HMS Terror by clearway - FINISHED - OcCre - 1:75 - upgraded

[Keith S]

Goodness. I'd better get cracking. People will think I'm just copying your work! 😉

 

I see you did an extra door on the starboard deck-house. I debated this, because some woodcut pictures from the period do show a black rectangle in approximately that spot. I decided against it because I couldn't make out the outline of a doorframe in the wreck photos. But many details in those photos are obscured by weed. I guess we will know when Dr. Betts' book is published! I very much like the little slats you've done in your port door. Might have to pinch that idea.

 

One thing I've been wanting to talk to you about is a while in the future for both of our models, but time to start thinking about it. The kit doesn't include these, but some drawings of Erebus and Terror show gaffs or fore-and-aft yards on the foremast. I note from many rigging diagrams that staysails don't usually fly from gaffs unless it's a schooner, but the location of the one on the foremast seems like it's a crane for the boats rather than a foresail yard.Just looking for your thoughts on this. The area between the foremast and the main seems pretty empty otherwise.

 

Nice work, Keith. I'd better get cracking on mine!

 

[clearway]

Thanks Keith- hmmm hadn't noticed anything about a gaff on the foremast though normally they would rig blocks on the main stay to raise the boats then rig a tackle from the ends of the fore and main yard arms to move them over the water. It mentions hen house on the plans so the lats on the door will be for ventilation for the chickens (thinking maybe should be on starboard side).

 

Yes Emmet she is a weird looking but enigmatic ship. Our lock down means all shops except food outlets have to close and no one including family can visit each other- all travel will be banned except for going to work.

 

Keith

Edited November 2, 2020 by clearway

[Keith S]

5 hours ago, clearway said:

Thanks Keith- hmmm hadn't noticed anything about a gaff on the foremast though normally they would rig blocks on the main stay to raise the boats then rig a tackle from the ends of the fore and main yard arms to move them over the water. 

 

I've seen the tackle on the mainstay depicted in rigging books too. But I'm curious about the possibility of gaffs because of this picture. Whether or not it's simply artistic license on the part of the artist is the question 
i suppose, although I don't know why they would busy themselves drawing extra rigging. 

[clearway]

i see what you mean Keith, HMS beagle had gaffs rigged on all masts. I was basing my rig on this image from the start of the voyage so maybe it is a bit of artistic license on part of the artist in the above pic?

 

 

the enigma and conundrum continues!

 

Keith

Edited November 2, 2020 by clearway

[clearway]

Thanks for views,likes and comments as always folks, sanded back the deckhouse roofs, added door knobs using brass planking pins and gave a coat of matt acrylic varnish (will need another coat).

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

Guy folks night and sounds like a battlefield! It's alter the Occre instructions time again! First i have given one of the quaycraft resin boats i bought a while back a coat of white primer then desert yellow which will be followed by a yellow filter and varnish. Also cut some square 4mm stock into 50mm lengths for the davit posts , and using some 2mm wide brass strip made the square brackets to hold them against the bulwarks. Placed the posts along the bulwarks in their approximate positions to get a feel of how they will look.

 

 

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

Historical pictures of the ship on the ice are fun to see. Thanks

[J11]

Excellent work on her, extremely neat and clean installation. Look forward to your updates!

 

[clearway]

Thankyou for likes and comments and glad you like her jonathan, It certainly shows the barren conditions them guys wintered in Emmet brrrrrrrrrr!

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in everyone. Back in the shipyard and work continues on the brackets for the davits that are mounted from midships aft (the middle set will have the boat skids on them). At the moment they are just tacked to the capping rail with superglue gel, will drill through and pin at a later date. Also made the saddle on the bowsprit for the jib boom heel.

 

 

 

next will have to shape the posts and make the crutches/ pins to anchor them to the deck.

 

take care all.

