What does everybody think of this model?

[Elijah]

I have been a member of msw for a little while and I tried to do a solid hull kit by mamoli on the H.M.S Bounty. I never finished it because I didn't have any of the proper modeling tools and because the parts were not cut correctly. I have since then learned a little more about ship modeling and am trying to get some new tools. I am also wondering what your thoughts are on the Artesania Latina 1847 Harvey? I know it has been discontinued but it was recommended in A book I got called Ship Modeling Simplified by Frank Mastini.

[CharlieZardoz]

Was Bounty your first model? Harvey is a decent representation of a Baltimore clipper with a lot of nice detailing however the date of the kit 1847 is not accurate since Baltimore clippers stopped being manufactured by around the 1820's.  Most of the Baltimore clippers on the market are all pretty much based on the same plan, if you want a simpler kit I'd recommend Model Shipways Dapper Tom, however Harvey is a larger scale and might be easier with the hands

Edited August 25, 2015 by CharlieZardoz

[grsjax]

Few if any of the baltimore clipper type model kits are very accurate.  Most are way over canvased, carry to many cannon and pretty much ignore the deck layout found on most of them.  H.I. Chapelle's book "The Baltimore Clipper" is an excellent reference on these ships.  If you want a model to start with that is challenging without being impossible for a beginner I would recommend Model Shipway's skipjack model "Willie Bennett".   If you want a ship with cannon try the MSW "Armed Virginia Sloop".  For a simplier but very nice kit look at the offerings from Midwest's apprentice series.

[Elijah]

Was Bounty your first model? Harvey is a decent representation of a Baltimore clipper with a lot of nice detailing however the date of the kit 1847 is not accurate since Baltimore clippers stopped being manufactured by around the 1820's.  Most of the Baltimore clippers on the market are all pretty much based on the same plan, if you want a simpler kit I'd recommend Model Shipways Dapper Tom, however Harvey is a larger scale and might be easier with the hands

Yes the bounty was my first model and I was able to get far enough to realize that the deformities on the hull would make it impossible for the model to look good. I will take a look at your kit suggestion.

 

Few if any of the baltimore clipper type model kits are very accurate.  Most are way over canvased, carry to many cannon and pretty much ignore the deck layout found on most of them.  H.I. Chapelle's book "The Baltimore Clipper" is an excellent reference on these ships.  If you want a model to start with that is challenging without being impossible for a beginner I would recommend Model Shipway's skipjack model "Willie Bennett".   If you want a ship with cannon try the MSW "Armed Virginia Sloop".  For a simplier but very nice kit look at the offerings from Midwest's apprentice series.

I think I will get the book so that I can use it for Baltimore clippers I will build. I will also take a look at these kits. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

Also, does anybody know any good deals on an electric plank bender?

[Elijah]

The Baltimore clipper book has a large range of prices. If I buy one for about ten dollars, is it different from the others?

Edited August 27, 2015 by Elijah

[jbshan]

The Baltimore clipper book has a large range of prices. If I buy one for about ten dollars, is it different form the others?

If it's the same book, author, publisher, etc. from various sources, such as online booksellers and clearance houses, the prices vary according to collectors' criteria.  Untouched still in the wrapper will be much more than a slightly used copy.  Also, some of Chapelle's books were reprinted in a smaller format without fold outs.  These second editions will be less $$$ than the older versions.

[grsjax]

The Baltimore clipper book has a large range of prices. If I buy one for about ten dollars, is it different form the others?

Try Bookfinder.com.  This is a great website for finding out of print books and comparing prices from different vendors.

[ccoyle]

If you do decide to go with the AL Harvey, be forewarned that it builds into quite a large finished model.

[Elijah]

One more thing. Is the Harvey a real ship?

[mtaylor]

One more thing. Is the Harvey a real ship?

 

Go up and look at Charlie's post again. It's more of a "type" than a real ship.

[CharlieZardoz]

Basically the model makers from what I can tell don't like marketing their kits as "generic Baltimore clipper" so they give it a name and some of the European companies even give a fake history, like "it sailed from 1815-1825 and noted for it's speed." Pure garbage, the reality is no one in this time in history was ever really cataloging the Baltimore clipper's since they were locally built by contract, not by the federal government so no official plans were ever drawn and documented. One of the only few actual plans of a clipper vessel is the Mosquidobit which is the Lynx and Mantua has a model of it which is reasonably accurate. She was captured by the royal navy who took down it's lines in great detail. The Chapelle book gives a very good idea as to what these ships looked like and includes the draught of the Lynx after capture. The rest of the kits out there are all based to some degree off of plans from this book.  Of them I would say Model Shipways Dapper Tom and the aforementioned Lynx would be the most accurate. Also I would suggest Geoffrey Footner's Tidewater Triumph: The Development and Worldwide Success of the Chesapeake Bay Pilot Schooner, which is the true name of this type of vessel.  Baltimore clipper is a term used by historians.  Hope this helps and good luck.

Edited August 28, 2015 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

The Harvey isn't bad but some of the deck work looks weird, different doors with different sizes, anachronistic parts, gratings in weird places etc. but with a bit of research could be made to look nice

Edited August 28, 2015 by CharlieZardoz

[grsjax]

Dapper Tom is a good kit but suffers from the same problems as the others.  For one thing it is based on a set of lines taken off by a French officer in 1925 from a ship being built.  This puts it well outside the time frame for the Baltimore Clipper.  The model also has so many sails and cannon that it would probably capsize on launching.  Last but not least it shows the aft quarters being below deck in an area where the head room would only be about 3'.  Still makes a good model and if modified to a more appropriate sail plan with a rearranged deck layout it would actually be fairly accurate for the second quarter of the 19th century.  Chapelle discusses this ship in his book.

Edited August 28, 2015 by grsjax

[Desert_Sailor]

I had fun with it.  Took about 6 months. Probably the hardest part was aligning and drilling out the scuppers(?)  those oval portals just below the gun ports..

 

 

 

 

[Elijah]

Do you have a build log?

[Desert_Sailor]

Unfortunately, I do not..

 

But I'll be glad to answer any  questions, if you have any..