AON

Druxey, As you've stated, the Comet was 1783. Changes introduced by the manufacturer in 1782 would possibly not be in service in the next year, 1783. This is what I've noted for my time period: Launched in 1786 and in service in 1790. The paper Lieste provided in an earlier post states both the muzzle cup and the muzzle flash was introduced in 1782, as was the carronade loop replacing the trunnion and simplifying the carriage. The elevating screw was used in conjunction with the quion; a quoin patch added to the underside of the carronade to deal with recoil forces on the screw. There was a front sight but no dispatch and stepped sights. There was a design for sights for the 68 Pdr presented to the Admiralty in May 1782 but the sketch has been lost. Could this be the stepped sights? Who knows. The fighting bolt and swivelling slide was introduced in 1782. The traversing wheels had shown up in 1790, possibly a bit earlier. So my guns will be like these two images below, one figure from the paper provided by Lieste and one of my photos from my day sail on the USS Brig Niagara. The traverse wheels support block will be quite short as I will not require the height, and the fighting bolt (securing pivot bolt) will be mounted outboard. This is somewhat similar to what Flyer has on his kit build of the Bellerophon except his "bolt" is inboard.

Here is the table I got my info from. The date is 1805. Given my build scale of 1:64 I doubt inches or fractions thereof will be noticeable

Thanks Druxey. Now that is ever so slightly different again. Why can't things be simple?

Thank you Lieste! What a wonderfully informative document. If nothing else it is the first piece that identified the name of all the parts... but it has got me wondering if I am doing the correct thing. My sources arethe 68 Pdr image found in figure 68 of The Anatomy of Nelsons Ships, page 112, and an article The Carronade by Spencer C. Tucker, page 15 of the NRG March 1997 issue. There was also a good image on page 173 of Historic Ship Models by Wolfram zu Mondfeld. I also have a few photos of the carronades on the USS Brig Niagara albiet that would be 1812 era, a bit later and it is hung outboard. From the latter I determined my guns were 6.25" Bore, 4'-3.5" long and 5.14" Bore, 3'-3" long. I measured everything of the former and put that on an excel sheet then determined the multiplier from the measured bore size versus that stated above for the larger gun. Then I applied the multiplier to the measured length and was within a fraction of an inch so I felt quite good. I applied the multiplier to all other measurements and was ready to create my 3D model. I would then determine the multiplier to scale down a copy of the larger model to make the smaller gun based on the bore sizes. The calculated measurement of the smaller gun was within a couple inches... and at 1:64 scale no one will notice so I was happy. But now from your document it seems there were no wheels at the rear of the slide or skead, nor sights in 1786. Plus the slide was likely fastened outboard of the hull so the fire from the muzzle was beyond reach of the rigging. I need to have a closer look at what Flyer did on his kit.

It has been a short while of good warm sunny weather and yard work. Other than that I've read two wonderful books, From Powder Monkey to Governor and Memoirs of an Aristocrat. Each having first hand information about life in the Royal Navy and, in particular, HMS Bellerophon. If you are interested in this ship, these are must reads IMHO. I've also determined how I will be cutting out my gunports but am working on properly fitting my cills at the moment. When I've got that figured out I will post again with details. OH! and I am modelling my carronades with FUSION 360 to 3D print the two sizes (2 x 32 PDRS and 6 x 18 PDRS). Doing the largest and scaling it down for the other.

Just found your "fitting out" of the Bonnie. I was aboard her in '68 for a tour with Sea Cadets from HMCS Cornwallis on the two week summer camp. Yes I was a TWIT (two weeky in training). All I remember was that she was massive.

What a fascinating device for making ring bolts!

Thankyou for the comments. My build will represent the ship as originally launched or having first entered service (1786-1790). Reading she had carronades in 1795 does not mean they were there in 1790 or 1786 but the build contract does specify the accomodation for them. Reading a comment suggested to be by an eyewitness that they were there is a game changer... if I read it correctly. I will need to take another crack at it and let it percolate a bit.

Yesterday was a beautiful warm (28°C) sunny day so I decided to spend it sitting on the patio reading my new book: From Powder Monkey to Governor, the life of Rear Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh, RN 1785-1860, First Governor of South Australia and Lt. Governor of Heligoland. Published by Access Press, 1995, and written by his descendant, F. Stewart Hindmarsh. ISBN 0 949795 88 7. Only 189 pages and I made it to page 19 before the neighbours came over to visit and I had to force myself to put the book down. He entered the RN at a most irregular age of 5 years as a servant to his father, John Senior, appointed Gunner, a Warrant Officer aboard the brand new 74 gun warship named Bellerophon. Earlier I had discovered his son, John Junior or "Jack", was at the Battle of the Glorious First of June (1794) when he was 9 years old, Cornwallis` Retreat at 10, and the Battle of the Nile as a 13 year old Midshipmen where he found himself the only officer alive on deck and so assumed command and saved the ship. This is why I had to read the book! In those first 19 pages I learnt what life was like for a "Youngster" (normally 8 to 14), where they slept (the Officers Nursery), how they were guarded at night by the Gunner and Chaplin whose cabins were nearby, and the posted guard called "the Lady of the Gunroom", what they ate (makes my stomach turn), the hours of schooling, etc. Then they describe the "Oldsters", the midshipmen, and their place onboard. It was a real eye opener... but then I read the statement "I don't know why they called them a 74 when they had 82 guns". They list all the guns of a 74, with the addition of 8 carronades, 2 x 32 pounders on the forecastle and 6 x 18 pounders on the poop (roundhouse). I`ve read a list of all the 74`s that were issued carronades and Bellerophon was not on the list... but the build contract specifies accommodations for carronades but that doesn't mean she had them...but then again at Cornwallis` Retreat (16 June 1795) it was reported that the Bellerophon threw her carronades and shot overboard in an attempt to pick up speed and break away from the French. I am beginning to believe that I need to add 8 carronades to my build!

