BLACK VIKING

The more I fiddled with adding links to the chain, existing links began to fall apart one by one. Became so hassle-iferous, I resorted to the molded chain and sprockets. Moving on.
 

Hi
I have achieved my slightly absurd, self, challenge of planking the VM 26' foot launch without resorting to stealers, infill planks or any fillers. Strangely I get wood striping even though all of the planks came off the same sheet and were always orientating outwards on one side. It doesn't really matter but is odd and I can still elect to paint. The keel has some variant colours too - but that is also okay with me. Of course there are some air gaps and you couldn't float this boat but it isn't a bathtub toy! The shell is eggshell fragile and I have yet to sand inside. A tricky but very cool little kit. I did the last plank in three sections on both sides (it's the third one up from the keel) - it was a killer to fit. Otherwise all planks run full length. When I finish it, I'll get back to the main subject = Fly.
 
 

Have the 16 small cannons built to include 3 eyebolts in each for the haul tackles. Also the holes for the breeching rope. I have the breeching rope in each one tied up out of the way until I am ready to rig them to the bulwark eyebolts. My plan is to position the cannons hauled in so as to display more space between the out-hauler blocks. In the picture I have them dry fitted about where I think I will glue them. Curious and studying the possible position of the ring bolts in the deck that will except the in-hauler hook. Some areas are tight for available space. 

planinking of garboard is finished


 

Second last part, equipment 

That’ll do 

I find that working for myself is much better, I can streamline my projects. What I start, I can finish, rather than when being paid by someone else, having to put up with starting one project and half way through, asked to drop that and start something else. Rinse and repeat..
 
No plans for 48th scale for my main line of kits, very happy sticking with 64th.

The last time I used the stain I got it all over my fingers and the table. I marked the pieces and as soon as they were stained the marking disappeared. As I thought about it I could have left the parts in the wood, as the edges are not dressed much. That’s what I did for the D and E series cross members. With them still in the sheets it’s easy to find them and not get them mixed up. 
 
The last piece of section C is completed.
 
Fun note, making the next deck with planking isn’t mentioned. It shows a planked planned and infers to plank it. I wonder how many steps are like that… oh my. I could see this one clearly needs to be done. We shall see. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

I thought I drop a pick before the airshow today at Keesler.The LG assembly according to the instructions was poor without clear indications of the manner position said pieces.I found it necessary to build the A-arm on roof of WW and move out from there.The instructions had one build the whole LG outside the WW and position just did not happen I had to disassemble the first and start over being wrong.The engines are basic.The nacelles around the engines again poor instruction to locations via pics presented.I found it best to assemble everything to the lower wing,install engine/WW,assemble wing and build the upper Nacelle into place.I still needed filler but nothing major.The fit of the wing looks good thus far what you see Now is not glued.The LG final assembly was the high point of this area and to me very Nice and strong.

Alistair,  Your work is excellent and the build a pleasure to follow!
Just as an FYI, there are  high res plans of pinnaces, including single banked 28 foot pinnaces from 1793 and 1798 in the Wiki Commons site which are posted below if you want to modify the inboard works to be more like a pinnace.   FWIW there were probably only about 8 or 9 planks per side.  Not sure if that makes it easier or more difficult. The drawing of the launch below with a cross section shows 9. 
Allan
 

 


 

A few days away for my shipyard assistant to enjoy.

2984
Refreshed, and back at the bench. 
 
Post Twenty-five
 
Stern and Quarter Galleries
I now return to Section 165.
 
Here Chris has ticked all my boxes, realistically constructed Quarter galleries, and correctly levelled stern bench, incorporating the rudder housing with a nice compass design on the top.
Right up my Strasse and saving me a shed load of work.
 
Even so, getting the stern gallery, Upper and lower counters, and Quarter galleries all correctly aligned is one of the most important and tricky areas of a build.
 
 In gathering together the parts for the next steps, the following is noted for clarification.
Qtr Galleries.
Section 174 indicates use of parts #71/72, it should read 71/73. These represent the top of the Qtr gallery (#73) and one of two layers of part #71 which form the seat of ease.
Parts#72 are the bottom segments of the Qtr Gallery that slots into the hull.
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Test fitting the Qtr Galleries.

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Test fitting the Poop deck.
The test deck beams and deck pattern slipped seamlessly into place.

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There will ultimately be a lot less of Poop deck planking on my version.
 
The next stage is that tricky business of getting the stern gallery, and upper and lower counters aligned.

0891
I used a couple of 2mm pear strips to represent the capping rails which the top of the stern gallery should meet when fitted.

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I found I did need to shape the lower edge of the Upper counter to fully meet the upper edge of the Lower counter. I used the lower counter as a template to match the curves.

