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

[dafi]

Wonderful place!

 

XXXDAn

[Hubac's Historian]

Thank you for the birthday wishes, Bill, and thank you very much for reading through my log!  Over the years, it has grown to an absurd length for the progress made, but the research, therein, is essentially the book I will eventually write, in its unedited long-form.

 

To your question, I would probably display one side with a fully open broadside, and the other side fully closed - if I wanted to show the contrast in appearance.  On my first SR, I closed some ports on the lower tier, because I was copying the box cover artwork.  As time went by, I came to regard that as a sort of arbitrary display without much logical grounding in what would have really happened on the ship.

 

One other possibility would be to close all of the ports on the lower deck, as would be done if weather conditions would not allow for those guns to be run out.

[Bill97]

Thanks Daniel. That is one wall in the “ship room” as my wife calls it. These are the USS Constitution, Cutty Sark, and Man O’ War. On the opposite wall behind my table in this picture I have the Mayflower and Wasa. My Victory case will go in the space where my table currently sets to fill out that wall. Not sure where I will build after that!  May have to spread into another room at my wife’s dismay. Of course I can always limit my future building to smaller scale models that don’t take up as much room as these do. On the other hand if it takes me another year or so to finish the Victory I may be ready to call it quits. I hope not.  I have 6 grandsons and two have taken a real interest in the hobby from watching me. When they come to visit (different days) I set up a table in my ship room and they build along with me using Papaw’s tools, paint, help, and advice. One grandson is building a 1/225 version of the Victory. He wanted to build one just like Papaw’s, and the other is building the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean. Good bonding time!

[Bill97]

Good morning Marc. My big day is tomorrow. Last day of being 68. Your suggestion about leaving the lower deck hatches closed is what I have read most often as well. Being, like most people, only one side of the ship will be seen in display case I know, but regret that only a few of the 102 cannons I spent so much time on will be seen. But I really like the look of the closed and rigged hatches as well. I guess that comes under “yes but you know they are there” category. 

[Bill97]

Month 2 anniversary of starting the Victory.  What new was accomplished this month. This month was primarily filled with painting the hull and the stern facing. I removed the molded balusters and replaced them with Daniel’s resin replacements and am really glad I did. Looks so much better! I also added the glazing to the three rows of windows on the stern facing and the 7 hatches on the upper decks on each side at the stern end of the ship. Other accomplishments are painting the starboard and port Half Cutwater and Daniel’s resin replacement of the Figurehead.  I have also begun bashing and painting the 3 boats.  Closed out month two today by finally gluing the two hull halves together and working in my wood shop to make my custom base. 
 

Ready for month 3 of my Victory adventure to begin. 

[Bill97]

Got my hull painted copper today. May antique it a bit. Not sure. Will see if I can find a good tutorial. Also finished painting one of my boats. I got a book of photographs of the Victory. I tried to copy my first one to match the one in the book. 

[Bill97]

The more I look at my painted hull the less I think it looks copper!  The airbrush paint says copper but when I compare it to my USS Constitution it looks more gold. May have to redo this. 

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Agree Bill, if the photo is true to colour it looks closer to brass. What about weathering it? I think either Foxy or Bishop did some very lovely weathering of the hull.

[Hubac's Historian]

Happy Birthday, Bill!

[Bill97]

Thank you Marc!

[Bill97]

Ok. I did my copper hull over again and mounted it to the base I made. I like this color much better. Ready to start building up the interior. 

[Old Collingwood]

That looks nice  - very like the  bottom of Vic.

 

OC.

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Much nicer Bill, out of interest what paint did you use?

 

ps. Like the base as well, nice job, goes well with the copper.

Edited August 17, 2021 by Kevin-the-lubber

[dafi]

Still tempting you: As you like the blanc rigols, did you already consider to plank the bottom with real copper? With the tiffany self adhesive copper tape it is not a too big task. Stuff is quite cheap and the effect great. Measure if you need the 4,0 mm or 4,4 mm tape and try out on a piece of plastic. That you painted already is a good base, so you do not have black flashing through eventual gaps 🙂

 

All the best, Daniel

[Bill97]

Daniel you know you are driving me crazy with your tempting! 😀

Why do you do this to me? Are you in real life an evil villain? 😉

Coincidentally, just last night I was showing someone who was admiring my Victory progress your use of the copper tape. I have thought about it and even searched it online.  Possibly using it on a future build.  I think my hull looks pretty good now but I have no doubt it would be better with real copper. The fact that I have already attached it to the base is saving me from maybe attempting it! 😊

Of course it would be very easy to remove it if I wanted to give the copper a try on my Victory. I will definitely need to decide before I start building vertically.  How in the world do you determine how much you need?

 

Thanks for the compliment Kevin. The paint is just a basic hardware store can of copper spray paint. Not sure of brands available in the UK but this one is Rust-oleum Bright Coat Metalic Finish Copper. 

 

[dafi]

If I remember well, it was about 1 roll. 

