La Couronne by EJ_L - FINISHED - Corel - 1:100 - 1637 Version

[Homebrew]

Hi EJ,

 

Here are the plans. I think they are of the model in the collection, rather than the ship actual.

 

I have made the photos of the models hi-res.

 

Cheers

Mark

from Tasmania

[EJ_L]

Mark, Thank you very much for those. I can see a lot of differences between those plans, and the model and the current plans and models that are out there. It has me wondering what she really looked like and how much artistic freedom has taken place over the centuries to bring her to her current design. It is also interesting to see that she has guns pointed across her deck much like SotS does. This was a common feature in the 17th century but this is the first I have seen it on la Couronne. I will be spending a lot of time studying these as every time I look at them I notice something new and different than what I've spent the past year looking at.

 

Thanks again!

[EJ_L]

So I have been building a few smaller items lately. One of those items is the capstan which I finished up last night. I never could find a good representation on what it should look like so I made up my own largely based on the photos from the Vasa museum and models of ships of the same era.
I decided to model it with the poles in place since it sits so far down on the upper gun deck that once the launch is in place and rigging up it would look like a oddly placed wooden post. This way a viewer can instantly tell  that it is the capstan. On a design note, when in use, the clearance is very tight against the spar deck support columns. I may have these to far forward but in all reality, the clearance was probably minimum though if scaled up that tiny gap is probably closer to 1 or 2 feet.

 

Well, enjoy the pictures and I hope to have the rudder finished and installed soon as that is the other item I have been building lately.

[Homebrew]

You are welcome. I'm glad you are finding them useful.

 

Cheers

Mark

from Tasmania

[yancovitch]

yep...it sure looks purdy.......i ended up buying those plans for the belaying points, which, i was told it showed...but regretfully  they are not shown on the plans.............unless you read french.....should have used the money for one of the kit plans.....the corel ones are available online, but the resolution is rather poor, so alot is unreadable.....

[EJ_L]

I have the Corel plans, and have seen most of the Mantua/Sergal ones online. Now I have these and each one is different. The overall layout and design is the same but there are considerable differences in each that have made me question what was authentic and what is "educated guess" or just an artistic rendering that looks good. My model has become a mixture of all the various references I have found combined with what I have been able to read about her and common building practices of that era. She won't end up in a museum but I can justify my decisions and until a time machine is invented so I can go back and see her in person that is good enough for me.

[yancovitch]

where did you see the mantua plans online...i looked everywhere.....

[EJ_L]

The Mantua plans were lucky finds on Google and Yahoo searches. I thought I had saved them but I cannot find them. I will keep looking but they were bad resolution and small. I think there are some on modellismo.net. The link is for a nice build of her but I do not think the plans are in this build log. I do know that model-dockyard.com and hobbyworldinc.com have them for sale.

[yancovitch]

thanks...no problem

[Landlubber Mike]

Really nice work - coming along great!

 

The french ships were really works of art, weren't they?  Not sure how practical they were, but they sure were beautiful.

[EJ_L]

They really were magnificent creations. It is well documented though that they were not the best built ships though. Many of them only had a short service life due to either poor maneuverability, weak structurally or just unable to hold their own against the much better built English ships. Not saying they did not have successes but their record is rather weak when compared to other nations of the time.

 

Granted, the French Navy at the time had a less aggressive strategy as well. They trained their crews to focus more of crippling the rigging of an enemy ship to allow them to escape rather than destroy or take the enemy's ship. As such, when they would fire they would wait till the ship was rolling back to gain more elevation on their guns. This is great for targeting rigging but left the lower hull vulnerable to enemy fire. The English especially at the time trained to fire at the hull of a ship to sink them. This proved to be a downfall for the French at sea. Still, their ships did inspire awe in their decorations and appearance.

 

It is a shame none of the ships from this great era of sail survived like the ones of the 18th century. The Vasa is almost the exception to this but it didn't truly survive and much of it's glory was lost over the time it spent under water. As awesome as she is in her condition today it would be even more so to see her when she was new.

[Homebrew]

The capstan looks great!

I like your attention to detail with the bars at different heights plus that you left the bars in the capstan as if it is about to be used. 

 

Cheers

Mark

from Tasmania

[donrobinson]

Truly a great build, your eye for detail is incredible.

[EJ_L]

As always but can never be said enough, thanks for all the kind words and likes. It is always a good feeling to see others enjoying a build as much as the builder.