Absolutely correct. Transposing my gunport corner locations from the original plan identifies which are skewed. Although my templates are square I will remember this fine point. Presently trimming and sanding the top timbers down to their proper heights. All indications are that this will yet again be another long drawn out affair.

UPDATE: Bruce (next message below) has contacted SMS already and it is being dealt with! I believe he got to it before me because he is 5 hours ahead of me!! 😇 **************** I have forwarded your message to the Society of Model Shipwrights in London. Hopefully they will contact you via this forum as many are here.

Went back to the build contract to get the proper sizes for the various gunports as a triple check. Gun Deck 3'-3" wide x 2'-8" tall... except the aft most which is 3'-4" wide (I don't think anyone will notice 1" difference at 1:64 scale) Upper Deck 2'-10" wide x 2'-8" tall. (There will also be two in the beakhead and two in the transom at a later date) Quarter Deck 2'-8" tall x 2'-5" wide Forecastle 2'-8" tall x 2'-5" wide Roundhouse The contract doesn't give dimensions but they measure 3'-0 x 3-0" on the plan Port Cells: (Upper and lower) are said to be 7-1/2" deep (through the frame) on the gun deck and 6-1/2" deep on the upper deck, and "put in with a bill as done in the King's yards". They do not give a height but they all measure 8". The "bill" angles are 30°-60° and 120°. So I created and printed paper templates of the three sizes that I will glue to stiff thin card stock and cut out the outline to be used for tracing. There is an dimensioned 8" long line provided to the right to check the scale when printed. My intention is to hold the template at each marked location and trace the shape in preparation for cutting through the frames. I will need to practice this (tracing, drilling, sawing) on a dummy frame setup first to get comfortable as I am anything but comfortable with the idea at the moment. gunport templates-Model.pdf

Got the gun deck and upper deck gun ports marked off. Marked off the top timber heights. just have the forecastle and quarterdeck gunports to do. Made the keelson pieces and dry fitted them on the floors and aft deadwood.

We called it "a round tuit" because it would get done when we got "a round tuit".

You can get some 1:64 scale figures at the NRG Store https://thenrgstore.org/collections/model-figurines/products/seaman-13

The show is called The Craftsman. His name is Eric Hollenbeck of Eureka California. It is on DIY on the Magnolia Network, Sundays from 11am to noon Eastern Time

starting marking heights I've got the four hawse hole locations marked (at two per side) and six gun deck gunports marked (at three per side) I measured off the original 1:48 plan x 48 / 64 to get my scale measurement. Double checked that to my 1:64 plan. Then marked them on the model. I use a soft "preacher pencil" to mark the four corners and a flexible ruler to hold tight to the curve of the frames and connect the dots with a line. I learnt the term "preacher " versus "farmer" pencil yesterday morning on television watching the master woodworker from Eureka California. A preacher pencil has a fine point to mark the truth or true location. A farmer pencil has a dull point to mark a wider line as a guide for cutting with ease allowing a bit of wander. Both have one thing in common.... an eraser on the end! He cracks me up. Below are a couple photos of my using my height gauge. It can also be used inboard.

Ahhhh! I see it now! Book Volume II Chapter 8 3D Figure: 8.34_Forecastle_Bulkhead_03 Thank you

I thought it was sealer!

Do you have a reference image (drawing, sketch, photo) that you are building to that shows this relationship you can share?

BE Fine for tables that read "Circumference" in the heading but watch out for descriptions of calculations that read "Diameter" and the result seems about 3 times too large.

As said in a post above, be aware that when they wrote diameter they meant circumference. Why? I have no idea. They invented the language so I imagine diameter meant something different in that time frame.

I think my hands would be the only things getting taped 😱

Well I believe this portion of fairing the hull has been completed... and I cleaned all the dust up in the shop. I will start remarking the timber tops and gunports next week as this weekend is full of ship model club meetings (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and our baby boy turns 40 so there will be a family gathering and spirits will be partaken of. When I start I'll be measuring thrice, then checking yet again because last night I dreamt I cut a hole in the wrong place. YIKES 😲

I did manage to get into the shop and determined, though it is looking fine, I am not quite done yet. Other than that, we were surprised with temperatures just shy of 20°C (it reached 19.7), and finally a good abundance of sunshine... so yard work was called for. There will be plenty of time for more sanding... rain is predicted.