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Hi everyone. I am based in the UK and am taking on what I expect will be a substantial project. I am not new to modelling, as a teenager, I built numerous Airfix kits, starting out just assembling them out of the box and finishing up filling my bedroom with Aircraft and Warships completed with detailed paint jobs and made to look as realistic as I could. Joined the Model Club at me Secondary School where we built balsa and tissue flight ready models, I made a free flight glider and later on a Powered Cesna for Radio Control flight. I was born in 1958, and my father, who was a keen modeller, died in 59 so have little to remember him with. Some time in 57, after the Cutty Sark was opened to the public, he started a model of the ship, built from scratch, and finished it before his death in 59. The model was sold, not by me and a sore point, but was restored to me about 5 years ago, but was in a sorry state. It had lost all its rigging and the deck fittings were either missing or damaged. Over the last few years, I have wanted to restore her to her former glory, and I had immediately gave her a fresh covering to her deck and re-did the painting on the hull. Then I stalled. I had no plans to look at and much of what I had got back showed that Dads versions were a little crude. I wanted to restore her but also wanted to improve on his version, thinking that there are much more in the way of resources available to me than were to him. However, I do not want to turn this into a totally new model and intend to use as much of the original parts as I can. Its been a while since I did any detailed modelling so am a bit out of practice and have never taken on such a daunting task, so appreciate the article on reviewing build logs of newcomers to the hobby, but I hope that my reason for selecting such a complex task is clear. I am lucky in that I live in London so have access to Greenwich. I did visit the ship when I was i my early 20's, long before the fire of 2007, I watched the tv coverage of the fire when getting ready for work, ending up being late for work as I could't take my eyes of the images on the screen. I keep promising myself a revisit now she has been restored and is once again open to the public but never seem to get the time. The hull is very similar in size to a 1:90 scale and my budget is limited, so much of what I need to make has to be from scratch. There are some things that I am just not going to be able to fabricate so will have to buy them, such as Deadeyes and Blocks and others will just have to have simulated as I can afford to buy 70-80 Chainplates. So I will be doing my best to stay true to the ship but I also have to stay true to dads vision of the ship, so forgive me if I have to take a bit of poetic licence when recreating some things.

I built this exact Revell Cutty Sark model when it was new in the 1970's with my dad. It got destroyed at some point in a move and when I saw this kit on e-bay I had to build it again. He has since passed away but I think he would have appreciated the finished product again. I have always liked the Cutty and my daughter and I had a chance to visit the real one in Greenwich, England a few years ago. It was beautiful. If you ever get a chance then go see it, what a marvelous museum. After that trip I found this model and I was hooked again. I took me about 600 hours to build and rig her. I decided not to put the sails on as that is the way she is now in Greenwich. I bought some brass fittings and railings from a Czech Republic modelling company and they really added to the realistic look. It was a royal pain drilling out the holes for the brass railings and then running ultrathin wire through the holes in each. Some of the plastic was very brittle and it was almost 50 years old and several masts I had to heat up slightly to straighten them a bit. Amazingly, this kit had nothing missing after all these years and in an open box. When she was finished I built a display case which now sits in my living room. Had to get he bosses approval first though! I think it came out nice. What do you all think?

I built the Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark some 50-55 years ago as a teenager. After recently finishing the Revell USS Constitution I decided to do the Cutty Sark again using the skills I have refined over the years as well as the patience that comes with age. This time I decided to work with acrylics as well as enamels to achieve the effects I want, or hope for. Will include more pics as I make my way.

