HMS Sphinx 1775 by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[hollowneck]

19 minutes ago, Erdict said:

B.E. These anchors are fantastic!  I really like the way you are setting up your display. It seems very original to me. 
 

@chris watton am I looking at my kit correctly?  I have both wooden anchors and also a set of resin printed anchors. Is your kit evolving?

The Metaverse rules! The evolving DIY anchors- MDF and 3D resin. I’ll make an assumption that Indy will offer a set of 3D anchors, Si’? Will you be offering 3D versions a la carte? Different sizes & scales? 

 

[chris watton]

1 hour ago, hollowneck said:

The Metaverse rules! The evolving DIY anchors- MDF and 3D resin. I’ll make an assumption that Indy will offer a set of 3D anchors, Si’? Will you be offering 3D versions a la carte? Different sizes & scales? 

 

At some point, yes. However, I am currently so snowed under I am having difficulty in finding the time to produce all my current stuff! (Not that I'm complaining).

 

Laser cut anchors will be slowly phased out in favour of 3-d printed ones.

[glbarlow]

Maybe back to BE’s log now

[Blue Ensign]

Post One hundred and Sixty-seven.

 

More on Cranes

 Having pondered on the subject of the Quarter cranes for a few days, I have finally decided to fit them.

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 I do like to see iron work on ship models, and they do not obscure or detract from the decorative topsides which was my main concern.

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I have included the micro back plates, but they are the very devil’s invention for handling and filing to fit.

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 Several of them pinged away into the ether never to be seen again, but faux plates are easily replicated using thin black card, and the difference cannot be detected.

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As with the other cranes thin brass wire is threaded thro’ the eyes to help maintain position.

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Even with short nubs the cranes held well using a smear of ca to attach to the hull.

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Looks a little like a forest of cranes in these macro shots, but foreshortening gives something of a false impression.

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A little more enhancement to the Headworks now.

 

 

B.E.

02/10/2022

 

 

 

[DelF]

I think you've made the right decision. For me, the cranes add yet another element of interesting detail. You are creating a truly beautiful model.

 

Derek 

[Gahm]

This is a fantastic model! I love your cranes.

 

Thomas

[allanyed]

On 9/30/2022 at 11:55 AM, hollowneck said:

I'm still wondering how to achieve some realistic mounting details for HMS Camilla's bower anchors.

There are several closeup photos of contemporary models showing anchor mounting details in Lees', Masting and Rigging just after page 181 as well as drawings on page 129.   Can't post these as it is copyrighted work.   

There are some good photos on the RMG site as well. 

Allan

[shipman]

BE, I'm trying to not imagine you stealing this model from the storage unit housing the Science Museum collection!

 

Your Sphinx is a delight to my eyes.

 

(Great job you did making the coppering look invisible.....grand job, that planking :).

Edited October 3, 2022 by shipman
Correction.

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Sir, for your kind words, but if anything has been nicked from the Science Museum, it’s nowt to do wi me governor😉

 

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post One hundred and Sixty-eight.

 

A question of Boomkins

 I have been thinking about the finishing requirements for the headworks.

 The most obvious items as yet to be fitted are the Boomkins, pointing outwards and downwards to take the Fore tacks.

The contemporary Amazon model has them in place, but most ‘Navy Board’ style models don’t.

I have concerns that these not particularly attractive spars will detract from the graceful headworks of Sphinx.

The only way to find out is to make up the Boomkins.

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The Boomkins as presented in the kit are straight, but I decided to add a degree of downward curve beyond the headrails.

This was applicable up to around 1780, but my main purpose is purely one of aesthetics, adding a little more grace to these utilitarian spars.

The kit version has a scale length of 9’ 7” (46mm) giving an outboard length of around 5’ 6”

 It looked a little short to my eye.

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The Pandora book plans indicate an overall length of 13’ (61.9mm) with an outboard length of 8’ 9”

Pegasus has Boomkins with an overall length of 11’4”

 

Lees refers to the earliest booms protruding outboard by around six feet but longer by around 1733.

 

The acid test is really whether the Fore tack has fair running once all the other lines running inboard are in place.

