Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates

[Ian_Grant]

Hi Chris,  Yesterday I saw on a Victory build log that you now produce  a figure of Lord Nelson in various scales. The depiction is great! I would like to suggest that you produce an accompanying figure of Captain Hardy. I am certain that many Victory modellers would like to add these two men to their model. I copied Blue Ensign's conversion of spare Revell 1/100 men to Nelson and Hardy for my Heller Victory but if you had both available I would replace mine with yours tomorrow.

 

One question: how tall is Nelson at 1/96, is he accurate to his actual (short) height? A Captain Hardy would need to be taller.

 

Thanks.

Ian

[chris watton]

I can tell you how tall he is in 64th, around 27mm. Have to guess a little due to hat, but my carver was given full details, including height.

 

No Hardy figure for the foreseeable future. I commission the figures, the captains/admirals especially, for my own developments. As I have no plans to ever develop a Victory again (already done two in the past), I very much doubt I would pay to have a Hardy figure commissioned.

 

When you say 'many' would buy, the hard truth is that I may sell 5-10 Hardy figures per year, taking many years before I even broke even for the cost having the figure sculpted in the first place.

 

Anyway, no more figures for a while, all hands on deck for Indy development...

[James H]

Posting in my capacity as part-time VM employee (😆), this is to let you all know that today is the last day of the VM Summer Sale, with 10% off all VM kits, except for Ranger, as that's a new release.

 

If you want a nice discount on a fisher, Duchess, Sphinx, Flirt or Speedy etc. NOW really is the time to pull the trigger!

 

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk

 

 

[chris watton]

Just a little update.

 

We have listened to some customers, not being sure of skill levels for my kits, so we now have skill labels for each kit:

 

 

 

 

I am hoping this helps some modellers.

 

On the Indy side, this is still progressing. Yesterday I received the photo etched sheets (25kg worth), dowels, first planking and red alder deck planking.

[glbarlow]

So, for the audience as comparison how do you rate come of your current models and where will Indy come in?

[chris watton]

2 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

So, for the audience as comparison how do you rate come of your current models and where will Indy come in?

All kits on the website have the skill level shown now. The fishing boats are Novice and Amateur, with the main middling kits being Experienced, and Sphinx Advanced.

 

Indy will be 'Master', as this is the largest and most complex to date.

[chris watton]

In the next week or so, I will be adding an 18-bottle paint set to my range. These will be AK acrylic paints, which can be thinned using ordinary tap water. The set includes all paints used on Indefatigable, but also used on the rest of the range.

 

The bottles shown in the picture are not the ones that will be in the set, I am awaiting shipment of my specially chosen paints from AK Interactive, which is imminent. The set should be more than enough to paint a model as large as Indefatigable.

Edited October 14, 2022 by chris watton

[Glenn-UK]

Great idea.

[DelF]

A welcome addition to your range Chris. Would these paints also be suitable for your 3d printed figures and furniture?

[James H]

I can confirm that my tests with these show they can be thinned with regular tap water and also brush-painted.

 

I'm really picky about paints as I've trialled and used lots of garbage whilst working for magazines, but these are superb. Very nice indeed.

[chris watton]

15 minutes ago, DelF said:

A welcome addition to your range Chris. Would these paints also be suitable for your 3d printed figures and furniture?

I have ordered specific paint sets for figures (skin tones) and wood, plus a stand-alone paint 'Sunny Skin Tone'. But these are with my second order.

[markjay]

Chris, "one stop shopping"👍

[chris watton]

OK, paint sets now ready:

 

18th to Early 19th Century Period Ship Colour Set – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Also, I took delivery of the new Victory book by Kerry Jang yesterday:

 

Victory – 100-gun First Rate 1765 – VANGUARD MODELS

Edited October 19, 2022 by chris watton

[Nirvana]

Chris, is there three sets? 🙂

[chris watton]

1 hour ago, Nirvana said:

Chris, is there three sets? 🙂

3 sets?

 

There is only one set of 18 paints. However, I should have a delivery next week for figure (flesh tones) and wood effect paint sets, along with a standalone paint for sunny skin tone.

Edited October 19, 2022 by chris watton

[chris watton]

Another little update.

 

I am certainly getting quite a few by products from the Indefatigable development - figures, paint sets, and now flag sets. I initially purchased the flag sets as an optional extra for the Indy kit (and they will be), but as I have them here, they are now for sale.

I have a red ensign set and a white ensign set. I may get a blue ensign set for completion at a later date. They are:

 

 Red or white Ensign (120x70mm) 1707 - 1800   
 Union Flag (75x50mm) 1606 - 1800    
 Tricolour Pennant (255x17mm) 1661 - 1850    

 

Flag sets – VANGUARD MODELS

 

And talking of Indy, today I finally completed all plan sets, there are 26 sheets in total, all 680x980mm in size. Next week, I shall start on the manual.

 

And finally, moving on to decks...

OK, regarding pre-engraved decks. I need to rethink these due to batch after batch I order being no good. The maple veneer of late is like the picture attached, so is useless for decks, and the maple sheet scrap rate is now way, way too high. I ordered enough 0.8x200x800mm maple sheet to produce 60 Indy kits worth, but in reality, I can get about 15 kits worth from the whole batch, due to knot holes and too much colour variation and/or 'tiger striping' the same as can be seen in the maple veneer pic.

 

I ordered very large sheets (1.5x2.5 metres) of both maple and birch veneer from another supplier, but again, no good for decks due to too strong a contrast in patterns and colours. With this in mind, pre-engraved decks for Indy will be very few.

