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

[Bill97]

Thanks Henry. As I said to Marc, glad I have you guys looking over my shoulder 😊

[Bill97]

Stern plate glued in place and fits nicely. 
 

I have to reduce the amount of time I spend in the “shipyard” for a bit. I have been tasked with creating a new beautiful paint job for a large scale Star Wars X-Wing that my grand son will surprisingly get for his birthday in a few weeks. This should be fun!

 

[Bill97]

So anxious to get back to my Soleil Royal setting on another work table in my “shipyard”. As I have leaned the pleasures of bashing a model I can  not help but have that knowledge slip over into the two Star War’s ships I am renovating for my grandson’s birthday!  The original request was just for me to update the paint scheme. However I can not help but go a good bit deeper. I cut off the top to the cockpit. Cut out the plastic molded windows and replaced them with clear plexiglass. Working on fabricating a seat and instrument panel that will now go into the open cavity for the scale Luke Skyswalker bought on line.  Using various online available paint schemes I have found to do the painting.  One issue that has been extremely frustrating is the plastic that these ships are made from. I have absolutely no problem getting my Vellajo acrylics to stick to the model ships I have built, with or without I using a surface primer. I understand water based paints do not usually adhere to plastic, but as I said I have not had a problem with my ships and Vallejo acrylics. Unfortunately for some reason that is not the case with this X-Wing. I airbrushed an acrylic surface primer over the entire piece. A couple days later I began masking it to prepare for the different colors. As I was working with the masking tape I saw how easily the surface primer just pulled off the plastic. I knew then I had a problem because any paint I applied would pull off 😤.

I stripped all the acrylic surface primer off (which was quite a task to get into all the little nooks). I then repainted it with a spray white enamel and will use enamels for the colors. 
 

Over on my ship work table I have the 6 channels and the knee braces ready for painting. Installing them is next up in the instructions. 

[Hubac's Historian]

You shouldn’t have that problem with enamel primer.

[Ian_Grant]

Kit bashing an x-wing fighter..... 😃  You've come a long way Bill!!  😏

[Bill97]

Also a Tie Fighter Ian!  The other pictures are of the Tie Fighter Solar panels. 
 

You’re right Marc on the enamel primer. The Vellajo Surface Primer I put on initially was acrylic. Had to use acetone to clean it all off. Then start over with enamel. 

[Bill97]

Marc I got tickled yesterday evening watching one of our local TV channel’s weather man. He gave the forecast as usual then went on to  give his social media contact information. His first name is Marc, spelled like your’s.  Each time he said it he would add “that’s Marc with a C”.  I am sure I have heard him say it many times over the years but never gave it much thought. When he said it yesterday I thought of you and wondered how many times in your life you have needed to repeat that phrase? 😊

 

PS, I am close to getting back to my SR so don’t you guys forget about me. I will still desperately need your advice as continue moving forward. One small thing I am curious about, and the same curiosity on my Victory build, is the sheet (if I am right) that runs along the inside of the UB. Yesterday I took a break from my other project and was looking at my SR. I decided to do something quick and easy so I added the two sheets according to the instructions. Do these lines lay under the eventually added cannon barrels?

[Ian_Grant]

I think that sheet is a "Hellerism"; running it past five cannons through the centres of the openings seems crazy. On the other hand you'd want a lot of length in order for many men to clap on when hauling. On yet another hand they wouldn't be able to with cannons standing there. I half remember someone talking about changing some of the belay points on his SR, and that in the instructions one of the big kevels  is empty and made more sense to use than what the instructions stated. Sorry I can't be more specific, I of course haven't started this ship yet.

Edited March 25, 2023 by Ian_Grant

[popeye2sea]

I raised the exact question in my build log. Never did find and answer.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Hubac's Historian]

I filled the kit entry point for the main sheets and raised it to run above the guns, per the Louis Quinze model.

[Bill97]

Interesting issue here. Thanks guys I will give it thought as I am getting into this area. 

