uss frolick

The anchors have been made and mounted. That leaves only the lantern  ( I've pretty much decided not to do another boat).
 
The anchors and their stocks were all made from boxwood strip, with the anchors painted black and the stocks finished with Wipe-on Poly. The bands on the stocks are black painted paper. The bouys were shaped  from walnut dowel. 
 
I found a Caldercraft lantern that hopefully will be suitable, and I am awaiting it's arrival from Cornwall Model Boats. 
 
Bob

Volume 5 is in two parts (ie 6 books altogether) and deals mainly with rigging and the ship's boats. The ship's history is contained in Vol 1.

Stu and all that are building Essex,
There is an amazing book available, I have this one in my library.
The book belongs to the series of "Anatomy of the Ship - The 32 Gun Frigate Essex"
Author is Portia Takakjian.
I found this book at Amazon at a price of 12 dollars plus 4 dollar for shipping and handling.
Maybe a book to solve a lot of the mysteries around the kit or even better  - to do from scratch.
Some of the drawings are in scale - some in perspective (no scale)
I.e explaining spar plan, oversized scaled plan of the capstan  - 1:24 scale with all details.
Even a line plan and structural arrangement along with frames is provided for the 30' barge she carried.
I am not considering buying the Essex kit, as I have the Confederacy waiting.

A simple question, but with a complicated answer. Might I suggest reading either C.N. Longridge's Anatomy of Nelson's Ships or David Antscherl's The Fireship Comet? Both discuss the construction of the quarter galleries in some detail.

Hello James
 
A very good observation on your part!
 
The shot garlands/racks pose an interesting dilemma.  The Revell 1/96 Constitution makes no allowance for shot storage so we are left to our own inclinations...  The Hull model in the PEM does not show them at all and that probably led to the absence on the Revell kit.  As you point out, Larry Arnot and Cdr. Tyrone Martin apparently invested much research into the Bluejacket kit and they suggest shot racks between all the guns but not around the hatches.  

I would think, however, that shot storage around the hatches would be a standard approach in 1812.  Certainly many period models would show these included.  But is there more justification?

Here is my reasoning... Old Ironsides pounded HMS Guerriere to kindling in only 30 minutes.  Evidence very strongly suggests that part of the reason was that the American gun crews fired TWO round shot on EVERY discharge during the battle.  The data suggests that each gun shot @10 times in 30 minutes. That is a lot of cannon balls to have to haul up the companionways. Common sense would suggest that the crew pre-positioned most of that in shot racks before the shooting began - and they'd need plenty of storage.  I suspect that there was storage around the hatches AND in between each gun - at least on the main gun deck.  This would seem to be supported by the c1820 gun deck plan of USS United States made by Charles Ware which shows both storage options in place:



 
Using this deck plan as guidance, I intend to include shot racks in between the 24 pdr guns on my model in addition to what you already see around the hatches.

The spar deck is another matter... I will include shot storage around the hatches on that deck as well, but NOT include shot racks between the carronades.  Despite the guidance from the Bluejacket manual and other representations (Gilkerson’s painting in the Gillmer “Old Ironsides...” book), I just don’t think that was a practical solution.  Many of those guns have pin rails in between them and the necessary cordage dangling down would likely be in the way... The same deck plans of USS United States offer a solution.  Here is the spar deck:


 
This clearly shows that the carronades would have a tray of round shot close at hand for battle as well as shot stored around the hatches.  There is also another clue that helps me justify my approach.  If you were a famous personage back in that era, the most flattering compliment would be to have your portrait painted by an accomplished artist.  This was a very expensive thing to do back in those days - often many thousands of dollars in an age when a good sailor made 10 bucks a month.  The important businessmen in the City of New York commonly took up a subscription to pay for a commissioned work of military heroes after a great victory.  They gradually built up a significant "Hall of Fame" collection in city hall.  Here is the one done for Commodore William Bainbridge following his victory over HMS Java (still in the collection of the city of New York http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/portrait/portrait.shtml):



We see the talented artist captured the Commodore’s famous arrogance and pomposity.  He has also captured something else - look at the shot tray under Bainbridge’s boot.  This is the approach I’ll take for the spar deck.  (We’ll come back to this painting when it comes time for the carronades).

