Henry Grace a Dieu (Great Harry) by Louie da fly - FINISHED - Scale 1:200 - Repaired after over 50 yrs of neglect

[ChiefClanker]

It looks like you are getting very close to completing your restoration.  Awesome!  

 

 

[Louie da fly]

A-a-a-nd the flags are on. A bit of a problem where the sails got in the way (particularly the forecourse), but I figured the wind bouncing off the sail would make the flags go the other way, so all good.

Just the pennants to add, now.

 

Steven

[Roger Pellett]

Steven,

I have long assumed that the grapnel hanging from the bowsprit was used in battle.  Maybe to drop and hook onto an opponent?  If that is so, would the sprit sail be set when the grapnel was used?  Wouldn’t they shorten down to “fighting sail”?

Roger

[Louie da fly]

That was my thought. But it was developed at a time when there was no spritsail, and I think they'd have had to make adjustments to allow for the new sail. Certainly it would be sensible to not only furl but also to physically remove the sail and yard so as not to obstruct the chain.

 

I know Woodrat disagrees with me, but I believe it was to hold ships together for boarding. I think my main change of mind came from an incident in the battle between the Shannon and the Chesapeake, when one English sailor was tying the ships' yards together to facilitate boarding until an American cut his arm off. The grapnel in my view is too light to hold the weight of the ship, and this one, for instance, has too many "flukes" (arms? hooks?) to work as an anchor.

 

Steven

Edited May 18, 2023 by Louie da fly

[Louie da fly]

Adding the pennants. I had to revise the pennants - the "staffs" were made of bits of a weed growing across the road - circular section, beautifully thin - ready-made staffs! Unfortunately the glue wouldn't stick to them (I think they have a waxy surface), so right in the middle of things the pennant would come adrift from its staff. So I made replacements out of wood. Much more work, but the glue stuck to them. 

 

I glued a bit of cotton to each fighting top, then put a short loop of cotton from one end of the "flagstaff" to the other. Then soaked the loop with a weak mix of PVA (white) glue and water., and hung the loop from the aforementioned bit of cotton attached to the fighting top and added weights, so the loop became a triangular shape.

Then I scrunched up the pennant so it looked like the wind was blowing it, and added a dab of PVA glue wherever the pennant crossed the rigging, to keep it in place (otherwise gravity would take over and it would hang unnaturally). The one below had to be clamped as well - it kept sagging off the rigging.

By the way, no captain in his right mind would have these huge things flapping around while the ship was under way. They'd get in the way horribly, and could even knock sailors off the rigging.

 

Antepenultimate* pennant added:

 

 

And - FINISHED!

 

 

Steven

 

*Third last.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by Louie da fly

[Baker]

3 hours ago, Louie da fly said:

FINISHED

 very, very, nice 👍

[Keith Black]

 Congratulations, Steven. A remarkable journey with a wonderful ending. 

[firdajan]

Congratulation on finishing, Steven. It was incredible what you have made - practically from the wreck.

I take my hat off

 

Jan 

[druxey]

Hearty congrats, Steven. Three cheers for completing your model in what has to be a record time (for duration)! Please make sure she's cased and protected now.

[Stevinne]

An amazing restoration. Congratulations.

[GrandpaPhil]

Congratulations Steven on a magnificent rebuild!

Edited May 21, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[Roger Pellett]

Great job Steven!!

[Jeff T]

Congratulations, Steven — it’s amazing!

[mtaylor]

Congratulations on a very well done re-build/repair, Steven.  She's beautiful and I hope as the others, she gets a protected place of honor.

[ChiefClanker]

Steve,

Your repair looks fabulous!  Keep up the good work.  

Mark

 

[Kenneth Powell]

Excellently Fantastic.

[woodrat]

Marvellous, Steven, well rescued!

Dick

[Ferrus Manus]

On 5/16/2023 at 9:06 PM, Louie da fly said:

I've just added the bowsprit grapnel and its chain.

Don't make me break up a brawl between you and Woodrat. Yes, i know i'm late to make this comment. 

[Louie da fly]

Like I said - not a brawl, just a difference in interpretation. I think you must have been watching too many action movies 

 

Steven

[Ferrus Manus]

On 6/7/2023 at 5:03 PM, Louie da fly said:

I think you must have been watching too many action movies 

No, i just have a pretty "alternative" sense of humor. 

[Omega1234]

Absolutely awesome, Steven!  Now that’s what you call a true labour of love. Excellent work!!!