San Felipe by newbuilder101 (Sherry) – Scale 1:96

[mtaylor]

Nice planking, Sherry.  Looks good enough to be the only planking if weren't balsa. 

[Adrieke]

wow thats even more impressive. my clumsy fingers would have made dents all over

[texxn5]

Very nice build. I look forward to seeing the progress.

[newbuilder101]

Robbyn: Thanks! Not sure I have the patience to wait for the second planking wood to arrive!

 

Augie: Thanks! I hardly think your beautiful Syren planking looks like an orange crate!  She looks wonderful!

 

Mark: Thanks! Hopefully the walnut will turn out well too.

 

Adrieke: Thanks! I hope I don't have dents all over before I get the second planking on!

 

Texxn5: Thank-you as well!

[ronald305]

Good luck on your build. I. To love that ship may I ask where you found the plans

[newbuilder101]

ronald305: Thanks! The plans were given to me, but I think I can find out where they were purchased.

[casper1961]

Hi Sherry and Ronald305

 

The plans are available directly from this site as a free download. There are 2 zip files for the 1995 version of the Mantua kit 1:75 scale

 

http://sailboatmodel.info/san_felipe/en.php?langue=en

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[newbuilder101]

Hi Sherry and Ronald305

 

The plans are available directly from this site as a free download. There are 2 zip files for the 1995 version of the Mantua kit 1:75 scale

 

http://sailboatmodel.info/san_felipe/en.php?langue=en

 

Cheers

 

Steve

Great! Thanks Steve.

[riverboat]

Nice work on the planking Sherry..... it's amazing what you did with balsa..... Oh yeah!! NO Basil??? what's up with that?

[newbuilder101]

Nice work on the planking Sherry..... it's amazing what you did with balsa

Thank-you!   

[newbuilder101]

Check this out and vote in my poll: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/2326-deciding-which-walnut-variety-looks-the-best/

[Pete38]

Very nice and smooth planking job....will look twice as good when the walnut goes on,,,

[robboxxx]

Do you now that there are some rather good drawings made by Amati? 

 

Edit: and by editor Lusci?

Edited May 25, 2013 by robboxxx

[casper1961]

Hi Sherry

 

I haven't voted yet on the pole you have posted...but from what I can make out, I like sample 3 best...I prefer the lighter red-brown tint of the wood.

 

I found a good site for anyone interested in San Felipe plans if they want to spend money.

 

The Cromwell Models site :  http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/panart_plans.html  

 

Panart 1/75 Price: £56.05 (Including VAT at 20%) Euros: €65.02 (Inc VAT) / US Dollars: US$70.07 (Tax Free)

 

Amati  1/78  Price: £15.84 (Including VAT at 20%) Euros: €18.37 (Inc VAT) / US Dollars: US$19.80 (Tax Free)

 

Or

 

Free Plans  ( .tif files)

 

Panart/Mantua  http://sailboatmodel...n.php?langue=en   

 

Cheers

Steve

[pollex]

Hello Sherry; Glad to see you're enjoying your build. I'm a little surprised to read your

original title "Flagship of the Spanish Armada" The Amada dated 1588!  You model

represents a Spanish two or 3-decker warshp from 200+ years later, closer to 1800.

Perhaps this was "historical license" by the kit vendors. 

Kind regards, pollex  Calgary

[newbuilder101]

Pete38: Thank-you! I'm anxious to see it with the walnut on.

 

robboxxx: Thanks! I hadn't seen the Amati plans before, they look very good as well.

 

Steve: I agree, I think sample 3 is probably the one I'll go with. Thanks for listing the plan links.

 

Hello Sherry; Glad to see you're enjoying your build. I'm a little surprised to read your

original title "Flagship of the Spanish Armada" The Amada dated 1588!  You model

represents a Spanish two or 3-decker warshp from 200+ years later, closer to 1800.

Perhaps this was "historical license" by the kit vendors. 

Kind regards, pollex  Calgary

My apologies first for any confusion… it has not been my intention to portray my model as the lead ship of the renowned 1588 Armada, but rather to represent it as a 3 decker Spanish galleon and lead ship of the Armada in 1690 – not the 1800s. The galleon evolved from the carrack in the second half of 16th century, and a galleon was comprised of 1, 2 or 3 decks.
The Armada can be defined in two ways:
1.A fleet of warships.
2.A Spanish naval invasion force defeated by the English fleet in 1588.

I believe you are referring to the second definition, and the most familiar and historical reference to "The Armada".
The Spanish Armada is the term conventionally applied to a massive fleet dispatched against England by Spain's Catholic King Philip II in 1588, leading to an early and important confrontation in the nearly 20-year Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604 (the "Twenty Years' War").
It should be noted that when researching the Spanish Navy today, it is still often referred to as the "Armada".
For example  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Navy states the following.
"As of 2012, the Armada has 20,800 personnel,[1] and the total displacement of the navy is approximately 250,000 tons.[2] The main bases of the Spanish Navy are located in Rota, El Ferrol, San Fernando and Cartagena."

