L'Ambitieux by Nek0 - Altaya

[Nek0]

Hi everyone ! Parallel to my Soleil Royal, I'm working on a kit of L'Ambitieux, a ship of the line built in 1691. Altaya did some monstruous kits before this one but I had to admit when I discovered the first parts of their Ambitieux that they were of very high quality. I know this ship quite well because I used the monograph of Jean Boudriot of the same name to help myself draw the plans of my Soleil Royal. Though, Jean Boudriot did something strange for his monograph. He took a original drawing of a 3 deck ship of the line of 1680 by Blaise Pangalo (the plan doesn't show any decoration except for the figurehead that is a lion), and he added the decoration of the "real" Ambitieux (from which we have the drawing of the decorations but not the plans of the hull) except for the lion of Pangalo that he kept. He also named his monograph "L'Ambitieux" because he thought it was an ambitious project. Quite confusing. 

Altaya was well inspired and they kept the figurehead of the real Ambitieux, and provided some really good castings for the metal parts (guns, decoration). I never saw such good work on a kit, and if you add that I was immerged in the monograph of J.Boudriot since a few years at this time, that the real Ambitieux fought the battle of Barfleur/La Hougue next to the Soleil Royal in 1692 (Tourville even went on the Ambitieux after the Soleil Royal suffered too much damage to continue), and the kit is the same scale than my SR, it was enough to convince myself to have a try at this project. 

Of course this is a kit and in no way it will look like an arsenal model. It will remain a kit, and will be a recreative, simple, funny project when the SR is very demanding and very laborious. 

First, here are the drawing of the real Ambitieux by Jean Berain. 

 

 

 

 

[Nek0]

Here is what the finished model should look like, and the first parts. I'm really pleased by the castings and the guns. Compared to the monstruous guns they made for their Soleil Royal, it's night and day. The rear metal piece even has a curvature. The scale say 1/59 on the first booklet cover, and 1/74 inside the booklet. If you compare to the 1/72 scale plan of the monograph of Boudriot you can see that it's strictly the same. Other parts are also compliant to the monograph. I tried a golden painting for the decoration but was not very satisfied with it. Ultimately it will be Napoli yellow. 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

The castings really do look very good on this kit.  I will enjoy watching this project take shape, Marc.  I’m glad to see that you are finding time to build again!

[Nek0]

Thanks Marc ! Yes I'm 100% back in the game ind it feels great ! 

Nothing very special about the begining of the build. The frame assemble very well, the keel is straight. Then I made custom planking of the front with custom doors, I couldn't go with the kit ones. They were not ugly but a bit oversized. I also remade the duckboards, according to the scale (and the monograph). Altaya's effort was not that bad, they had the good number of elements and the good size, but the stitch was too large. 

[Nek0]

Then comes the planking of the decks, with sycomore wood. At first I draw on the deck frame and then glue the planking, with some pencil on the sides to simulate the caulking. Finally I plant the nails (brass wire) according to the monograph. The doors were painted red, and two pieces of wood were added to fit the curvature of the deck. Altaya didn't made any inner planking, but I did. The first lath of wood next to the deck is wider. I made some final tries of golden paint but I wasn't still happy with them so here is the color I chose for the decoration.

[Nek0]

Concerning the guns, Altaya provided guns to prick and I really dislike this solution. So I had to enlarge the guns with brass cylinder, make them mini carriages, and modify the inner structure of the frame. I also had to drill the guns. It was made very quick but I'm happy with the result, it's not great but clean enough for what I want. The bronze guns were painted the same way I did for the Soleil Royal. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Nek0

[Nek0]

For the planking of the hull I managed to do it very quickly (three or four days) so it's far from perfect but it's sufficient since it will not show at the end. 

 

[Nek0]

And after the fastidious step of sanding, the hull is correct and shows nice volumes. I used the parts provided for the bow, the keel and the sternpost, they fitted perfectly. 

[Hubac's Historian]

So many improvements to the stock kit.  I really like what you did with the guns!  The kit has good lines.

[Hubac's Historian]

Does the hull get a final veneer layer of planking.  If so, to what degree do you plan to accurately plank the lower hull?

[Hubac's Historian]

Looking at other builds of this kit, on-line, it appears that the intent of the kit is to show an open, walkable lower stern balcony.  This differs from the Frolich model, which shows a false balcony, which would be more correct for the times, as I understand it.  Will you construct this detail, as the kit maker intended, or modify to make this detail more correct?

[Nek0]

Thanks Marc ! Yes it will have a final planking with walnut (not the sapelli provided by Altaya) and it will absolutely not be accurate at all under the waterline. Everything will be painted so I will go the easy way. (But the positioning of the wales and the planking between them will be correct)

🙂

[Nek0]

9 hours ago, Hubac's Historian said:

Looking at other builds of this kit, on-line, it appears that the intent of the kit is to show an open, walkable lower stern balcony.  This differs from the Frolich model, which shows a false balcony, which would be more correct for the times, as I understand it.  Will you construct this detail, as the kit maker intended, or modify to make this detail more correct?