 

My last option is to try limewood, as this is the most neutral of woods for colour variation. What I do know is that I am done wasting literally hundreds upon hundreds of Pounds on veneer and sheet that I cannot use, hence scrap. With this being a natural product, I have no comeback, so I cannot afford to keep gambling with each order I make any longer. The smaller kits are fine, up to Sphinx size, but for anything larger, it is a problem.

I have one more avenue to go down for Indy, and this is with limewood and alder. I have ordered some sample sheets to see if this would do the job.
 

[glbarlow]

Maybe for a kit at this level engraved decks aren’t necessary. I’d plank the deck myself and would rather see quality wood strips rather than an engraved deck I wouldn’t use. 

[Blue Ensign]

I would have concerns about using lime wood for decking. If it’s anything like the hull planking strips it would be too soft to get a good scraped finish and subject to dinks. There is also the question of even colouring if a slightly darker colour was required.

I have no experience of Alder.

 

I’ve never really been a fan of the pre-engraved decks because the shadowing always catches my eye, altho’ I did use it on the lower deck of Sphinx as it wouldn’t be seen.

 

It is an aggravating situation for you Chris, but you can’t carry on wasting money on unsuitable material.

 

I will continue to use 0.6mm Boxwood strip  in  multiple widths from Original Marquetry, Bristol, both for hull and deck planking.

 

I do hope you resolve the issue.

 

B.E.

 

 

[James H]

Indy will be supplied with red alder as standard, so all will be good. The engraved decks were always going to be a (limited) option.

[chris watton]

Yes, it must be said, Indy was always designed with red alder planking strips as the deck planking from the beginning. The pre engraved decks option was and is only an optional extra.

[chris watton]

I just received my paint sets for wood and flesh tones, plus a standalone sunny skin tone colour.

 

Paint – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Yesterday, I started the A3 Indy manual, this is my last big job for this development!

[Malcolm Greig]

Chris

 

Do you have a updated potential (best guess) release date? 

 

Great project and fantastic model.

 

Regards

 

Malcolm 

 

 

 

[chris watton]

3 hours ago, Malcolm Greig said:

Chris

 

Do you have a updated potential (best guess) release date? 

 

Great project and fantastic model.

 

Regards

 

Malcolm 

 

 

 

I will need to wait until Jim has finished the hull. I will then release.

 

I am hoping to implement pre orders in December and the actual release being in January. By December, I will have all remaining parts I ordered here with me and all laser cut sheets done (I started this before Summer!). I already have the PE sets here, and all castings are done and packed.

 

I should have a pear block and deadeye option available too, by the time of pre order.

 

For those that may ask, yes, the Indy will contain all parts for masts and rig, there are 9 x 980x680mm plan sheets for masts, yards and rig; and all dowel, rigging thread, blocks and laser cut parts are included, as usual.

[DelF]

6 minutes ago, chris watton said:

For those that may ask, yes, the Indy will contain all parts for masts and rig

Looking forward to this with great anticipation having followed Jim's superb build log (though I haven't even started Sphinx yet!). I imagine you've been asked this before, but wouldn't it be possible to offer a slimmed down hull only version for those of us aiming for a Navy Board-style model?  I suspect the answer will be that it would cause you more trouble than it would be worth, but I had to ask. I don't mind paying for the full kit, but it just seems a waste to have to send me  material I won't need.

 

Derek

[Blue Ensign]

I have sympathy with your view Derek, the kit is likely to have a hefty price tag £1000 + and the kit looks to be ideal for a Navy board style where a lot of the stuff won't be needed. I have a hefty stack of stuff left over from my Sphinx build, but of course the overall price was lower.

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

The problem is that the parts for masts are also on the PE and laser cut sheets, which also contain hull parts. I have said this before, omission of dowel, blocks and rigging thread would not have much of an impact on the overall kit cost, as around 98% of the costs go into the hull - plus you would still need 7, 5 and 3mm deadeyes for the chainplates.

 

However, for those who do not want dowel, thread and blocks, you can contact me and I will see what I can do - but it will not make much difference to the cost.

Edited October 26, 2022 by chris watton

[Rustyj]

8 hours ago, chris watton said:

However, for those who do not want dowel, thread and blocks, you can contact me and I will see what I can do - but I will not make much difference to the cost.

For me, if I did it Navy board style you could keep the un-needed parts without altering the price. I just hate to have material go to waste. Anxiously waiting!

[chris watton]

The kits are made up in batches, which my wife does, using a picking list drawn up by me. I can accommodate the odd change, but what I cannot do is offer an 'A La Carte' choice for each kit, as they have been developed from the start to be full kits. So, something like Indy (or even Sphinx) would become an absolute nightmare to produce if they were not all the same, there are just so many parts.

[garyshipwright]

On 10/19/2022 at 3:18 AM, chris watton said:

OK, paint sets now ready:

 

18th to Early 19th Century Period Ship Colour Set – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Also, I took delivery of the new Victory book by Kerry Jang yesterday:

 

Victory – 100-gun First Rate 1765 – VANGUARD MODELS

Hi Chris. Just a question good sir. I know you been doing this ship building and making kit's  for quite awhile and you have my utmost respect, but was wondering why these color's? You must of done a lot of research on what color's to use but curious mind's at least mine, was wondering why these. I have not really been into painting my ships and just go with the natural wood but am building Chuck's Winchelsea  which there are items that need to be painted which is why am asking about your color's. Thank you. Gary

[chris watton]

Hello Gary. These colours are the ones (or very close equivalents) I have used for three decades, both for my personal builds (before even designing my first model) right up until now. The turquoise is a new one, and I think it is a very good match for the background colour (or an alternative to standard blue) for frieze work. The rest are all pretty standard colours that would have been available in most boatswains stores. Some would be lighter or darker, depending on how much they had and how much they would thin it down, plus weathering...