Beef Wellington

I'm struggling as well with the extension of Hamilton's question but found the following. Looking at Darcy Levers "Young sea officers sheet anchor" it implies that there is only one deadeye per collar and hence two collars, but that in the merchant service it is common to have 2 deadeyes on the same collar. The kit plans I'm looking at are no help at all.

Nice Kevin, I'm curious, do you need to cut away parts of the plastic to install the PE parts. Oh, and by the way, yes, your build log is a mess Of course I have no suggestions on how to do it better as the plastic kits don't really need to follow the same rigid approach as the wooden ones. Keep it up, I've never seen a kit modified with PE being built.

That's looks great Stergios, makes a big difference to the look of the ship doesn't it! The loops are pretty strong without any bonding, and even if there is a small gap they are pretty well hidden if you put them at the back like you've done. Something I found helpful (I took the exact same approach as you with the nails to bend the loops) was to add a number of nails in a circular pattern each with a slightly different distance from the center - that way you can measure the gap and then make a loop of correct size quite quickly.

Would 'scratching' the bore of a cast iron cannon with a likely 'softer' wormer really be that much of a concern given all the other multitude of variables? A cannon is about as low tech as it gets and other variables would likely have a much greater impact on accuracy (shot variations, wind, powder inconsistencies, small changes in the time taken to ignite the charge and the roll of the ship etc. etc. etc.)

Correct Stergios, although its 107 and 108 (there are long and short versions). From memory, I think it was 24 gauge wire, I'd estimate it to be about 0.5mm but I don't have a very accurate way to measure.

HMAS Stuart?

Hi Sjors, you are a very bad man tempting me like that . Aggie is definitely on my list (the top right now) but I'm forcing myself to wait and see how I feel when the Snake is completed. I'm not sure how long it will be before I'm done, but if you are just starting your Aggie then it would be fun to build alongside one another. But I hope you wouldn't be waiting for me, that would be too much pressure

Hi Stergios, hope I can answer your question. The chainplate brackets (part 111) were positioned first and the holes drilled along the position lines marked on the wale. The thin end needs to go at the top, as the hole on the chainplate links (part 109) is also half thickness, the pin goes through both of these. Once pins installed (without glue) the chainplate link can then be bent to the correct angle and the length on the chainplate loops estimated. The chainplate loops were the only pieces custom made. Once the loop has been made, the chains can be assembled, and then placed on the ship for final gluing of the pins.

Very tricky photo - shot across the bows.... Ark Royal?

Robert - your Mars is spectacular, there is no way I could do what you have achieved. You are taking a no compromise approach which I can only aspire to. Mobbsie, Sjors - you are being far too kind, its only with the help of people like you on this site that I've got as far as I have. I hope my pictures are not too boring! The Aggie continues to call me but I'm resisting so far until this is completed and I have to make a final decision. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew!

Jan, I'll give it to you. HMCS Niobe was member of the Diadem class of protected cruiser, and its pretty tricky I think to get the exact ships. However, the ship in question was in fact HMS Argonaut, although from photos a lot of them look very similar. Don't think there is much fun having you move through the ships in the class. Over to you Jan.

Thanks for the fast reply Alistair, round is easier so that's what it'll be. Not that I need to worry about this just yet.

Not HMS Terrible Nigel, nor indeed any of the Powerful class....but you're getting close, there are similarities.

Not USS Pennsylvania...too early for other clues just yet

Thanks a lot Mike! Continued slow progress on the lower masts. Nothing new here, but given that this was the first time I'd done this, I wanted to post the pictures that I wish I could have seen before starting. Marked the template of the cheeks onto the dowel Using a hand file, reduced the marked area so it was flat Cheeks glued in place. Before these were glued, the top of the cheek was angled to account for the slope of the mast and the fact that the top should sit parallel to the waterline. Also sanded the cheeks a bit so that the mast is more uniform in width from base to top. After some finishing and a coat of paint, the paper bands were attached. CA glue was used and seemed to work just fine. Bands were 'tacked' in place, and then finally glued in a couple of stages. Mast in place (not fitted yet). There are some mast cleats that are identified in the plans but not mentioned at all in the instructions that also were fitted. No mention is made of where these go, so I place these at around head height parallel to the deck as this seemed most logical. Assembled pumps. I had purchased the aftermarket CC kit, however, all I really used were the PE parts, and the 2mm dowel. The kit doesn't mention the octagonal shape, or the 'metal' bands which were custom hand forged in my new furnace...err, cut from black paper. The kit supplied parts look way over scale and I'm glad again that I spent a bit of time on these...as with everything, touch up will be needed before final attachment. Question - what shape should the mast 'bases' be? Guessing these simulate the chocks that would have secured the mast in place. The supplied parts and the plans indicate they are round, but I've seen pictures where this is octagonal?

OK, next up from me.

PE - 'photo etch' - its the sheet of the brass metal parts provided

Stergios, didn't close the chains with anything, creating the chain with the 'joint' down a side like the PE part gives them a lot of strength. Your strops look great.

I think we need Jan to confirm before I post a new one.

HNLMS Gelderland?

Thoughts are with you Andy, sorry to hear about your loss.

Should have added a bit more info - the Alarm-class torpedo gunboat was the penultimate class of torpedo gunboat built for the Royal Navy. The class was contemporary with the early torpedo boat destroyers, which were faster and better suited to accompanying the battlefleet. By World War I the class had either been sold, converted to submarine depot ships or minesweepers, or reduced to harbour service. Three of the class were lost during World War I while serving in the minesweeping role, including HMS Jason. Next guess: Arklow Castle?

Dang, 4 minutes :mellow: ! Back to you Eamonn.

Thanks Eamonn, not quite sure which is harder, answering or coming up with a new one....here you go.

HMS Amethyst?