Flying Fish by gak1965 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:96

[gak1965]

Hello everyone. This is my first build log and it is for the Donald McKay designed extreme clipper Flying FIsh. The ship has been described well in other logs, but the summary is here: (wikipedia and http://www.bruzelius.info/Nautica/News/BDA/BDA(1851-11-04).html)

 

Built: 1851, East Boston Shipyard

Length Overall: 220 ft

Length between perpendiculars: 210 ft

Length at keel: 202 ft

Maximum beam: 40 ft

Tons (OM): 1566 tons

 

Originally owned by the firm of Sampson and Tappan of Boston. She was wrecked in Fuzhou in 1858, sold to a company in the Phillipines, and renamed El Bueno Suceso. She eventually sunk in the South China sea.

 

Flying Fish was "coppered" with Muntz metal rather than copper (similar to the Cutty Sark). You can't get Muntz metal tape, alas, but I may try to do something to make the plating more consistent with muntz.

 

I had not originally intended to do this ship. Having recently completed the US Brig Niagara, my plan was to make a scratch model of the RRS Discovery, but COVID-19 put the kibbosh on that for now, as the only plans available are at the Royal Museum Greenwich and they went back on lockdown while processing my order. I can't imagine going through the winter cooped up in the house without some kind of project. If and/or when the plans for Discovery  arrive, I will likely have two projects going. But, I've decided that this is a feature, not a bug. While I'm in the doldrums of say ratline tying with one, I'll be in the doldrums of planking with the other. So, while it means that both projects will take longer, I'll be able to at least alternate some of the tasks. And, there will likely be a couple of months of work converting the builders plans into a usable POB design for the Discovery, so, who knows, depending on COVID vaccine timelines, it may be enough to make serious progress on this ship. That's what I've told myself anyway.

 

So, I believe tradition for the first post of a kit build log is a picture of the kit ready to go, so here are mine. Let the construction begin:

[Keithbrad80]

I’m building one as well! So far it has been a very enjoyable build, good luck and have fun!

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

Step 1 more or less complete. Main keel cut out and assembled. Rabbet cut. Bulkheads cut, cleaned and faired. Mast supports cut and in place. Lower keel ready to be glued in place.

 

On the whole pretty painless. I added extra stiffeners (scrap wood) over the keel joints for strength and to help ensure that it remains straight. I needed four shims - two on each side on bulkheads 13 and 14, otherwise it was fair and true.

 

Two things I've been thinking about lately. First, the ship was 'coppered' with Muntz metal and it appears that it is possible to get brass tape in the same basic sizes as copper. While shiny, it may look more like Muntz, so I'm going to try to get some. It isn't as common as brass tape, but there is a glass studio near here and they may be able to get it. Second, I've been reading Steven Ujifusa's "Barons of the Sea: and their race to build the world's fastest clipper ship". In it, we learn that Donald McKay wanted to paint the Flying Fish green rather than black.  This pleases me, and I am thinking about painting her a dark, almost British Racing Green to comport with McKay's original vision. I'll probably change my mind before  I start painting, but that green with black highlights would make a really lovely vessel.

 

George

[Keithbrad80]

Very nice looking, painting her green is an interesting idea that i think would look really good. As i get closer to finishing the hull of my flying fish I’m thinking more and more about paint. I’m looking for to seeing your progress. 

 

Bradley

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

Hi very nice start looking fwd as it goes along .Vlad 

[robdurant]

Hi,

 

Hope you don't mind me following along. Flying Fish is certainly a handsome subject. Looks like you've made a solid start. You'll find plenty of encouragement on this site.

 

Rob

[Cathead]

It's been a month, how is your model coming along?

[gak1965]

Thank you all for the good wishes. A bit of delay because I've been working on repainting part of the house, but here's an update. 

