Old Collingwood

Lovely work - a really nice looking replica. OC.

Just a quick update on my next move on this - I am still working on the figures that can be placed on the dio sections done, so that will be my Two Laife Guards they still need painting and weathering before being cut away and glued down on the roadway near to the Two 95th Rifles, then I really need to think about doing some more scenery as there is the back end that needs my grass - some headge near the cottage garden and groundworks in the garden (grass - soil beds). So still quite a bit to do yet (I also think it needs more French as there was loads in real life) these I need to get as I have used what I have. OC.

Yep that will do nicely Craig - really impressive. OC.

Just to add another angle - I think I sanded and shaped by bulkheads to run flush with the deck - but we all tackle the same situation from a different way. OC.

The general way to do it is to glue the hull planking onto the face of the frames after they have been faired to take off the hard edges especially towards the bow and stern, if you dont do this the planks will not follow a smooth line where they need to bend up and around to the bow and stern. OC.

Agreed mate - think I started from the deck level as well, was trying to express the need to plank the hull from the deck level up to the top of the frames before planking the deck. OC.

Do you mean my rows of first hull planking? I sat the hull planking on top of the frames but to help secure the planks at the bow I did cut a slight groove into the head, but as long as you achieve a good curvature by soaking the planks in hot water (or even using a plank bending tool) then you might not need to put a grove in the head. OC.

I faired the frames first then starting from the poop deck I started fittting the first planking keeping them level with the tops of the frames, I continued from the stern to the bow, working both sides then i worked my way down till my planks where just below the level of the main deck, then I cut the frames from the inside at the same height as the deck before planking it. OC.

Follow the line and tops of the frames first, if there is a slight gap between the sub deck and the line of outer planks - it wont matter as your deck planks will cover that, you need to remove the frames level with the sub deck to get the correct inner beam, I have seen some builders leave the frames in place and plank the inside walls attaching the planks to the frames making the inner width from wall to wall to narrow. OC.

I built up the outer planking first after fairing the bulkheads (to get a nice smooth natural line of planks) you could do this starting from the top from the Poop deck Frames and work down till you are just below the main deck height. Then you could cut the inner frame flat with the deck and plank the deck from the planks both sides (not forgetting you will need some inner wall planks to go on) that would save you trying to fit the deck planks around the bulkhead frames that would still need cutting back to your outer planking. Hope that helps. OC.

Superb finish on that - love it. OC.

Very nice work. OC.

Thank you kindly Ken, yep its good being back on my dio, although the pet who died was not ours as such (but used to be) we used to babysit her a lot through the year - so she was preatty close to us. OC.

Thank you kindly. OC.

Thank you kindly Alan, yep the idea for the Two 95th rifles is - as they where firing from the sand pit facing the road and the ridge above it, Two of them placed them selves against the wall to get a better shot. OC.

Thank you kidly Mark, yep I'm pleased with how the dio is going. The little dogs death was a shock happened so quick. OC.

Thank you Kevin. OC.

Very interesting project. OC.

Evening all, a few more pics slightly delayed because we had some bad news regarding a pet we have had spells of baysitting her - she died on Wednesday after a short illness. Anyway - I have fitted the Two 95th Rifles loitering along the wall, and a few more regulars and also Colonel Claude Charlet has been placed on the road directing his troups (pic was poor due to low light and back light from the door window. OC.

Its an excellent kit of high quality - you should have a good time building her. OC.

Thank you do much Alan, yes I found using some heat from a hairdryer made it possible to bend the figures to get some different poses - like bending backwwards or on the knees. OC.

Thanks for that Andy - interesting. OC.

Thats my job, when my admiral speaks to me while I have my optovisor on - having to lift them to see her. OC.

Thank you kindly, alas the smoke is off the table. OC.

Just a small itinerary of what I have left to do (unless I add other figures latter should I decide to increase numbers) - Place the rest of my 54th - 55th ligne and any injured and dead figures I have and can create. Place Colonel Claude Charlet on the roadside. Create a few trees in the Orchard. Finish off painting - weathering my Two Lifeguards then place them on the roadside. Create Two 95th Rifles to go against the wall on the roadside at the extreme Right end. Work on my kitchen gardens hedge then put it in place. Work on the section of grass and dirt on the back section of the dio. Place my Four Cuirassiers on the other side of the hedge on the dirt - grass I have just fitted. Place my pile of French dead near the rear barn door. Work on the small area of kitchen garden including some grass and soil beds. Place my small group of Luneburg battalion in the garden area. Place my 5th KGL Line injured in the garden area. Work on loose odds and ends - loose helmets - Rifles - backpacks etc. Adding any other figures I can make up out of my stash. Add some more dirtying up in areas, and work on some water in puddles or ruts by dirtying them up first. So still a fair bit of work to go. OC.