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

[flyer]

hull details, coppering

 

 

After installing some hull decoration strips I marked the waterline and put a1x1mm strip on it. It was then painted  dull black. To give it a more realistic finish I mixed in some white.

 

(In a book, written by a professional model railroad landscape builder he explains about colour scale. By that he means that if you look at a model in scale 1/100 from a distance of 50cm it should look the same as the prototype from a distance of 50m. And from that distance colours look less bright because of the air absorbing some of the intensity. He says that's the reason that models tend to look like toys if you use original colours. He recommends to always mix in a bit of white or grey and to avoid shiny colours. I think it works.)

 

Below the waterline strip I painted a copper strip to cover eventual irregularities at the edge of the coppering.

 

As on previous builds I broke of single copper plates and glued them on individually and overlapping, starting at the stern and the keel.

After putting on the first leaf of copper plates, I had the happy idea to check how many there are. 2400.

 

2400!

 

I just hope the skin on my fingertips will endure that as I have to peel off dried CA glue (and some skin) after each coppering session.

 

To have some variety I do small projects in between, such as adding outer hull details or more shot garlands - seems I can't stop making them, now I know how.

 

 

 

waterline marked and coppering started

 

 

 

waterline

 

 

 

 

coppering details

 

 

 

 

additional shot garlands

Edited August 7, 2018 by flyer

[Martin W]

2400 indeed!

 

That's an interesting point about the colors.  It's definitely worth keeping in mind.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[OrLiN]

Good tip on the colours.  I tried using different shades and colours as undercoats before applying the finishing colour as a thin "wash" coat but your tip may be better.

 

Good work on the coppering.

 

OrLiN

[DavidG]

This is a great build.

i found a similar article about colours here http://www.009.cd2.com/members/how_to/colour.htm

 

[flyer]

Hi Dave

 

Thanks.

The linked article is a great one about a fact every modeller should be familiar with.

Adding 15% white seems be a bit much in scale 1/76 - but for the yellow colour on my Pickle build this could be about what I actualy took while the black there was right out of the can.

Generally I would and will add less white to black - a few drops up to perhaps 5% will make a big change already.

 

Cheers

Peter

[flyer]

First (port) half of the coppering is done. Me, I'm looking forward to a nice diversified work, like knotting ratlines. The copper will be polished after both sides are done. The amount of copper plates was just sufficient. By  careful use of trimmed leftovers I managed to keep enough full plates to cover rudder and keel.

 

the scale figure of the captain shows just how much expensive copper was put on such a ship of the line

[Beef Wellington]

Very very nice result with those copper plates Peter, well done indeed.  Keep going!

[Martin W]

That is a lot of copper to be sure!  And I'm certain that you enjoyed every hour of putting it on.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[md1400cs]

Peter,

 

Your plates came out brilliantly. Those thousands of bits are such a chore that cannot exist with any errors along the way.

Your shot racks look excellent as well. Great work all around.

 

PS and to think that I was so "full of myself" with my small x-section coppering haha 

 

Cheers,

[Blue Ensign]

Nice copper job Peter, well done.👍

 

B.E.

[flyer]

Thanks to all for the compliments. It helps and encourages me to glue hundreds more of those little plates on. (About 3/4 done, only 600 to go!)

Still putting them on overlapping is a great help. Only those at the beginning and end of a line need to be trimmed.

Martin: Hour? I'm enjoying every second - being rather overjoyed by now.

Cheers

Peter

[flyer]

The coppering of both sides is now finished and the copper is being polished. I use Proxxon nylon-fleece brushes to clean and brass-wire wheel brushes to polish the copper. The untreated polished copper will accumulate a dark natural patina within a few years.

 

For breaks I'm coppering the lower half of the rudder. This itself was a bit reworked: The front edge was angled 30° to both sides to allow the rudder to turn and the back edge was sanded down to 3mm towards its lowest point.

Also the painting of the hull was started with the yellow strakes while I start wondering how I will ever get the puzzle of the quarter galleries together.

 

Copper partly cleaned on port side

 

 

Rudder being coppered

[jwvolz]

Great work on the copper Peter. I'm sure you're glad to have that behind you!

