HMS Fly by Dfell - FINISHED - Amati / Victory Models - Scale 1:64

[Dfell]

Hello - a tentative start on HMS Fly. All dry fitted so as to get a feel for things and to get back into building again.

All laser parts are an excellent fit with small amount of sanding. I can see the plywood decking will need support which I see has been pointed out in other builds.

 

Have been following all the great Fly builds on here and hopefully I don't let the side down.

 

Regards

 

Doug

 

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Doug,

 

Fly/Pegasus is a very satisfying build to do, enjoy the experience.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Dfell]

Hello - Would like to ask Chris Watton when the upgrade kit for HMS Fly will be available but I see he is not taking any messages. Is there anyone who can help, please, on how I can ask Chris or is there someone who may Know if / when the kit is available.

 

Thank you

 

Doug

[ChrisLinden]

hey welcome aboard, enjoy the build ! 

[Dfell]

Hello ChrisLinden - Thank you  - although I am thinking it is going to be quite a challenge.

 

Regards

 

Doug

[smith100]

I've been waiting over a year for the upgrade, Don't hold your breath on that one.

I spoke with Amati and they thought about xmas MAYBE!!!

[betamale]

Hi Doug, I hope you enjoy the build. It is a great kit. I would pay close attention to how Blue Ensign has gone about it personally. If I had realised the little tricks he employed when I started, my build would have been better. It is also a very complete and easy to follow build log.

Edited February 21, 2016 by betamale

[Dfell]

Hello - a few small steps forward.

 

 

 

 

Planking done on lowest deck using kit supplied Tanganyika wood with black thread inbetween for caulking. First done onto thin ply and then glued to the MDF base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balsa blocks inserted for extra support. Bearding and Rabbeting all done - hard to see as keel is in MDF and not ply

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now not sure if to follow instructions and plank the lower gun deck which came in two halves or proceed with the hull planking which I'd rather do.

 

 

Thank you for all the previous comments and encouragements.

 

Regards

 

Doug

Edited April 5, 2016 by Dfell

[ccoyle]

Doug,

 

I'm assuming you don't have the forecastle and quarterdecks glued in yet, right?

[Dfell]

Hello Chris - no just dry fitted

 

Thanks for looking in

 

Doug

[Beef Wellington]

Doug - best of luck with your build, you look to be off to a really nice clean start.  Definitely interested in seeing you move forward so I'll follow your progress.

[Dfell]

A another small step - lower gun deck in place. Have decided to plank the deck next as instructions dictate.

It comes in two halves and to help with support / strength along join have glued a strip of hull planking underneath with a lip so the other half can be attached onto.

Where there are hatches / masts etc have cut the support away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The strength along joint is surprisingly good

 

 

Regards

 

Doug

Edited April 6, 2016 by Dfell

[Dfell]

Hello - just a question before I start on the lower gun deck planking.

 

On the instruction it says to put a plank width way as can be seen on illustration. Is this normal as I have noticed everyone on their Fly builds plank the entire deck without these two planks across

the deck.

 

 

 

Is it down to personal choice?

 

Thank you if you can help, please

 

 

Regards

 

Doug

[ccoyle]

That strip was designed to make the deck planking easier for novice builders. The actual ship did not have that feature.

[Dfell]

Chris - thank you. Probably could do with some more reference books

 

Right, onwards with the deck planking then .....

 

Thanks

 

Doug

[ccoyle]

The kit, marvelous as it is, was designed with the novice builder in mind, so there are a number of simplified features. Fortunately, we have a large number of Fly and Pegasus builds on the forum, both in-progress and completed, and these are provide a wealth of upgrade ideas. I also heartily recommend looking at dubz's Syren log, as he is quite good at adding convincing extra details to ships of the same period and similar rate.

 

I, too, have a Fly in progress, although I started in 2006 (!) and haven't touched her in about three years. Too many projects, dontcha know.

[Dfell]

Hello - lower gun deck planked using the kit supplied Tanganyika wood although I wish I was more adventurous and tried something else as I did not feel the quality was there - but still it is suitable for my skills.

Still using 0.05 black thread - would preferred grey if I could find it. Realise the caulking is out of scale but as I used this method on my first build thought I'd keep the same build theme going - ie built badly....

 

Left the edges to do once the side hull section is done. Deck still to be sanded and varnished. Will now make some hatches and try and understand how to do the capstan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

 

Doug

[Mirabell61]

good looking work Doug,

nice deck planking

 

Nils

[Dfell]

Thank you Nils - nice to hear from you again.

 

Black Viking, Beef Wellington, Seventynet,and Chris (ccoyle) thank you for the 'likes' - much appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Doug

[Landlubber Mike]

Looks great Doug.  The deck will be mostly covered by the time your done with adding all the deck items.  Tanganyika finishes pretty nicely, even though it can be splintery.

