HMS Bellerophon by flyer - FINISHED - Amati/Victory Models - scale 1:72

[flyer]

Hi B.E., welcome to the party.

 

Oh yes, it's a beast - sometimes even one who is kicking. So far I suffered a few splinters (a common injury when fighting (on) wooden ships, I read), a few cuts and a 0,5mm hole, drilled through one finger nail. Or perhaps it was a shot from a scale 1/72 2pounder into my left thumb.

 

I have the same problem with dummy guns, but building in an additional deck and arming it with 28 guns was too much for me - work wise and moneywise. Besides that I didn't find any  1/72 32pounder models.

As mentioned earlier, I stole the idea for the dummy carriages from Michael (md1400cs) - thanks again.

 

Cheers

Peter

[flyer]

The second planking is now completed and the hull 'sanded'. I used mainly a sharp knife to plane the plank seams and sanding paper only at the stem and stern. Planning gives a smoother surface.

The main and upper wales are in place as well. While marking the correct main wale positions I stumbled over the first big mistake I made. There are two different instructions where to start the second planking. In the 'hull assembly instructions' the start is at the upper edge of the gun port pattern - which I followed. In the 'building instructions' however was the correct way to start at the position of the main wale - which I didn't. According to some of Captain Aubrey's remarks there are two ways to do something: the right way and the navy way. At least I did it somehow the navy way...

I hope that the fact that the wales aren't running fully in parallel with the planking will be overlooked once the hull is painted. I intend to put on the painting scheme 'after 1800' with the 'Nelson checker' where the painting runs across the plank edges and thus irritate the eye sufficiently to overlook my mistake.  

 

 

for the photo session I tried to get the workbench into some order...

 

 

the misalignment of planking and wales is hardly visible here...

 

 

 

 

..but more obvious here. The visiting captain however seems more interested in the bowsprit position.

 

 

gun deck

 

 Installing the gun port frames and the dummy carriages for the dummy guns has begun. For the parts I make full use of my new proxxon saw. Presently the fourth gun port frame is installed and I have only a few dozen more to go. So far I was several times quite happy to still have access to the deck from the inside and I think leaving off the upper deck till later was a good idea.

The frames are completed and trimmed a bit to follow the inclination of the hull at their actual position. After adjusting the hull opening they are glued in. Then the dummy carriage is carefully inserted and glued from the inside to the lower sill of the frame. The glued connections are then generously painted with more glue from the inside - I hope this holds.

The frames will be painted red. For the carriages I tried several colours: red, dark ochre and a light ochre as it is used on Victory. I think the traditional red (which I personally don't like much) is the best solution to keep the makeshift dummy carriages visually in the background. I will later on also help to mask details on the kit's a bit strange cast carriages.

 

 

gunport finished, with  -carriage and gun - carriage and no gun - gun and no carriage - just the unpainted frame

 

 

 

 

making of dummy carriages.

Edited March 24, 2018 by flyer
clarification

[Martin W]

Ahoy Peter!  I can sympathize with your irritation over mistakes made too long ago to correct -- that's pretty much been my experience so far with The Fly, and I didn't even realize I was doing things the 'navy way'.  I also have to say though that your workbench is far tidier than mine -- sometimes it seems that the storage drawers must be all empty because everything (and more) is on the surface.  Ai yi yi!

 

Martin

[flyer]

The first of the decks, the gun deck, is now fully equipped with frames and dummy carriages. I decided to do a test run and arm one side with all the dummy guns. (I'm presently reading The Martian again and Mark Watney repeatedly stresses the need for test runs as 'No plan survives the first contact with the enemy' (perhaps quoting General Tacticus or a similar authority) and so a test run was done.)

I only broke off three dummy carriages and therefore it was a successful test because it showed the need for more glue to fix them to the port frame before I close the space with the upper deck.

One deck finished, two more to go but this was by far the most simple one...

 

 

she is showing some teeth...

