HMS Victory 1805 by Robert29 - FINISHED - Caldercraft - Scale 1:72

[Ian_Grant]

Beautiful travellers!  And ship, of course....😉

[Robert29]

Graham and Ian thanks for your nice comments.

 

Ian, to be honest I was quite confused how to go about rigging the bowsprit and its traveller. Going true some builds to find some details, in Bill's log I came acrossI the correspondence between you and Bill re the bowsprit rigging.  With my Longridge, Bill's persistence to detail and your excellent hints I think now I have a good idea how to go about it.

I seized all the ropes that go to the traveller before I fit it to the Jib as I think it would be much more difficult to seize them when it is in place.  Hopefully I got it right and I will rig all the attached ropes to their respective place.

 

According to my understanding from what I gathered from Longridge, Bill and Ian here is an image of my traveller withe ropes all marked which hopefully I will rig to their right place.

Robert

[Robert29]

Proceeded with more work on the standing rigging, backstays and bowsprit.

 

Fitted the Jiboom in place and after inserting the traveller also fitted the flying jiboom with the brass rings I had prepared earlier.

To reinforce and keep in place the flying jiboom at the back end I drove a piece of brass road trough the flying jiboom and the jiboom. Later I painted black so it doesn't show much.

 

Finished the bowsprit shrouds and the Boomkin Stays.  You can also notice the Man Rope which run from a copper eyelet on the side of the bowsprit cap to an eyelet on the knighthead.

 

As I had added the travellers I had to divert quite a bit from the instruction manual for the jiboom and flying jiboom rigging.  Part of the rigging which in the manual were indicated to be secured to the jiboom end had to go to the traveller.  Also I included some more detail which was omitted in the manual.  I referred for these details in Longridge.  You can notice the still unrigged travelling guys seized to a thimble in the traveller and the guy pendant seized to the notch in the end of the jib.  They are to be rigged later as they have to go through eyelets in the spritsail, still to be shipped.

 

The jibboom horse also in place.  To give it that sagging effect I wetted the horse with diluted PVA glue and put some clips along it as weights until it dried.

Here you can see the tackle for the Jib Outhauler.  Long tackle block made by attaching two blocks together. The rope for the long tackle block is first secured to the shackle on the traveller, then passed through a hole (representing a sheave) in the jibboom and then the long tackle block seized to it.  Inner and outer martingale are also in place.  The martingale ends and some other rigging although they are tied to there respective places, they are not secured,  glued and trimmed for the moment, in case I have to loosen them for other rigging.

 

Now before I start fitting the yards and the driver gaff and driver boom on the stern I think I better carry on fitting the stern lanterns and the gunport lids as otherwise the yards will be too much in the way.

 

Robert

Edited May 9, 2022 by Robert29

[Anthony Hearne]

amazing

[Malcolm Greig]

Very interesting and informative update. Your Victory is looking fantastic.  I like the simple yet effective way of sagging the jibboom horse. 

 

regards

 

Malcolm

[Robert29]

Thank you Malcolm, and thank you all for the likes.  

 

Stern lanterns in place.  I was very eager to fit them and see how they look.  I left them up to now to avoid nocking any of them while doing the rigging.  But now I had to ship them as otherwise it would be very difficult to wire and solder them in place with more rigging in the way.

 

I had already prepared the brass work and wiring of the LED's inside the lanterns.   I painted the three parts, that is the base with the brass arms and led's, the cage and the top and assembled them.

 

Soldered the wirer from the open spaces I left on deck and checked that they are working fine.

 

Flag lockers in place and covering the openings I left for soldering the lanterns wiring.  I did not glue the lockers so that I can still have excess to the soldered wires if need be.  The outer transom knees kept the lockers in place.

 

Instead of gluing the knees I fitted two cut nails in their underside and pinned the knees in corresponding holes on the deck so I can easily remove them.

 

Lanterns and stern windows all lit.

 

 

Lantern on main mast top.