[EJ_L]

Rudder is installed. I do have a question for anyone who can help. Every model ship I have built has always been supplied with a gold chain for the rudder and sometimes the anchors as well. On a model I like the color as it adds an accent to the ship but from a realistic perspective wouldn't the chains have been black or dark grey in color? I just have a hard time thinking that they would have gilded the chains.

 

In any case, rudder is done. Next up is completing the bow and ram details.  

[md1400cs]

-E.J.,

 

Just catching up very nice - looking very good. Capstan looks excellent!

 

Cheers,

[cobra1951]

The chain will be brass and is supplied mainly because it's cheaper than black chain mostly. I would rather pay a bit extra and have the correct coloured chain supplied. Also I would pay a bit extra for black eyelets and rings etc.

[popeye2sea]

Chain was not used for things like anchors and such until c.1808.  Prior to that would have been rope.

 

Regards,

[EJ_L]

Been working on the ram this week with a lot of good progress made. A little touching up here and there and then on to the 50 gun port lids that I have to make and install. Went ahead and used the cast griffin and rider provided. This is another piece I would like to replace one day but that day is still a long way off. Till then, this one will work. Enjoy the pictures!

[donrobinson]

Looks a little shiny, but I'm sure that is just the lighting and the picture, I like it. I also quite admire your shelving unit   

[EJ_L]

Thanks Don! The griffin and rider are very shiny with the gold that was put on them. It does make photos harder to take at least with my phone. I will take some better ones with my good camera probably this weekend. That is one of the big reasons why I am not satisfied with the cast pieces that were provided. Once we move into the new house and my new shipyard is up and going I am going to focus some more time into practicing my carving skills. That is one of the big pieces I would really like to replace.

 

That shelving unit keeps me in good "spirits" while I'm working on my ships. Especially while I'm reading and doing research on them.

[riverboat]

Just  went thru your log E.J..... this is one sweeeeeet looking build .... Excellent!! work.... I agree with Mike, those French ships were

real beauties.

 

Frank

[EJ_L]

Thank you for the compliment Frank and welcome to the build!

 

Had to take a short break as my chair gave up the ghost Friday morning. Bought a new one today and took some time to clean uo the work area. Tomorrow I will start to build the gun port lids and some of the other detail pieces that go on the hull. I will post some progress pics as I get things done.

[EJ_L]

Started work on the gun ports. Roughing out the wood and hanging the hinges so I can blacken them. Also I will be making the eye bolts for the pull ropes as a big knot through a hole in the lid just does not look very good.

 

52 of them for this ship in three different woods depending upon location. All but four of them in the open position. This will take a little while. 

[ca.shipwright]

E.J.,

That's why I build masts or deck furniture when the work gets to repetitive. Ships boats are also a nice diversion.

 

Regards

[EJ_L]

I do the same with the repetitive stuff. I'm also building some of the other misc. details that need to be done but are just one piece instead of 50.

 

Speaking of the ships boat, that is coming up fast on the to-do list. I am going to attempt to build it completely from scratch. Never done that before so I am looking forward to the experience. Worst case, I still have the solid hull one that came with the kit.

[cobra1951]

Always good to have a fall back plan

Edited August 22, 2016 by Cobr@

[EJ_L]

Well work slowed down last week as I spent almost all of it very sick. However, this week I am recovering well and getting back at the build. Gun port lids is the theme this week. A lot of them. I got the hinges painted with the first coat of paint and about half of the lids built so I thought I would start assembling them to begin figuring out how I want to build them. I took some pictures of the steps I took but it is fairly simple just time consuming.

 

First after I built the lids themselves I drilled a hole for the eye bolts. These are custom built out of some black .014 diameter jewelry wire. I threaded the wire through the hole and made a loop on one end. Using a small pin I applied a tiny drop of CA glue to the wire and pulled it tight to the lid. Cutting off the wire leaving just enough to make another eye bolt I repeated the process and now have both eye bolts for the pull ropes.

 

I next attached the hinges by simply gluing them into place but first I had to mash down the hinge pin pockets as they were oversized for the pins I will be using.

 

The kit didn't come with any pins so I made some using some small nails. I held the nail behind the head where the thickness of my pliers' jaw was the correct width of the pin length. Then I bent the nail over the jaw to create a 90 degree angle and snipped off the excess length. Then I drilled the holes in the hull for the pins and test fit to make sure everything fits. Once I have a few of these done I will touch up all the paint and add the pull ropes.

 

That will be most of my evenings and time this weekend as this is a time consuming step but I love seeing all the gun port lids opened up and ready for action. It will be worth the time.

 

 

[cobra1951]

Great job EJ. Must be tiresome making them especially at that scale

[Elijah]

Nice job EJ!