 

the dummies - although rather simplified - improve the overall impression

[md1400cs]

Peter,

 

Well done, on ships with these many cannons -dummies make a big visual improvement.

Good idea.

PS: Your deck 'lines" look real good as well

 

 

[Beef Wellington]

Nicely done, definitely worth the extra effort on the dummy carriages.  Are you going to consider upgrading the metal carriages as well?

[Martin W]

Teeth always make lady look better.  She's going to be a beauty.

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking great Peter.  This is going to be a fantastic model!

[flyer]

Hi All, many thanks for the likes and comments.

Michael, the credit for the dummies' idea goes to you and your Vasa. The credit for the deck lines goes to the kit and the gun port stripes.

 

Jason, yes, I did consider it but buying dozens of better carriages over stresses my budget and building them myself over stresses my endurance. I tried to rework one a bit to make it smoother and tried light ochre and red paint. The red covers the superfluous details better and will be used. It really is a pity that the kit has these strange carriages.

 

Hi Martin

Yes, ladies without teeth do look rather old fashioned...

 

Thank you, Mike. Yes I love that kit and really look forward to how the finished model will look - in five years or so.

 

Cheers

Peter

[flyer]

upper deck

The plywood deck was installed and then planked in place. Only those parts which will remain visible got deck planks cut to length and laid in a appropriate pattern. As the outer edges will hardly be visible as well I didn't install margin planks or waterways. The deck planking continues below the previously installed inner bulwark planking.

Then I started to cut the gun ports, first those without lids where the frames were already installed.

finished deck with some guns provisionally in place

 

the captain checks preparation of the gun installation

 

               upper deck guns

To get some change I also started to rework the gun carriages and to finish the guns. The carriages were filed as flat as possible on the outsides, the front grommet removed and the protruding bolts on top filed flat. Then four holes were drilled for eyebolts, two for the tackles and two for the breech rope. A little paint was added and I think the result is an improvement over those wonderfully detailed but very strangely casted kit carriages.

The barrels got the stamp and lock details provided by the kit. An additional ring for the breech rope, formed of brass wire, was glued above the cascabel for the breech robe. A coat of black metal paint finishes the barrel.

gun out of the kit and reworked carriage

 

paint and eyebolts added - the captain approves the work

 

barrel with glued on additions

 

finished barrel

[Blue Ensign]

Big improvement on the carriages Peter, I don't know what period/origin Amati based their carriages on but they don't represent any style I've ever seen on British ships. The additions to the guns all help to add authenticity to the overall effect. 

 

B.E.

 

[Martin W]

Hear Hear!  Those carriages definitely look better.  Same for the barrels, and I noticed you added the Royal Insignia.  Very nice.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[flyer]

Hi B.E.

Did you see such carriages anywhere else - not on British ships?

It is a pity that Amati has such finely detailed and well cast carriages but nobody seems to know where they found the prototype for them...

And - Thank you.

 

Hi Martin

Thank you. BTW I just came back from hiking in the Vercasca Valley and I guess you know that bridge. The Merlot is still fine...

Cheers

Peter

 

[Martin W]

Peter -- I feel 17 again!  That bridge looks exactly the same, but not nearly as high as when stood on it getting ready to jump into that COLD water below.  The only way I could restore the warmth of life was the Merlot.

 

Grazie mille!

 

Martin

[robdurant]

Hi Peter,

 

What a beautiful bridge... great photography too! Nice job you're doing on those gun carriages. Once they're all in place, the focus will be on the overall effect rather than the individual detail... are you going to rig them?

 

Rob

[flyer]

Hi Martin

Prego cento!

 

Hi Rob

That Bridge is between 3 and 4 centuries old. Some daring people (e.g. Martin W) jump from it into the water some 15 meters below. Not only is the water of this mountain torrent ice cold, you also have to find a spot of water deep enough between the rocks...

And you are absolutely right about the focus on the overall effect. However, sometimes I find it difficult to judge beforehand which details will blend in with the background and which will stand out like a sore tooth when tinkered inaccurately.

