Le Soleil Royal by Bill97 - FINISHED - Heller - 1/100

[Ian_Grant]

19 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Ian I was thinking that was the case.  Just not sure. On the flip side a number of our politicians from time to time push for some kind of coverage similar to Canada’s. Go figure. 

This article happened to come out today. Our GP is herself nearing retirement just as we enter our elder years. 😒

Have your politicians read this .....

 

https://nationalpost.com/health/canada-family-doctor-shortage

 

[Bill97]

Wow Ian that is rough. I know here in the states more doctors are specializing and moving away from GP. Not sure what all us older people are going to do!  Kind of scary my friend. 

[Bill97]

Just found and watched this YouTube video. It is fascinating!  I had no idea of many things explained about these ships. A big unknown to me was the fact that the walls of the officer quarters would be drawn up to the ceiling to provide extra room during battle. 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Great video, Bill.  I never realized there was fore and aft duct work to help ventilate the hold.

[Bill97]

Me either Marc. This is a fascinating video. I assume it is all accurate. No reason to refute any of it. 

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Ditto, great find Bill, I'll watch that properly this evening. I thought Patrick O'Brien describes things like the knock down walls and ductwork somewhere in the Aubrey/Maturin series but it might have been in the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent (who I've just discovered was actually Douglas Reeman, who also wrote gazillions of books set in WW2 books). Either way, when I last went to the Victory a couple of years back I was struck by how close-fitting all the officer quarters "walls" were, some seriously good carpenters back then. Look at the RH side in the photo, the brass bits are the hinges.

 

I also remember feeling a bit of a cool breeze right down in the depths of the hold, though I bet it was hot as hell on a gun deck in battle.

 

[Bill97]

Henry the fact ships like this were built with out power tools and heavy lifting machinery is a testament to how good these carpenters were. 

[Bill97]

Beginning the work on my diorama. I really like the artwork on the kit box cover and decided to replicate it in my diorama. My display will be of the ship at anchor with two of the boats in use by crewman. I framed a 2” thick block of styrofoam and hollowed out an area for the SR to set. I then spray painted the surface with an ink blue paint. After it dried I used silicone to hold the SR and the two small boats in place. Then I used Liquitex clear gel to form the ocean surface. Once it dries clear I will add additional colors to resemble an active ocean. I will also use stretched out pieces of white cotton held in place with additional Liquitex to form small wake around the boats and dry brushed white paint on wave peaks. I will follow this up with painting the frame, attaching the name plate, drilling holes and running the anchor ropes into the water surface, and finally putting the crewman to work. 

[Ian_Grant]

Bill,

 

At anchor with the sails set? Your story could be that the anchor is fouled on the bottom and they are trying to sail it out of the ground (like in the Hornblower story "The Happy Return").

[Bill97]

Yeah Ian. That is my story and I am
sticking to it! 😊

Maybe I won’t drop the anchor and just have the boats being towed without crewmen in them. Since I already have them set in the diorama. Would that have been a possible scenario?  

Edited February 24 by Bill97

[Ian_Grant]

Absolutely; they towed the boats into battle to reduce flying splinters on board, though they'd be towed astern (check that shot of my print "England Expects" that you included in one of your earlier posts). I've also read that they cast off the boats when battle gets engaged to get them off their tail, but maybe that's a myth. You know how there always seem to be ships' boats rescuing men in the foreground of so many period sea battle paintings? Maybe just artistic composition.

 

You could always rework the sea if you moved the 2nd boat aft.

Edited February 24 by Ian_Grant

[Bill97]

Thanks again Ian. I will give that some thought. Having the sails set has changed my composition idea for my diorama. My original idea, once I decided to do it, was to have the 2nd boat loaded with barrels to be loaded on the ship since I already have three in the tackle pendant. Maybe also have an officer ready to board since the steps on the hull or right there. In the boat on the stern I was going to have a couple crewmen tending to some necessary functions. However with the sails set, which I obviously did not consider, I understand this idea will not be nautically accurate. This is a learning experience to make decisions about long term plans during the build, not after. 

Edited February 24 by Bill97

[Bill97]

Ok my fine modeling friends here is my diorama. There is most likely not a thing nautically correct about a ship taking on supplies while moving, but what the heck this may have been under duress. Crew needed to quickly take on water and food from shore while avoiding combat. Still need to add some crewmen here and there and my Soleil Royal will be ready for a display case!