I don’t mean to overly sway everyone in my direction. Unlike Cdr Tyrone Martin and others, I’m not an historian or professional researcher... Folks have to go with what works for them and this approach just feels right to me.

Thanks for enduring a brain dump.

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Fantasy Entry we would all like to see:
 
"No. of windows in the sterne of ye humble Friggate Constitution: Six. Any fewer would be vainglorious buffoonery - sheer madness. This is so patently obvious I shall not even bother to sketch them in any of the draughts."

Not yet out - according to the good folks at Amazon due out in August 2015.
 
French Warships in the Age of Sail 1786 - 1862: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates Hardcover – August 30, 2015
 
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing (August 30, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1848322046
ISBN-13: 978-1848322042
Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 1.3 x 11.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
 
 

Le Centaur looks a lot like Jean Boudroit's Bon Homme Richard, even down to the lion figurehead. I really enjoyed your BHR build! But are you sure that won't get bored, covering much of the the same ground again?

Le Centaur looks a lot like Jean Boudroit's Bon Homme Richard, even down to the lion figurehead. I really enjoyed your BHR build! But are you sure that won't get bored, covering much of the the same ground again?

Current state of the build with more sanding to come.

If you are referring to the Vancouver expedition, Discovery was as depicted here (From the RMG collection). She was similar to a naval sixth rate, but with a merchant ship body. (The cross-section would have been fuller and the bow much bluffer.) If you aren't too fussy, I suppose a kit of Fly, a Swan class ship might be adapted to resemble her.
 
(For those interested, the drawing shows ventilation scuttles on the lower deck: a detail usually omitted from official draughts.)

Numbers?  OK, guess that comment went over my head...
 
Ships' Cat Augie, I can report the shaping task using the grinder came off fine.  What would've took me an hour by hand took at most 10 minutes.
Love me some power tools....  (insert Tim Allen grunt here)

Bad cop! No donut!

Bad cop! No donut!

Bad cop! No donut!

I appreciate many of the comments made and all have validity. Having said that I think I will stick with my original query/statement when building my Bounty. Kit bashing is when you get so frustrated or fed up with the kit that you take a hammer or similar object and 'bash' the kit !!!

This one has been tough to get a hold of on the used book market, so glad to see it re-released!
 
The Whaleboat: A Study of Design, Construction and Use From 1850 to 2014 is back in print, and updated by author Willits Ansel’s son, Walter, and Walter’s daughter, Evelyn.
 
The revised edition of The Whaleboat is the definitive source for information on this important workboat type. Written by former Mystic Seaport shipwright Will Ansel, its 147 pages include drawings and specifications of five common whaleboat rigs, as well as whaleboat line drawings and construction drawings.
 
The 2014 edition of the book includes an Acknowledgment written by son Walter Ansel and an Afterword written by granddaughter Evelyn Ansel.
 
8" x 9", 176 pages, 152 illustrations and 8 foldout plans, paperback
 
Cost is $24.95 plus shipping, available via the Mystic Seaport Museum on-line store at https://store.mysticseaport.org/the-whaleboat-a-study-of-design-construction-and-use-from-1850-to-2014.html
 
 

Dana M. Wegner (Museum Standards and Ship Models: The Influence of Professionalism. Nautical Research Journal, Vol. 39, Everett, 1994. pp 44-49, ill.) 
 
In the journal entry referenced above, Mr. Wegner reports that the standards used by the U. S. Navy and Smithsonian have been relatively unchanged since 1945.
 