Yes, another Cutty Sark build log. 😉 I have been lurking on this wonderful site for some 2 months and I cannot but start a build log myself about the beloved Cutty Sark. Let me first introduce myself. I am living in Belgium, so English is not my mother tongue, forgive me therefore my mistakes in English. As a youngster I started building plastic planes, the Cutty Sark and Saturnus V rocket, but also gliders (Kleine UHU from Graupner, Piviere from Aeromodelli and a glider based on my dad’s plans) and a motorplane (Taxi from Graupner) in balsa wood. A sailing boat (Collie) and a motorcruiser (Nautic – both from Graupner) completed the collection. At a later stage I built a tugboat (Oceanic from Revell) and started on a pusher boat Thyssen II from Graupner. While at sea, I built the Harvey 1847 (from Artesania Latina) and Bluenose II (from Billing Boats) with little tools. Children, chores and other hobbies kept me away from modelling. Now as a retiree, I have more time but also more hobbies, but modelism is becoming more and more important in my daily life. So I started by renovating my Collie, as well as my Kleine UHU and completed the Thyssen II. Going out and flying/sailing with my models will be for after the pandemic and in the meantime I dusted off my Cutty Sark from Sergal. Renovating Harvey and Bluenose II will help me in improving my skills. I bought several books about the CS as well as general books on POB modelling. I also discovered Modelshipworld and now I cannot wait any longer to get started – or continue as only the bulkheads have been placed on the keel. As I aim for a very detailed ship and will be consulting Longridge book, comparing with the Campbell plans, I allow myself a 10 years building time frame. Leo

Hi All. This is only my second model ship and I started it in February so a bit of catching up on the log to do. I wasn't going to do a log but another member suggested it could be useful to others so here goes. I want it to look nice rather than be historically accurate in every detail. I will skip quickly through to where I am now. I will add a few images from the early stages as well. I made up the frame and put the decking on. I used a 2B pencil on the edges of the planks for the caulking.

Hello everyone. This is my first model ship and my first build log here. English is not my native language, so sorry for any mistakes. I started more than one year ago but I’ll start the log from the beginning, hoping to help other members not to do the same mistake I did. As suggested by the instructions, I started from the hull: The base coat was made by airbrush, acrylic colors (gunze and tamiya), followed by oil filters, dry pastels and oil dry brush in order to simulate the wood planking and to highlight some details. Tyre black was used for the hull, highlighted with gray. A mix of copper and gold, washed with green/blue oil were used for the Munz metal planking. Buff, desert yellow and similar tones were used the base for the wood. Burnt umber filters helped to break the uniformity and bring the wood a better look (at least I hope…) and the details were highlighted by pastels and oils (remember that the detail are raised and not recessed in this old kit). That's it for now. Hope you like it and don't be afraid to criticize!

I tend to build ships that manufacturers don't build...and I wanted to build the Ferriera..the Portugues Barkenine of the CS. She was caught in a storm..and her cargo shifted and she nearly capsized..resulting in her dismasting of her main and top mizzen mast. She spent much of het time in coastal waters and back water ports. I chose to model her in these conditions. She was extremely under maintained and was in severe need of nerw paint and maintenance.