This won’t be of relevance on this build, but the subject tasked my mind a fair bit during my Pegasus build.

 

I finally settled on a Boomkin length of 54mm which looked best to my eye.

 

The Boomkins are made using 3mm ø walnut dowel, I selected a colour on the paler spectrum of walnut.

 

The boom tapers to 2mm at the shoulder that retains the strop of the shoulder block that serves the Fore Tack.

The shoulder is 3mm long.

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The angle of the Boomkins is positioned to line up with that of the Foreyard when braced sharply. (Lees)

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To my eye they do detract from the grace of the headworks so skilfully replicated by Chris Watton, and I won’t include them on my display.

 

On a masted and rigged version, they would of course be a necessary requirement.

 

I will next see if the Berthing rails make the cut.

 

 

B.E.

05/10/2022

 

[Thukydides]

I agree, I think it looks better without them where you are going for navy board style.

Edited October 5, 2022 by Thukydides

[Hubac's Historian]

Agreed - the oddness of their appearance is magnified when stripped of their utilitarian context.

[Blue Ensign]

That’s about it in a nutshell Marc, succinctly put.👍

 

B.E.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post One hundred and Sixty-nine.

 

Berthing Rails

 One feature missing from the kit are the Berthing rails that span the head to act as a safety rail. It is supported by an iron stanchion positioned midway, and hooks into eyebolts either end of the Main rails.

In a working situation netting would be suspended from the Berthing rail.

 

It is a little tricky getting the eyebolts set at the right height to suit the stanchion but is a fairly easy modification to make.

I am using 0.7mm ø brass wire for the rails, a couple of modified kit stanchions, and small kit eyebolts.

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The first task is to gauge the run of the rail to determine the height of the stanchion and fix the height of the eyebolts.

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With the stanchion height determined the eyebolts are fixed and the rail cut to size to fit.

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Cleaning the brass is the next task followed by chemical blackening.

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Unlike the Boomkins I quite like the rails in position, perhaps because they are a match for the cranes and other stanchions.

 

B.E.

06/10/2022

[hollowneck]

5 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

Unlike the Boomkins I quite like the rails in position, perhaps because they are a match for the cranes and other stanchions.

The berthing rails and deletion of the boomkins are very nice "additions," B.E. Will the brass rod alignments of her cranes be replaced with rope?

A few posts ago you asked about my sail rigging on the main fore of my Camilla; your query makes perfectly clear sense to me now!

Here's a couple photos of how CLOSE Camilla's foretack comes to getting tangled-up with the cathead. Admittedly, this is the worst-case as the sail is tightly-hauled.

Foretack-to-boomkin; close, but no cigar.

 

The tack line clears, but not by much. I agree with your making the boomkins a longer extension, however I'm NOT re-doing mine since the rig runs fair. Next model...

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by hollowneck
grammar, typo

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Ron,

The brass rods have now been removed and I'm going to see how I like her with passing ropes fitted.

 

I love your macro rigging shots they convey the complex nature of a sailing ship rigging beautifully.

As far as the Fore tack is concerned, a miss is as good as a mile,👍 and it look fine to my eye.

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

14 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

Hi Ron,

The brass rods have now been removed and I'm going to see how I like her with passing ropes fitted.

 

I love your macro rigging shots they convey the complex nature of a sailing ship rigging beautifully.

As far as the Fore tack is concerned, a miss is as good as a mile,👍 and it look fine to my eye.

 

B.E.

I think your model will look great with ropes on all the cranes/stanchions, even on the breast rail. Context and all that, a "finishing touch." Without ropes, I think they'd look odd: black prickly bits randomly popping-out of her hull. That would guarantee you'd get puzzled queries from onlookers...

 

Thank you kindly B.E. for your commentary on my build photos as I complete my sails and rigging. I agree they do show the complexity - and frankly, the "beauty" of fighting sail. Macro shots are now required for most of my rigging photos since there is so much in each photo to see. I've tried to make viewing easier in some by adding pointers and circles to illustrate my descriptions.

