Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates

[James H]

Perfect for Sphinx 😜

[Nipper]

3 hours ago, chris watton said:

Also have a little set of cabin furniture available:

 

Cabin furniture – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Over the next 2 to three weeks, I should also be able to offer a ships cook, two sailors in poses and a Royal Marine officer and private - and that's it!

Fantastic!  I've ordered a set of furniture already, and now I can stop my sad attempts to fashion cabin furniture out of wood and metal offcuts!  The table was OK, just about good enough, so it will go in the Coach of Sphinx rather than the Great Cabin.  But the chairs I've been trying to make - dear me no!  

 

Looking forward to the cook, sailors and marines.  Thanks Chris!

 

Nipper

[chris watton]

And to what I am working on now - Indy.

 

I have just completed all profile drawings, so now I can arrange them on plans and add part numbers. Also I can now start mast and rig plans (always need hull and deck profile drawings complete before this, as they are used in rigging drawings..)

 

This is my interpretation of Indefatigable, Circa 1796/97

Edited August 15, 2022 by chris watton

[allanyed]

Looks like a home run Chris!!

 

I understand there were exceptions, not to mention that many folks don't even care about such details, so I hope you don't mind me bringing this up.  One thing that struck me as unusual is the name on the counter.  Names on the counter were a no-no per Admiralty edict except between 1780 and 1790 most of which time they were to be no more than 12 inches high.   The Sheppard colored engraving from 1797 shows her with no name.    https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-109649

Do you know if she was perhaps exempt from the Admiralty's rule?

Regardless, I am sure she will be a lovely kit.   

 

Allan

[scrubbyj427]

Great looking drawings Chris!

[chris watton]

Allan, the stern name is simply a decal, with no obligation to use it.

[James H]

7 hours ago, allanyed said:

Looks like a home run Chris!!

 

I understand there were exceptions, not to mention that many folks don't even care about such details, so I hope you don't mind me bringing this up.  One thing that struck me as unusual is the name on the counter.  Names on the counter were a no-no per Admiralty edict except between 1780 and 1790 most of which time they were to be no more than 12 inches high.   The Sheppard colored engraving from 1797 shows her with no name.    https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-109649

Do you know if she was perhaps exempt from the Admiralty's rule?

Regardless, I am sure she will be a lovely kit.   

 

Allan

 

Allan,

I think this was already discussed here, again, by yourself:

 

[allanyed]

Hi James,

Hope all is great in Anderton!

Yes,  it was bought up before, but when I saw the newest drawings it appeared the conversation was forgotten and I thought the point might still be of interest to Vanguard.  Mea culpa for my post if it offended anyone.

 

Allan

Edited August 16, 2022 by allanyed

[Blue Ensign]

The question of names on ships regularly crops up.

For myself I am guided by L.G. Carr-Laughton (Old ship Figureheads & sterns)

This is what he had to say on the matter.

 

In 1771 an order was issued that henceforth ships should have their names painted on their second counters in letters a foot high, and enclosed in a compartment.

 

In 1772 the order was amended, and the name ordered to be painted without a compartment in letters as large as the counter would permit.

It has long been thought that in 1778 these names were ‘rubbed out’  again on Keppel’s initiative. This is only partly true, they were rubbed out only from the ships in Keppel’s fleet, and only for that one campaign of 1778.

 

 The large letters continue in use until after Trafalgar, but in the closing years of the war apparently the name was painted small in a little compartment; and not long after the peace it was entirely omitted.

 

I don’t think anyone can gainsay you whether you decide to include names or not, for myself I will continue to include them, as I like them.

 ps: Impressive drawings Chris.

 

B.E.

 

 

[chris watton]

For the Amati Victory, I actually did three different templates for the stern name, as every painting/drawing seems to show a different size. But it pays not to put too much stock in art, as many paintings/drawings were done years, even decades after the ships/actions depicted, some even showing later/very early 18th/19th Century vessels with fittings and colours in vogue at the time of the painting, rather than the period in which the vessels are depicted.

 

Indy had a (very active) 20-odd year career, and at some points, she would have had her name on the stern, so the name in included in the kit.

[bruce d]

1 hour ago, Blue Ensign said:

For myself I am guided by L.G. Carr-Laughton (Old ship Figureheads & sterns)

This is what he had to say on the matter.

 

In 1771 an order was issued that henceforth ships should have their names painted on their second counters in letters a foot high, and enclosed in a compartment.

 

In 1772 the order was amended, and the name ordered to be painted without a compartment in letters as large as the counter would permit.

It has long been thought that in 1778 these names were ‘rubbed out’  again on Keppel’s initiative. This is only partly true, they were rubbed out only from the ships in Keppel’s fleet, and only for that one campaign of 1778.