 

I've since installed the waterway. The instructions suggest carving it from a piece of 3/16 by 1/2 by 24, with the inner edge 3/16 in from the edge of the bulkheads, and leaving sufficient material to shape the outer edge to follow the curves of the bulkheads as if they were continuing upwards. Forward of bulkhead 3, it needed to be carved to fit around the bulkheads themselves. 

 

As a practical matter, it was necessary to construct this in 3 sections, the first running from bulkhead 15 to 7, the second from bulkhead 7 to 3 and the final one from bulkhead 3 forward. The last piece was so short because of the necessity of matching the outward flow of the bulkheads where the forecastle will be. Once installed, I filled some gaps where I carved around bulkheads 2, 1, and B with Elmer's Wood Filler.

 

Next step is to install the planksheer and the knightheads.

[Keithbrad80]

Very nicely done! I had a really hard time with the water way under the forecastle, but yours looks great!

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

53 minutes ago, Keithbrad80 said:

Very nicely done! I had a really hard time with the water way under the forecastle, but yours looks great!

 

Bradley

Thank you. They were a real pain to cut, but he biggest problem was that I broke every single one of the bulkhead extensions for the forecastle at least once. They are all probably 10% CA glue now.

 

This is proving to be great practice for my eventual plan to scratch build RRS Discovery (if the plans ever come post COVID-19). The hull form is pretty similar and as you know, the plans show the actual ship rather than the model in many places, particularly with regards to the hull cross sections, which will be the case with Discovery.

 

[gak1965]

A bit unrelated, but the case for my US Brig Niagara arrived from BlueJacket.  I need to find a glazier to buy and install the glass, but it will be nice to protect the ship (photo below).

 

You don't realize how big these things are until you get a case the case. The ships are so delicate, but the cases aren't.

[Keithbrad80]

1 hour ago, gak1965 said:

They were a real pain to cut, but he biggest problem was that I broke every single one of the bulkhead extensions for the forecastle at least once. They are all probably 10% CA glue now.

I had the same issue... I man handle the hull during the planking process and broke them all the time. I found it was way easier to cut them off, just the horizontal supports on the top, and replace them with a hand cut piece later. It will make planking the main deck and the forecastle ceiling planks a lot easier to install, afterwards cut a piece to fit the gap and plank on top of that for the forecastle deck. Hopefully that makes sense! 
 

Your US Brig Niagara is very nice, I’m sure with a case it takes up a ton of space! This flying fish will probably do the same... 

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

Update on the Flying Fish.

 

The next step was the installation of the planksheer. There are 10 pieces, 4 laser cut and six that need to be made from strip wood. The stern has two laser cut sections that completely fill in the section aft of bulkhead D on either side of the sternpost. The other laser cut sections (that include locations for the timberheads that form the main deck bulwark) run from bulkhead 15 forward to bulkhead 2. From D to 15, I used a section of 1/16 thick stripwood. It was sufficiently elastic that no steam bending was required, fitting into the slots and being held in place with CA glue. Forward of bulhead 2 (and functionally including bulkhead 2, I carved the planksheer out of another section of 1/16 stripwood, carving openings for the timberheads that define the forecastle. The remaining two pieces were a 1/16 x 1/32 section that was glued against the inner edge of the laser cut planksheer section amidships. Once in place, I sanded the top of the laser cut planksheer + stripwood section amidships to even it out (the 1/16 x 1/32 section was a bit wider than 1/16 in many locations). The last step was a bit of filler to close off some minor gaps.

 

One decision I made was to not extend the 1/16 x 1/32 strip under the forecastle. The sections are installed so that the inner edge of the laser cut planksheer segment is aligned with the inside edge of the timberheads under the forecastle, so that I could have (if I wanted) extended against bulkheads 2-B. However, I expect to put ceiling planks there, and concluded that (particularly if I want the ceiling planks to be wider than 1/32, it would look odd having the ceiling planks be wider than the planksheer. If I use 1/32 thick planks there, it will look the same. Ultimately, I just decided it would be better to cover that part with the ceiling planks.

