HMS Victory by Bill97 - FINISHED - Heller - 1/100 - PLASTIC

[Ian_Grant]

Bill, one thing that comes to mind is the numerous lines that tie off on "shroud cleats" especially at the fore mast. You should figure out what you're going to do about them. I formed shroud cleats from etched cleats and very small pieces of evergreen and tied the lines to them before attaching to shrouds; my usual reverse-rigging method. This avoids having to reach across the ship to tie the lines off.

 

Of course you could just tie them to the shroud. At the end of the day it's very hard to see.

[Bill97]

Excellent suggestion Ian. Thanks. 

[Ian_Grant]

Me again. Just thought about the mainstay tackles. They make an interesting little addition to the model. I don't think Longridge describes them in text, but there they are in the "Standing Rigging" pull-out, dangling from the main stay. If you want to add them, it may be easier now than with all the yard ends poking out at you. 😉

[Bill97]

Yes Ian. It is crazy I was just reading about them and planned to add them over the weekend. Also realized I still need to add the boomkin stays which I had not done yet. 

[Bill97]

Gentlemen. A little encouragement is needed. I thought the standing rigging was confusing until I got an understanding what I was doing. I have now spent a good number of hours the last couple days reading Longridge’s book and studying diagrams on the running rigging. I thought when I got to this step it would be pretty straight up what I was supposed to do. I knew from doing all the running rigging on the Revell USS Constitution that the rigging of the Victory would be time consuming and tedious. Unfortunately I have yet to get a grasp of the process and sequence. I know eventually that little mental light will go on and I will see it, but right now I am just scratching my head. Wow! This is head spinning. 

[GrandpaPhil]

On 1/9/2022 at 12:59 PM, Bill97 said:

This is no big deal and maybe more of a question for the site moderator, but I am just curious. Do even if you get multiple duplicate notifications?  As an example I just went to my build blog and it showed a little red alert and said “26 Notifications”.  I thought wow that is a lot. When I clicked on it is was 26 duplicates of Marc’s comment. Earlier today I had a very large number of notifications and they were all duplicates of OC’s and Grandpa Phil. 

Sorry, Bill,

I read through your log that day, liking the posts as I went.

[Bill97]

No need to apologize Grandpa. It is no big deal. In fact I have had that happen different times from different members. It is just more of a curiosity. 

[Bill97]

Added the Main Stay Tackle Pendant and the Main Stay Fire Tackle Pendant to officially complete the standing rigging! I used the old trick of coating the threads once hung with white glue and a light weight to get them to hang naturally once the glue dried. 

Edited May 23, 2022 by Bill97

[Bill97]

Having never seen, or obviously built, a Caldercraft HMS Victory I am curious about their model. I know it is a wood model versus the plastic Heller I am building. Looking at a number of Caldercraft Victory builds in the MSW index I see it is clearly a beautiful model. I am curious if the Caldercraft rigging instructions are accurate or if builders of that model need to refer to references like Longridges’s book as well to get the desired accuracy?  The reason I ask is I often look at photos on this site of others builder’s model for clarity on how a line is to be done. When I see a photo that helps I check to see if it is of a Caldercraft or Heller. I wonder if it matters?  If I see a photo showing a section of the rigging I find helpful but it is from a Caldercraft build should I feel pretty comfortable that it is accurate enough to use as reference?

[Bill Morrison]

The problem is that HMS Victory is well-over 250 years old. Her details changed with every refit. Of note, she was built with a much different transom and stern walk arrangement than at Trafalgar. Her appearance before Trafalgar was much different than either at or after Trafalgar.  Note that the Heller model depicts her without the entry ports but with reduced fo'c'sle bulwarks. The Caldercraft kit depicts her with raised fo'c'sle bulwarks. The question is for you, the builder, to decide which era do you intend your model to represent?

 

Bill

Edited May 23, 2022 by Bill Morrison
To change a detail.