[flyer]

Building the side galleries was so far easier done than expected. I started with the 2 parts with windows - they were adjusted to the already installed end-to-end planking - and glued on. Then the adjacent windowless parts could be fit with only a small reworking necessary. The bottom 5mm mdf-part fit also quite well. However the top part of the side gallery needs a bit of rethinking and reworking. The kit asks to build something like a little pool on top of the gallery and this differs from any plans and pictures I could find. I suspect a misinterpretation of plans by the kit makers. I will install a more conventional, two stepped roof and hope to find room for the decorative parts.

Some details of the outer hull were also installed including the bolsters for the anchor flukes which are missing in the plans.

first side gallery parts attached

 

first four plywood parts attached

 

The roof is not finished, it needs one more step and the whole construction needs more filler.

 

hull details including steps

 

lower part of bolster

[paulsutcliffe]

Hi Peter

The quarter galleries did indeed have a kind of pool on the top, actually the cistern for the officers and captains heads/toilet inside the gallery which flushed down and out through the bottom of the gallery

These were usually lead lined with a drain hole at the fore end

Hope this helps

Regards

Paul

[flyer]

Hi Paul

 

Thanks, this is a great help.

 

A flush toilet for the captain - very ingenious, I had no Idea.

 

However, I think, the water in that rather shallow, open cistern would constantly swap over the edge. Was this possibly used as a collector for a closed cistern below, in the roof of the side gallery?

 

Anyway I will change the design of the side gallery top as sketched below.

 

Cheers

Peter

[Martin W]

How very intriguing -- not only the flushing toilet, but the simple idea of collecting fresh water.

 

Nice work as always, Peter.  The quarter galleries make a bold addition, and the steps & bolster make everything start looking like a Man of War!

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[harlequin]

I served with the Parachute Regiment for several years and our Peggy(Pegasus) badge has Bellerophon riding on Pegasus with a spear as he slays his enemies.... 

[flyer]

Hi Martin

 

Thanks. Those flushing toilets are an interesting subject. I didn't know they go back a few thousand years and were quite common in better houses in England 200 years ago. And on a man of war I expected chamber pots or buckets for the officers - but no, they went to war in style!

 

 

 

 

Hi Harlequin

 

Your Bellona is an extremely fine build and with your connection to the original myth Bellerophon would be a logical successor (you seem to react very well to challenges...)😉.

 

 

Cheers

Peter

[harlequin]

16 hours ago, flyer said:

Hi Martin

 

Thanks. Those flushing toilets are an interesting subject. I didn't know they go back a few thousand years and were quite common in better houses in England 200 years ago. And on a man of war I expected chamber pots or buckets for the officers - but no, they went to war in style!

 

 

 

 

Hi Harlequin

 

Your Bellona is an extremely fine build and with your connection to the original myth Bellerophon would be a logical successor (you seem to react very well to challenges...)😉.

 

 

Cheers

Peter

thank you flyer.....it has been a very frustrating build has dear old Bellona......my next build funnily enough is...…..Pegasus...….bought it for pennies of ebay , it is a very old kit but apart from the plans which I can source it all seems to be there. 

[AON]

Good morning all.

The mention of a "pool" type water collection area over the quarter gallery to provide flush toilets for the officers caught my attention.

 

In my research on "pissdales", there size, shape, locations onboard ships of the line, I found the following...

In Joe John Simmons III thesis entitled The Development of External Sanitary Facilities Aboard Ships of the Fifteenth to Nineteenth Centuries for his MA in Anthropology at the Graduate College of Texas A&M University dated Dec 1985 he states the following (see screen capture from thesis below)...

 

As the Bellerophon was completed in 1787, she therefore did have this "pool"!

Very interesting.

Edited January 28, 2019 by AON

[flyer]

After installing gudgeons and pintles the rudder got also a spectacle plate (made from cartridge paper) and eyebolts for emergency steering and securing the rudder.

The following painting of the outer hull was even more cumbersome than expected - mainly because I used a much too stiff masking tape for the first side. With a better tape the second one was a bit easier. I used tree paint covers and countless corrections and I still see flaws every time I look at the build. However I keep telling myself that all those imperfections add to the 'handmade' quality of the model. The paints are Admiralty water based paints, with 15% white in the yellow ochre and about 5% white in the dull black. The black looked rather grey on the brush but I like the finished paint.

The upper part of the rudder was painted as well and all the lower hinges touched up with copper paint.

The inner part of the side galleries and the cabins were 'grey washed'. I used white with just a little bit of black in order to get as close as possible to the impression on the pictures of Victory.

