Sovereign of the Seas by Tallshiptragic - Sergal - 1/78

[S.Coleman]

I have too seen that friesland for $1000 or so. I got mine for $645.  Don't forget the Hms Agamennon. 

34 minutes ago, Tallshiptragic said:

 if I do get another kit after the SOTS. 

If you do????

[Tallshiptragic]

I have done so similarly in the past. My gf grandfather who has just turned 92 was one of the four surviving members of the HMS Quorn a hunt class destroyer of the Second World War. So am planing on building her in 1/72 and RC to fit with my task force 72 models but after ordering the plans 2 months ago... I've still yet to see or hear anything from that company which is a shame as it's the only I've found that produce those plans in a large scale. 

 

Sovereign was purely by chance as the kit was advertised at a rediculous price on a second hand website in Perth so I just couldn't say no. Batavia, Duyfken and Endeavour as with Leeuwin are or were planned as I sailed as crew on all these replicas - so far Leeuwin I've built and Endeavour was built by my father so Endeavour I'm not planning to build again. 

 

As as for those kits... I just like the looks of the ship and find them either appeasing or the history interesting. My heritage is Dutch Indonesian and my Dutch family went to Indonesia with the VOC in the 1600's so I am biased wth Dutch ships. However having a whole fleet of only Dutch vessels may be a little boring in my eyes haha 

 

 

[Tallshiptragic]

2 minutes ago, S.Coleman said:

I have too seen that friesland for $1000 or so. I got mine for $645.  Don't forget the Hms Agamennon. 

If you do????

Haha I know!!! The Agie! Nelsons favourite ship, but then I compare it to Amatis vanguard... ok yes different scales and different class but to have both... I think too similar. Oh and I will build more kits it's more what will come next after Sovereign

[Sjors]

Bon voyage Anton ,

 

Say hello to the dolphins ( if you see them)

 

Sjors

[Tallshiptragic]

G'day Sjors, 

 

Havent seen dolphins today but did have three 6m long manta rays come for a visit

so I knew that Amati has plans available at the same scale as the part work Sovereign at 1/84... apart from a couple mm its the same dimensions as the sergal 1/78... though I know and it has been mentioned before that Amatis original version wasn't as correct as the Sergals basic hull design. However they did make the majority of the stern carvings correct! So seeing as the kit cost me next to nothing I've ordered the casting set by Amati. Apparently Amatis side carvings are completely incorrect comparing to the Van der Velde sketch using what appears to be stock items, how's some of the sergal/Mantua side carvings are. So I'm hoping to use a mixture of the two to get the correct carvings and will have to sculpt/carve my own of the ones that aren't provided. This of course could be a total waste of monies but again for what I initially paid for the kit, so far with my added investment into this model I'm still only in about $550 AUD. I can justify the cost... don't let my gf know! Haha not that she'll care but haha

[Tallshiptragic]

Oh and by dead reckoning I believe the actual scale of both the Sergal/Mantua model, the Amati and part work models are in fact closer to 1/80 scale. The measurements are slightly out due to incorrect overhang of the stern galleries on sergal/Mantua and too long bowsprit compared to the measurements in John Sephtons book.  Hmmm... perhaps I should also get the part works castings..... just have to build a fantasy ship later to use up the left over carvings! 

[Ulises Victoria]

Hello Anton.

Looking great. This ship is one of my dream ships. More and more I feel inclined towards older ships. Those floating palaces with lots and lots of ornaments like SotS, Soleil Royal, San Felipe lure my attention!

In your early photos... what are you using as keel clamp?

 

Best regards.

 

Ulises 

[Tallshiptragic]

Thanks ulises, it's a great kit to start with as a base to correct certain things or to build out of the box. I still think it's the only kit with the closest hull shape to that of Van der Velde. The clamp I used is a Stanley quick loading table vice clamp. A very useful bit of kit and has soft rubber edges so doesn't damage any woodwork. 

[Ulises Victoria]

Thank you Anton! Nice clamp. Never seen one like this before!

 

[Ulises Victoria]

I am a bit discouraged with the Sergal kit  

I went to a page where you can see/download the instructions of the kit and saw that the decks come "pre-planked" or at least scribed. C´mon! a $1,200-$1,500 kit following this path?