[Bill97]

Gentlemen she is FINISHED!!  Crew on board and a few diorama liberties taken. It has truly been a complete joy to build this beautiful model. A build I would have been at a loss to tackle without the advice, encouragement, and help of all my MSW friends. A special thanks, but in no way limited to, Marc, Ian, and Henry. You guys have always been there for my numerous questions, regardless of how ridiculous. A very big thanks to you. 
 

I have a certain since of pride knowing that I have now successfully completed both of Heller’s beautiful models of the HMS Victory and Le Soleil Royal. During these builds I have learned so much. 
 

The OcCre Endeavour is my next quest. Hope you will come along with me. 
 

Edited February 29 by Bill97

[ccoyle]

Magnificent!

[Wacom]

An inspiration👌👌👌

[Baker]

A very beautiful model and diorama. 

Great work, it was nice to follow 

[Veszett Roka]

Congratulations Bill, it is magnificent! Anyhow, for the margin of 'dioramic liberty' i can imagine the depicted situation. Le Soleil Royal is about to depart from Brest, they set sails in time but there is not too much wind as seen here. The sails mostly hanging on the masts thus Admiral Tourville ordered the crew to last minute ship in some extra barrels of fine french wine, and some timber because the ship's carpenter discovered a few minor leak since the departure. Adm. Tourville is a noble man, therefore the port authority immediately sent out a few launch with the desired reinforcements. And voila.

 

And pardon me to take the opportinity to tell this silly tale. Really a good diorama.

 

[Bill97]

Thanks Veszett. I really like your “silly tale”. In fact that is the one I am going to tell when I explain the diorama 😌.

 

Really enjoyed your following me.

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Well done Bill, it’s an amazing achievements to do even one of these big kits in 3 or 4 years, but to do two, and to do both to such a high standard - I take my hat off to you.

 

I really like the figure on the ratlines. That one in particular gives a sense of scale, and I must remember that for the future.

 

I’ve just ‘followed’ your Endeavour and will be watching that with huge interest, partly because it’s a ship I’d like to one day build (along with the ‘Terror’) and partly because you’re venturing into wood.

[Hubac's Historian]

Many congratulations, Bill, on completing this magnificent model.  I have always thought this model looks best on its waterline, and the diorama you have created shows her to best advantage.

 

I look forward to watching your Endeavor take shape!

[Bill97]

Thanks Marc. I really appreciate your comments. Putting it in a diorama was a last minute decision but, as you said, does present a beautiful display. 
 

Hopefully with my woodworking experience the Endeavour is an enjoyable task. I do understand there will a bit more sawdust my wife will want me to control. 
 

Edited February 29 by Bill97

[GrandpaPhil]

Congratulations!  Very nicely done!

[Bill97]

Veszett you commented above that if I planned to display my Victory and Soleil Royal together I should also put the Victory in an ocean diorama. I thought that was a great idea and began to plan the diorama. Then I realized the water line on my Victory is the same line where the copper plating stops. While building my Victory I spent many hours adding copper to the hull including nail impressions. If I were to now out the Victory in a diorama all that copper work would be covered and no longer visible. 🥲

[Ian_Grant]

Hi Bill ....  what I have seen done is to make the water surface from a sheet of lexan with the waterline profile cut out of it; make your wavelets on it and colour it; have clear sides on the stand so the viewer can see the ship u/w too. Some transparent blocks of lexan can be used to support the ship so the "sea" doesn't sag.

[Bill97]

That sounds like a good idea Ian. Here is another idea I saw that looks pretty cool. 

[Ian_Grant]

Yes, or pour it. That would be a lot of resin for a model the size of the SR, but it would look awesome!

[Bill97]

Pretty heavy too!

[Veszett Roka]

Bill, an alternative might be to display Victory slightly listed and some work performed under the waterline from a launch, maybe combination of lexan/epoxy resin. It wouldn't cause much confusion because you did not build Victory with full sail set. A few ropes from the deck to the launch could add to the realism, maybe you could fabricate a floating platform with handymen. In reality when they listed their ship they moved all the guns to one side, plus all the ballast too, let say they doing it hidden under the deck. Just an idea.

[Bill97]

Veszett I am loving your ideas! 😊