 

But as usual, no pressure 🙂

 

XXXDAn

[Bill97]

Daniel I looked at your build where you used the copper tape. There you say 4 roles of 4 mm. But of course I guess it depends on how much is on each roll. So you know I had to order 4 roles!!  Will redo my hull. I think this might be the reason it takes so long to finish the Victory. We just keep redoing stuff. 😀

[dafi]

I am on the go since 12 years and funnily you most possibly will overtake me at your month 3 ...

 

Thats why I am trying to distract you 😉

 

XXXDAn

 

[dafi]

Now to be serious. I do not want to interfere into your build, but as you ask questions and when I see some realistic potential, I then will tempt you, but I will never disrespect your way of building. Just tell me to stop in a PM, be assured I will respect 🙂

 

XXXDAn

[Bill97]

Well Daniel I am at it again this morning. Have ordered my copper tape. Will gently remove the hull from the base once I get the tape. In the meantime I am doing a little work for the inside of the hull. Have the supports in for the lower deck. But before I can continue I got to ask Ian for a bit of help again. 
 

Ian back in my blog, comment #202 you explained the rigging of the Bowsprit Shrouds. You suggested I ignore the Heller instructions and refer to Longridge’s book. I did that and found the paragraph on page 226 as you said. However I am still a bit stumped. I am hoping to find an illustration in the book that shows what I am to do. Do you know if there is one?  It says Plates 71and 74. But I am not finding anything there. 

[Bill97]

Daniel keep your suggestions coming. Don’t worry some I am sure I will do and some not. I appreciate all your comments!  Now that I have removed my hull from the base with full intent to apply the copper tape I need to know how you put the vertical lines in the long strip of tape to give the appearance of separate copper plates. 

[Bill97]

Also Daniel how do you do the rudder hinges?

[Kevin-the-lubber]

4 hours ago, dafi said:

I am on the go since 12 years and funnily you most possibly will overtake me at your month 3 ...

 

Thats why I am trying to distract you 😉

 

XXXDAn

 

 

Daniel, he overtook me on about day 2. Even if I was building straight out of the box I don’t think I could keep up. Bill, it’s really good to see someone going through from the start, I’m learning a lot. But don’t listen to Daniel, I blame him entirely for my lack of progress, by setting such a high benchmark and making so many irresistible modifications.

[Bill97]

I totally agree Kevin. I can already tell I am going to be moving very slowly as bits and pieces of rigging are required. As you all know the Heller rigging instructions are difficult to interpret. I am finding each time I need to do a bit of rigging I spend a lot of time studying exactly what I need to do using the instructions and Longridge’s book.  And when all that fails, asking you guys for help!  Along with a little painting and removing my hull from the base I am trying to figure out two areas of rigging due now on this page of the instructions. One is the Bowsprit shrouds I asked Ian about above and the other is lines A71-A72, A74-A73, and A124-A125.  I don’t know what the rigging lines are called so I can’t search for them in Longridge’s book. I think they would be running rigging so I would use tan color thread. Studying the instructions I included below I understand I will use a 200 mm thread starting at the hull, passing through a block that in the future will be rigged to the bottom yard of the main mast, and then coming back to the hull where it will pass through another block. Both ends of the line will go through holes into the interior of the ship. This same process will be repeated on the port side. My head scratcher is what is the second block attached to on the exterior of the hull and how is it rigged. My other head scratcher is I assume both ends of this line will be attached to belaying pins however at this point in the build there are no belaying pins.  🤔

I am thinking sloth speed when I get to rigging parts. Glad you guys are out there. 

[Bill97]

I believe I have uncovered the secret of these lines. They are SHEETS, I think. Described on page 244 of Longridge’s book. Still searching and head scratching the second block (m24) in the instructions and drawing. 

[Bill97]

Daniel where did you go?  I got questions here my friend. No time for you to be working or doing anything important 😀.

Now that I have decided to use the copper tape I also want to place the small piece of trim between the black and brass like you did. I have scrolled through your build trying to find where you did it again. 

[dafi]

Hllo Bill,

 

sorry to be absent that much, had some sad family business to take care of.

 

The batten that finishes the copper was done in mid february 2011. Have a look, I have only restricted internet here in the Austria´s mounains.

 

XXXDAn

[Bill97]

Oh Daniel I am sorry for your sad family business. This stuff is not that important. We will talk again once you are back home. Take care of yourself and your family. 

[Bill97]

Spent the last few days doing some detail painting on some pieces. Got my three boats done. Painted the quarter galleries (still need to add the flashing). Decided to paint the sides of the upper hull that will be covered by the quarter galleries the same color as inside the officer quarters, and painting the officer quarter’s walls. Giving the good Admiral some much deserved mahogany doors!

[Bill97]

See what you caused Daniel. First few rows of copper tape applied. Takes a little practice. Get better with each row. Tape is fragile. Still trying to get the vertical lines between the plates to stand out a bit more. Wonder if it would be crazy to cover each plate individually.