments a bit (but I like it). :blush:  :blush:

I’ve heard of that other place in Hamburg from a friend, but only about the model railroad, not that airport. Amazing is the word!

Cheers

Peter

Now the work on the main topgallant mast could continue.

The shrouds were a straightforward job (no ratlines!!!!!).

The size of the backstays had to be corrected. Again they should be made of the same rope as the stay. The lower ends however presented a problem.

According to the plan and James Lees a thimble should be used. As such parts are not provided with the kit I used a small dead eye on the backstay of the mizzen topmast but this looks somewhat oversized. Now I tried to simulate it with just an eye split. But this looks wrong as well. Therefore I ordered the smallest thimbles available from cornwallmodellboats and will have a try.

While waiting for them I started fixing the spare spars with some hidden nails in preparation for placing the ships boats. Those will be Caldercrafts 24’ cutter and 19’ launch.

Work on main topgallant mast has been stopped after the first backstay

Unsatisfactory lower backstay end with spliced eye

Mizzen topmast backstay with rather large deadeye

Spare spars in place and shells of boats placed provisionally

Thank you Mobbsie 

Hi Mobbsie

Not only the copper shines, but also your workmanship.

And reworking the rudder is a very good point, almost always neglected in kits instructions (and promptly forgotten on my build).

Take care

Peter

Hi Michael

Yes, LX lets me drive their A330 and 340’s. And of course our company offers the best seat of any star alliance members in any class.

A good thing with my job is that you are occasionally able to visit ships and museums all over the world (Stockholm, Greenwich, San Francisco, San Diego, Boston, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris…) while working and get actually paid for it.

One of the bad things is of course an ATC on strike. Actually they claim to work normally. Although there are some places over here where it makes hardly any difference if they are on strike or not (no, I didn’t mention Spain).  Those 2000 hours, did you log them on small aircraft or did you spend some working time on airliners?

And there really is of course also a button in my office which I push to get another drink, but just coffee, and, oh, there are some more...

And one big benefit is of course the view from my office window if the time is right. I guess you know that harbour...

Take care

Peter

Hi Timmo

Thank you, but isn’t brilliant a bit shiny?

Hi Aldo

Thanks, but no, I’d rather not.

Hi Frank

Thanks mate, but I’m a bit unsure – considering the way you make your ship appear - if ‘looks like new’, coming from you, really is a compliment.

Take care

Peter

Thank you, B.E.

By hindsight it actually was fun.  

Peter

Hi Chris

Your Victory looks a truly wonderful ship.

However her size could somehow reach a ‘critical mass’ in the eyes of the admiralty when discussing where to berth the finished model.

Therefore a smaller model of a heavy frigate would probably fit better in many a household. Although Shannon is somehow similar to Diana there are still quite a few points in her favor besides those already mentioned: Not only has she British and American connections but also French – her lines seem based on those of the captured French frigate Hebe. http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=14775.0

And the fact that she was also mentioned in Patrick O’Brian’s books won’t really reduce her chances for a commercial success.

Perhaps a kit variant to build Hebe would also be possible (albeit I have no idea of their relative sizes).

I only hope that you find somebody to produce the kits for all your splendid models. There is still Bellona and didn’t you also build a Cutty Sark?

Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Peter

The New topmast could be set up using the existing rope work. Initially the top cap was left off so the shrouds and stays could slip over the new mast. Then they were set up with the old deadeyes and new lanyards. Only one ratline broke and had to be retied. Now it’s better than new and it was an interesting piece of work.

The captain checks the new topmast from the main top

Backstays are in place again

A last critical gaze from the captain – all is well

Hi Mobbsie

According to the web he was probably an American aerospace engineer, Major Edward A. Murphy Jr.

But whatever he was, I’m really glad it seems he was not associated with the development of the Swiss army knife. A point for us Swiss.

Hi Martin

Yes, it’s finished now and it really was an interesting little project. Fortunately only one ratline had to be retied.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Chris

Thanks for the compliments.

Haunted by those pillars…what a blood-curdling thought…

No, seriously, it’s much easier than I thought to make a replacement yourself and to patch up that little mistake.

Of course there are some small possibilities for improvement in that kit, such as providing square strips (of sufficient size) for upper masts and yards or the question of the size of the mizzen top investigated by Blue Ensign, but…

This is still the most wonderful kit I have been building , classes better than those from Corel or Mamoli (they are quite good) and  rivaled only by Caldercrafts  Granado (perhaps you happen to know the designer of that kit??!).

Perfection is unaffordable – I really appreciate that you continue striving for it.

Thank you                                                                                                                                                                

Peter

Hi Andy

Yes, if the beast throws you off, you have to go back into the saddle again as fast as possible. I guess that’s also true for flying horses.

Cheers

Peter

The broken topmast and its cap were dismantled. I left the Shrouds etc. fixed to their dead eyes but I will have to set them up again with new lanyards. At least it shall be possible to keep the ratlines and the deadeyes.