From the the Curator of Navy Ship Models, U.S. Department of the Navy Ship Model Program
 
PART 1: Durability of Materials
 
As part of the permanent collection of the Department of the Navy, it is reasonable to expect a new ship model to last one hundred years before deterioration is visible. Therefore, resistance of models and parts to the actions of temperature, humidity, and light is essential. Extreme care must be given to select materials which are known to be compatible and will not, in time, interact chemically.
 
Although only a few materials are prohibited in "Specifications for Construction of Exhibition Models of U.S Naval Vessels," some recently developed model-building materials and techniques should be avoided until sufficient time has passed to properly evaluate their longevity. Though some of these recently introduced materials may ultimately test superior to more traditional techniques, substances of unproven longevity should not be employed in models built under these specifications. It is advised that fiberglass resins, styrene, expanding foams, casting resins, and cyanoacrylate glues be avoided when other materials can possibly be used.
 
Workmanship
 
Workmanship shall be in accordance, in every respect, with the best model-building practices. Hulls shall be smooth, fair, and symmetrical; without blemishes, sap pockets, or tool marks, and shall be scraped and sand-papered to smooth surface. Machined parts shall bear no tool marks. Castings shall bear no visible mold marks. In no case shall glue alone be deemed sufficient to hold deck houses, fittings, or other appurtenances in place. Mechanical fastenings such as screws and pins shall be used in addition to adhesives.

Range
 
Models shall be museum quality and shall consist of the whole exterior of the vessel from keel and appendages to the top of the highest antenna or fitting, and shall include interiors of such enclosures, conning stations, deck house topside stations, gun and missile stations, hangars and bays as are accessible to weather without opening watertight doors or ports. Generally, all items on the prototype twelve inches or larger for 1:96 scale (six inches or larger for 1:48 scale) will be reproduced.
 
Rigging. Running and standing rigging and cable antennas shall be represented. Windlasses shall be wound with appropriate cable or line.
 
Ports and Windows. Large windows shall be indicated on the model by clear acrylic plastic. Ports shall be transparent, and shall have a hole bored behind them to give an appearance of depth.
Gun Turrets. Gun turrets shall have the openings in face plates required for elevation of the guns. Where required, gun shrouds shall be represented.
 
Aircraft and Vehicles. Where appropriate for the mission of the actual vessel, and visible on the model, scale aircraft or vehicles will be provided. Landing pads shall be provided with at least one representative scale aircraft.
 
Small Boats. Small boats shall be mounted on davits or otherwise as actually carried and shall show all details, motors, and equipment twelve inches or larger in actual size. If represented with weather covers, gripes and all fastenings visible are to be shown. Landing craft and whale boats shall be without covers and shall show all exposed details and equipment.
 
Special Features. Special functional features peculiar to the vessel (for example: stern doors, towing devices, special antennas, fire fighting gear, etc.) shall be shown.
 
PART 2: Durability of Materials
 
Rigging
 
Layed rope shall be represented with first-quality, twisted, linen line. Wire cable will be used to represent wire cable. Wire will be used to represent wire. Care shall be given to insure the proper color of all rigging. Knots and seizings may be secured with thinned white glue.

Flags
 
Flags shall be such material that a natural appearance as in a calm is achieved.

Deck Covering
 
Deck covering shall be represented as installed on the vessel, including safety treads and nonskid areas. Decks which are bright shall show planking, seams, scarfs, butts, and miters, and shall be rubbed to a dull finish. Paper shall not be used to represent deck coverings.

Hull
 
Hulls shall be built up in lifts of clear, first-grade mahogany or basswood; doweled and glued together with water-resistant glue. The wood shall be completely free of knots, checks, and sap pockets and shall be thoroughly seasoned. Models over 12 inches beam must be hollowed for reduction of weight The hull shall be composed of the least number of parts necessary to achieve the proper shape. An excessive number of glue joints shall be avoided. On models less than 12 inches beam, hull lifts shall be cut to the full body shape: lifts shall not be cut in halves, thereby creating a glue seam along the vertical centerline of the model. The lifts shall conform accurately to lines of the vessel as shown by the plans. A stable, durable, flexible body putty may be used in moderation to fill gaps.
 