[Bill97]

Now here is a space/time continuum!  Historic  HMS Victory and Le Soleil Royal in the background and Star Wars X-Wing Fighter and Tie Fighter in the foreground! 😊

[Hubac's Historian]

On 3/25/2023 at 10:11 AM, Bill97 said:

Marc I got tickled yesterday evening watching one of our local TV channel’s weather man. He gave the forecast as usual then went on to  give his social media contact information. His first name is Marc, spelled like your’s.  Each time he said it he would add “that’s Marc with a C”.  I am sure I have heard him say it many times over the years but never gave it much thought. When he said it yesterday I thought of you and wondered how many times in your life you have needed to repeat that phrase? 😊

 

PS, I am close to getting back to my SR so don’t you guys forget about me. I will still desperately need your advice as continue moving forward. One small thing I am curious about, and the same curiosity on my Victory build, is the sheet (if I am right) that runs along the inside of the UB. Yesterday I took a break from my other project and was looking at my SR. I decided to do something quick and easy so I added the two sheets according to the instructions. Do these lines lay under the eventually added cannon barrels?

People (my extended family, included) have been spelling my name wrong my entire life.  Marc with a C is more common among Jewish families and the French.  While I am neither, I have always preferred this spelling.

[Bill97]

OK FINALLY!  I am just about ready to get back to my “shipyard” workbench. One more day on the Star Wars remodels and I will be finished. Got out the channels and the little knee support pieces from the kit and painted them. I discovered that Heller has a set of the little support knees incorrectly numbered. Part 266 AV-M-AR.  I searched through the kit for the numbered pieces in accordance with the instructions with no luck. Finally finding them numbered differently than the instructions. Part 226 AV-M-AR. All is well. 

Edited March 28, 2023 by Bill97

[Bill97]

Installed the 6 channels, the little knee braces, and a bunch of corresponding blackened eyebolts today. Starting to resemble a true sailing ship. Turning the page in my instructions I see I now get the pleasure of constructing, installing a bunch more cannons. Not the ones that will be visible yet!

[Hubac's Historian]

Looking good, Bill!  Welcome back to the shipyard.

[Bill97]

Thanks my friend. Great to be back. My grandson project came out great but I am glad to be back to my Soleil Royal

[Bill97]

Installed the cannons on what I think is called the Quarter Deck.  These are the cannons that will not be seen because of other decking. I won’t be rigging them. This will leave 6 on each side that are either partially visible or completely visible. I plan to modify the construction of these 12 cannons to correct the previously discussed wheel placement on the trucks and the barrel position. Once I have them constructed I am going to rig them in accordance with what I have seen other builders do here in MSW. The instructions only have me putting in 4 additional cannons at this point, leaving the center 4 in each side for much later. Unless I can find a reason not to I intend to go ahead with installing and rigging all 12 before moving on. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Hi Bill, yeah, these are all main deck guns.  The quarter deck and f’ocsle decks are above this level.  Like you, I see no point in rigging carriages that won’t be seen.

[popeye2sea]

I think they call this the third battery deck, the ones below being the first and second battery decks.

Above that is the quarter deck then the roundhouse (?) then the poop deck.

 

Regards,

 

Henry

 

Oops, sorry Marc, I didn't see that you had already replied.

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by popeye2sea

[Bill97]

I knew it had some kind of a name. I looked at my HMS Victory reference material to see if I could determine the name of this deck. 
Now I am scrolling back through all the builds I have referenced to find the recommendations for modifying the visible cannons. I remember I am to move the wheels  more forward and to the rear. There is also advice on relocating the trunnion of barrel so as to move it more forward on the carriage. 
Then get real smart on rigging the little guys. Should be fun. 
 

By the way, have any of you visited the Ships of The Sea Maritime Museum in Savanah, GA?   I will be going to Savanah for a couple days at the beginning of next week. Thought I might visit the museum while there. 
 

https://www.shipsofthesea.org/

Edited March 30, 2023 by Bill97

[Hubac's Historian]

No worries, Henry.  Your answer was more precise.

[Bill97]

Henry I am looking very closely at the section of your build that pertains to rigging your cannons. I see where Daniel advised there was only one tackle on the rear of these cannons. Looking closely at the pictures you included, it appears you used 6 small blocks on each cannon. A single and a double sheeve block on each side and a single and double on the back. So 3 single sheeve and 3 double sheeve blocks for each cannon?  The smallest blocks I can get is 2.5 mm but I think they will work OK. I decided it appears rigging the cannon off the ship is probably easier. Then just glue it in place, attach to eyebolts already in UB, and tighten the threads. I will be rigging 12 cannons at this stage so any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[popeye2sea]

If you notice on mine. The tackle fall was left long enough to make a coil or to flake down on to the deck ready for running.  If you decide to do this, make sure the hauling part of the tackle fall comes out of the block away from the gun carriage. It will lay down for the coil much easier that way. For the in-haul tackle it does not matter what side the fall comes out on.