 

So basically now I have finished all the lights and wiring.  It did involve quite some work, and to be honest at first I was a bit hesitant if I should go for the lights or not.   But now I am glad I decided to go for it,  I think the result was worth the extra effort.

 

Robert

 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by Robert29

[allanyed]

Robert, I for one am very happy to see that you added the LEDs as it makes your already excellent model even better. 

Allan

[Robert29]

A small update,

 

I fitted the side entry ports which I had prepared some time ago. 

 

Robert

[Robert29]

All cannons in place.   

 

Now to start installing the gunport lids.

 

Robert

 

 

[Charter33]

Just gorgeous......

[allanyed]

Robert, your work continues to be very impressive and offers some great lessons and should be an inspiration to others wanting to build Victory. 

In that vein, one thing to keep in mind for the future is that there were normally three port stops rather than four in the gun ports.  One on each side and one on the bottom sill, but none on the top sill.   I looked at a good number of photos of contemporary models at the RMG website, at the Preble Hall Rogers collection, and in the Kriegstein collection and Anderson books and so far I could not find any with stops on the upper sills.  There is a detailed explanation on these in volume II of The Fully Framed Model books. 

 

Allan

[Robert29]

Graham and Allan thanks for your comments.

 

Allan also thank you for your gunport comment.  When I was doing the gun ports I just went along as per the kit manual instructions, which indicated four port stops.  Then I saw some photos of the HMS Victory at Portsmouth and the gunports in these images do not have a stop at the bottom sill.  But by this time I had already done all the linings of the gunports and it was too late to change them without doing other damage, so decided to leave them as is.   So you are right, I do have an extra stop in the gunports, but I was always under the impression that the extra stop I have is at the bottom sill. 

 

 

Actual image of gunport on HMS Victory at Portsmouth. 

 

I have started fitting the lids and as you can see the hinges and the way the lids are fitted aren't exactly a replica of the real one.  In fact the way they are fitted in the kit the lid covers the top stop.

 

Allan just for curiosity's sake, do you think that, maybe,  the gunports at the HMS Victory at Portsmouth were altered during a restoration?

 

Robert

[allanyed]

I would look at contemporary models of most any ship as well as the Victory as she stands today.  While today she is still a wealth of information, with the many rebuilds there are likely differences between what she looked like in 1805 and in the 21st century. Maybe the stop on the top sill rather than the bottom sill is one of those things.   Always a good idea to do some research on every part before installing it.  As you no doubt know, there are thousands of photos of contemporary models on the RMG website to name just one source with multiple views of each vessel that are often very helpful.    One other example that I would question is that she has her name on the stern today which she (as well as the rest of  RN) did not have before 1780 or after 1790 by order of the Admiralty.  I have seen exceptions on contemporary models but this might have been the model builder's idea depending on the purpose of the model presentation.

Allan

 

 

[Oldsalt1950]

If you look carefully at the gun port picture you can see there are modifications. There are no hinges. They added some sort of fixture to hold the port lid in the air (the rods are visible). Changes are made during every restoration. Some to enhance viewing of certain features some to try and get back to the historically correct configuration. You can only do so much to replicate what was on Victory during her prime.

[Robert29]

 

 

lan and Oldsalt, thank you for your feedback.  Yes you can only do so much to replicate what was during their prime.  I think it depends on three factors. a) How much you are ready to source, b)how much details you manage to source  and c)the ability to replicate them on the model, depending on your skill, sometimes very difficult or impossible because of the small scale.  In my opinion sometimes it is better to leave some details out than try to replicate them with a poor result.

 

I finished all the gunport lids. I had made the lids some time ago and put them away to finish some rigging before fitting them in place as I am sure I would have nocked down a few of them. Probably I will still manage to nock down a couple of them, but at least the risk is minimised. 

 

I made a jig to keep the opening angle of the lids the same as much as possible.  Here are a few images, quite crude but very useful.  It was made from scrap I had laying about.

