Rigging of a the 5 masted bark named France II

[Icarus24]

Folks I am in the middle of the restoration of a French 5 masted d  France II. This model was never in the best of conditions and I have devoted numerous hours of pain staking work on this project.  I have completed the deck furniture and I am getting ready to start the standing rigging.  Looking forward at the running rigging I am anticipating up coming headaches.   This is do in part because I have no rigging plans for this model what so ever.  Yes, it is a monumental  task and the closest I have come to what would be rigging plans of a ship of this era is the German ship Preussen. Does anyone have any information relating to the rigging of the France II besides what Wikipedia constantly tells me; which is just the history of this ship.

[Tony Hunt]

Harold Underhill drew a rigging plan for France II, it's available for a small price (GBP9.00) at https://www.skipper.co.uk/catalogue/item/auxiliary-five-mast-barque-france-ii-sail-and-rigging-plan

 

 

[wefalck]

Incidentally, this appears to be a sailor's model and when I interpret the jumble on the second picture correctly, the model was rigged as a 5-masted ship, not barque.

 

There seems to be also an anachronism, as on the model the shrouds are rigged with dead-eyes, but at that time bottle-screws would have been used.

 

For all ships French I would turn to the Association des Amis du Musée de la Marine in Paris (https://www.aamm.fr). They are usually helpful and also have English-speakers.

 

Arguably the best source on early 20th rigging of steel ships is this (albeit in German):

 

MIDDENDORF, F.L. (1903): Bemastung und Takelung der Schiffe.- 401 p., Kassel (reprint 1977 by Horst Hamecher).

 

The Author was responsible for the design of inter alia PREUSSEN.

[Icarus24]

This is an early thank you to the modelers on this web site. I will be pursuing the rigging plans that have been drawn up for this model since I am relying on the Preussen plans, a ship on the same era.  And yes,  I must concede that this model may in fact be a sailor’s model, but this model was given to me as a challenge.  The France II may not have been from a established modeling company, but deserves to be restored to the beautiful lines that she was interpreted by a original modeler.
 

Thanks for the hyper link to the French National Marine Museum.  The photos that I have viewed show a gorgeous array ship models and beautiful displays; comparing it to a grainy photograph of France II from the early 20th century on Wikipedia.

 

Thanks again to everyone, for I am relying heavy on artistic interpretation and had no place to turn to for information. 
 

regards, 

Icarus24

Builds: 

Billing Boats Bluenose

Billing Boats Seeadler

 

[Bob Cleek]

You would most likely find Harold Underhill's Masting and Rigging: The Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier, Used copies seem to be readily available through Amazon. There' sone losted for $3.99! That's a steal! 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Masting-Rigging-Clipper-Ocean-Carrier/dp/0851741738