 

Rigging the tackles is fairly straightforward.  Installing them is just a matter of putting a drop of CA glue on each hook to fasten it to the ring. Otherwise the hooks tend to jump out of the rings as you manipulate the tackles.

For me the hardest parts were hitching and seizing the breeching rope to the ring bolt and also getting the flaked coils to lay correctly on the deck.

 

You may also find it a bit fiddly to hitch the tackle fall to the becket of the single block. The becket is the loop at the bottom of the block opposite the eye where the hook is.  Easiest is to attach the tackle fall to the becket while you are stropping the block.  That way the single block is completely ready for reeving the tackle with the hook in the eye and the fall attached.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Thanks Henry. Just a bit of nautical terms I am not 100 percent sure if just yet. You mention an in-haul tackle and I assume an out-haul tackle. I am thinking the in-haul is the one tackle on the back end of the carriage and the out-haul are the ones on each side?  The breeching rope is the one that passes through the holes you drilled in the sides of the carriage?  It appears to be a bit heavier thread than the size you used for the tackles?  Would the breeching rope lay slack when the cannon is run out?  I am guessing it should be long enough for the cannon to be run in and fairly taut at that position but hang loose when run out?  
 

This next question is simply a visual interest question so you, or others, can comment if you think this would have ever been the case. All the cannons fore and aft that I put in yesterday will not be seen except for the end of the barrel sticking out if the hatch opening. They are all run out and glued in place just like the ones on the lower decks. For these 12 I am going to put in and rig I am wondering if it would have been appropriate for some to be run in and some run out. For simple visual interest I wondered if a zig-zag pattern ( something like the photo) would be completely not authentic since all the other are run out?  This would show the rigging concept/purpose a bit more. 

[Hubac's Historian]

I might have one gun run in, with a gun crew tending to it, if I wanted to demonstrate the working of the guns.  I personally would not do a zigzag pattern in a static display.

[Bill97]

Good idea Marc having one run in and crew working on it. 
Got the new trunnions in place and the wheels probably placed. The 4 painted cannons in the photo were previously made and painted. When I decided to rig 6 on each side I did not put these in yet. I just needed to move the trunnion on each one. 

[popeye2sea]

2 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Thanks Henry. Just a bit of nautical terms I am not 100 percent sure if just yet. You mention an in-haul tackle and I assume an out-haul tackle. I am thinking the in-haul is the one tackle on the back end of the carriage and the out-haul are the ones on each side?  The breeching rope is the one that passes through the holes you drilled in the sides of the carriage?  It appears to be a bit heavier thread than the size you used for the tackles?  Would the breeching rope lay slack when the cannon is run out?  I am guessing it should be long enough for the cannon to be run in and fairly taut at that position but hang loose when run out?  
 

This next question is simply a visual interest question so you, or others, can comment if you think this would have ever been the case. All the cannons fore and aft that I put in yesterday will not be seen except for the end of the barrel sticking out if the hatch opening. They are all run out and glued in place just like the ones on the lower decks. For these 12 I am going to put in and rig I am wondering if it would have been appropriate for some to be run in and some run out. For simple visual interest I wondered if a zig-zag pattern ( something like the photo) would be completely not authentic since all the other are run out?  This would show the rigging concept/purpose a bit more. 

 

Yes, the in-haul tackle is the one on the rear of the carriage. The other two are the out-haul tackles.

The breeching rope is a heavy rope. Much thicker than the tackle falls. It has to resist and check the recoil of the cannon when fired. The length should be enough to allow about 12 to 18 inches between the muzzle and the gun port sill to allow for loading.  The gun tackles falls are flaked down on the deck before firing the gun so that when the gun recoils the rope will not kink and bind when the the fall runs through the blocks. The tackles act as sort of a brake to absorb some of the energy of the recoil.

 

I would not zig-zag the position of the cannons.  Perhaps you can do what I did and show the guns run out into battery position for firing on one side of the ship and run in for loading on the other?

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Great Henry. I am starting to learn this nautical stuff!  I like both your ‘s and Marc’s suggestion for the cannon positions. With your idea did you have all the cannons on one side hauled in?  I currently have the ones fore and aft run out on both sides. Would it look odd to have the center 6 on one side run in while the fore and aft cannons run out?  Not sure I want to break loose the cannons already glued in place. 

[Hubac's Historian]

For my tastes, personally, it would be distractingly odd for the middle six guns to be run in, on one side.