[NMBROOK]

Hi Sherry

I have to say what a lovely job you have made so far on the San Felipe.I too have the Panart Plans and also the Amati plans.The Panart plans build into a much nicer model than the Amati ones.To be honest I bought both and was quite disappointed by the Amati ones.They were a let down compared to the Amati ones I have for HMS Prince.I also intend to do a scratchbuild to the Panart Plans to 1/75 when I have finished my Sovereign of the Seas.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news,but after alot of research on the internet,it does appear that this vessel never actually existed.There was a ship of the same name from a much later period but this was completely different.This model is believed to have been derived from plans drawn by an Italian modelmaker named Vincenzo Lusci in the 1960's.It is thought he based his design on the ship Real Felipe of the eighteenth century.A model of this ship is on display in the naval museum of Madrid.Fact or fiction,at the end of the day,she is a beautiful model when complete.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited May 26, 2013 by NMBROOK

[newbuilder101]

Nigel: Thank-you!  My very first post for this build shows that I did indicate that the ship may never have existed. Below is an excerpt from page 1: 

While researching the San Felipe, I stumbled upon some doubt as to whether she really existed or not. My conclusion is this: I am satisfied that the evidence for both sides of the debate is sketchy at best, so I have no solid reason to believe she didn’t exist. At any rate, I feel she is a wonderful and beautiful example of the Spanish galleon of her time – real or not!

The story goes that the ship model is based on reconstruction drawings published by the Italian Vincenzo Lusci in 1966 who referred to some 19th century Spanish historian. Lusci described the San Felipe as a first rate ship with 104 - 110 cannon that was launched in La Coruna in 1690 and was lost in 1705 after a battle with 35 English ships.

Hopefully this will be put to rest, as I am focused on the beauty of the ship and not so much its history. In the future I may indeed build a ship with a rock solid history, but for now....San Felipe is the apple of my eye.

[NMBROOK]

Sherry my apologies,I didn't notice this as I was too wrapped up in looking at the pictures.I totally agree with you,some models you build with historic research and others you build for sheer enjoyment.It is nice to let your imagination run wild a bit,and nobody can say 'that wasn't like that etc'.And as I said the San Felipe is beautiful.

Kind Regards Nigel

[casper1961]

Hey Sherry

 

Some times you can't win for trying! 

 

I totally got your Armada reference....and I have been chatting up a storm over whether the Serapis was this or that...Who says we have to build historically accurate models, it's about having fun and enjoying the build and results personally speaking. I for one, am building these for my enjoyment and what others think doesn't really matter. It's how I feel about it in the end. I hope others appreciate what I do but my hobby is my hobby.  When I build for other people, of course that changes things, We as builders are entitled to build any 'ole way we want! LOL

 

Carry on....enjoy and #3 sample for me! 

 

Cheers

Steve

[newbuilder101]

I finished the final bits of first planking.

 

 

 

I also finished the treenails on the main deck.

 

 

At 1:96 scale I opted for simulated treenails. I experimented with real ones, but it didn't look much better than my final method and so it wasn't worth the extra work.

I tried drilling and filling with wood filler on some sample decking, but I used birch wood that I had on hand for the deck planks. The wood filler 'bled' into the birch grain and was impossible to sand off.

 

What did I finally choose as my method? I read somewhere on the forum about the use of a hypodermic needle. I filed the end off and pressed it into the wood and gave it a slight turn. Not perfect, but I am pleased with it.

 

[realworkingsailor]

Very nice, Sherry!

 

Andy

[casper1961]

Excellent!

 

Steve

[augie]

Excellent planking and treenails.  Well done

[mtaylor]

Nice work on the planking and treenails, Sherry.  Looks great.

[newbuilder101]

Thanks Andy, Steve, Augie and Mark! Now the walnut planking is calling my name...but first the quarter and poop decks. 

[Shazmira]

Tree nails look great Sherry, I simulated as well, used a really small drill bit and a #5 pencil led, worked for what I wanted.

[Anja]

Hello Sherry,

 

Berutiful planking and treenails.

 

Take care,

 

Anja

[michael mott]

Steve said

Who says we have to build historically accurate models,

 

This seems to be one of those areas that always causes the most pain for us. Either from a critical comment that this or that is not correct, which is a real stretch for me because not many of us were there to witness the "Real Way" or because we beat ourselves up for not doing research and correcting the "apparent error". That said over 50 years of making models both as a hobby and commercially I am my own worst enemy.

 

Sherry your model looks really super I am enjoying watching the build as it changes from one level to the next. Building a fully rigged ship is an enormous challenge, I am always awed by those of you who do it. One mast is enough for me.

 

Michael

[popeye the sailor]

just the mere fact that you've chosen to build such a large scratch build as this,  is awe inspiringring enough.  there are many ship kits out there that may not be historicaly correct......but we build them any way.   some choose to change them.....some don't.   what you've done so far is wonderful.......the deck looks superb.  the hull looks so sleek.......hard to believe that you've pulled it off using balsa  {just writing the name makes me shiver}   I'm going to be picking back up on my first full rigged ship.....I'll admit it,  I am rather daunted...I've never done one in wood before.   I'm finding that plastic was much easier....these I've done many.  I'll think of what your going to face as I do it.....the thought alone will be a great motivator