BLACK VIKING

This one I built in 2018 after I built the Eduard StripDown version (all the way down)

 
The last for now. Need some vacation
 
 
StripDown

Back to the brig Mercury after all this time!  A bit of progress over the past couple of weeks, with the second planking nearly half way done...

congratz EJ..........such a beautiful ship!   you've created a very ornate model.......looks really good with the sails     it's a masterpiece in itself!

Absolutely stunning m8 . I have watched this from the start and been blown away by this build . Well done my friend 
Martyn

Stunning build and a pleasure to watch come together. Well done my friend 
Martyn

Oblt Bruno Loetzer
OC, JG III

Ltn.d.r.  R. Geunter von Beuren

Absolutely stunning m8 . I have watched this from the start and been blown away by this build . Well done my friend 
Martyn

Absolutely stunning m8 . I have watched this from the start and been blown away by this build . Well done my friend 
Martyn

BRAVO, EJ!  She really looks superb.  This is a well-earned victory lap!

Well done sailor. Very, very well done.
 
Mort

It has been 3 years and 5 months, 2,225 man hours and Le Soleil Royal is complete. What a build this has been. First off let me thank you all for joining me on this project. The encouragement, and help along the way has been more valuable than I can say. There are plenty of things that I do not fully like on how they turned out, some may be replaced in the future, others I will try to improve upon on the next build. This one saw a lot of first time experiences for me with the carvings being done myself, sails and lighting. Only way to go is up from here! The last component that I will likely add in the future are the flags. I do not like the look of the ones that came in the kit, as they are really only printed on one side of the material. I am looking into having some different ones made, but that likely will not be able to happen until the coronavirus situation has passed. I will update if/when that happens. For now, here are some of the finished pictures, more will be posted in the gallery link below.
 
I am taking a few days to relax and enjoy the completed build as well as cleaning and reorganizing parts of the shipyard. Soon though, I will be returning to Royal Louis as she was set aside to finish S.R..

Chris, Tom, Michael, thank you all so very much.

The Scammell Pioneer SV2S Heavy Breakdown Tractor will be my next project. First, a little history behind the tractor (borrowed from Wikipedia) then some photos of the box and instruction sheets before beginning the build.
 
Designed as a 6×4 off-road vehicle for use in Britain's colonies where sealed roads were scarce, the Pioneer was first produced in 1927. Though lacking all-wheel drive, its combination of a suspension with great travel, excellent traction, and a low-revving engine gave it impressive pulling power on rough ground at low speeds.
Though not designed for military use, the British War Office purchased a single petrol engined example in 1932. Equipped as a tank transporter with a permanently coupled 18t semi-trailer, it was assigned to a training unit but did not initially catch on. Additional transporters were not purchased until 1937.
 
From 1936, the British Army began to receive Pioneer heavy recovery vehicles. The first 43 delivered were designated the Pioneer SV1S[1] and the Pioneer SV1T both with a 3-ton folding crane and lockers for recovery equipment and towing bars. Most of these early Pioneer recovery vehicles were lost with the BEF.
The Pioneer SV2S[2] had a simpler redesigned extending crane that provided greater lifting height. It was Introduced in 1938 and remained in production throughout the war, with a total of 1,975 built by the end of the war.
Among the Pioneer's equipment was a pair of tracks that could be fitted over the two rear wheels, converting it temporarily into a half-track and giving greater traction on soft ground.
The last Pioneer recovery vehicle was not retired from the British Army until the 1980s in Belize.
 

Well this will be it for about a week fellas wings have been locked in no glue required.The plane is sitting properly on the nose wheel but also notice one single tailplane is missing that is all it takes to make her a tail dragger Oh well that is an easy fix in the dio. I only have to add the bomb bay doors that antenna  and a few other pieces stuff you would  break off another 2hrs of work maybe. Ya'll keep safe out there  Kevin
 
The Beast!!