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for likes and looking in everyone, another bit of detail occre missed time again! Was looking at her working out details that need adding before i glue all the deck fittings that are still loose and realised that it would be better to fit the stanchions for holding the spare spars/ oars etc amidships first. On the earlier Antarctic expedition plans for Erebus/ Terror shows 4 per side starting abreast of the forward hatch down till about half way along the pin rail for the mainmast. That was awfully close to the funnel for the steam engine so i thought stay with 4 but finish them just short of the midships entryway, used billings chainplates soldered to some etched handrail stanchions left over from Victory. Also got the yellow wash and some oak stain/ varnish on the resin ships boat.

 

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Keith, 

 

I assume since you've looked at these inboard stanchions/racks, you've also examined the details of the outboard crutches for the davits. I'm having trouble working out how they would have differed from the arrangement presented in Lee's. It seems almost like there's a small spar between two crutches, rather than an individual crutch meant for the davit to rest in. I can put a picture up if I haven't described it accurately enough.

 

Keith

[clearway]

Hi Keith- for the outboard davit posts i was thinking maybe an iron ring/ eye for resting the davit spigot into, and a U shaped bracket with a retaining pin and a pin for the arm- but still thinking about it hence why only the inboard post brackets have been added. It is looking like they customised things for Erebus and Terror yet again with these!

 

Keith

[Keith S]

One of the things I'm worried about it trying very hard to get it right, and then Dr. Betts' book coming out in the spring and making us all look like dopes!

[clearway]

I hear you there Keith, but we can be happy that we got it as right as we could and corrected as many of occres mishaps as possible, One thing that did confuse me was that if you look at the midship section it looks like the spigots on the bottom of the davit posts fasten to the stanchions for the spare spars even though they don't come close to each other (probably just a perspective thing). We do know that we have got the windlass about right and the massey pumps look better our way and we have added the flywheels, and not forgetting the 10 spoke ships wheels.

I think we are fairly close to what she looked like to be honest short of waiting for matthews book and scratchbuilding.😉

i did notice on Matthews plans he stopped the stanchions at the entryway but he had 5 on one side, i will stick with 4.

 

Keith

[clearway]

thanks for looking in folks, it's Autumn/Winter in Cumbria and every river from West Cumbria up to Dumfries and galloway in the Scottish borders is on flood alert!

 

On terror the stanchions for the spare spars have been painted ready for installing (been working on other models for a break).

 

 

Take care all.

 

Keith

Edited November 15, 2020 by clearway

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in and the likes/ comments everyone. Back on the davit posts and added the taper on one side of the base and fitted spigots for locking them into the deck (cut the heads off planking pins), also got the brackets pinned using cut down Peco track fixing pins. The brass ring on the deck is from a stash of brass rigging eyes i have from mantua. Can't decide whether to use brass strip for the bands on the crutch, or black card?

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

I have been looking at your work. Goodness knows I have been away.  I need to look harder at the last few pages. I was enjoying the back and forth between you and Clearway-very interesting. Got a kick out of the Binnacle compass back on page 5. I feel like I put some posts in the wrong place.-hope it was not a problem.

[clearway]

welcome back Emmet (i think keith s and myself are creating a bit of Keith confusion across the board)😁.

 

Keith

[Emmet]

I have been looking for Keiths on the site. I think I have it figured but I enjoy the back and forth anyway.

[clearway]

thanks for the likes and comments as always they are appreciated. back in the shipyard and decided to go with brass strip for the davit crutches which will need painted black next. added the rivets by drilling partly through and pressing a metal point into the hole.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

work continues with the crutches, now painted black and glued in place. I am going to rig her with the sails set (even though i have funnel for steam engine fitted), which means the davit posts either side of the middle two will be stored in the stanchions fitted earlier, if you look at the pic further up when Erebus and Terror are setting sail on the voyage they arn't in place. Also painted/ varnished the two quaycraft resin boats that will go on the skid beams (same procedure as other resin ships boat), the Occre metal cast boat is shown alongside them.