[Ian_Grant]

On 5/20/2022 at 9:24 AM, Bill97 said:

OK my fiends, as Kevin said above, I am moving into stage 3 of my build. The running rigging. As with the standing rigging I plan to read through the section in Longridge’s book on running rigging before I get started. My initial impression is that I need to install the yards first before I can do any of the running rigging? Is that correct?  Would seem to be correct since all the running rigging deals with the yards and sails. Or, is there some of the running rigging I should complete first before putting the yards on. I know I want to prepare all the blocks on each yard off the masts, and plan to do that. 

Bill, just thought of the head sail rigging. Granted it's on the axis of the ship but the halliards need to be belayed on deck. You could usefully complete the various downhauls and halyards before moving to yards and other running rigging.

 

In my case I am nearly done the standing rigging on my "Preussen", but in accordance with "The Ian Grant Method of Ship Rigging" all the running rigging is already belayed on deck to prevent a lot of special words while trying to tie off after all the backstays are in. See all the coils hanging over her bulwarks, here. Some from mast bitts, some from bulwark rails, some lower sheets and tacks. 

[Bill97]

Bill Morrison I am primarily talking about the rigging comparison between the Heller and Caldercraft. I have completed my build of the actual ship so whatever period Heller depicted with their model is the one I am representing. My curiosity would be if the Caldercraft 1805 Victory depictions of the rigging only would be much different from the Heller Model rigging? What would your opinion be on that?

 

Ian I still like your inside out method and will give that a good study. I have been meaning to ask you something but forget each time I comment with you. I see at the end of your Victory build you display it with out sails. I have my Constitution displayed without sails, my Cutty Sark with some sails furled and some not, and others in full sail. I am wondering your thought process in your decision to go without sails all together?  I have decided if I do sails at all, I make my own, they will be furled so as to make all the detail I have put into it visible. On the other hand I could just save the time trying to make realistic looking furled sails by just leaving them off all together as you did. 
 

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by Bill97

[Bill Morrison]

Bill97,

I like to think outside of the box when building or rigging. I usually throw away kit instructions when rigging and go with my sources. I strongly recommend that you consider this approach.  For example, the rigging plan for the Heller kit is terrible.  They don't even include any method for attaching yards to the masts, so you have to deviate from the kit instructions there.  I assume that you do have the "HMS Victory: Anatomy of the Ship". That would be a great place to start. I haven't seen the Caldercraft instructions so I could not give a truthful answer there, but I have seen several Victory kits with questionable plans.

 

For example, I have been converting the plastic Revell 1/96 CSS Alabama in which I used the plans by Boucher purchased from a dealer.  The kit was badly (I mean BADLY) designed in which almost every detail was wrong.  I now have a decent model of the ship, but the rigging and sail plan was terrible. I went with my source, the Boucher plans. I am very satisfied that I now have a reasonably accurate model of the CSS Alabama.

Bill Morrison

[Boomer322]

On 6/16/2021 at 2:57 AM, Hubac's Historian said:

Here’s one guy on YouYube that I enjoy watching.  Here he is building the Heller Victory in a multi-part series and he’s using Dafi’s photo-etch set.

 

 

Thank you! I AM Alex, from AlexModeling! I mau even not BE able\capable of building This kit, but as far as i can go and This kit allows me to go i will! Will try to not leto You guys here

down on This beautiful ship and kit!

thank you

Edited May 25, 2022 by Boomer322

[Mexspur]

50 minutes ago, Boomer322 said:

Thank you! I AM Alex, from AlexModeling! I mau even not BE able\capable of building This kit, but as far as i can go and This kit allows me to go i will! Will try to not leto You guys here

down on This beautiful ship and kit!

thank you

Hi Alex,

I’ve watched your YouTube videos. Very good, matey. Keep them coming. You’re doing a great job and have given me many ideas.

[Bill97]

Same here Alex. Have watched many of your videos. Great work. 
 