Link to content is in signature Introduction This log is intend to be personal track record of first "serious" attempt to scratch building of my very old Cutty Sark kit, started long ago and forgotten somewhere in house, mixed with some personal observations and notes Edits notes and remarks will be inserted later, to show points what are dangerous place (for dummy as me) to bump in undesired situation caused by in-patience, an-experience and God¨s will I am not a master, rather novice with too much ambition, but think in MSW there is enough room for all of us to share and learn, to keep a good time together My long lasting journey in wonderful world of ship modeling started long long ago in, I think, usual way. As almost every kid I tried myself in some cheep plastic plane models, fast and furious, short life each ( they can not fly...) Then after a while in paper car models ( my own creation), made about 30 pieces, no one leave ( they can not drive). Then, in a high school I made some no-name (or forgoten name) plastic kit ships, also no one leave ( they can not stay above heater ...). Last one, "Stella" ( Heller) died and rest in peace during cleaning dust few years ago This little Heller model on some way entered me door to "yellow brick road": Heller original colors in kit, by my opinion, were on such a type that model rather looks as toy, so I experimented with colors to catch color of wood, added extra details on deck and extra ropes ... joy in playing, and obviously first sign with arrow to entrance for something that on MSW is called "dark side" And then, once upon a time ... very long ago during the study of law, I make my first step for modelling ships in wood. I got done Columbus Santa Maria (If I remember well, also TEHNODIDAKTA Pula, but I am not so sure about manufacturer from this time distance) , made it, with a lot of improvisation, and with extra added ropes which to me it belongs ... but it looked nice for me. In that time I do not know nothing about real ship modelling, made it without necessary thinking, with half of brain, and in unnecessary hurry. Santa Maria got her way with my first wife more about 30 years ago. Somewhere on that days, my twin brother made little and simple Heller`s Cutty Sark, and maybe that moment I fall in love with sail ships and their beauty Then I finished law study, went in Army for one year, Navy in Pula, Croatia, former Yugoslavia ... and that was this ... 35 years ago only "Tehnodidakta" from Pula had made wooden models in kit. ( It was impossible for us mortals to order and pay kit from other country, even to know something more about ships, models, modeling techniques, tools and so). I was delighted with that discovery, and I bought wooden kit with plans and materials for "Cutty Sark". If I remember well, only few models were there ( Santa Maria, domestic ship "Jadran", some ships from old Dubrovnik, Bounty - not sure, and some domestic smaller historical models). And as every youth, wanting to be different and to choose the greatest of offered kits, a beautiful and extremely complex model with many sails and ropes, I bought it, knowing not in what I am just entering. To say again, I did not know absolutely nothing about Cutty Sark, and having no idea what serious modelling really is To write about Cutty Sark is unnecessarily, there is so much written and published, sure on much better way I can do. Also, She is still alive in her Museum I started working on model in 1984. and it kept me up until 1985-6, when I met friend with a really nice model of Cutty done, and I realized - or should I do it right, or it does not work anyway. And she went in deepest dark in my attic to collect dust and to cry silently in her dark corner Then came usual things: got a steady job, got a wife, divorced, abandoned study for doctorate, and another wife, and two little children, start and finish building my house, become a attorney, etc etc etc... and, after "only" three very fast decades, finally the time has come to proceed, if I do not want to watch TV or read a book, or work, and there is no other homework to do. Children ( 22 and 24) are not children any more, and they need me only for money ( joke), they are adults now with their own life ( students finishing their study) ... and, suddenly, I find that appears a few hours in day exclusively concerned only for me. Amazing discovery In meantime, trying to interest my son, we (I) made some simply plastic, I think Revell Pirate ship toy Jolly Roger. Failed attempt, made in less than a week, but I enjoy making it The real trigger of my come back in wooden ship modeling was a appearance in Serbia of DeAgostini`s specialized periodical journal ( in 100 appearances) with successive parts of galleon, and I like it very much, but do not like many simplification of details which are important for me. Drawing boards on the deck with a graphite pen ? No, thanks. Waiting two weeks for single part ? No thanks. And then I remembered that I already have a plans of Cutty, the one of the nicest sail ship ever. Of course, the one with the most complicated rigging ... For difference, now, after 30 years I finally have a working corner and a mini-workshop in heat-room near the garage (and not to forget, continuous war with my daughters Persian cat and long cat hair eveeeeeerywhere). All rest wooden parts were 30 years old, and they have dried up and became largely and almost unusable. In fact, there are left only plans, some old strips and veneer, and some plastic / metal parts that I should see if I'll ever use them. So, I made up my mind, dig on mess of old things in attic of house, FIND Her, and a few months ago I started from the beginning, only with saved old blueprint sheets ( old misfit try of Cutty went in trash) with the big important difference