The new mizzen topmast and a new cap are ready to replace the broken parts.

I decided against making an all new mizzen top from scratch – I’ve got a lot of extra work already and am too lazy to double or triple it

The captain musters the new topmast and cap

The mizzen top ready for a new topmast

The new parts provisionally in place

.

Hi ZyXuz

Thank you for that valuable hint.

 In fact I tried something similar during the first repair. But because I left all the shrouds and the stays in place I was only able to insert a perhaps 1cm long piece of wire into the mast. I gave not enough strength and broke again. Hence the replacement with an all new topmast.

Otherwise I’m sure that your method could save many a broken spar.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Mobbsie

Slowly but steady. Pictures will follow. And that Mr. Murphy...a British subject, isn't he? Tut-tut!

Hi B.E.

Thanks.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Mobbsie

It seems that coppering wasn’t following one simple set of rules. There are some examples as the famous model of HMS Bellona or you could watch the actual coppering on USS Constitution – which are of course following different rules.

The Gore Line is a line where the pattern of the courses of the copper changes. It may be or may not be necessary to introduce some.

On my so far only example of a coppered hull (Pegasus, of course) I tried to follow those two examples and the instructions in Edwin B. Leaf’s ‘Ship modeling from scratch’.

There he says:

The top of the copper is usually about one foot above the load waterline, so the first step is to establish the top of the copper, even though you’ll actually be starting at the bottom when you apply the plates.

…

Establish the pattern for the coppering which is influenced by the shape of the hull. The courses of the copper do not follow the lines of the planking. You don’t have to line out every row, just the general flow and the gore lines(…).Because of the curvature of the hull successive parallel courses of plates would result in the ends of the courses curving up radically toward the ends.

…

Since the upper plates overlap the lower ones, and the forward plates overlap the after plates, start attaching the plates to the hull at the keel and sternpost. … Note also that the first row on each side of the keel slightly overlaps the keel or sternpost. …

So far, so good but still I really didn’t know how to establish the gore lines before the coppering.

In the end, I did mark the upper line of the copper and simply started coppering the way he tells us - bottom and aft.

Whenever I felt it necessary I put in some ‘stealers’ at the stern.

In the process of coppering upwards I actually never felt a gore line was necessary so I just continued upwards. Of course I worked alternating on both sides to keep symmetry.

The waterline was coppered with two lines of horizontal plates, the way it’s shown in the book. On USS Constitution there is one horizontal line of plates. Of course you could continue the normal pattern, cut the plates along the water line and cover the cut edges with a small batten – Bellona style.

Phew…I hope this helps!

Cheerio

Peter

Hi Timmo

A great looking Granado on the make! I like the alterations you made.

The Granado kit is for me still a turning point in our hobby. Never before did I see a kit of this quality with such good instructions. There is still room for improvements but just ‘out of the box’ the ship is still a splendid build of a fine looking vessel.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Spy

Thank you for the great pictures and for making me aware of a special place. The existence of that harbor and the fleet of sailing ships was news to me. Now there is a new location on my to-visit-list.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Frank

Yes I was thinking about your solution as well but after the first failed repair I opted for the hard way and am making a whole new topmast. I’m glad you did more stable work on your fore mast.

Hi Mobbsie

Thank you, I’m hanging in but still think it was rather superfluous of Mr. Murphy to prove his law once again.

Hi Martin

Well, now I’ve done it, I hope Mr. Murphy will be satisfied and we all will now have some peace from him for some time.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Spy

Sure I’m interested and very much so. And I dare say quite a few more as well.

On Granado I tried the fully furled version shown here on the lower yards because that way I felt justified to leave off much of the smaller rope work like leech lines, bunt lines or reef tackles. For that kind of furling on those upper yards you’ll need at least also the buntlines.

The sail bulge on my yards is really still too large. I did use the finest cotton available but the full sail area. Next time I will try to reduce it by one third and adapt the shape of the sail accordingly.

Take care

Peter

Hi Mike

Thank you for your sympathy.

Actually the mast broke twice. First at the point where the hole for the tie for the upper yard  was – unfortunately I drilled it into the smallest part of the mast and it was perhaps a little too large.

The second time it broke again after trying to repair it with epoxy glue and a stabilizing brass wire in the center (centre?) of the mast.

Fortunately our cat is about a hundred years old, only sleeps and eats and walks slowly from and to the respective places – little feline danger for my ships.

Cheers

Peter

Oh, I don’t believe in flying horses…

Hi Andy

Taking the ship out into bright sunshine is the ultimate test for colors, details etc.

You pass that test with flying colors, so to speak.

Cheers

Peter

Hi Mobbsie

Get well fast!

Grant’s idea is nice although I think that we anyway leave enough of our DNA on our models in the form of 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'.

Take care

Take a little more care

Peter