[Dfell]

One capstan - the centre hole in various parts to make the capstan was 10mm and instructions asked for 8mm dowel? Was this situation experienced by anyone else? Just happened to have a piece of dowel that fitted and this was extended (to link with the capstan above) with a piece cut out to fit under beam. I do realize this will not be visible

 

 

 

Some other deck fittings dry fitted to deck - hatch, pumps cistern assembly,rear main mast bits (adjustment required so it sit under beam), riding bit assembly.

Hatch is flat with a little curvature on the underside to suit deck.

 

 

 

 

Regards

 

Doug

[Dfell]

Hello - More deck fittings - all dry fitted.

 

Was uncertain as to width of ladder and exactly what happens around hatch opening.

 

Have lined hatch opening for ladder with strips of walnut to give some thickness to deck and hide ends of planks and ply underneath.

 

 

 

Have some plans of Fly which I would say the ladder looked at least 3 ft wide (just under 1 mtr) so have done the width to about 15 mm.

 

 

 

A very crude jig was used to assemble ladder - used the kit parts which were very good.

 

 

Ladder in place - feels as if too wide Concerned about the ladder on the Quarter deck as I know at this width it will touch the hatch below - may move the hatch opening a fraction over depending on the space for upper capstan.

 

 

 

 

Hatches all done on lower gun deck. Have sanded the top with a slight curve to lose the flatness.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking

 

Doug

Edited April 23, 2016 by Dfell

[Dfell]

Hello - wanted to check that things are going in the right direction as I know this part of the build is extremely important.

All dry fitted. The gun port strips were first heated with an iron and fixed on a board between two rows of screws forming the bow's shape

A light mist of water sprayed on and then left over night.

 

 

 

 

A test fit and to form the shape so far only one side done - fixed in place with the usual clamps etc. Again a light spray of water and this will be left overnight. Then the other side will be done.

The strip as instructed aligned to tops of bulkheads but the odd top of bulkhead a fraction too high.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All gun openings appear the same distance above decking and have place a kit's cannon on all seems central although will source some other carriages and use kit's barrels. All needs looking into.

 

 

 

 

Please - if anyone can see something wrong I would appreciate the feed back.

 

Thank you

 

Doug

Edited April 25, 2016 by Dfell

[Dfell]

Right - now other side gun port strip dry fitted in place. Hopefully there is no obvious things wrong.

Am worried about this stage - if wrong I guess it will cause a lot of problems for other things.

 

 

 

 

Top of the strip is fraction higher at the bow bulkhead

 

 

 

Gun in place for checking position to the opening - although would like to change the carriage which will probably alter how the gun points through opening.

 

 

 

Another view

 

 

 

Join on strip just misses bulkhead which I understand is how it should be - strange.

 

 

 

Hopefully this is all okay - I will proceed with glueing it......

 

 

Regards

 

Doug

[donrobinson]

Looks good to me, I really don't care too much for these strips and the two piece ones are a further mind scrambler, but I guess this versus the alternative of cutting our own gun ports.......let the scrambling begin!!

[Dfell]

Thanks Don. Yes it certainly would be quite a challenge to cut the gun ports out.

May move all a millimetre or so forward as one of those small square holes on both sides just has a tiny bit of bulkhead showing which I know will be cut off at some stage.

This will also help the join as it should sit a tiny bit more on the bulkhead. Would also try and lower the bow part of strip to align with the tops of bulkheads better.

Have checked the fit with the quarter deck on and it seems okay with some trimming off the end of strip.

 

Anyway thanks for looking in and your comments.

 

Doug

[Martin W]

Hi Doug -- I have just now found your build log, and enjoyed reading up on your progress.  As others have said, the Fly / Pegasus is a nice kit.  Those gun port strips are about the worst part, so once you get them done to your satisfaction, you should find everything coming together with less agony.  And they look good to me -- if you're going to use the kit-supplied guns, then they'll serve as your ultimate measure; but if you want to substitute, with Chuck's guns from Syren, for example, the measurement could shift a nudge.  But, really, if the strips line up, if they're even, and they come together at the bow properly, then voila!

 

It's always good to have another Swan builder on board!  I'll be looking forward to your progress.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[betamale]

Hi Doug,

It looks to me like you are making a fine start to your ship.I look forward to following your build.

[Blue Ensign]

Nice progress Doug, your deck planking looks excellent to my eye; I think we swan builders have all breathed a sigh of relief once the gunport strips have been fixed and we find that the guns sit squarely in the ports allowing a degree of both elevation and depression.

 

Where the strips join I took the precaution of adding a thin reinforcing strip behind the join for added security.

 

B.E.

[Mirabell61]

nice progress Doug,

 

Nils