that exists today „His Majesty the Internet“ and a millions of pictures of finished models and details of the models, which is of invaluable help. Not to forget , today in Serbia there are affordable many required tools like Dremel/Einhel tools, and so. A great help is the fact that "my" ship still exists reconstructed in Greenwich, and there are available many photos of her details for research Edit on september 23.2013: At the begin of this month I find Campbell plans, and from that time my work goes mainly by them, and my dedication and way of looking to my work rapidly change from day to day Beginning And so ... my first brave steps toward swamp, with more braveness than a brain presence I did not mention "swamp" accidentally. As time goes by, I decided to do some steps in building in my own way (?), not in way which is ordinary, and in sheets. (for example - making my own dead-eyes ( later - blocks ?) and, later - ropes, my way of planking, etc etc). What a confident fool ... but ... that is just me - whole life I discover hot water again and again ... Later I discovered that sheets have mistakes and insufficient instructions, my hands and experience are mainly not precise as I want, patience ... what is that ? But they are much better than 30 years ago, and my imagination and improvisation still exist, and I learn every day Really significant stage of my build is finding MSW, and here are first steps ... First decision was that I do not want to pay somebody for laser cut. What then rest for me to do ? Using paper with photo copy of plans to transfer plan to plywood. A "bit" of cutting and a "bit" of glue, and my way (?) to hold angle of 900 and to assume required stiffness skeleton for further work . Later, when time to mount deck come, I found that ship's ribs are not well drawn in plan, or I did not cut and mount them properly. Not provide proper and sufficient longitudinal and transverse slope of the deck. Yes, it will be quite a job to fit it There was a lot of my unexperience in this , very very very significant stage of building. In POB building (I discovered later) the crucial thing is right dimensions, position and angle of ribs. EVERYTHING later depends. Consequences can be, and in my build are - catastrophic. Months of lost time trying to correct mess, and all time re-examining myself - was it better to go from start. If that happen - to hell with everything, and start over without more thinking. If you do not do this - be sure that at moment you think that succed in correcting one part, another part will protrude out and jump right on your hand. And when fix this, third part will hit directly to your face. And when fix this, you discover that first corrected part is not good. Some kind of perpetuum mobil and never lasting process. You will spend months instead week or two to make keel and ribs again, this time with thinking and measuring. And as you are impatience full running to start planking on this messed bulkhead construction, as I was, be sure that you will have great enjoyment in unnecessary work And there is stern from one piece (it was corrected later in proper angles) - not just one correction, smart learns from others' mistakes, and fool ... In that stage, I have not idea how complex are curvatures of whole ship, and how much time I have to spend on it ... to lose them ... and to find them ... and to lose them again ... And, oh, what a self-confident ... Later I concluded that keel is little distorted, mainly by "my way" of assuming "right" angles, but there is no way to correct this .... Deck mounted with many previous corrections of ribs to assume slope. This was big big big MISTAKE. Right order is : first planking hull, and after that - deck mounting. See posts #240 and connected future posts. If you want to follow lines on upper side of ribs that lead to longitudinal and latitudinal curvature of deck, do not this. Deck can not be from one single piece of veneer 1mm width, as I did. You can not twist it in proper way. There is no way to do it. I tried, and result is - months of trying to correct mess and find lose lines. You can not correct it at all never again. So, better is to plank with strip by strip. For consequences, see later post http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/2501-cutty-sark-by-nenad-m-tehnodidakta-19711983-campbell-plans/page-42#entry156687 Holder for dead-eyes and wedges in one peace, not in four parts as in plan. It is much easier ( ha, ha ha !!!) way to follow the line from planes. Also mistake from same reason.I lose proper lines of hull, and this hang over my head all the time ... And holders must be redone completly Whole deck planting with veneer, also not in original plan. In original kit was wooden plate 2mm with 1mm deep and 1 mm wide grooves carved full-length of plate. I mounted that on old Cutty. What a joke ! First two pictures represent deck from kit, then part of a sheet, and at last picture is my try Edit Martch 31. 2014 : Fore and Aft deck - third time re-planked, main deck - second time re-planked Fool made dead-eyes rather than use plastic from kit ( For details - post #16). 66x designated only above deck. There will be so much more latter. Enormous work, and enormous lost time. Yes, I have to make them again in better way And twisted rope handmade instead wire. More elegant an more real, as I thought - obviously on that time I had no right idea what all this will be to the end Plastic dead-eye from kit at left, and self-made in center and right on picture Preventive cover with light sadoline, and view from the future bow - Once again mistake, I had to remove all traces of sadoline And then, when I join to MSW, was a time just start planking, planking, planking ... and to discover that ALL first moves on this chees table are just - wrong