 

I agree: my Foretack is going to remain as-is. However, my hauled Mainsail has "hit the bullseye" (courtesy definition from @druxey for what I've called "rigging trucks"). Thanks for allowing me to "invade" your Build Log by responding to your post on mine.👍

 

 

[Erdict]

Your build continues to amaze me.  Thanks for keeping such detailed logs!  I follow them religiously.  Your's too Hollowneck.

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you, Ron and Jesse,

@Ron - I just love your description of the cranes, such an image it conjures up. 😄

 

Post One hundred and seventy.

 

Final fettlin’

 I have now reached the stage of tidying up bits and pieces, and re-checking to see if I’ve missed anything.

 

The Upper Capstan pawls are one item; I found the teardrop shaped kit versions a little unconvincing and were replaced.

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I followed the arrangement in the ffm Vol11 as I did with my Pegasus build.

 

Another decision to be made is whether to add the passing ropes thro’ the guard stanchions and cranes or leave them unadorned.

 

I doubt I will be able to look at the cranes in the same light again after Ron’s (hollowneck) apposite remark black prickly bits randomly popping out of her hull, an image I have some agreement with, but will probably not get out of my mind’s eye.

 

I used 0.31mm ø Syren line to check the effect.

I needed additional eyebolts to take some of the seizings.

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I added an eyebolt and secured the aft end of the quarter crane rope using false splices as the neatest option.

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Securing the Foc’sle  passing ropes.

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The two double cranes at the break of the Quarterdeck are still a puzzlement, there doesn’t seem a sensible way to finish off the passing ropes on the inboard side or a clear indication of how and where they extend to.

The Pandora book drawings seem to show a line secured to the Quarter rail; the kit instructions seem to pass over this awkward little detail.

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Fixing of the double crane ropes.

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A small eyebolt is fitted to the Quarter rail  timberhead to secure the inner crane passing rope.

 

The above photos show how I finally decided to tackle the passing ropes in this area, which is my best guestimate, but I offer no guarantee of authenticity.

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The Foc’sle end is less problematic.

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I think on balance the model looks better with passing ropes in place, so they will remain.

 

I’m also finding lots of little areas needing paint touch-ins, a process that will probably continue for a while.

 

Then there’s the dust.🙄

 

 

B.E.

09/10/2022

Night of the Hunters Moon 🌕

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by Blue Ensign

[hollowneck]

Bravo, B.E. Looks good- and you needn’t change her badge to HMS Porcupine. Also, there  will be no excuses now for losing a drunken sailor over her side! 😉

…every time I sit down and look at my model, I see things that need touch-up… 

Dust: I keep a can of compressed air handy and it works a treat. Prior to final photography, I’ll give my Camilla a Force 5 blast.

Edited October 9, 2022 by hollowneck
Typo

[glbarlow]

A fine looking model BE. Having decided to include the cranes running rope through and terminating it somehow seems the only practical course. Working on Winchelsea I still admire how you touched up the friezes with your brushwork. It adds such a nice pop. 

Edited October 9, 2022 by glbarlow

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you, Ron, and Glenn, and for the supportive 'likes'

 

Post One hundred and seventy-one

 

The trouble with cooks.

 In a moment of whimsey I thought I would discreetly add the ships cook standing by the galley stove.

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The base was removed to give a free standing figure, and a very fine fellow is he.

 

Sadly the 1:64 scale figure stands at 28.5mm which equates to a tad shy of 6 feet tall.

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He’s going to have an uncomfortable time at the galley without developing a distinct stoop.

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It’s not a good look with his head sticking above the deck beams, and a visit to the ships surgeon and carpenter may be in the offing.

 

A quick foot ectomy and a reshaped peg leg may solve the issue and may not look too obvious with the angles invoved.

 

Worth bearing in mind tho’ if you’re thinking of adding the figures to your build.

 

B.E.

 

10/10/2022

 

Postscript

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Surgery complete

Surprisingly he doesn’t look out of proportion, the long apron helps.

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He looks a lot better for scale, viewing between the beams.

 

Job done.

 

 

B.E.

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Blue Ensign
Postscript

[hollowneck]

6 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

It’s not a good look with his head sticking above the deck beams, and a visit to the ships surgeon and carpenter may be in the offing.