[Bill97]

Starting to attach blocks to the yards for future running rigging. Started with bottom yard on the fore mast and working my way up. In the photo the yard is just temporarily pinned to the mast. Will take it back off to add the foot ropes and the the extensions to the yards (forget what they are called).  I started using a supply of wood blocks I have instead of the Heller plastic blocks. They are slightly bigger at 3, 5, and 7 mm, but since I have a bunch I am not going to buy a supply of smaller ones. I think when I do my Soleli Royal in the future I will use the great supply of 3D printed blocks I have. 

[Bill97]

The ship yard has been dark for a few days while I was out of town. And it will be dark for a little longer as my family and I head to the beach for a week. 🏖🥃🍻🍷🏊🏿‍♂️🚣🏼‍♂️. In the little time I have had to tinker I have worked on rigging a couple yards with blocks and foot ropes before mounting to the mast. Looking for a good DIY plan for making my parrels. I have a number of photos, and it looks pretty straight forward, but still looking for a step by step plan someone has used. Going to miss my Victory while laying in the sun but the ship yard foreman says I have to take vacation. 

Happy modeling while I am away my friends!

Edited June 1, 2022 by Bill97

[Dave_E]

Have fun! When you get back, tell us where you went. 👍😎

[Bill Morrison]

HisModel.com has premade parrels for this kit. May I recommend that you check them out?

 

Bill Morrison

[Bill97]

Thanks for the tip Bill. 
 

Dave we are going to a beach community on the coast of South Carolina adjacent to Charleston. 

[Mexspur]

On 6/1/2022 at 10:43 AM, Bill Morrison said:

HisModel.com has premade parrels for this kit. May I recommend that you check them out?

 

Bill Morrison

I bought sone me from Amati fittings. They are still yet to arrive. Reasonably priced also. And I think the right size. 6mm.

[Bill Morrison]

Excellent!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Bill

[Hubac's Historian]

Hi Bill, before you get too far into it, I would like to gently encourage you to re-consider the scale of your yard blocks.  They appear considerably too heavy for their respective applications.

 

 

[Mexspur]

5 hours ago, Bill Morrison said:

Excellent!  I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Bill

Me too.

[Bill97]

Marc I am currently away from my model for a few days. I had a concern about the size of these wooden blocks because as you said they appear too heavy. What is deceiving is that they are the same length as the plastic blocks Heller supplied (part p), just under 3 mm, but their width and boxy look make them appear much bigger. I debated if I should use them or not on the yards. I have already used them in numerous places on the ship in other parts of the rigging and do have uniformity.  What to do, what to do. 

[Hubac's Historian]

I think it is a matter of relative and proportional size.  Attached to the mastheads, the blocks seem less girthy.  The yards are relatively narrow, though.  I think, if you reduced these blocks to the next size down they would look right.  Or, maybe try the printed blocks.  If they are the ones that Kevin made, they will be proportional, overall.

[Ian_Grant]

The 10" leech and buntline blocks on the lower fore and main yards scale to 3/32" on the model, about 2.5mm; not far from the length you used. But have a look at the blocks from "Syren" on my model (below). They're far less bulky for their length. In fact they look exactly like the buntline blocks pictured in Longridge PLAN NO 8.  Also note that they're lashed on the front of the yard.

 

My topsail sheet and lift blocks are also less imposing but realistic.

 

I agree with Marc; if you have a collection of these blocks then go down one size perhaps. I don't recall what Kevin made for you.

[Bill97]

The ones I used n the yards are wood blocks, not the ones I got from Kevin or the kit. When I get back to the ship yard I will pull out my supply and figure out what I should do. As it is, I already lost block uniformity.  Several places on he ship I used either Heller’s or Kevin’ printed blocks and other places the wooden blocks I have. Need to settle on one or the other. 

[Hubac's Historian]

I don’t mean to be a thorn on your vacation, Bill.  I just think you might have second thoughts, once all the yards were up on the model, if you were to proceed with these particular wooden blocks.