They may think that by doing so they will attract more sales from less experienced builders, but for starters, this is NOT a beginners kit.

I don't get it. 

 

[Tallshiptragic]

26 minutes ago, Ulises Victoria said:

I am a bit discouraged with the Sergal kit  

I went to a page where you can see/download the instructions of the kit and saw that the decks come "pre-planked" or at least scribed. C´mon! a $1,200-$1,500 kit following this path?

They may think that by doing so they will attract more sales from less experienced builders, but for starters, this is NOT a beginners kit.

I don't get it. 

 

Yeah that's the modern Mantua incarnation of the kit which is what stopped me buying the current kit in the past. Luckily while older my kit is the original Sergal kit which is all planked and no scribed plywood ( like the marketed box photos) Saying that I've bought new planks anyway so you could spend the extra 50-100 for replacement deck planks and just used the scribes as a guide. I still think it's a great base to start with. I do agree though for a 1500 kit (AUD) we're more accustomed to the quality of Euromodel Como and Caldercraft Jotika kits of similar price range. 

 

[Tallshiptragic]

This Anzac Day, April 25th 2017.

 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left       grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

 

Lest we forget

[Tallshiptragic]

Flew in last night for my week rnr and came home to a lovely present from my girlfriend! It's a framed colour print of a cutout of the Dutch passenger ship Willem Ruys, and it's an original from 1947! 

 

This is the ship that took my father and his family from the then Dutch East Indies back to holland in 1950. It was also a ship my father worked on as a signals officer in 1957-58! This ship would then become the Achille Lauro for Lauro line and was the first ship I sailed on a voyage in 1987 haha so this ship means a great deal to me. I do have the plans for her in the hope of building her one day. 

[Sjors]

Just love it !!!!!!!!

 

Sjors

[EJ_L]

Very cool! I hope you do get the chance to model that ship as it will be a great family heirloom for you to pass down along with that story.

[Tallshiptragic]

I think it's a sign haha 

I do have the plans for her so I might just have to build her once Sovereign is ready for display. I just have to decide on a scale, the plans I have are at 1/100 so it would make a model at 1.92m my Arleigh Burke is 1/72 and 2.1m in length so smaller than her but if I went 1/72 she would make a length of just over 2.5m large but would fit in nicely with the other models to display. My gf has already said we'll just rearrange the house to display her haha at least she's on side.

[Tallshiptragic]

Have done a little more second planking today. I do like this colour of the planks. I will have to adjust that upper most wale forward as it sits just a tad too high, but this isn't an issue. 

 

[Tallshiptragic]

And a little more  the next plank will actually be a profile section wale. 

[Tallshiptragic]

First upper wale which is profiled. This is a brass profile strip supplied by sergal and is perfect even though it's not wood it measures up nicely so I'm happy to use it. 

[EJ_L]

Looking great and those scarf joints are very nicely done.

[Tallshiptragic]

Thanks EJ, I'm very happy with her appearance. For the scarf joints I use a template to cut them so they will always or should at least always lineup. 

[Tallshiptragic]

Just a couple close up shots. 

[md1400cs]

Nice work - YES those scarf joints are really nice.

[ken3335]

Hi Anton,  Looking very nice, and those scarf joints add a touch of class which lifts it above just an ok planked hull, well done.

 

Ken

[Tallshiptragic]

Starboard upper hull planking complete. I haven't simulated caulking above the upper gun deck as this planking will be painted black as the backdrop for the carvings. I'll complete the port upper hull first before sanding and tree nailing the planks - I'll use the pin hole and filler technique for this and have to source correct size nail heads to represent the iron bolts. The gun ports will need final cleanup of the second planking and a final sanding of the lining to the correct thickness. Once both upper hull sides are complete I'll turn her over and begin the lower hull. This will be painted white and not left natural wood as I prefer the model to replicate the actual vessel. 

[Tallshiptragic]

Thanks for the comments guys, for an old kit she does present some challenges not found in modern kits but I'm happy with the results so far.

[Sjors]

Great job Anton.

 

What is the green "dot" on the left side?

 

Sjors

 

 

 

[Tallshiptragic]

That's a pin head holding pressure against the wale as it dried . Gone now 

[Sjors]

Picture 😝

[Tallshiptragic]

4 hours ago, Sjors said:

Picture 😝

New tattoo idea hahaha