right size davits and life boats

[Jparsley]

ok  I have the artisania latina  us constellation 1/87 scale ship   I am wanting to add davits and the two life boats that hang on the rear sides of the ship  but the kit does not include plans for them but from all the old pictures ive seen of her  she was originally equipped with them like the constitution was    any ideas if the davits should be 55mm or 45mm  and what kind of boats should I get and from what company  hard to determine since the original plans for the ship were destroyed and only a rebuilt ship exists  please any ideas would be very helpful

[mtaylor]

Jeff

You have an apples and oranges problem.   The AL kit is correct in hull form for the 1854 Constellation but has the "modifications" for the frigate fraud that was in place when AL made the kit.  It's no way related to the 1797 Constellation except in name and a couple of timbers.  As for "rebuilt"... I think it's more "restored" since it is the 1854 Constellation.

 

The two davits aft that stick out from the stern are, I believe, still there and were part of the 1854 build but they wouldn't have been on the 1797 ship due to the differences in sterns.

 

What I'd suggest is use the davits like the Constitution.   Boats... I'm not sure about as I originally planned on using some of the kits from ME.. the 5" and 4" as I recall. In the end, I didn't use any.

 

Make a couple of mockups of the davits (cardboard would work) and see which works best.   There's some scaling issues with the AL kit since they used a lot of "stock" parts in it.   Go with what you like...

[Jparsley]

see that's the problem in am having Mark.  there just isn't any good references to the 1797 build   all the draft designs are destroyed and only a few letters here and there describing its build are left.  there really isn't any tangible information of how she was originally built and outfitted.   I would love to have her look as close to her original build but alas I don't think I will be able to do that.  I don't really want a hybrid but I think I am stuck with it.  there are a lot of people on here a lot more familiar with her history but I just don't have the knowledge back ground.   I've read several books that mention her history and what she did while in service but nothing that helps with the look of her.  I think the next build I do will be a more documented ship and not one from someone's gestamated design.  in a lot of ways I am more of a realist when it comes to projects. 

[mtaylor]

The kit will never be the 1797 version.  That version had a different stern for one thing along with different lines, etc.  Google a document called "Fouled Anchors".  Pretty much explains everything.

 

I'd still go with the Constituition style davits then.   The one's in 1854 were, I believe metal, not wood.

[jbshan]

Try this:

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/9492-how-did-davits-work-on-old-ships/

 

And here is a pic:

 

 

You might get away with a pair of cutters for the boats, 25 to 30 ft. range, a jolly boat inside a launch on skids on deck.

'Fouled Anchors' is excellent and definitive.

Edited August 21, 2015 by jbshan