I didn’t saw this question. It’s a good one and it’s an error from the kit, you’re absolutely right. Maybe I will try to correct it if it’s simple enough, but that’s not sure. I have not decided yet, I will see when I’m there. 
🙂

[Hubac's Historian]

I feel you on this one; it may or may not be worth your energy.

[Nek0]

Maybe not an error, quite surprising -and I hadn't payed attention before- but if you look at the Berain drawing it may be a walkable balcony. (that's what Berain drawn, but it's strange for a 1691 ship). I was used to Boudriot Monograph and Frölich/Zakimor models that have closed balcony and never noticed the Berain drawing on this point.

[Hubac's Historian]

I see what you are referencing on the Berain drawings, which from the stern view also suggest that this lower walkable stern balcony wraps to open walkable quarters; if that were the intent, it would seem that the false window tier, on this level of the quarters would be mounted close to the ship, but that is not what Berain’s quarter drawing suggests. Berain seems to be showing closed lower quarters, but then - why wouldn’t he show a false light from the stern to indicate that the quarters are closed around the functional seat of ease?  This is a good example of the inconsistencies that often exist among known sets of Berain drawings.  One is left to make an interpretation based on what else is known of the times.  It seems to me that Boudriot/Frolich made the right call:

photo, courtesy of you, Marc 🙃

Interestingly, Der Admiral managed to incorporate Berain’s lower finishing, despite the shortened false lower balcony:

But, he does not model the waste-pipe mascaroons.

 

Another great example of these weird Berain inconsistencies is his failure to indicate a forecastle on his bow drawing of SR:

That SR always had an armed forecastle for the first two ships is not in dispute, as far as I am aware.

Edited August 28, 2022 by Hubac's Historian

[Nek0]

I asked on the Gérard Delacroix forum, maybe he or anyone else will have a good answer. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Please keep me posted 😀

[Daniel Filipe]

Fantastic! Bravo!

[yancovitch]

just found it ....impressive, for sure..............thanks...........

[Katsumoto]

Bonjour Neko, just a lovely kit and beautiful ship she is. The castings are one of the best I have seen in a kit! I'm just wondering who the kitmaker is as all the mailorder companies like Deagostini, Hachette and I'm sure Altaya also use Artesania Latina, Occre, Mantua as a source of the product / kit. Do you know? None of these companies has this kit in their catalog, so this is a " big" mystery for me and I would really like to purchase and build this kit.
Altaya only sold this in France or Spain but not in other countries.... Are the parts / numbers being sold in France in local shops as you know? Maybe I can drive to France one weekend... 😁

 

I follow your build! Arigatō / thanks for answering my questions. 🙂

Salut,
Peter

[Nek0]

Hello Peter, thank you for your message. I don’t know who made the kit, the back of the first issue only said « in collaboration with Project MC » but I didn’t found anything on them on the internet. Unfortunately the kit doesn’t sell anymore, so I think the only way to get one would be finding one on eBay… 

 

Vic, thanks for your message, cheers !! 
 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Any word from Gerard's forum on the stern counter/lower stern balcony?

[Nek0]

Nothing. Gerard is more involved into XVIIIe ships, and I know he wont't speak until he's sure about what he tells. I may ask to M.Lemineur, he maybe will have an idea. 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Sounds like a plan - Merci Marc!

[Nek0]

L'Ambitieux is progressing well these last weeks, and shows nice volumes and curves. Of course I slightly modified what Altaya planned but not that much. The wood of the decks was too yellow for my taste, so I sand the decks and painted them with a very diluted brown/grey mix. I like the result quite well. It's only a kit but it's very rewarding to see something that already looks like a ship of the line after a few hours spent on it. I would not say I rush the build but I do it as quickly as possible and it's very different to the Soleil Royal, on which I want every piece to be as perfect as possible. L'Ambitieux is a perfect funny and entertaining project. I hope you like it.

 

 

[yancovitch]

looks like the model came with some really decent wood for the outer hull. which, these days is harder to find...good shew.....

   judging from the immaculate build, it's hard to believe that's a fast job 😄....vc

[Hubac's Historian]

The sheer of your wales runs very true to the times, which is a detail that not many builders of this kit pay close attention to.  It all looks superb to my eyes!

[Nek0]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:20 PM, yancovitch said:

looks like the model came with some really decent wood for the outer hull. which, these days is harder to find...good shew.....

   judging from the immaculate build, it's hard to believe that's a fast job 😄....vc

Thanks Vic ! About the wood, it's the wood of the Sergal kit of the Soleil Royal. Which I didn't ever built because of poor quality. It's ok but it makes a lot of crumbs when sanded so I had to fill the gaps with wood paste. Yes it's quick build, I won't say I rush it but there are a lot of imperfections I would not allow on my Soleil Royal. Here, it's for fun.

 

[Nek0]

On 10/13/2022 at 1:01 AM, Hubac's Historian said:

The sheer of your wales runs very true to the times, which is a detail that not many builders of this kit pay close attention to.  It all looks superb to my eyes!

Yes, exactly ! It's mainly due to the fact that I First set the wales and then the planking. Altaya tell us to fully cover the hull with planking, and finally glue the wales. It's more difficult to get a correct result this way.

I Continue the work and it's a real pleasure to see the ship take form. The first metal parts are glued and they are perfect. This kit is a real good surprise !