HMCSS Victoria 1855 by Banyan - 1:72

[EdT]

I think attaching this with eyebolts is a safe bet, Pat. I can't imagine what the multiple loops on Jyland are for - decorative? allowing for progressive release if the rudder unships?  They are attractive.

 

Ed

[wefalck]

I think these chains were called 'preventer chains', as they were meant to prevent the the loss of the rudder should it become unshipped. One can see them on many models. Here is an example from the BELLE POULE in the museum in Paris:

 

 

The idea of hanging the chains festoon-fashion presumably was to distribute the load, so the fastenings would break one after another. Overall the chain had also to be long enough, so that the rudder floats as clear of the ship as possible - otherwise it could do some serious damage to the hull.

 

BTW, didn't see your post of 11 December until just now: yes this is the self-tinning solution I have.

 

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in John, Denis Ed and Eberhard; appreciate the comments.  Thanks for confirming the solution Eberhard; I will get some in soon.

Your explanation of the loops makes some sense Eberhard, like faking out a tow rope etc to pay out under control and not 'snap'.  However, I cannot see these loops in any other image I have so, as ED has suggested, I think I will terminate at an eye under the counter until I can get better supporting information.

 

I need to relocate some text I read recently about a better way of connecting preventer chains as the thrust of the argument to support the new method was that the 'old' way resulted in the rudder, when unshipped, being drawn into a broad aspect relative to the sea by the towing action resulting in damage most of the time.  The new method kept it on 'axis' thus streamlining the tow.  I will post it here when I find it again as it is out of copyright.

 

Many thanks for the continued support.

 

Pat

Edited January 27, 2018 by BANYAN

[Beef Wellington]

Catching up Pat, great progress.  I'm similarly pondering the rudder chains so will be interested to see what you uncover.  I wonder how much history there is of rudders becoming unshipped, intuitively it just seems very improbable considering the length of pintles and the fact that the motion would need to be perfectly in line with the hinge line.  The photo of the chains with multiple attachments is very interesting, way more than I've seen on most ships.  Is it to minimise drag caused by the chain being in the water?

[BANYAN]

Hi BW and thanks for looking in.  As yet I have not been able to relocate that text.  I have got in a very bad habit lately of not bookmarking interesting things as I read.

 

I think unhinging of the rudder, while not a common thing, happened more often than we might think as the article I am trying to relocate suggested as much - when hitting sand bars etc.  WRT the additional chain, I think in this case these were longer versions of rudder chains so they could be used for steering also.  I am forming a 'half-baked' theory at the moment that the 'preventer' element of the chain may have terminated at (shackled to) an eye, and these extra lengths would have been used as required for steering as shown by Harland (see earlier graphic). 

 

The interesting bit is this elusive reference to a "Lang's emergency tiller" - similar to a reference to a "Lang's eye in the channels" - I simply cannot find any drawings or reference other than that fleeting reference in the Mechanic's Magazine. 

 

I'll keep you posted.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited January 31, 2018 by BANYAN

[BANYAN]

Hi folks some more progress on this build.  I have now done a fair mount of the painting.  The bulwarks and cap rails are finished but the hull still needs its final coat of black - you can see where I have started final sanding etc.  The figurehead requires some touching up of the white to complete it also.

 

The following show progressively how I have been proceeding.  First I built a build cradle which is hinged at the front so that I can angle the deck appropriately under a large mill to drill the mast holes.  This cradle keeps the ship nice and steady - there are two bicycle spoked from the keel (epoxied in) that pass through the assembly and secured with nuts under the board; the door wedges are for leveling the deck laterally.

The next photo shows her masked and the priming coat applied.  the last two photos are of her in her current state.  the larger holes are for the scupper outlets; the final size is much smaller - a 9" scupper at 1:1.  The smaller holes are for the Lang Scuttles mentioned earlier in this log.

 

 

I have also attached a 3D render of what the capstan will look like.

 

cheers 

 

Pat

 

 

 

 

[russ]

Pat:

Very nice paint work and coppering. This is a beautiful hull form. Great work. 

 

Russ

 

 

[cog]

She does have a bit of a "clipper" -ish hull, very nice lines. The make-up makes her shine. I like the hinged cradle idea ...

[mtaylor]

Indeed what Carl said.  She does look to be a speedy vessel.  Beautiful work, Pat.

Edited February 20, 2018 by mtaylor

[Jim Lad]

She really looks 'the goods', Patrick - beautiful work.

 

John

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in and the positive reinforcement guys; much appreciated.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Pat......I've been waiting for photos of her in entirety......very nice looking ship so far      super paint work and a lot of detail......your efforts are really paying off.    has that Kearsarge / Alabama look to her..........love it!    

[BANYAN]

Thanks Denis; appreciate the complement.  Victoria is the same era and was built on the same principles as the Union/Confederate ships, and for a similar purpose, although she never engaged in any ship-to-ship battles - purely shore bombardments.

 

cheers

 

Pat

 

 

[Louie da fly]

That's a beautiful rendition of a beautiful ship, Pat. What she reminds me of is Brunel's magnificent Great Britain, which it was my privilege to visit when I was in the UK. 

 

Looking forward to further progress.

 

Steven

Edited February 22, 2018 by Louie da fly

[berniew]

Hello Pat.

Been a while, but I had to check to see what you were up to.