I have been incredibly busy of late with work and work we are out doing last years sales even with only two customers allow in at a time it becomes very hectic and now with new prodi-calls in place that complicate matters even more-so.I come home and I am wore out some days and we have lost two guys in the last week due to stress(one for sure) he looked at every customer that walked thru the door as a bio-hazard and we see alot.
 
So what I have accomplished is to get the gun barrels in place having to drill all the glass and tailgunner section to get the new barrels to go through these are after market parts and really look more the right size HK's were 1/2 the diameter of these methinks.I drilled two holes behind the copit for radio aerials installed metal tubes which run fro there to the tail.The other piece HK did not provide was aerials that go under the copit.I cut some some aluminum tubing then cut another piece that just slide over a collar lets say/stopping ring for depth into the fuse.The two pieces were squished in some flat non serrated pliers for about 5/8" and some left over PE attached(4/2 each bar) and elastic thread was glued in place that's why the draw now they are just in the holes.The wings are done I just need to tidy up the fuselage before I make that last commitment to lock them into play.
 
I have question guys   the canvas on the side mounts and the tailgunner what's your thoughts on color?even your experiences from Nam from AC-130 gunships may of had some? Kevin

Hi Keith. Thanks' for that, we are nearly neighbours I live in Macclesfield, Cheshire. I am hoping my camera battery comes tomorrow or Tues so I can do some pics. I have finished planking the hull, put the bulwarks on, along with the stern post, keel and stern keel. Just wished I had took more photos along the way. Anyway I am going to do some sanding today, tidy her up for the photo shoot lol🤣 Keep safe Martin.

Today works...

Hiya!
 
As all boxes have been populated with everything except the plans and instruction manual, which are arriving next Thursday, I have opened the Zulu, Lady Isabella for pre order, to be shipped on Friday 1st May and Monday 4th.
 
I will have to wait a little longer for the sail sets, as they are stuck in Russia, they are all ready and all paid for, but they cannot be shipped until lockdown is lifted.
 
https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/
 
Cheers,
 
Chris

Here are some pics of the Flirt Master Shipwright boxwood 1 and 1.5mm being laser cut.
For the 100x500mm sheets, I usually laser cut four at a time, but boxwood is much more expensive, so am doing one at a time to ensure they are set up correctly for each sheet.  A lot more time consuming, but I know the sheets will be good.

Continuing on:
 
After ordering some more of Woodland Scenic;'s trees and snow I was able to continue on, test fitting the soldiers and tank and trees before gluing them in place.
 

 
And now the FINISHED model and diorama. 
 

 


Thanks for following along.

And, they are in place:

All eight of the upper stanchions are made and installed:

The upper rail is made and ready to install:

It will be installed after the stanchions are painted and touch ups to the lower rail are done (probably tomorrow).
 

Most of my time the last few weeks has gone to installing a new laptop.
The old laptop hadn't survived a fatal upgrade to windows 10.
And considering I'm no IT specialist , complete installation of the new laptop takes a while ...
 
Building the staghorns
The staghors were first completed and then glued on the model.
 
In total there are 10
4 at the waist
4 on the half deck
2 at the fore castle (to be placed later)
The places where they are provided are based on these drawings.

Building staghorns

first glued on a plank

after drying cut loose

Meanwhile, the construction of 2 pumps has started.
Again many questions. On which deck, how much and where do I place them.
 
Which deck?  The deck below this deck is expected to drain  water to the hold. Therefore, the pumps are on this deck at the waist / rear castle.
How much ?   Probably 1 or 2. Because we anticipate a long unknown journey. This Pelican gets 2.
Where? Normally behind the main mast close to the center of the deck.
 
The pumpshafts should be (visible) on the lower deck. 
But to be able to drill holes , I will have to remove part of the deck from the rear castle (small construction error ).
These pumps will be glued to the deck later. If I place them now, they'll get in the way of the knighthead and I'll get in trouble later.

Thanks for following, comments and likes