Advice wanted re Norske Love Re-Furb

[PeteB]

Hi Guys

I’ve made up my mind to finish off the old clunker at the request of my daughter. Apart from scraping the accumulated detritus of nearly 40 years off I will replace some more in scale blocks etc and re-rig with a varying selection of ropes from chuck to offset the kits two sizes.

 

The head rails need replacing along with various other rails and bobs and bits which shouldn’t take too long as I’m keen to get on with the 42ft Armed Longboat using Gerard Delacroix monogram and plans now that I have rounded up some pear and boxwood.

 

One issue with the Billings Norske Love that has always seemed a bit odd to me is the height of the poop deck port and starboard rails which can be seen by the scale figure in the photos are just below knee height which I would have thought would almost guarantee a quick trip overboard on a dark night? The other item is that Billings either by design or omission don’t show any sort of fittings such as a coach house to get some light into the great room below nor any seating or flag lockers et al on what is a very large expanse of empty deck.

 

I have trolled the net and logs here but there are remarkably few finished models for such a well know kit. All the ones I’ve found are the same apart from one with a gaff rig on the rear mast in place of the Billings Lateen rig, all show the same large expanse of bare deck.

 

At this stage of the build I’m not trying for any historically accuracy but I would like to finish what appears to me to be a vacant lot looking for something to occupy it (realise its missing the knees and large flag staff). Has anyone got any thoughts on whether something should or might be expected to be there for a ship of this vintage and Navy? I assume Billings must have had access to some original plans and I wonder if anyone would any idea where to start looking or can tell me that this is likely the way she was constructed so I can stop wasting my time.

 

Appreciate you looking and any advice you may have. Cheers Pete.

 

 

[amateur]

You could (when you have loads of time) go through the danish navy archive, whether or not there are any usefull drawings. (Nosearch available, no sorting in the archive, so random clicking needed....)

 

I found some that may be helpfull:

 https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?epid=17149179#208161,39521644

same here: https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?epid=17149179#208163,39521646

 

the decks have been marked in red, in this ship, the poop-rail is even lower (ie non-existent), and no deck-openings.

 

the other one on the rig:

https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/billedviser?epid=17149179#208164,39521647

 

gaf-rigged, but having a full length lateen yard.

 

 

Jan

 

I 

[PeteB]

Thanks Jan - amazing resource you linked me to. Didn't spot anything at first glance but I'll go through the sheets individually tomorrow. Once again thanks for the info - stay safe - Cheers Pete