Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates

[chris watton]

3 minutes ago, BenD said:

Chris you might want to check your site. The Alert is showing as $0.00

Cheers! All sorted....

[Jasseji]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

OK, all Sphinx kits are now gone until next month, of which I am working on now, laser cutting. Hats off to my wife, Chantelle, who managed to pack up 51 kits from Friday to Sunday - damn that was a lot of foam and bubble wrap!

 

Today, I decided to remove the original version of the Alert kit from stock, and will scrap the remaining stock, including those white metal fittings. I did not like the fact that these early kits are not a reflection of the quality I want in my kits, so rather take the hit than offer them for sale. So Alert Version 1 is gone for good.

Cheers to the wife, my Sphinx is already through customs and all fees paid, hope UPS decides to Pack her into a delivery van tomorrow morning (also another 7kg package from Hobbyzone which is sitting in thwie warehouse since yesterday Evening...) 

[EKE]

5 hours ago, chris watton said:

Cheers! All sorted....

Damn… I was about to order one…

 

 

 

 

 

 

(kidding.)

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by EKE

[Thukydides]

Thought I would mention that I went to download the manual to check a part number for a post I was going to make on my build log and I noticed that the link is broken. It just takes you to the main page (the manual is still online, i found the link in my browser history, just the button doesn't take you there). Likely got messed up when you fixed the $0 problem :).

[chris watton]

Cheers, we're on it!

[Mike_H]

18 hours ago, chris watton said:

OK, all Sphinx kits are now gone until next month, of which I am working on now, laser cutting. Hats off to my wife, Chantelle, who managed to pack up 51 kits from Friday to Sunday - damn that was a lot of foam and bubble wrap!

 That's excellent!  It means I cannot distract myself from Snake by buying Sphinx, and must wait for a little time, during which Chris's plans for the future will doubtless grow.  More importantly, it means that Chris's decision to go full time is vindicated and we can confidently expect Vanguard to go from strength to strength

[chris watton]

Very first dry fit of first off designs for a Barking Well Smack, 1836

[Nirvana]

Chris, you are your own factory new designs and models one after another. Very nice!😀

[chris watton]

12 minutes ago, Nirvana said:

Chris, you are your own factory new designs and models one after another. Very nice!😀

Cheers!

 

I wasn't going to start this one yet, but I had the lines scanned into my PC, and couldn't help myself. I just like to nail the hull designs, as that is well over half the battle for commercial kits, even more so for commercial kits with absolute beginners in mind.

 

Love the name of this one, 'Saucy Jack'! Because it's a much earlier vessel compared to the other fishing boats, the hull shape is more like earlier small craft, almost like a cutter with no guns.

 

For larger kits, don't worry, I certainly haven't forgotten those..

Edited August 29, 2021 by chris watton

[Jonny 007]

I’m really looking forward to these new kits. As a newbie they look perfect!

Edited August 30, 2021 by Jonny 007

[Clark]

Preordered two weeks ago, Sphinx arrived today. Chris, do you ever sleep?
Thank you very, very much!

Perfect.

Clark

[Vane]

Regarding Sphinx, would it be completely wrong to do built it with copperplates?

[chris watton]

19 minutes ago, Vane said:

Regarding Sphinx, would it be completely wrong to do built it with copperplates?

Not at all. I would think that the Sphinx Class were copper bottomed for most of their operational career.

[Jasseji]

1 hour ago, Vane said:

Regarding Sphinx, would it be completely wrong to do built it with copperplates?

I do believe the HMS Camilla was mentioned to be re-coppered at some point (hence she would have been coppered initially), also those ships starting 1794 were fitted with 12-24pdr Carronades (4 or 6 of them: 0 or 2 on fcsle and 4 on the quarterdeck) so that might be 2 "Upgrades" worth considering over the kit

[chris watton]

6 minutes ago, Jasseji said:

I do believe the HMS Camilla was mentioned to be re-coppered at some point (hence she would have been coppered initially), also those ships starting 1794 were fitted with 12-24pdr Carronades (4 or 6 of them: 0 or 2 on fcsle and 4 on the quarterdeck) so that might be 2 "Upgrades" worth considering over the kit

Yep - Also, if people want to model the vessel as she appeared later in her operational career, the quarterdeck bulwarks would be solid, not open. This applies to the forecastle too, if carronades were to be positioned there.

[Jasseji]

2 minutes ago, chris watton said:

Yep - Also, if people want to model the vessel as she appeared later in her operational career, the quarterdeck bulwarks would be solid, not open. This applies to the forecastle too, if carronades were to be positioned there.

You're referring to the railings, right?

 

 

I was considering Quarterdeck Carronades and at least chasers on the Forecastle, but at least in the case of the Quarterdeck this might require closing off the Deck Openings (havent measured it yet tho)

[chris watton]

Yes, railings would have been 'Berthed Up', usually unofficially during wartime, and officially in the late 1790's (from what I have read)

 

It seems that with the introduction of the carronade, the bulwarks became solid, not open.

