Lady Nelson (the real one).

[Rick01]

I'm slowly attempting to bash a kit into the Lady Nelson using the Royal Museums Greenwich as my base model. http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66562.htmlI've arrived at a point where I need to clarify a couple of items - firstly whilst the skylight is obviously glassed in the companionway side is solid but appears to be painted as if to resemble glass. Do I glaze or not?

Second item - she carried 6 guns and on the way out from England these were described as 3~4 lb brass carriage guns - this info. from various log entries (not carronades as may have been swapped in later). Given that there are no gunwales would they have been secured with ringbolts through the deck (answer seems yes but I'm just checking :-)  ).

For locals seeing this post - I've seen and have copies of the Float-a-boat plans, these however do deviate from the original model layout and the various paintings/engravings out there all seem to be copies of the original of her in the Thames. This however is problematical as it was published in 1803 when she had already been in in Aus for some time.

 

Rick

[Rick01]

Anyone? Not even a guess?

 

Rick

[mtaylor]

I'll take a shot, so to speak.  

 

I you look at the railings,the stanchions appear to be the tops of the frames which was common.  I think the eyebolts for the guns would have been attached to them.  They should always be secured to something stronger than planking, usually the framing timbers and those in the deck to the beams.  

 

The companionway, I have no idea.   I suspect (there's that word again...) that the companionway would not have had glass.

[BANYAN]

Rick, There is a replica in Tasmania.   If you contact them they may be willing to open a discussion and maybe able to shed some light on your questions?

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited March 16, 2016 by BANYAN

[Rick01]

Thanks guys - Mark after a little thought and more examination of the original model (via the photos) your idea has more merit than my first thought. Fixing through the beams would cause the gun to buck on recoil as the pressures would not be in a straight line through the centre of the gun carriage (if that makes sense).

Pat - I've studied various photos of the replica and see that the companionway has no glass which does make sense - however as there are a number of other features which do not follow the original model and the plans available from Float-a-boat in Melb were based on discussions with the Tassie people (again no glass - but companionway and skylight as a single unit) I thought I'd try for a third (or more) opinion. It was the paint job replicating glass that has thrown me. However no glass makes more sense than glass so I think I'll go that way.

 

Rick