Very nice work, as always!

cheers, Bernie

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in and the kind comments guys.  I am off to the UK next year Steven and a visit to the GB is included (along with a few other maritime museums :))  As with your Dromon, the research is slowing me up quite a bit

 

Great to see you back Bernie; hope to see more of your lovely 'James Caird' soon?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Louie da fly]

The Great Britain display is very good - they have very good explanatory stuff, and they have allocated various parts of the ship to different periods in her history - for example, below decks has been reconstructed as (very cramped and basic) berthing for her time transporting low-income emigrants to Australia (after she'd been converted to pure sail - she couldn't carry enough coal economically enough for trips longer than the Atlantic passage). The engines and the screw propeller are very worth a look, as well.

 

You'll probably get to see the reconstruction of Cabot's Matthew of 1407, as well. I think she does day trips up and down the river.

 

And while you're in Bristol, make sure you don't miss Brunel's amazing Clifton Suspension Bridge (high enough for a sailing warship to pass under). I'd forgotten it was there, and only caught a brief glimpse of it as we left in the bus.

 

I hadn't realised how far inland Bristol is, for a major port. It's on the Avon river, not on the coast, and the river vanishes at low tide, leaving mudbanks and stranding vessels.

 

Steven

Edited February 23, 2018 by Louie da fly

[DaveRow]

Hi Pat,

Thought I'd take break from my build and see what is going on elsewhere.

 

The painted hull is looking great.

How are you going to build the Capstan ? any 3D printing involved ?

 

I'm jealous of a trip to the UK, visiting a number of the maritime museums.

Something on my bucket list.

 

[BANYAN]

Thanks Dave.  The plan is to 3D print the capstan and see what it looks like rather than manufacture one   

 

The plan is to do Portsmouth and Chatham Dockyards, and the SS Great Britain in Bristol, as well as revisit Bucklars Hard.  I was based in Portsmouth for 2 years while on an exchange deployment with the RN, so I have a few mates there I hope to catch up with.  I think I might be pushing my luck if I try for any more (in trouble with the Admiral that is).

 

cheers

 

Pat

[mtaylor]

That sounds like a great trip, Pat.  Take plenty of photos for us to drool over.

[wefalck]

Good places to visit and a bit of diversion for senior officers around it as well   Visited SS GREAT BRITAIN in the late 1980s, Bucklers Hard in 1994 or so, I think before it really became developed as a tourist attraction, and in more recent years (re-)visited Portsmouth and Chatham a couple of times. Both are easy to access from London, even if you don't have a car.

[BANYAN]

Thanks for the feedback and info Eberhard, great to hear that access to Chatham has improved but a little disappointing to hear Bucklers Hard is a tourist trap now - I think like you it was a much better option without the 'trappings' when I last visited there in the mid-80s.

 

Thanks Mark, Ill be sure to do that   

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi Steven, sorry I did not respond against your second comment/feedback earlier - somehow I missed it, a senior's moment - much appreciate the info about Bristol and in particular about the GB.  It's been a while since I was there; I served in HMS Bristol back in 1986 doing my Bridge Watchkeeping and Ocean Navigation Certificates - had a great time during a port visit there, but I was not fully aware of some of her maritime heritage collections. 

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited February 24, 2018 by BANYAN

[wefalck]

Pat, the maritime heritage hasn't changed since the mid-1980s, but the way how it is being presented a lot, and not always for the better (re. the NMM). On the other hand new things opened, such as Chatham. There has been a major shift in the way all this financed, as since the last Thatcher-government public funding for museums has been cut back dramatically. This one reason, why a lot of places convert into theme-parks and tourist traps.

 

Not sure that Bucklers Hard is now a real tourist trap. I believe there is not just the row houses of house to see, but they have now some workshops and the likes to visit. Also they have recreated a slip, I think, but haven't checked.

 

You can take a train from London-St. Pancras to Chatham and from the station there runs a bus past the Dockyard. Otherwise it is about a 30 mins walk, but you may want to preserve your legs for the dockyard itself   Make sure to get out at the second stop, in front of the large car-park, and not at the old Main Gate, because the ticket-office is there. Entrance fees are quite high, but allows you to come back any time over the next 12 months - a farce for overseas visitors. There is no photography in the 'Smithy', were the NMM models are now on display, but I gather in the age of smart-phones this is difficult to enforce. To water your mouth a bit: http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/chatham/chatham.html

 

There are, of course, trains running down from London to Portsmouth, but the last two times I have been there, I had the car with me, so I don't remember, how one gets from the station to the Dock.

[BANYAN]

Thanks again Eberhard; I am looking forward to this trip.  i have deliberately given the NMM a liss as from what I can see, simply not worth a visit anymore   Nice photos BTW.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi folks, a few more progress pics showing the redone paintwork (hull) - still some touching up needed but it is getting there. 

 

Note the 'vermillion' ports (colour as per contract).  i have portrayed her with bucklers in place on one side, and open on the other.  The bucklers will be secured with a batten across the towing timbers once I have placed them (very soon) using a threaded rod and wing nut system.

 

The next jobs are to add all the detail to the bulwarks which will include, ring bolts for gun tackles and breeching ropes, cleats for securing lines, iron garlands for ready use shoot, lead linesman's platform etc.

 

As usual, all comments, suggestion for improvement etc are most welcomed.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited March 8, 2018 by BANYAN

[Jim Lad]

She's looking very flash, Pat!

 

John

[cog]

"A real thing of beauty", Pat. The stark contrast between the weathered copper and the black ... lovely. You do her proud!!! Is that a nail in the figurehead? Temporary? Or a staff? 

[BANYAN]

Thanks Carl.  That's the sceptre which is made from a small length of brass wire with a knob of sculpting material - it's permanent

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in and kind remarks John -appreciated!  Lin mentioned you may be down soon, will have to try and catch up.

 

cheers

 

Pat