Hello all, Well, here goes. My first wooden ship build. As much an education as a journey to try to do this lovely vessel justice. I am going to proceed fairly slow at the start, and hopefully, with the guidance from others here who have already done this, avoid at least any major errors. My work roster is 8 days on, 6 days off, so at best updates will be every other week. Nothing much to show just yet but given that some of these builds take years to finish, I figured it was worth putting some effort into a dedicated work table. As yet I haven't decided how i will support the keel, I am considering a couple of options. A few prelim pictures to get started. JR

Hi, This is my first wooden ship build. I started quite a few years ago, but I'll start the log from the beginning. I'm learning as I go, so I'll let you know my mistakes as well as problems with the kit. Thanks Marc

Hi everyone. I've been lurking for some time while struggling with the Sergal kit of the Cutty Sark. As a way of introduction, I am an experienced model builder, and I wrote for years for Model Ship Builder Magazine. I've had in storage a 1980's vintage kit of the Cutty Sark that I started to build about 5 years ago. I'm a semi-retired orthopaedic surgeon, and even with my current work schedule I seldom get to spend more than a few hours a week on the project. I have been using Longridge's book as a guide, as the number of errors on the plans make it impossible to build as shown. I have attached three pictures showing my current status. I apologize for the inverted appearance. Several questions: Is a fittings set still available? Many of mine are corroded and broken. I have been scratch building where possible. I called Model Expo, where I got the kit originally, and they were not helpful, as they do not carry it any longer. Any suggestions on building realistic deck houses? I don't like the brass pieces and painting them did not work. I have tried several solutions without success. Finally, does anyone have a comprehensive rigging diagram showing all pinrail and fiferail attachments? The plans as supplied are grossly incorrect, but I've had a hard time drawing up new ones on my own. For instance, Longridge shows for and aft fife rails at the foremast, and they are different. The plans as supplied shows a fore rail only with not nearly enough belaying points. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Lou Halikman

Well with winter round the corner, it's time to hunker down and get back into the shipyard with Cutty Sark. This is a model I have always wanted to build since starting out in this hobby with Billing's Mary Ann. Thanks to Kip (aka Sawdust), I was able to acquire this second hand model which he purchased from a neighbor for 2 bottles of wine. He also sold me Nepean's book and Campbell's drawings so I have lots of info over and above what Billing supplies which isn't much. Thanks to Lou's lead, I have also purchased J.J. van Griethuysen,s drawings which are spectacular. As you can see from the photos, this is an early Billing kit , from the 70's I would guess. Einar Billing includes a little intro with the Reader's Digest version of instructions they are known for. In them he states that the kit is intended to be built and not merely assembled. He expects the builder to exercise skill and imagination in the building of the kit. Sage advise indeed. As with all earlier Billing kits, the hull and fittings are sold separately. Billing believed some modellers might want to create their own fittings. They also recognized that many models are never completed so why buy a bunch of fittings that might never make it onto the model which will never be used. The majority of the wood in this kit is mahogany, which you can imagine is now rather dried out and a little warped. I have decided to replace the hull planking with obechi which I have used on previous Billing kits. It's not expensive, bends easily with a little steam and will be painted, so no need for top quality timber. As the build progresses, I will decide what other wood needs replacing. As can be seen from the photos, the kit is already started. The original owner of the kit did get it stared but then realized he no longer wanted to continue. So I have the kit framed and with the false deck installed. The rest will be all me. He has done a first rate job, and the keel is straight so it is a good point to resume where he left off. Job one will be to bevel the bulkheads. So here's a couple of pictures of what is to come...

Hello All, I am adding here a plastic revel kit as I promised Bruma to post it here. This was just 2 weekends work as I used wooden leftovers from another build. I had kit left in cellar somewhere and motivated by Bruma teasing that rigging 1:96 its fun. and his fantastic sails but also very beautiful Robs Wiederrich paper sails I thought I could rig here sometime in the distant future. I basically scraped some plastic rails... as looked toyish to me, and substituted by boxwood and alaskan cedar. Hatched covers etc...I improved inner rail with original pattern by inserting paper strips... I am terrible in painting so I left cabins original and installed fantastic wooden deck from his model company. I dont intent to continue in some time now, as I have hands full...i exhanged decoration with etched one, and reinforced lower masts properly and thats it. I hope to continue but in distant future for sure....

Starting Cutty Sark , this will be the first build I keep track of all hours spent on the bench. People always ask me "How long did it take you to build?" Well now I will know.

