Vasa by RobZorba - Billing Boats - 1:75

[RobZorba]

Glueing the hinges to gun port covers to the gun ports was a fiddly job.  I wanted every hinge to be parallel and the spacing to be correct for assembly to the gun ports later.  SO I made a small "jig" to hold the cover in place and define the correct spacing for the hinges which were hammered 1cm pieces of copper wire with a 2mm 135 degree bend at the end.  I used cyano glue and accelerator, then filed any surplus cyano away after it was set.

 

 

Edited November 17, 2015 by RobZorba

[RobZorba]

Here's an image of a gun port and cover from the full size Vasa, showing the ropes that were used to open and close the gun port cover.  There's a small ring attached to each side of the gun port cover, with a separate rope tied to each ring.  The upper rope is under tension because it is holding the gun port cover open.  The lower rope is used to pull the cover into its fully closed position, and then tie it off under tension so the cover remains closed in bad weather.  I am thinking of using some thin copper wire to make the rings ... will the work on modifying the "Billing" gun ports ever finish? 

 

Can anyone tell me what the "step" with a hole in the middle is, the piece highlighted in red?

 

Edited November 17, 2015 by RobZorba

[md1400cs]

Rob,

 

Nice update. 

 

PS: Looking at photos of the 1/10th always makes me feel so insecure (:-)

 

Michael

[RobZorba]

Hi Michael, yes I know what you mean about the 1/10th.  But they made mistakes on it if you look closely enough.  For example ...  they "forgot" to make a keel and a lower hull ... they should really have built it so it would float :-)

[RobZorba]

Another question ... some modellers "created" a skylight in the lower galleries, probably based on this view of the actual Vasa.  I think this is not a "skylight".  I checked the digital plans published by the museum and they show a full door in the gallery roof.  Does anyone know the answer?  Was there a boarding door in the roof of the lower gallery?  Both port and starboard?  Why do no model kits show this door in their plans?

 

 

Edited November 17, 2015 by RobZorba

[baskerbosse]

Hi Rob,

 

If you look at the hull and the main cabin at this point, there is a window here.

I suspect the 'door' was mere conjecture, and it makes more sense that it was only a cutout in the quarter galleries, made to let light in through the window into the main cabin.

 

/Peter

[md1400cs]

Peter is correct. I needed to research this as well. As you know Corel puts a door there. Wrong. 

 

 

[Elijah]

Great job on the gun port hinges! I really like how you pay close attention to detail!

[RobZorba]

Anyone know about the "step" with a hole in it in the earlier pic I posted?  What is it?  What is its purpose?  It it an attachment point for some mechanism for raising or lowering the longboat?  Or for attachment of a ladder for the crew?

[RobZorba]

Peter and Mark,

 

Thanks for your replies ... I agree with you both ... but I am really puzzled why the Museum issued digital drawings in 1970 (with the VasaMueet name and address on them) showing a door and not a window.  The line drawing excerpt I posted earlier is from the VasaMuseet digital drawings dated 1970, not from Corel or a kit manufacturer.  Supposedly the digital drawings were based on a laser scan of the actual ship.  But if it is true about the laser scan, then why the incorrect imagery showing there being a door in that position?

[Tadeusz43]

Here's an image of a gun port and cover from the full size Vasa, showing the ropes that were used to open and close the gun port cover.  There's a small ring attached to each side of the gun port cover, with a separate rope tied to each ring.  The upper rope is under tension because it is holding the gun port cover open.  The lower rope is used to pull the cover into its fully closed position, and then tie it off under tension so the cover remains closed in bad weather.  I am thinking of using some thin copper wire to make the rings ... will the work on modifying the "Billing" gun ports ever finish? 

 

Can anyone tell me what the "step" with a hole in the middle is, the piece highlighted in red?

 

WP_20150823_11_11_19_Pro v2.jpg

  Hi Rob,

In my opinion this is scupper from middle deck on which they are installed pumps.

 

Tadeusz

The drainage channel

Elm tree pump on middle deck stern pardt.

[RobZorba]

@Tadeusz43@

 

Thanks a lot for your helpful reply ... hence the words from "The drunken sailor" ... <<put him in the scuppers with a hose pipe on him>> ... presumably "the scuppers" was also a collective slang for a sewer/ drainage trench etc ...

[md1400cs]

Tadeusz is correct. Nice pics as well

 

Rob there are also deck drain holes for all three decks along each side of the hull. Look at your longitudinal museum sheet. (weather, upper and lower decks) they appear as squares with a black circle inside each square.

 

The one you were asking about is also in the museum drawing right where it should be. Took me a while to even see that small detail. Your eyes are way ahead of mine (:-)

 

Michael

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

Similary scupper is there

Upper deck scupper

But what is this lid.

[baskerbosse]

The lower small port is what is known as a 'mail port' or 'messaging port'.

 

/Peter

[mtaylor]

That "door".... uh-- yes..  As I recall, the museums drawings were done in the 70's based on early research.  At that point, they still thought the paint was blue and the figures were gilded.  It could be that the plans haven't been updated.  That might just be a ventilation hole cut in after the ship was raised... I'm not sure but then, I'm no expert.

 

You might email the museum and ask.  Include what you've given us.  Fred Hocker and there's another gentleman who's name escapes me are good about helping out modelers on this kind of thing.

[md1400cs]

Rob/Mark

 

There has been a revision to the 70s drawings. Still dated and probably with very minor changes.

 

Oops I just noticed that two cannons are missing from the lower gun deck! Should I pull mine out ha ha.

 

FYI: Second photo note the deck drain hole just below the kevel. and you can see a small hole on the other side as well from the deck.

 

Michael

 

 

 

[JanV]

Hello Rob,

 

I just noted your buildlog today. welcome to the group of Vasa builders

a lot of examples available on this forum.

[RobZorba]

Thanks everyone for the very informative and helpful replies.  I now know what I have to do, thanks to you!  I will be adding the scupper holes and small plates / drainage spouts before staining the hull.  Plus the gallery skylight and postman pat hatchway :-)

[RobZorba]

Here's one of the completed gun ports ... in fact all 54 of them are completed and waiting to be fitted ... the hatch covers are bits of lollipop sticks, the hinges are hammered bits of brass wire, and the canon is mounted to a small square of perspex with a hole drilled, and a "gun carriage" painted in black on the back.  The lights installed in the model shine through the perspex of the gun port.

 

[RobZorba]

Completed the walkway installation in the prow of the ship ... not stained yet ... that will come later, after the rigging stay rails (lower picture) are fixed in place.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2015 by RobZorba

[RobZorba]

I regret to say that this build log will not continue.  There was a theft from the garage in which I had my workshop, and the tools were stolen and the model was vandalized and damaged beyond repair.

 

I was too upset to tell anyone until now.  But I have started another build which is of HMS Prince, the Constructo kit.

 

[Bob Cleek]

Sorry, and outraged, to hear that. I suppose it's behind you now. I hope they got what was coming to them, one way or the other.

 

Glad you're "back up on the horse." Model on! 

Edited December 10, 2019 by Bob Cleek

[VTHokiEE]

That’s such terrible news! I’m really sorry to hear about that. I’m glad that that such an event hasn’t destroyed the hobby for you.

[GrandpaPhil]

That is terrible!  
 

You have the Admiral’s and my condolences.

[RobZorba]

I appreciate your condolences, thank you.  I have recovered from the theft and things are good now.  I hope to do a nice job building my Constructo HMS Prince kit.  

[ccoyle]

Sorry to hear about that. I had a garage broken into once as well -- thieves took all the tools I had inherited from my grandfather. I filed a police report, but of course nothing was ever recovered.