British Bomb Ketch by GeorgeKapas - FINISHED - Pyro - 1/150 - PLASTIC

[GeorgeKapas]

Stays are going in, these first steps in rigging are always difficult 

[Louie da fly]

This is looking so good, George. It's hard to believe you're getting such a quality of detail at such a small scale!

 

Steven

[cog]

The further I came in your log, the less obvious it became to be of plastic origin ... it is hardly possible to distinguish it from wood. Very well done, and as Steven mentioned, especially at this scale

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you all, you are too kind. To be honest this was quite a tiresome built because of the scale, but some lessons were learned for the bigger ones. Thankfully today the deadeyes for the shrouds will be ready. 

[GrandpaPhil]

Awesome work!

[Reg]

Just beautiful!

 

Greg

[the learner]

WELL DONE! George, from the pictures one would not know its a plastic kit and great detailing beyond just gluing the parts together.

[J11]

Fantastic job!

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you all!  Updates coming in a few hours. I did a lot of the rigging, she does look magnificent, even though I was not very optimistic at the start of this built. Also had a small accident a few days ago. Thankfully I keep the ship wrapped in a soft cloth when I rigg it, so there was little effect.

[GeorgeKapas]

Sorry for the delay! I promised some photos, so here are a few quick ones, I'll return tomorow with better ones! I'm still adding pulleys... 

[J11]

Your color scheme is perfect along with the wooden deck. Wow! As other members have stated; "You would never know it was a plastic kit".

[GeorgeKapas]

I finally managed to correct some mistakes, add more pulleys, and get a proper packground to take pictures.

 

The last few days were hectic indeed. 

Added extensions/flagpoles to the masts  to correct the issue. More pulleys, most of the bowsprit rigging is also finished. 

Fasting the stays was an absolute nightmare. The ship is tiny, the masts are of soft plastic and the shroud deadeyes are very fragile to take much tension. A test of patience, it wont be perfect, certainly in that scale and with that material, but I am finally satisfied with the result.. 

Much of the tensions especially with the running rigging will be solved later as they come on the masts.

[GeorgeKapas]

The bowsprit is mostly ready. I had to make decisions of what to keep and what to omit, especially after the rather extravagant choice of layout.

 

Stays were added, including the martingale stays etc.

Bobstays and bowsprit shrouds

Spritsail Braces

2 of the 4 Jibboom guys were added

Spritsail Cluelines 

simplified cluelines for the jibbs,

 

I generally use Lennarth Peterssen's Rigging - Period Ship Models, but at this scale, I am at my limit..

[GeorgeKapas]

The added flagpole extension of the masts was a much needed correction, here is just an idea effect of the flags, which I will add a lot, the Royal Standart on the mainmast: 

[cog]

Love the way the rigging is progressing. Not so certain about the flag. Looks a bit ... crumpled. Will you show her with or without sails? If with sails, furled or unfurled? (I know, it's easy to comment from the sideline)

Edited March 25, 2019 by cog

[GeorgeKapas]

Dont worry, the flag is just for suggestion, I'll print flags for her anew. I usually dont add sails at all, and have the yards lowered. Perhaps furled up sails can be added, but these are rarely seen in museums and navy board models, so.. 

[cog]

Then the question arises, will she be displayed in a museum or at a navy board ... I presume neither, so you can do what you want  

[GeorgeKapas]

You are right, of course. I did this with a model I made some years ago, the also tiny Academy's Bedford Whaler. In the meantime I'm trying to fold up A4 paper pieces to suggest becalmed flags, I'll post some for suggestions. 

[cog]

Iwould sooner try my hand on tissue,or rice paper as those are thinner. Tissue ... you can even peel layers ... just ideas at the top of me hat

[GeorgeKapas]

Sorry for the lack of updates, these will come this weekened when a lot of progress will be documented. 

 

I had flags printed, a 17th century Red Ensign for the taffrail a Royal Standard for the mizzenmast a 17th century Union jack for the mainmast and a small jack for the bowsprit, although it is debatable if I'll add the latter.  

 

There was an issue with the rigging thread, I was running low on Mantua thread which you cant find any more here.

I have Nylon, Polyester, Silk, and various qualities of cotton. At this tiny scale, any blemish and fluff will show, and even with waxing, Polyster looked terrible ( all 0.25mm btw). Nylon has no fluff by default by its threading is very crude.

 

Today I finally found some Egyptian Cotton thread that behaved properly and with waxing it looks just like the Mantua thread. Great news, as now I have a good supply near me. 

Edited March 30, 2019 by GeorgeKapas

[GeorgeKapas]

Progress! Finally, what a troublesome week! 

 

Sheets and cluelines, most of the running rigging is complete, including some of the shrouds: 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Details on the rigging, mostly of the stern section:  Braces, cluelines, sheet lines, lifts etc Adding the ropes at the deck and the pins was absolutely troublesome, I did my best

 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Overview: 

[CDW]

A beautiful model. It's stunning, really. Can't say that I have ever seen one nicer model at this scale using plastic as the primary component/s medium. 

[ccoyle]

Agree! That looks fabulous, especially considering the age and scale of the kit. Very nice work!

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you! Yes the material is the worst, soft Airfix plastic, the masts bend with the slightest tension, every time I add a piece of thread I need to readjust the stays or some other  standing rigging... I have somewhat given up on most of these problems, at least for now, going to tension them near the end of the rigging phase

[GeorgeKapas]

BTW should I make the horizontal lines of the shrouds with melted plastic spruce or thin thread? I'm still unsure

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Did some tensioning on the standing rigging. I use the cloth as a movable but soft base for rigging. Also the ship in my hand for proper scale! 

Edited April 6, 2019 by GeorgeKapas

[CDW]

46 minutes ago, GeorgeKapas said:

BTW should I make the horizontal lines of the shrouds with melted plastic spruce or thin thread? I'm still unsure

 

Maybe you could try some Lycra thread. It stretches without putting a lot of pressure on the plastic parts and easily retains it's tension over time. Plastic ship and aircraft modelers use it all the time.

[cog]

I'm afaraid the strech line like EZ line will pose the same problems you have with the other rigging. I would personally go for the streched sprue, eventhough it is more work, you won't have the tensioning prblems. On my plastic builds I use EZ-line, but my masts are from brass, so I don't need to take the flexibility from those into account

Edited April 6, 2019 by cog