[Beef Wellington]

Chris, from what I can read there definitely is a general coincidence of the introduction of the carronade and the built up bulwarks in the 1790s, but I haven't seen anything that suggest that one 'requires' the other.  There seem to quite a few examples of carronades with open bulwarks, definitely interested in learning more if there is anything you have found to point to.

 

[chris watton]

During wartime, even well before the French Revolutionary Wars, captains ordered their crew to build up the bulwarks. It seems the Admiralty knew about this, but turned a blind eye. But it does seem that when carronades were introduced and were found to be very effective close range weapons, bulwarks were built up to perhaps help counter the recoil effect of the carronades.

 

In peacetime, ships were ordered to have their bulwarks open (don't know why, perhaps for aesthetic reasons), but in wartime, they were closed. It isn't until the very tail end of the 18th Century do we see Admiralty plans showing built up bulwarks, first just aft, and then forward.

[mtaylor]

Regarding the build up bulwarks.  I have suspected that ships with carronades operated at closer ranges and therefore very susceptible to small arms fire. The built up bulwarks offered a bit of protection or at least concealment and some degree of comfort to those on deck serving the guns.

[Jasseji]

15 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Regarding the build up bulwarks.  I have suspected that ships with carronades operated at closer ranges and therefore very susceptible to small arms fire. The built up bulwarks offered a bit of protection or at least concealment and some degree of comfort to those on deck serving the guns.

That would be a consequence of this, mostly i would think you need to fasten the tackles and breeching ropes somewhere. 

Small Arms fire could be defended against with tighly packed hammock nets, you wouldnt really need bulwarks for that

Edited September 1, 2021 by Jasseji

[myxyzptlyk2003]

Chris

I'll be installing the first planking on the Sphinx this weekend.    The instructions say the planking is labeled F36.   But the kit has them in a bag labeled F43.   Same thing for the 2nd planking.   Instructions say bag F37 but really in bag F44

[chris watton]

4 minutes ago, myxyzptlyk2003 said:

Chris

I'll be installing the first planking on the Sphinx this weekend.    The instructions say the planking is labeled F36.   But the kit has them in a bag labeled F43.   Same thing for the 2nd planking.   Instructions say bag F37 but really in bag F44

You are right!

 

Just changed the instructions to reflect this, so the reprint will have the correct numbers. 

 

Cheers!

[maaaslo]

5 hours ago, chris watton said:

 

 

Just changed the instructions to reflect this, so the reprint will have the correct numbers. 

 

 

wouldn't it be easier to relabel the bags?

[Jasseji]

Just now, maaaslo said:

wouldn't it be easier to relabel the bags?

that

[chris watton]

4 minutes ago, maaaslo said:

wouldn't it be easier to relabel the bags?

All the kits I had have already gone. The second batch is being done now. I will have the manuals in for reprint next week. All I had to do was to change the part numbers in the text relating the the first and second planking in the manual, just two minor changes. It really was no big deal, coupled with the fact that you only have two types of planking in the kit, the lime first planking and the pear second planking. It isn't like there's a myriad of different size planks.

[ccoyle]

13 minutes ago, chris watton said:

It isn't like there's a myriad of different size planks.

 

Shoot, if I only ever had just one problem per card model kit I've ever built, I'd be thrilled!

[hollowneck]

My Sphynx (nee' "Sphinx") arrived this week in good condition and very quickly indeed (I'm on the East Coast, US). I've been poring over the plans and the myriad of goodies in Chris' 13+ pound box: there's very nice laser cut pear throughout; the PE brass looks excellent as does the resin cast stern decoration form and a kool figurehead.

 

It'll be no surprise to Chris that I'm making/bashing his lovely Sphinx as HMS Camilla, essentially a sister ship. Camilla had an astonishing 45 year active service life with a long list of prizes under several distinguished captains. I intend to paint her name on the stern over a new piece of shaped pear.

Related to the above conversation (jasseji), I am also considering building-up the bulwarks and adding carronades as Camilla's later life had her very active post British/American war and well into the French Revolutionary era. I may copper her, however not much of this addition will be seen since I also will place her in a diorama with set sails. As I have also done on all my recent models, I'll likely give her a (minimal) crew. I'm presently thinking the diorama's "place setting" will be off the Brittany coast, in the Channel - and in hot pursuit of a naughty French corsair...

 

The lovely box with keel and bulkheads await me.

In today's vernacular, this is an awesome kit.

I'm pumped!

Ron

 

 

[chris watton]

Strange how customers in the US have very differing times for the parcel to reach them. Some in a couple of days, some in a couple of weeks, and one, in California was fun. I had an email from customs asking me to fill in a 'TSCA Form', in which I had to write down the species and genus of each wood type before they released it to the customer! Didn't realise I needed a doctorate in botany to produce and sell these kits!

[glbarlow]

At least there is no VAT premium