Early HMS Victory part-work kit

[ejgray52]

With the current lockdown here in the UK, I have had the opportunity to sort out the workshop and came across a cardboard box, long forgotten. It turned out to contain a part-work kit from the early 2000's of HMS Victory. I remember at the time it boasted of being researched and created by a team of expert naval historians and model makers. My mother-in-law had bought a subscription for me as a Christmas present and I built it up to the 'carcass' stage before a house move and a general feeling of disappointment overtook me! I predominately built in plastic and occasionally metal, so I am still honing my wooden boat building skills. The kit is made from reasonable wood considering it's a magazine style part-work, but the fittings and instructions are interesting... (in the English ironic use of the word!). A lot of the fittings are cast from an antique style metal, which is described as 'highly detailed, authentic and require no painting or varnishing' and the colour scheme shows the 'experts' must have glanced at a lurid coloured postcard of the real thing! Check out the photos below, which show just a few of the details.  I am pondering whether to continue with the build or not, as it will require a lot of work and extra expense; maybe just be grateful for all the extra wood to put in my spares box. It has a nice stand though. To be fair, I think they were working with English as a second language...

Edited April 21, 2020 by ejgray52

[Gregory]

It might make a nice gift for your mother-in-law.  In which case, I would build it as is.. 

 

While certainly not up to the standards of MSW, it would make a nice mantle piece that would get a lot of ooohs and aaahs from the average observer..

[ejgray52]

Many thanks for the replies. My M in L is no longer with us, so it would be my mantelpiece, though I will alter a few things. I did plank a couple of the false decks in the correct 4 butt style, instead of the ‘house-brick’ pattern they suggest. I will add the yards to the masts in the proper manner; as they  tell you to nail them! Bad enough that the masts are depicted as straight forward lengths of dowel... I feel an order for wood will be happening soon. First job though is interpreting the instructions, which are a bit more informative than the average. Billings version and much funnier!

(Embrasures over the portholes and being careful cutting the strakes around them, plus the stern being at the bow, for example...)

[Gregory]

I know the bar is set pretty high here, but if I were building that kit, my goal would be more of a piece of folk art.  I would use a lot of stain and varnish to get a wood look.  No paint, except for black in the masting and spars.

I think the metal details you showed would go good as is, except for something to knock the shine off.

Some nice scale rope would look nice rather than the " thread " usually included in kits.

Adding the yards to the masts in the proper manner gets my vote also..

Just my vision, and I respect that you might have other ideas.

[ejgray52]

Now there is an idea, many thanks Gregory. Pity about the glossy cardboard they used for the windows and cabins by the ship’s wheel! Though I could reproduce them in wood to match the idea of folk art...