 

I found a piece of wood, I think it was cut fro some sort of wall panelling.  It had a groove on one of the faces.  I glued two pieces of wood to it to act as guides to go up and down the upright stand and always keep the block at the same angle. 

 

 

 

Put a strip of wood in the groove.  So basically now I have the block of wood that can move up and down, depending on the height of the gunport, and the strip which can slide in and out to the required distance.

 

Jig in use.

 

Here are a few images of the finished job.

 

Robert

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Robert29

[Charter33]

I know I've used this phrase before, but:-

Superb!

[Robert29]

Thank you Graham and thank you all for the likes.

 

With all the gunports shipped and all Stays and Backstays in place I thought its best to concentrate on the bowsprit rigging and finish as much as possible before moving to the Fore, Main and Mizzen yards.  It involved more work than I had thought.  Because I added the travellers, Jib Outhauls and Inhauls  I had to divert quite a bit from the kit rigging instructions.  I basically followed the rigging as per Longridge book. With nautical terms being all new to me it was no easy task to follow and make the changes from the kit's manual to Longridge.  There were some differences of bowsprit rigging/belaying from kit's manual to Longridge.  I did them to my best understanding and ability and I apologise for any rigging which might not be truly as per the Victory's prime.

 

Here are a few images. I still have to make the rope coils and fit them at the belaying points.

 

Robert

[CaptnBirdseye]

impressive stuff Robert 👍I really do like your build

[mort stoll]

Hi Robert,

In post #440 3/13/22 it looks like you put hearts or bulleyes around the stop cleats on the bowsprit. Where did you get them and what size are they. I guess they're 3.5 and 5mm.

Your build has been a great help to me.

Keep up the great work,

Mort

[Robert29]

Thank you RockinBudgie.

 

Mort, sorry, forgot to reply to you about the hearts on the bowsprit.  I made them from 3mm dead eyes.  To be honest I ran out of 3mm dead eyes and made a couple of them from 5mm deadeyes.  I just drilled a hole in the  centre bringing the three holes into one bigger hole and some sanding.

 

Robert

Edited July 8, 2022 by Robert29

[mort stoll]

No worries. I used 3.5 mm Model Shipways bullseyes  for them which I also sanded  thinner and drilled out a bit and their 2.5 mm bulleyes for the traveler rings.

Can't thank you enough for your input.

Mort

 

[kiwiron]

Fantastic work Robert, I've just started mine. Ron.

[Robert29]

Thank you Ron.  Good luck and enjoy your Victory Build.  I will be looking into your build.

 

A long overdue update.  It has been 2 months since my last update.  Had other priorities and my build was on 'go slow'.  Also had to go for my grandson's first birthday in UK, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and spend some days there, where my daughter lives. 

 

I started fitting the first yard on the fore mast.  I tried to rig as as much as possible on the Fore Yard as it is much easier done when it is in hand than when it is in place.

 

In the manual the sling is made in one whole piece which goes round the yard and up around the mast cap with two knots simulating the thimbles.  In actual fact it is made up of two slings, one which goes round the mast cap with a thimble on the lower part, which I had already prepared some time ago, and another sling round the yard with another thimble.  With the yard and sling in place the two thimbles are lashed together.  The loose thread showing in the picture is the inner end of the horses, for the moment left loose so I can tension them later on with a sagging effect. 

 

Truss pendants rigged in place with a thimble at the end.

Yard in place.  Jeer falls and sling lashing still need tensioning and finishing. The Jeer falls were also secured round the yard before fitting yard in place.

 

Blocks at end of Truss Pendants had to be rigged after the yard is in place otherwise you wan't be able to pass the thread through the thimbles at the yard.

 

 

Robert 

 

 

 

[Charter33]

Magnificent work Robert. The detail you're achieving is truly inspirational.

[MartinB]

Attention to detail and workmanship. Truly inspiring Robert.

[Robert29]

Graham and Martin, thank you for your comments and thank you all for the likes.