The cannons will be rigged with breech rope and tackles - at least those visible from above.

 

 

Cheers

Peter

 

[flyer]

It was quiet in the wharf lately because I was away on holidays - despite some dear friends asking why retirees would need holydays. We visited the Seychelles where we not only met wonderful people, largely intact nature and interesting weather but also the Aldabran giant tortoises which I believe to be close cousins to Stephen Maturins world famous Testudo Aubreii.

Interesting tropical sailing weather with a waterspout left of that rain shower...

 

 

not Testudo aubreii but Aldabrachelys gigantea

 

 

Back home the framing of the upper gun ports with lids was started. The beginning was a bit hard - or as somebody else said in his log: I liked the work so much that I did the first frame three times. Finally the routine was established as follows:

- measure the angle of the tumblehome to the deck

-cut a rough frame with that angle, glue (and wait long enough for the glue to set - otherwise you may happily do the same work again.

-cut the outer opening in the hull to the exact size of the particular frame

-cut the frame to a thickness that it sits on the inner bulwark and finishes 1 mm within the outer hull

-glue the frame into the opening and onto the inner bulwark

-open the inner bulwark through the frame

-check with a gun and hope for the best

This way the planks of the inner bulwark cover the frame as it should be - not that it will be noticeable on the finished model but anyhow. The pictures show that the frames still need some cleaning before painting.

In this context a remark to the Amati plans concerning gun ports with and without lids. On the plans they are drawn in the same size, a fact which lead to a mistake on my Pegasus. You should consider, that when building the hull with its frames all the gun port frames have the same size. Those without lids are then covered with the planking up to the opening while the planks around those with lids stop short of the opening to leave some room for the lids to overlap the opening. But the CLEAR OPENING of all gun ports for the same calibre guns should have the same size.

raw  gun port frame...

 

 

...and trimmed to fit

 

 

frame glued in

 

 

opening of the inner bulwark

 

 

test with a gun

[Martin W]

Ahoy Peter!  I'm with you on the gunport size, that's a consistency that really shows.

 

And what a tortoise!  You're really lucky to get to meet such a handsome fellow!  Did you do any sailing in the Seychelles? 

 

And just about every retiree I've ever met seems to be going on vacation this time of year -- I have a bit more work time to go myself, but I'm following suit by heading up to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

[flyer]

Hi Martin

 

Oh, it's a lady. Perhaps she looks a bit wrinkled but definitely handsome.

 

We did a daytrip on a big catamaran to some outlying islands but as they had a tight schedule and unfavourable wind they motored all the way.

 

One of my daughters will visit Vancouver island later that year which seems to be just north of your vacation place but in a different country - although she loves the US she will stay away as long as Nr. 45 occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Nevertheless both places seem to offer great nature and in the case of your place even a rainforest. You will however have to steer clear of the cougars and bears which - I believe - are a bit less friendly than the big tortoise.

 

Take care

Peter

[Martin W]

Well, some would say that a few wrinkles just accentuate the natural beauty of a Real Lady.

 

Vancouver is also one of my favorite places.  And, entre nous, I'd emigrate if my paycheck didn't come from here.  Someday I'll buy you a beer and vent.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[flyer]

Hi Martin

 

Don't give up the ship... just because the captain is - entre nous - a cheating, lying, stupid bully. There are still a lot of decent crewmembers aboard.

Would love to share that beer (or a bottle of merlot) anyway.🍻

 

Cheers

Peter

[flyer]

The gun carriages have now all been reworked. Those which will not be visible below the forecastle and quarter deck only got a reworking of their front part which will be visible through the gun ports. Also those barrels will not get the full details but will be used as cast. To paint them I finally found that a first coat with a simple big black marker works well as base for a thin second coat of Caldercraft's metal black paint. The markers paint seems to be aggressive enough to remove all traces of fat and is thin enough not to smear any details. Unfortunately it's to shiny to leave as finish.