 

Next steps are the rabbet piece aft under the planksheer and the knightheads, followed by the 

[hamilton]

Nice work so far - this is one of the many kits I've amassed over the years that I truly hope to get to one day......in the meantime, I'll enjoy following your build

hamilton

[Keithbrad80]

Very nice!

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

Just a brief update as it's been a crazy week. I carved the knightheads out of a piece of 3/16 by 1/2 inch wood. The instructions suggest carving the knightheads and putting a spacer in place so that the bowsprit will fit. This didn't square with either the plan dimensions or the suggestion (from the parts list) to make them from the 3/16 thick wood, so I carved them wider than called for on the plans, tapered them to fit the rabbet, dry fitted them on the keel, and then marked the path of the bowsprit (following the line of the keel). I then carved out a wider opening, in effect carving a one piece knighthead + spacer. These were CA glued in place, and I verified that the bowsprit will fit. Next will be the additional pieces that create the shape of the stern.

[Keithbrad80]

Very nice! Your knight heads look great, it looks to me like your getting close to starting planking. 

 

Bradley 

[gak1965]

12 minutes ago, Keithbrad80 said:

Very nice! Your knight heads look great, it looks to me like your getting close to starting planking. 

 

Bradley 

Soon. I still have to get the timberheads in place and some work on the stern. I also think I'm going to paint the waterway and planksheer before I put in the timberheads or the main hull planking. 

[Keithbrad80]

38 minutes ago, gak1965 said:

I also think I'm going to paint the waterway and planksheer before I put in the timberheads or the main hull planking.

This is a really good idea and something I wish I did on my own build. It should give you a much cleaner result!

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

Completed the piece to create the rabbet under the plankseer in the stern, trimmed the pieces that provide a place to mount the planks by the center post and installed. Because of the color scheme of the ship, I installed the binding strakes. Going to try to get an appropriate light blue and 'pearl' grey to paint the waterway/binding strake, and planksheer respectively prior to installation of the timberheads. Any suggestions on either (a) specific blues to use for the waterway/binding strake or (b) suggestions for a good size for the temporary batten used to position the timberheads welcome. Those tasks and the filler blocks for the stern are what stand between me and planking at this point.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by gak1965
Fixing image order

[rwiederrich]

Coming along nicely.  I like the idea of painting her green as originally designed by McKay....getting the *right* green may be more of an issue.  It may take some research to find what color compositions existed for green back in the 1850's.

 

Rob

[gak1965]

On 1/28/2021 at 2:01 PM, rwiederrich said:

Coming along nicely.  I like the idea of painting her green as originally designed by McKay....getting the *right* green may be more of an issue.  It may take some research to find what color compositions existed for green back in the 1850's.

 

Rob

Thanks! I agree that matching historical colors is a major challenge for anything. Not like you can just ask for a swatch, and what materials survive from relevant periods tend to have had significant color changes due to exposure to light, chemicals, and plain time. The decision is going to need to be made soon, as I'm working on the filler blocks and have decided not to put the bulwarks and timberheads on until the hull is planked. My expectation is that I will just wind up breaking them with the hull upside down for planking, so we go with plan B. Plank up to the planksheer, add the timberheads and then add the bulwark planks (and the ceiling ones).

[Keithbrad80]

18 minutes ago, gak1965 said:

decided not to put the bulwarks and timberheads on until the hull is planked.

That’s exactly what I did for the same reason. I think it gave me a better result overall. Very nice work so far!

 

Bradley

[gak1965]

On 1/28/2021 at 2:01 PM, rwiederrich said:

Coming along nicely.  I like the idea of painting her green as originally designed by McKay....getting the *right* green may be more of an issue.  It may take some research to find what color compositions existed for green back in the 1850's.

