harlequin

Hi Hamilton, no the bulkheads were a perfect fit, when you start Bellona you will notice the vast difference between the quality of this kit compared with the Greyhound. Very little shaping required, indeed its a pleasure to work with. Even the sometimes difficult transom area appears, after a dry fit, to be matched perfectly. Ive started to bend some of the 4x2 mm walnut second planks so everything at this stage is going to plan.

A little progress

I find enamel paint covers ca glue far better than acrylic paint. 

Cheers Billl.....I thought that would be the best method. If I remember some of the hull is attached using contact adhesive and to get that off would be a nightmare.

Anybody ever removed planking from a ship to replank. There are several flaws on my HMS Victory that I would like to remove. It would involve removing approx a quarter of the planking from below the waterline. This model I completed 18 years ago and although the flaws are not too bad they are winding me up. Should I attempt this or not?

Hang in there Hamilton, it is worth it in the end. I know how awkward this build is, indeed there used to be a couple of build logs of Greyhound on the old site that were started but abandoned because of this awkwardness, and that is to say nothing of the changes you are making to the kit yourself. It will be interesting to compare the two Greyhounds of yours and mine as yours progresses. I said before this kit is of high risk of being launched prematurely against the nearest wall, but ultimately looks great on completion. ( just keep a bottle of the strong stuff on hand (not glue  ) Lagavulin in my case) and remember softly softly catchy monkey. The colours are looking great by the way.   

Just a couple of pics on some small progress. The first planking is underway and the blind gun ports are in position. You can see the pinholes on the first planking that I have used to secure the plank till the glue is dry and then the pins are removed. The stern gunports you can see still need to be finished to a nice square. No real difficulties with the build so far, unlike Greyhound when at this stage there was much scratching of my balding head. I will post some pics of Greyhound soon in the finished ships forum.    

Great looking planking. I dont know about you but once I start with the planking thats when the ship starts to take its first breath. You are starting to put meat on the bones and the whole thing starts to grow.

Now where have I seen that hull before?...........looking good Hamilton.

starboard blind gun ports completed. They will be coloured black before the addition of the second planking. 

Not a black dot for the door knobs but a brass coloured one, much more classy. 

Just for you Ferit.......

Sorry that I am not familiar to Bellona  ... Thank you harlequin for the knowledge  ...

no problem......I may paint the windows anyway to see what they look like...

Hamilton I used a base layer first to cover the brass then a couple of coats of yellow ochre from both from admiralty paints.

Those two windows will not be visible in the finished model. They will be obscured from view by a lot of rigging and deck furniture. I could try using a very fine brush to paint the windows but unless you are a contortionist you wouldn't see the finished article. 

_{Hi Ferit Kutlu, there are no windows in the port or starboard side for any of the photo etched parts but there are quite a number for the transom area where another colour will have to be used.} 

A second plank added to facilitate the first of the blind gun ports. Will be painted black on the interior later. 

Let the planking begin

Photo etched bulkhead has been painted yellow ochre and now fitted. Although not much of this will be visible on the finished Bellona the shiny photo etched parts were too bright for my liking so a light yellow ochre paint was applied.

Photo etched cabin bulkhead parts.

A little progress. Poop, main and forecastle fitted

Are there any 1:98 copper plates available?

Cheers Hamilton. I think yours will be a great improvement on my build. Bellona has had her decks fitted and a cabin bulkhead fitted (photos to follow soon) and is now undergoing a lot of prep work for the first planking to start, which will be in the next couple of days or so. I have decided against any sort of colouring to the Bellona's hull and will add touches of colour to the gun carriages only I think.

Spent the entire day reading the whole instruction book and examining the drawings.....they are so much better than the Greyhound instructions. Not going to add colour to the hull but may add some red to the gun carriages and the inside bulwarks and maybe a bit on the transom decoration. There is so much detail on this build, its certainly going to take some doing. It is going to be an amazing looking ship when completed.   

The transom on my Greyhound isn't good but I have not got the inclination to start carving. Hands shake too much anyway.....hic, hic