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The lower counter was soaked and formed around a tin before fitting.

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I was in no hurry to finish this section, these parts were pinned and re-pinned several times before I was satisfied that the stern area looked good from every angle.

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The planking line was then trimmed to suit.
On with the show.
 
B.E.
29/04/2023
 
 
 
 
 

Built my first yard -- the lower main yard -- and thought I'd offer a few comments:
 
1)  The plans show banding on the yards, but there is no indication there or in the manual what they are made of, so I used black thread.
 
2)  For the life of me, I can't figure out the mast rings supplied with the kit.  The inner diameters seem wrong, and the counts seem wrong.  So I have abandoned them and made my own for the stunsail booms out of wire.  It's all painted black at the end so it looks fine.
 
The finished yard (rigging blocks not yet installed) is shown below as well.
 
Regards,
David
 

Hi all,
 
Seems as if log had been "standing still".
That said the 40 LEDs have been installed - now just need to button things up. Next post will be when all is back together.
I will try to add a video that will show the really nice gentle flickering of the lights including the five lanterns. 
 
So appreciate your continued interest in this log.
 
Regards,
 

Ejector seats done and installed in the cockpit tub.  Thanks to Craig for blazing the trail in posts #47-#68, there appears to be subtle difference between the kit part and the 3D printed aftermarket part, but given how much they will be visible once enclosed in the fuselage, only we will know!
 
I decided to loop the long blue straps at the base of the seat and turn them into "leg garters" / "ankle restraints" as discussed in the tread when Craig was adding his.  Finished off with a coat of flat varnish to hide my C-A. glue seepages in places from under the straps!   Time to glue together the front section and get on with the rest of the fuselage, which looking at it won't take long.
 
Thanks for the likes and popping by. 😁

Ubjs, Those are handy but not what I was hoping for. Tbh, I was kind of hoping for a "rule of thumb", aka shrouds are usually large, buntlines are all small...etc.
 
Oren, the labels in there are for the statues. The deadeyes are fairly obvious in size, but the blocks themselves arent.
 
Thanks guys!

Nice idea for the sails. Who'd have thought it?
 
She's looking very good.

Since the scale is so small i was looking for a good substitute for the sails that used to be sold as extra for this model. Obviously out of stock so had to look elsewhere…
behold, the new sail stock…
 

 
 
feels a little… vaxy but takes glue and pencil. Stiff enough to hold the shape. Easy enough to work with. As its paper, all holes had to be reinforced with superglue and drilled with 0.6mm drill to take thread.

Everyone, i am back
the kit was dormant for some time, mothballed for the times i am in the mood again.
i dusted her, cleaned som spider webs and looked up the instructions.
i think i am getting the hang of all this sailmaking and hanging the spars whatnot.
appologies for quality of light but its 8pm here and as its winter time its dark outside.
 
 

Wow, They look great.

Coming soon!!  
 

 

The stern assembly
 
The intention is to achieve this

The plywood needs plastic surgery 😉

Glue the first part

second part

and the final last parts

The keel is adjusted.
And, it looks like on the drawing 👍

 
 

Cannon production line, lots to do.

There are still distress washes to apply and some touch-up to do, but things are progressing.
 
The upper stern balcony is finally rounding into form:



The balcony rail completes my circumference around the ship with a band of ultra-marine.  Maybe I will get to fixing this part in-place tonight.
 
There is still quite a lot of work to do with the head and the head grating, itself, but it is all finally coming together.  Yesterday, I made a new pair of seats-of-ease, which are sized according to the space available to them, and reflect the imperfect geometry of my custom head structures:


I have subsequently drilled the waste holes in these, but I wanted to tweak their fit to the model before I did so.  Here they are in their places:


Here is the forward grating terminus in-place and re-touched:

Can anyone spot my homage to modern seamanship and navigation, from starboard:

to port:

It’s a little subtle on this side, but don’t overthink it 😉
 
My greatest satisfaction rests in the fact that I created enough space below the headrails to craft reasonable headrail supports:


As I often say, this is all something of an imperfect approximation, but it is a significant upgrade over the stock kit.
 
As a bonus, John Ott has put together a highly informative info-graphic on the statuary and colors of the stern:

As always, thank you for your interest, your comments and likes, and for stopping by.
 
More to follow!

Sorry for the late response as I've had one heck of a year as I lost my mum last year and we have moved back to Kent to be near No1 son .
I have attached some pictures for you to look at to show what I have been up to. 
Thanks again for the comments and likes .
Martyn 

Work has fallen behind schedule. My 3d printer which I would use to print some upgraded parts is broken. The screen died already and had to order a new one. Meanwhile and while waiting for the part I did some wood work with a help of a friend so I made a frame for my picture in 70X100 cm