Hull Inspection
Prior to applying any sealer or primer to the hull, the hull shall, at the builder's expense, be crated and sent to the Curator of Models, Code 301, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, West Bethesda, Maryland 20817-5700 for inspection and testing.
 
The Curator of Models will inspect the hull for wood-type, grain, seasoning, putty, glue-type, checks, excessive glue joints, and conformity to plans. Samples of wood, glue, and glued pieces may also be required for destructive tests. The Curator of Models shall return the hull, collect freight, as certification of compliance.

Hull Fittings
 
Propeller shafts, struts, bearings, bilge keels, etc. will be made from brass, aluminum, or stainless steel.
 
Propellers
 
Propellers should be cast in bronze. If another material is used it shall first be copper plated and then brass plated. Plastic propellers are not permitted.

Ship Fittings
 
Fittings and accessories shall be of metal or other suitable material which will permanently hold its shape and will not deteriorate from temperature, humidity, light or chemical reaction with other parts, paint, or the atmosphere. Lead or lead-bearing compounds are not suitable for any component. No ferrous materials shall be used.
 
Masts, Antenna Masts, Yardarms, etc.
All masts, antenna masts, shafts, yardarms, booms, etc. less than 3/16" diameter shall be metal.

Solder
 
All solder points shall be silver soldered wherever possible.
 
PART 3: Paint
 
General Requirements
 
Painting of models shall receive careful attention. Special care shall be given to select compatible paints that demonstrate the best resistance to color changes, cracking, peeling, and fluctuations in temperature and humidity. All parts of the model shall have a surface treatment representing the appearance of the actual vessel if reduced in scale. The Curator of Models, NSWCCD, may provide paint chips upon request. In all cases, the models shall be spray painted with opaque lacquer. Paint shall be applied thinly and evenly so that fine detail will not be obliterated. The use of metallic paints such as silver or gold is discouraged. The use of white enamel or natural varnish is not permitted. See also "Schedule of Materials."

Painted Wood
 
Wooden parts shall be sufficiently filled, sealed, and primed so that when rubbed down, the wood grain is not visible.

Painted Metal
 
Metal parts shall be well-cleaned and then primed before painting.

Stripes and Markings
 
Hull numbers, ship's names, flight deck and draft markings, as well as any other prominent signage, shall be carefully applied in paint. Tape, paper, or decals are not permitted.
 
PART 4: Inspection
 
Beyond the hull inspection required in section 2.4.1, the model may be inspected by the Curator of Models or his designate during construction and upon completion at the contractor's plant.
 
PART 5: Delivery
 
 
Schedule of Materials
 
The contractor shall provide, at the time of delivery of the model, a schedule of materials and brand-name products employed in the construction of the model. The schedule of materials will be added to the historical file retained for each model.
 
Sample Schedule of Materials.The schedule of materials written in tabular form by the contractor should include, but is not limited to, the following data: A. Type of wood used for hull. B. Type of wood filler used. Include brand name. C. Type of primer used. Include brand name. D. All paints used. Include brand name and color designation. E. All glues used. Include brand and areas where employed. F. Any other significant materials. Include clear sprays, stains, waxes, and the types and application areas of any sheet, cast, foam, or resinous plastics (if any).

Transportation
 
The contractor shall be responsible for delivery of the model and exhibition case in good condition to the location designated in the contract.

Deviations
 
Desired deviations, if any, from these specifications will be enumerated on a case-by-case basis through the normal contract process.
 
Reprinted from http://www.navsea.navy.mil

The remains of the USS Cumberland is still at Hampton Roads, lying one hundred yards from the CSS Florida wreck. There is reportedly a charred  frigate hull buried in the Potomac muck at the site of the old Washington Navy Yard: Contenders are USS Boston, USS New York, or USS General Greene which were burned to prevent capture by the British in 1814. The brackish water fortunately prevents the wooden hulls' destruction by the Toredo Worm.