 

 

 

take care all ...... OMG nearly Decemberrrrrrrr 🤪.

 

Keith

[Emmet]

Just so you know I am studying your work I especially like the way the chainplate, deadeye and strops look.   Your comment about the deck getting busy looking is definitely true. I am proceeding now with the 2nd paneling of the hull on the Santa Maria.  You guys work and get more done than me.

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in all, and thanks Emmet though we all have our own pace so steady as she goes😉, Decided to have a go at the bands on the masts using black card cut into strips and p.v.a glue holding the join. Unlike occre's grouping into twos i just went 10mm spacings all the way down the mast (occre say to use "rope" wooldings which is totally wrong for the period). Also added the spider band on the mizzen and will drill/ glue wire eyes in for the belaying pins along with the boom jaw rest (this will be sanded down more when glue is dry)

 

 

 

Take care all.

 

Keith

[Emmet]

You guys really know your stuff on these ships. What book would you suggest I read to get a little more hip on this stuff?

[clearway]

Hi Emmet there is a book called  masting and rigging the english ship of war by James Lees and a series of books by David R MacGregor which are normally available second hand which are good for reference material, there is also an excellent assortment of catagories on here regarding various aspects of shipbuilding.

Edited December 3, 2020 by clearway

[Emmet]

Thanks a lot

Interesting that James Lee's books go for many hundreds of dollars. I checked the library to no avail.

Here is one from Mac Gregor. I have some books but they do not teally discuss these things in text. They show diagrams and such.

I will keep checking.

Square Rigged Sailing Ships by David R. MacGregor (1977-04-01) Hardcover – January 1, 1800

by David R. MacGregor;  (Author) --- in Amazon

I will also have to look here for the topics. I have copied and read many topics from this site. Bear in mind I am starting from a landlubber's point of view.

Thanks again

[clearway]

Hi emmet, i picked up my copy of lees masting for about £25 stirling (try abe's books online, they are a broker for various bookshops) , but to be honest there are loads of various books on the subject. Check local second hand book sellers for books on model shipbuilding as well. There are also two books by harold underhill "plank on frame models volumes 1 & 2" which cover a lot of later style building/ rigging techniques.

 

Back in the shipyard and had a bit of a quandry regarding mast bands on the mizzen, Lees states that no models in the N.R.M. have them, but he states fit them anyways!? I decided that seeing as the mizzen is fairly narrow i would just fit bands to hold the cheeks in place and actually followed occres instructions! I also filed the grooves in the tops of the davit posts for the skid beams and drilled/ cut the sheaves at top of post.

 

 

 

 

take care all.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Hi Keith, I just finished reading that part as I'm getting ready to prepare the masts on my model. I think what Lees is talking about is the HOOPS, not the bands. 

 

For the fore and main masts, he says there should be iron hoops around the masts that go UNDER the cheeks, as well as iron bands/wooldings that go over them.

 

I think what this means is the hoops go around the mast first, then the cheeks are fitted, then the bands/wooldings, then the rubbing paunch. Lees says he doesn't see HOOPS but advises you fit them on "large" ships, at the masthead at least, and on the whole mast for ships after 1800.

 

Since you have stated you don't believe the masts on these bomb vessels were "made" masts, it makes sense that you haven't any hoops on yours. I believe these "hoops" would have only been on "made" masts. 

 

I haven't decided what to do with mine; I have no way of knowing what size of ship would have had a "made" mast or not. I wonder if the main mast at least would have been: it's pretty stout. 

[clearway]

Hello Keith, i was in two minds myself regarding the ironwork on the masts. The book seems to concentrate  on ships of the line. if wanting to put bands/ hoops around the mast and the cheeks then follow occres idea of groupings of two around mast and cheeks then fill in the gaps with banding just around the mast if that makes sense and still not sure whether to fit bands around the bowsprit🤔. The fore and main will also need a rubbing paunch installed on the forward side

 

Keith