 

My next step was to ship the Fore Topmast Yard.  Whilst studying how to rig the parrels and seeing if I need to rig anything else before I fit the topmast yard I realised that the lifts for the lower yard have to be tied to the ars of the blocks tied round the bolster.  I tried to tie the lifts to the ars of the blocks as later on it will be more difficult.  But there was no way of doing it without damage.  The thread round the block was tight and glued.   So I removed them and replaced them with others I made as per Longridge drawing.

 

The way I originally made them, no eyes or thimbles on the ars of the blocks.

Drawing in Longridge

 

Span with blocks and thimbles on the block's ars to take the lifts.

 

Yard Lift Blocks in place.  Now I can easily attach the lifts to the thimbles, even at a later stage.

 

Robert

 

[Robert29]

More work on the yards.  

All yards for the three masts in place and their respective rigging in progress.  Still a long way to go, but little by little getting there.  Belaying the lines to the bitts is taking me ages.  If anyone has a good idea how to do them is more than welcomed to share it.

Basically now I have all the truss pendants, jeers, parrells and ties  for all yards in place, except that some of them still need their ends to be belayed.  I think I will not belay them for now until I rig the lifts, which will keep the yards more stable and in place.  For now I am also not bothering about the exact  sagging effect of the yard horses as while doing the rest of the rigging I keep hitting them and, so I will set them later on.

 

Fore Topmast Parrells.

 

Mizzen Topmast Parrells

Fore Togallant Parrells

 

Topmast Tyes prepared with an eye at one end so that it will be looped to the mast.

 

Pendant prepared for the tye tackle.

 

Tyes secured to mast, go down to the 7mm tye block, up again to a 7mm block, down again through a truck. 

 

Tye passes through truck attached t the topmast standing backstay and a 7mm double block seized at the end of it.  

 

Pendant seized in place to the eylet at the rear of the channel  and a tackle is formed. 

 

Foremast Topgallant Tye tied to the middle of the yard, up and through a hole drilled in the hounds, down again and a 3mm double block is tied to the end of the tye.

 

 

Block on Fore Top to form tackle.  End of tackle goes down through the top to the deck. 

 

Belayed to the 7th pin.

The rest of the Tyes are rigged more or less the same way, with obviously some difference such as belaying positions.  I am missing one truck so the tye for the Mizzen Topgallant has to be put on hold until I receive a new one.  

 

My next step is to work on the lifts, buntlines and leeches but I think I will take a short break, working through all those lines I am starting to see double.🤩

 

Robert

 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2022 by Robert29

[Bill97]

Absolutely beautiful Robert!  As I said before, your craftsmanship and precision is very impressive!  I am glad you went with the lights. Going to study if I can possibly do that with my smaller scale 1/100  Soleli Royal. Although I am not at all the electrician you are. 

[Robert29]

Thank you Bill and thank you all for the likes.  Bill, if you go for the LED lights on your Soleli Royal, on the internet you will find a lot of diagrams showing how to wire the LED's, resistors and supply.  The major problem is how to install the lights in such small places and avoid any wiring showing.

 

Yard Lifts, Buntlines and Leechlines for the three masts all rigged.  Here are a few images. 

 

Image showing Yard Lifts, Buntlines and Leechlines on Fore Yard and Fore Topmast Yard.

Main Topgallant Yard Lift 

 

Fore Yard Lifts, Buntlines and Leechlines.

 

Fore Yard Lifts are belayed to the foremost Kevel on the forecastle.   Fore Topmast Lifts and Buntline ends belayed to shroud cleats. 

 

Belaying on the Forecastle Breast Beam.

 

Fore Topmast Buntlines, starting with a toggle at the 3mm blocked lashed on the yard. pass through the 3mm single buntline blocks held in a span to the tye block, up to 3mm blocks lashed to the crosstrees and down to be belayed to the shroud cleats.  I found it very difficult belaying thread to cleats on the inside of the shrouds.

 

 

Next step is to rig the yard sheets and the cluelines. 

 

[Retired guy]

Beautiful work Robert 

 

Regards

Richard