 

Rob

A bit of follow up on this. Obviously, the USS Constitution had "dark green" bulwarks as far back as 1812. However, there are (according to Wikipedia, anyway) a lot of greens that were indicated as colors in the 19th Century. Modern versions of some of these colors include Hunter Green ('general 19th century'):

 

 

Then we have Brunswick Green (earliest English reference 1764), uses Prussian blue plus a yellow:

 

Bottle green (earliest English reference 1816)

 

Forest Green (earliest English reference 1810)

 

and laurel green (earliest English reference 1705)

 

 

Arsenic based emerald green dyes (as opposed to paints) were developed in 1814, unknown if they were ever put into paint (as opposed to say wallpaper and fabric). 

Edited February 1, 2021 by gak1965

[gak1965]

Waterway and binding strake painted twice - the first color was way too brilliant (The color is more uniform than suggested in the photos below - the flash kinda blew out the color out on the top side of the photos). Filler blocks complete and installed. Last step prior to planking will be to mask off the waterway and paint the planksheer.

Edited February 4, 2021 by gak1965

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

very nice i follow with interest. 

[gak1965]

Thank you for the likes on the work! Just a brief update to indicate that I am still working on the ship. Hopefully things will speed up a bit now that I've finished remodeling my wife's office/craft space. Having both of us work from home has made such spaces more important. Fortunately our older daughter has been stably employed since her graduation in May, so we were able to repurpose what had been her room, even though she would have preferred we keep it as a shrine to her. There will be another brief slowdown in the shipyard when I repaint my (formerly our) home office, but it's a smaller job, so hopefully less time. But I digress.

 

Planking has begun, beginning from the planksheer and working my way down. I've only got three full strakes on one side in place, but that has pushed past the knuckle in the stern, so it will be relatively straightforward from here. A couple of things that I have already observed. I will most likely get a 1/32 square plank and even out the external planksheer once things are sanded. The first plank around the knuckle had to be cut and steam bent. I may also put a small veneer (again maybe 1/32) on the (nearly) vertical portion of the stern rabbet piece so that things will flow better. And, once again, I need to remind myself that putty, sanding and paint will cover a multitude of sins while still showing the plank definition that we aim for. The gaps and unevenness will be removed in post-processing, so to speak.

 

The blue painters tape in the last photo is covering a piece of wood I cut down to fit between and above the knightheads. That way, when I eventually turn it over to finish the planking I (hopefully) won't break the knightheads. We'll see if that actually works.

 

Thanks again!

George

[gak1965]

Planking continues on the starboard side. While that is going on, I've been looking at some possible colors based on the note that McKay wanted to paint her green. From left to right, we have plain black with a white planksheer, Tamiya XF-26 (Deep Green), Tamiya XF-70 (Dark Green 2) and Tamiya XF-27 (Black green). While the colors are focused toward (frankly) 20th century military and cars, they are all consistent with colors described up to the mid-19th century. I presume so many greens were available because copper compounds provide easy pigments, but who knows. In any case, I am pretty sure I'm going to go with either the Deep Green or the Dark Green 2. If you were going to paint a ship green, I assume you would want a color readily distinguishable from black. Either way, I am going to put a black "boot stripe" between the cap row of the copper plates and before the start of the green (as shown below). I know that this is ahistorical, but I'm going for what he wanted to build, not what he did, so...

[Overworked724]

I love Tamiya paints but XF does have a slight gloss sheen. See my Syren build log for some issues I ran into - and my frustrations in correcting accidentally using an XF. I’m not sure what effect you plan for, but a flat finish (X vs XF) might be worth your investment in time to compare. 
 

It’s possible if you are airbrushing an XF would be possible for even finish...but brushing for me meant going with a flat finish to get good consistency. 
 

Just my thoughts as Tamiya paints are really nice to work with...just be sure of the finish you are aiming for. 

[gak1965]

Hi @Overworked724, I don't have an airbrush, so old school for me. I may try some Model Master colors. "Russian Marker Red" and "Gelb" worked well as the red and yellow on my Niagara and the finish was pretty flat.