Just for fun I provisionally put the guns on one side in place to have a look at the lady's teeth.

 

reworking of the 'hidden' gun carriages and barrels

 

 

 

The lady's teeth are quite impressive

[Jasseji]

Love your Lady, this model is my dream, trying to soften the Admiral up first

[flyer]

Hi Jacek

 

It is a lovely lady but she moves some quite some water - even in scale 1/72. I still have no idea where to place the finished model but as we have room in the house after some of the children left home the admiralty tolerates it.

 

To soften up your admiral (and even to improve your skills in the same time) you could first build a smaller vessel, such as Caldercraft's Pickle or the Lady Nelson from Victory Models. Those smaller builds look quite elegant especially if you manage to hoist sails. They don't take up much space and elegance should be appreciated by a Lady Admiral...

 

Cheers

Peter

[Jasseji]

Oh we have a 2-year-Old, not gonna leave the house anytime soon, hoping to get my skills back So in 3-4 years i can do a project togehther with him 

 

At the moment i am building an unmasted Connie Cross-Section in 1:93, the Admiral even got her hands dirty with sanding So there is hope for a big lady to sail the living room

[flyer]

Presently I'm working on the 'furniture' of the upper deck. The oven is finished and set aside. It is a very nice detail - a pity it won't be visible on the finished model.

The hatches and ladder ways are nearly done. However first I had to plank parts of the gun deck through the hatches. This would better have been done before installing the upper deck but it worked somehow.

An unsolved problem are the shot garlands. Those furrows shown on the plans don't seem practical as the balls will roll and perhaps jump it when they're not full e.g. during an action in a lively sea. I try to fabricate boards with holes for the individual shots as seen on other models. This isn't easy. After splitting the first three attempts lengthwise I noticed that those cannon balls seem rather big. I found them to be 2,5 mm which is too big. For an scale 1/72 18pounder they should be less than 2mm. Fortunately I found some old 2 mm balls - a 30 years old leftover from the Vasa - which will be a better fit. So the next few tries will be with smaller holes.

 

I wonder also about the wooden rail around the forward hatchway, shown on the plan. It stands in the way of the forward capstan and differs from all the other rails. If I have enough parts it will replace it by stanchions and rope, similar to the others.

 

planking the gun deck - the hard way

 

 

the captain examines one of the attempted shot garlands and is not happy

(stanchions and rope are provisionally fixed and will be removed for gun rigging)

[Martin W]

Lovely work, Peter.  I'd love to see your stove, before it becomes un-seeable.  For a triple decker it would have to be something of a behemoth!

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[flyer]

The equipment on the centre line of the upper deck is finished. The capstans are mounted on a 1mm pedestal framed with 2mm walnut. Finally I also managed to make shot garlands the way I wanted and filled them with 2mm balls. The part in front of the forward hatchway is left off to prevent the sailors stumbling over the shots.

The stanchions are leftovers from Pegasus and stand smaller than those from the kit but would fit below the capstan bars.

The oven will be placed directly on deck as any base below would be invisible after closing the deck.

The masts, stanchions and the oven are only provisionally put there and will be removed for the next step - detailing, painting and coppering the outer hull.

 

with only 2 guns in place the deck looks spacious

 

 

the captain wonders a bit about the carpenters many tries for the shot garlands

 

 

main hatchway

 

 

 

forward hatchway and capstan

 

 

polishing the oven

 

 

...and what will later be visible of it - but only after removing a gun

[Martin W]

Very nice stove -- but won't it get a trifle thick without a chimney?

 

Your carpenters must have trained with those in my boatyard.  It takes at least 5 tries to figure out why a piece doesn't work, and then 15 more to get it right!

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[flyer]

Hi Martin

No deck above - no chimney needed.?

And maybe not my carpenters are at fault but they probably get sometime some strange instructions which they follow without questions. That's the navy, I think.

 

Cheers

Peter