Hello guys, I took the plunge to build cutty sark beauty in this massive scale, but... i am about to finish it now, hovewer I thought I could still get some help or share my limited experiences and technique ...,most likely thinking if I had known amount of work, i would not have started probably. but very glad i did. I am ships "afficionado" since kid time, and being from country wihout sea, obviously. :)) I hope its ok to post backwards, but i will go from beginning, knowing what went smoothly and what i regret ...this was a longest journey of my life, probably knowing about that ship more that I want by now :)) I followed logs of some so I am obliged to share and hopefully provide fun. Original idea was to use as less bought parts as possible, to make most of ship myself, and i decided to go without rigging and masting at this point. it is huuge. 3 meters long ! , beam about 450 mm. I settled at builing it from 2 water level up, as I always liked sea level ships more, being able to install water later on and for practical reasons to compensate a massivness so it is not that big to move. I do respect deeply small scale builders and I confess I am not able to put eyes and fingers to that torture or passion´, whatever you call it, FInally, I will mention a troubles of big builds, that have their own quirks as their advantages for detailing making atc....but bending those big lumbers is challenge.... following Campbell plan , thank you 1. not really engineering approach transferring plan, all 19 bulkheads will be approx 15cm from each other that will I hope provide very solid skeleton for 3 mm think single planking....

I built the model a few years ago in 1985, visited the real thing in 1997 & in 2012. My daughter did the painting.

okay, part 1 get topic built. Next read how to add pictures

This model is probably 40 years old, many years ago it took a dive off a 7 foot book case and I couldn't bear to part with it. Now I'm going to try and repair it. With my rekindled interest in ship models, it only seems like the right thing to do! Here you can see much of the damage done, in addition to the hull halves separating and the deck becoming loose.

Hi All I¨m new to this page so have a litle pations wit mee . trying figuring out how it all funks. Ennyway My name is Jens and i live in Copenhagen Denmark , so my englis is onfortunaly not the bedst but i vill take Google translate in youse later on . I am building an old Billing Boats no. 459 Cutty sark as i board sekond hand som years ago and has now buildt for at least 2 years . im nerly finish with the ships hull and is about building the lifeboats . The pic. belov is about 1 week old. I planing to schove pic. from the start and the hole proces as if i started on day 1. and sofort to today . I consither this letter therfor as a test in how this page woarks an will therfor erease it again hwen i soone start my "reeal " building log . Cheers All. Jens

Hi Everyone. I hope that I am doing this right? I am not very IT savvy, however Hope to get it right one day. I am attempting the Cutty Sark as my first build, after doing little bit's previously. I am very new to modelling and find this site very informative. I never took many photos when I first started as there was no need at the time, however I have a few after I did the decking, I am a bit further on now so will take more pics when my new camera battery comes, "I let it run down too much and it wouldn't recharge?" Sorry about the big pic I don't know what happened, I thought it was resized. God bless everyone hope you all keep safe. Kind regards Martin.

Hi all, Just joined the forum. I have a couple of half finished things to finish off, so apologies if I'm not starting from the beginning. First up is my old Cutty Sark model, started in the eighties that was pretty near finished, but I'm now re-rigging. (Next will be my Corel Wasa, that is much less progressed) The model was nearly done, save for some rigging details on the fore mast. However, in order to take it with me to Australia, I took the whole rigging down, so I'm restarting from this point. (Added picture of model some 5 years ago, before packing and transporting to Australia) Just starting on the mizzen now:

Click on the tags in the title above (shown in black) for an instant list of all the build logs for that kit subject.

Click on the tags in the title above (shown in black) for an instant list of all the build logs for that kit subject.

Hi all been away a while (new job, moved house, negotiating modelling space) i bought this off my brother (he decided it was too frustrating for him) there are a few problems to sort out on it (I need to strip the decking off and square the frame up , it's a bit warped) he took the planking off which has saved me a job (he bought some really thin wood for the planking as he struggled with the supplied wood but it's so thin I can see it disappearing when sanded do I'm going to use the supplied wood) here are some pics, I've managed to get the deck off fairly easily getting the wood off the deck and squaring the frame may be quite a bit harder. This will be a very slow build. I think the pins hes used in the transom are way out of scale.