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

[GeorgeKapas]

This very old and rare kit was provided to me by a good friend. Indeed, I was not aware that such a ship type was available in plastic. The kit is made in the 1960s, and I was very interested trying it out.  It is very small is size, but it has proven to be a handfull nevertheless. Its issues are several, but still I tried to make something out of it. 

 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Although I didnt take a photo with the parts as they were, here is a summary at a later time: 

 

The masts are rebuilt almost completly. The single piece yards and sails were of no use.  I added new yards, striken down, and made a bowsprit from scratch. Built new catheads,  the blocks for the pins the cannons and anchors were replaced by better pieces from my pile. The pulkheads had solid stairs that looked terrible, I had them removed completely and built ladders from scratch a bit later. 

[GeorgeKapas]

Closeups of the new bowsprit: 

[GeorgeKapas]

The hull wood grain was terrible. Too big, everything was a relief including the lines between the hulls etc. The deck was not much better, but I left that alone. The hull though seemed really wrong. I decided to paint the lower hull as if coated with "White Stuff" Everything had to go. Initially I wanted the planks lines on the upper hull retained, but in the end these were removed as well. Notice that even the shroud plank chains were solid triangles... These had to go too..

Edited March 9, 2019 by GeorgeKapas

[GeorgeKapas]

Hull and various pieces and additions  assembled: I had to scratchbuilt 4 ladders, as well as use two more from my parts, as well as replacing most pieces. I also made many deadeys and pulleys, seen inside the water bottle caps. 

[GeorgeKapas]

Painting: The weathering of the deck, the planks and the details there were of particular importance to such a small kit. I had to do my best and take my time there: Also note a tiny diorama of a gun carriage I also made in parallel. 

[Thunder]

Hi,

 

Great build. I have built many of these small Pyro Kits and you do have to take them for what they are. However, have always been on the look out for this one. Only seen it once and they really did want stupid money for it. I have built:

 

Bon Homme Richard

Dutch Staten Jacht

Venetian Carrack

Roman Merchant

Half Moon

La Reale

 

But gave up on their larger scale Gouda. If you have enjoyed the Bomb Ketch then keep your eye out for the others.

[Louie da fly]

What an interesting subject for a build. And you're doing an excellent job on it. 1:150 is not an easy scale for a ship of this size and type.

 

I look forward to further progress.

 

Steven

Edited March 10, 2019 by Louie da fly

[Kenneth Powell]

Pyro kits do bring back memories.

Your detail work and attention to detail on this scale is amazing.

 

Kenneth

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you all. Yes these vintage kits are interesting. I'm rather young, this one was molded before my mother was born! 

In any case, here is the painting progressing. Shows a rough idea of the color choice. Weathering and pencil planking is still not applied here. Notice the smooth hull since I sanded all the molded planking out. I also tried to fix the lion with a bit of filler, not sure if it improved much, the mold is as you would expect from a 50 year old kit. 

[Thunder]

She is looking great. You are making a great job of her.

[GeorgeKapas]

Next step was a the planks. I modified a small 0.5 pencil with a spacer, at least to try and make the lines bearable.  Then I washed the base enamel with an acrylic to correct the color a bit and set the pencil. 

Edited March 10, 2019 by GeorgeKapas

[GeorgeKapas]

I decided to replace the plastic base with a new one. It was rather poor and scratched the now smooth hull. I took the inspiration from some bases I saw in the Annapolis Collection. The base piece is from an old Heller kit, the cradle is made out of balsa

[Matt Cinnabar]

Beautiful work on such a small scale.

May I ask you or any of your readers if they have the instruction sheets for the Pyro "Independence Schooner?"

[CDW]

What an outstanding job on the old Ketch, George. 

[lmagna]

I have also built several of these kits when I was younger and in fact still have a couple. Your build turns what is mostly just a toy model into a real work of art. Your work is impressive.

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you all, once again. I have Drake's Revenge by Lindberg, which is an old repackaged Pyro Kit as well.  That one is actually very nicely detailed, far better than this, despite being even smaller. 

 

Here are the masts. I had the mizzen mast rebuilt a second time, so it has same difference since its first iteration.  Especially the yards are very thin and frail, despite being larger pieces filled down. The rigging should be done with care so they wont bent 

[druxey]

You are producing a silk purse from a sow's ear, George! (It's an old English expression.)

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you! It is a mystery why Ι took this built so patriotically. Maybe because there was so few photos of a completed model of this kit, and most were simple assemblies. 

 

Perhaps I spent more time on it than this kit was worth it, but it seems worthwhile. Here are the guns! 

 

 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Guns' completion:  We are reaching the present day with this built, these were just yesterday: 

 

[lmagna]

I can hardly believe his is the old Pyro kit George.

 

Your work is incredible!

[bigcreekdad]

VERY impressive!!

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Again, you are too kind! Here are today's photos, hull painted and all. So now we reached present day! so no more lighting fast updates 😭.. Tomorow I'll start with the rigging, hopefully that will go smooth and fast as well. Perhaps it will be ready in a week's time, if no troubles are encountered. 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

A test for the rigging: Shroud deadeyes...1mm across...  I was almost going to give up with this idea, but they look very nice on the ship like that... So  I go with this, it is an overkill for such a scale, but there is no turning back now

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Most deadeyes and blocks are painted and ready, need to make some last adjustments before the next round of updates. I have several sources to draw rigging plans. There is a dilema though, that comes from the small scale of the model, about which rigging lines to include and which to leave out. Having no sails does help a bit. 

 

Generally speaking I see this as a test built. The pencil for the planks worked nice, and the shrouds too, although they are an overkill for such a scale.

 

In even smaller kits like the Revenge in around 1/300 there is no way I'll add blocks and deadeyes, this a limit for me. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by GeorgeKapas

[GeorgeKapas]

Here are a few, I'll do some light wash to remove some superglue shine, but now the rigging will be more fun with these done. Ironically it would be faster and easier in a bigger model 

[Stevinne]

I too built a lot of the Pyro kits as a kid, including this one, the Revenge (my personal favorite), the Ark Royal, The Bounty, The Constitution, The Cutty Sark, The Charles W. Morgan and the Henry Grace Adieu. I also built a few of the larger Pyro ships, too. I have to say, I'm impressed with the work you are doing. Good job!

 

 

[GeorgeKapas]

Thank you! Revenge will probably be my next built.  I felt I needed to do justice to these old but nice kits, and as  mentioned in other builts, smaller models give excusses for experimentation. 

[GeorgeKapas]

Strange I forgot to post these, even though I had put them in order: Its before I added the ropes on the guns. Anyway, after all I start with the rigging tomorow, so: 

[GeorgeKapas]

Main stay !