 

A quick foot ectomy and a reshaped peg leg may solve the issue and may not look too obvious with the angles invoved.

 

Worth bearing in mind tho’ if you’re thinking of adding the figures to your build.

 

A brilliant "foot (& peg leg) - ectomy" surgery to your cook. He'll still hit his head on deck beams but I'm certain there were other more lethal hazards working in the ship's galley!

BTW: Horatio Nelson was 5'6", so was Churchill and Hitler. Napolean was rumored to be 5'2".

 

250 years ago people were, on average, much shorter. You know, like Vladimir Putin, who is 5.3" and shrinking daily...

 

I'm very tempted to start painting my crew for HMS Camilla. There will be no cook on HMS Camilla: she has a solar-powered microwave in the First Officer's cabin...

[Blue Ensign]

Post One hundred and Seventy-two

 

Completion

 So, after fourteen months of fairly consistent work I have to declare Sphinx finished, but of course this does not include the masting and rigging element that would have taken at least another twelve months.

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For the purposes of the shoot, I have added the instantly detachable Boomkins. Strangely they don’t Jarr on my eye as they did a post or two back.

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Thoughts about the Sphinx kit

 I have thoroughly enjoyed building Sphinx and it offers significant kit design improvements over my previous build of the small frigate, Pegasus, back in 2010.

 

It produces a fine model as an oob build and provides options for the more experienced builder to apply tweaks where kit simplifications can be improved.

In the case of Sphinx these have mainly related to the internal Quarter gallery and great cabin areas, which have been addressed by Chris in his latest development of the frigate Indefatigable.

 

There have been concerns expressed that the Sphinx kit has too many pre- made parts such as the outer planking and Wale patterns, but this is no assembly by numbers project, great care is necessary to produce the finish that this kit deserves.

 

The use of some resin components allows for finer detail, and the very fine brass etch decoration is pretty close to ‘painted on’

 

The design of this kit includes a complete lower deck with main fittings, and if fore and aft lower platforms are added there is a view thro’ the hatches from the upper deck directly down to the hold. Not many kits offer this level of detail below the upper deck level.

The provision of scale deck beams for the Quarter deck and Foc’sle was one of the reasons that attracted me to the kit providing the option to make a ‘Navy Board ‘style model.

 

I did have to make my own Lodging knees, but this is also something Chris has addressed in his latest design.

 

 I have to thank Chris for providing the makings to build Sphinx, and for the ongoing support in providing additional and replacement parts. His service is second to none.

 

I am also grateful to Jim Hatch for his pathfinder work in constructing the prototype and providing many helpful photos along the way.

 

I also thank Chuck Passaro of Syren who has assisted me with the decorative panels on Sphinx, and whose wonderful model of Winchelsea has provided much inspiration and ideas adopted on my own build.

 

Finally, I would like to thank all those MSW members who have supported me throughout this build, providing encouragement and advice.

 

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

Ps

I now need to work out how to display Sphinx within the case and decide where to put it.🤔

 

 

 

[gjdale]

Congratulations on completing yet another masterpiece B.E. 👏👏👏 

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Fantastic finish, and an exceptionally beautiful model, B.E.!  As always, I look forward to your next project with great anticiption.

[yvesvidal]

Incredible model and lots of very thorough explanations and details. This model belongs in a Museum !!!

I am using your Build Log on a regular basis as a reference for my Bellona.

 

Yves

[ccoyle]

Beautiful model, B.E. -- a tribute to your skill and dedication!

[glbarlow]

Outstanding model BE. Your work has been an inspiration for me going all the way back to Pegasus, which I built about the same time (my log lost in the great crash, I keep backups now). 
 

Not only is the work exceptional, your maritime knowledge gently applied in well informed modifications are always creative and interesting. The time, care, detailed, and easy to follow logs you share with us are a tutorials for us all, and always a fun read. Excellent photography too.

Chris has provided a great model with his innovative designs, you have brought it to life in a model worthy of a museum. 
 

Congratulations & Well Done!

[BobG]

Congratulations, BE! Your Sphinx is stunning and your build log has been a pleasure to follow. I'm sure all of us who follow your builds will be anxiously waiting to see what you choose next.