A little advice on planking please

[GN85]

Hello! I’m new to the forum and model ship building in general, although I’m absolutely loving it. 
 

I bought the HMS Valiant by Mamoli and have just about finished the first layer of planking, I have a fair bit more smoothing and filling to do to get it exactly how I want it before I start the second layer. However, last night I thought I would have a look at the timbers for the second stage and try and sort them out in to order of planking so I can get my head around what to do. In doing so however I realised just how poor the instructions for the Mamoli kit are, I’m really struggling in a box full of timbers to understand if I have the right ones picked out and in the right order, and at one step the instructions mention creating the upper sheer strake from three separate pieces but in the box I appear to have 2 timbers with a pre cut groove closely resembling the sheer strake. 
 

Do you have any tips on what to do or does anyone have any experience they can share on Mamoli kits? 
 

Thanks in advance!

[flyer]

Some 40 years ago I started with Corel and Mamoli kits. Among the shortcomings of those kits were the manuals. However, if I remember correctly, they also had the original Italian text included. Sometimes I was able to find some sense there, using sketchy French, translating some key words and by eliminating the impossible.

 

Your model BTW seems to be pure Corel fantasy. The original Valiant of 1759 was a 74 gun ship of the line - quite different. Therefore you can't do wrong and are free to build it as you please. You're the skipper, look for the most simple and logical solution.

 

I also wondered what kind of sloop could have been the pattern for this Valiant. Perhaps the sloop Speedwell 1752 was a close cousin. You'll find some pictures of her in the web (there is a model in the NMM) which could help to answer questions and ultimately perhaps even to modify your kit a bit to resemble a real ship.

 

Your build looks fine so far. Go on!

Peter

 

[GN85]

Thanks for your advice on this Peter! That’s helped to put my mind at ease a little. I’ve also found the pictures of the Speedwell you mentioned really insightful, as you say, this looks quite similar in many ways!

 

Anthony

[GN85]

So according to the instructions (and if I’ve selected the right timbers out of the box) this is the second layer of planks from top to bottom.

 

Does this look right? I know different types of wood were used but these are quite contrasting! 

[Gregory]

FWIW the Mamoli  Valient is totally fictitious..   

 

It shares the same lines as two other Mamoli kits:   Portsmouth and Blue Shadow, also fictitious apparently.  Mamoli Has re-boxed a lot of kits  ( in the past before Dusek took over the line ),

changing details and giving them different names.  For instance, their Surprise is a re-boxed La Glorie.

 

 

I built the Blue Shadow a while back, and it made a pretty nice mantle piece until the cat sent it to Davey Jones locker..