After touching up the gun port frames with red and provisionally hanging the rudder it was time for a photo session.

 

seen from a distance, the paint looks ok

 

the captain, inspecting the newly hanged rudder, is dwarfed by the ship

 

 

[Martin W]

Ahoy Peter -- I know the experience of seeing flaws everywhere!  But after a glass or two of merlot, the eye begins to soften a bit, and the full beauty of the build stands out!

 

She's looking pretty good to my (sober) eye.  And the captain shows just what a big girl she is.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[mort stoll]

hi peter,

 

could you post a picture of the spectacle plate?

 

thanks,

mort

 

ps

I love your build and hope to build a 74 one day 

[flyer]

Hi Martin

 

All that merlot I would need to soften all those flaws would take a toll on my liver. Perhaps I could just take my glasses off?🍷🍷

Despite my reservations about her perfection, I admit I do like that big girl as well.

 

 

Hi Mort

 

Certainly. I will add a picture in the build log.

I see you are building Caldercraft's Victory but I cannot find the build log.😉

 

Cheers all

peter

[flyer]

 

the spectacle plate in detail - a strip of cartridge paper and 2 eyebolts

 

 

upper deck guns and equipment

The next task - and test of my endurance -  will be installing the 28 guns on the upper deck. 10 of them will be partly rigged and following RMC's very sensible lead I will install just the train tackles and breech ropes as this will be the only - at least partly - visible parts of the gun rigging.

I'm a bit worried about guns breaking loose within the already closed decks (a fear shared by quite some of captain Aubrey's contemporaries) and will put a small nail through the carriage into the deck in addition to gluing them down.

 

Those guns are now provisionally placed and will be attached permanently one by one. The blurred paint dividing lines on the hull are clearly visible. I keep telling myself that the prototype was really hand-painted and done by visual judgement only. Therefore a little lack of perfection could perhaps add authenticity...

 

 

gun carriages will be hold in place by brute force

[mort stoll]

hi,

 

i am still researching  and organizing as far as the victory is concerned.  i intend starting her in 3 weeks or so.

 

thanks,

mort 

 

[flyer]

The rigging of the guns continues. I will have to put tackles to the 12 of them, which could be visible from above. On this sides you find a lot of great looking, meticulously made rope coils. However, as I'm a bit afraid of hard work I was looking for a simpler solution. Now, if the guns are run out but not ready to fire but fixed in this position, wouldn't you lash the tackles instead of just coiling the ropes on the deck, leaving the guns free to move? Well, this skipper does. Most probably you would fix the gun with the side tackles, leaving you free to take off the train tackles to stow them out of the way. This skipper doesn't. The train tackles will stay in place but lashed with the free end of the rope. This is easier to do, looks tidy and perhaps isn't completely wrong.

 

 

 

the skipper checks a finished gun

 

 

 

 

 

 

stern

Between placing the guns I worked a bit on the stern for a change. The bulkhead was assembled and put in place. Two nail heads serve as door knobs. Also the two ports on the lower counter got their portlids, the toping lifts still missing.

 

 

glazing of the windows was done with some leftover cellophane sheet - thinner and easier to work with than the kit's part

 

 

 

 

ports on the lower counter

 

 

 

 

 

The cast stern decoration for Bellerophon is a problem. It doesn't fit well and I can't bend it to follow the curve of the transom. But Elephant has an identical decoration with the exception of the middle part. This, an elephant, was scratched away. Then I made a casting mold from the white metal original kit part and first tried a plaster casting. This came out nicely but was much too brittle to work with. A second try with dual component glue came out quite well and even stayed a bit flexible - probably I made a little mistake in the mixture. I need a few more tries, but this will be the way to go.

 

 

 

Elephant decoration with elephant scratched away

 

 

 

 

original cast part, plaster casting and mold

 

 

 

 

white painted cast  of Bellerophon made with dual component glue

 

 

 

 

Bellerophon replacing the Elephant

 

 

Edited March 9, 2019 by flyer

[Snow]

Nice work flyer

Snowy here i just bought the hms vanguard. I might make her as the vanguard but havnt decided yet 

I still have to finish my occre diana.keep up the good work

[Snow]

Hey flyer 

Snowy here again just wondering on the coppering ive never done it .

Did you start from the keel and just work your way up or 50/ 50 top and bottom

Cheers