 

 The large letters continue in use until after Trafalgar, but in the closing years of the war apparently the name was painted small in a little compartment; and not long after the peace it was entirely omitted.

 

Thanks, that is clear, but .... at the risk of thread drift, was there anything that specifically covered ships/craft bought into the RN after 1778? In a fleet, such a vessel would potentially be surrounded by ships with their names displayed in one or other of the styles discussed above and it seems likely that conformity would be expected. 

Anything known about this specific point, such as deference to local command preferences?

(Possibly this would be better in a dedicated thread but here we are, sorry about that.}

[James H]

Just to let you all know, Vanguard Models has now made TEN more kits of Sphinx available. 

 

Chris is just waiting for some thin pear sheet to arrive from Germany, then he can add the last parts to these kits before a proper restock. Any Sphinx kits ordered in the next week or so will be dispatched the week commencing 29th August '22. 

 

This will let those that are thinking about buying the kit while the VM Summer Sale is still on, to get one so they don't miss out while the kit would normally be out of stock.

 

If you're thinking about a Sphinx, time to get in there whilst there's a £70 sale reduction!

 

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/hms-sphinx-1775/ 

 

 

[chris watton]

I now have 1:32nd scale figure for Pellew, Nelson and Hornblower. (Pictured with a 48th Pellew to show the scale)

 

In the future, I may do a diorama kit of a 24 or 32 pounder, cannon crew and officers in 32nd scale.

 

ETA - Now have the Cochrane figure in 32nd

Edited August 24, 2022 by chris watton

[chris watton]

Just a tiny update. I have added another two sets of table and chairs:

 

Cabin furniture – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Also, all Brodie Stoves have been redone in the tougher Navy Grey resin and on the 8k resolution printer.

[Blue Ensign]

I like the round pedestal table Chris, any thoughts of creating a seated figure to grace it?

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

Almost forgot about this one until today, when I finally got word my Ranger premium sail sets are on their way to me. This particular hull shape is one of the easiest to plank.

 

Today I did this box art, I just have the manual to put together now, so this should be for sale in the next 3-4 weeks. This is the last of the historical fishing vessels of the British Isles for quite some time. For the next couple of years, all developments will have cannon...

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by chris watton

[chris watton]

OK, just had these renders of the almost complete second, and final, set of figures.

 

The is a Royal Marine officer and private, a ships cook, and 2 able seamen. I should have these ready within the next two weeks

[Guyuti]

Fantastic Renders the ships cook with a peg leg brilliant.

Keep up the great work Chris

 

Guy

[chris watton]

I doubled the scale for the 24 pounder cannon and carriage to 32nd scale..

[Beckmann]

Superb!! I really like this crew. Will you offer them in 1:72 scale as well?

[James H]

1 minute ago, Beckmann said:

Superb!! I really like this crew. Will you offer them in 1:72 scale as well?

 

They were put online last week in 1:72

 

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/gun-crew/

[Morgan]

Personally I don’t like figures on model ships, that of course is my view and others differ, but I do think the figures and cannon at 1:32 would make for an interesting standalone tableau.

 

Gary

[Beckmann]

It depends. I always put one figure on the model to get an impression of the scale. At the moment I am working on a 1:72 waterline diorama model. In this case many figures are a very nice addition.

[Roger Pellett]

Chris,

 

You probably already know this but 1:32 equates to the common 54mm military figure modeling scale.   The figures in the group with the peg leg cook would make particularly nice stand alone military models.  Any thought of producing them in this scale?

 

Roger

[chris watton]

1 hour ago, Roger Pellett said:

Chris,

 

You probably already know this but 1:32 equates to the common 54mm military figure modeling scale.   The figures in the group with the peg leg cook would make particularly nice stand alone military models.  Any thought of producing them in this scale?

 

Roger

After Indy, I do plan to develop a 'diorama mini kit' or two in 32nd, utilising my new figures. Figure that will be a nice little break after such a kit as Indy...

[chris watton]

OK, had my final set of files sent to me today for the remaining figures I commissioned my carver to do. These are the very first off. Again, there is a cook (will be sold as an individual figure), Marine officer and private (sold together) and also sold together, 2 sailors. The hands will allow the insertion of rope if required (although at 96th scale, I am not sure how that would work). I plan to do all in 96, 72nd, 64th (of course..), 48th and 32nd scale.

[Kevin]

they look brilliant

[Jim Rogers]

When will the cook be for sale? Just ordered the gun crew, got to feed them.

[mtaylor]

Great looking figures, Chris.   I would suggest an option (?) that one could order the marine rifleman as a stand alone.  I suggest this since some might want to have more than one marine in various places.

[chris watton]

OK, the 64th and 48th cook, marines and sailors are on line, soon to be followed by 72nd, 96th and a few at 32nd

 

MODEL FIGURES – VANGUARD MODELS