Prince de Neufchatel by Coyote_6 – Constructo – 1/58 scale - American privateer

[Coyote_6]

@SaltyScot  So far so good Mark!

 

 

Constructo non-magnetic mystery metal, blued by dipping in Brownell's Gun Blue, rinsed with copious amounts of fresh water, and finally oiled with RemOil and Ballistol.

 

They're black as night and don't leave any residue on the white paper towel, so hopefully we're good to go.

[SaltyScot]

They look fantastic, Steve!!

[Dr PR]

Very nice gun tackles on the carronades!

[Chuck Seiler]

    I remember seeing a model in a museum in the LA area where the 'pot metal' parts had all disintegrated into piles of grayish-white dust.  I was told they were the lead fitting used a loooong time ago.  I think the newer mystery metals such as Britannia don't do that (at least in my lifetime). 

[Dr PR]

Part of the problem with the white pot metal (pewter?) fittings used on older models came from the cases they were mounted in. Some of the woods or finishes gave off acetic acid fumes. The cases were air tight, so the acid fumes built up and turned the metals (zinc, lead and tin) into metal acetate salt powders.

 

The moral of the story is to use acid free materials and ventilate the cases.

[Coyote_6]

 Link to the part that disintegrated after a vinegar experiment.  Terrifying!

 

 

[Coyote_6]

Captain Amati and his crew came aboard for a visit and inspection of the work done.   Whether they sail with the Prince remains to be seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The figures are "35 mm" but their actual heights are between 31 and 33 mm -  let's call them 5' 10" to 6' 3" for the big swede on the tiller at 1:58 scale.  A tall crew for the period I think.

 

The Captain's fine hat is not up to U.S. Navy standards in 1812, but the Prince was a privateer outfitted in France, so who can say?

 

Today we'll be training the breeching lines for the chase guns that are all over the place right now.  Then I'll put together some single/single gun tackles for the chasers to finish off the armament for the Prince.  I went with luff tackles for the heavier carronades as "Captain's choice" and liked the look, but I think the luff tackles might look too much on the little chasers.

 

In work:

 

 

Edited 15 hours ago by Coyote_6

[Gregory]

Interesting figures.  What is your source for those?

[Coyote_6]

@Gregory  Good to hear from you! 

 

They are 35mm white metal figures by Amati.

 

I sourced them from a MSW sponsor in the USA, Ages of Sail.

 

https://www.agesofsail.com/

 

They are in Northern California.  Price seemed fair, shipping cost was ok, and to Southern California was pretty quick via USPS.  Good service and stock from my point of view.

 

What are your thoughts on the figures?  I am interested to get some opinions and thoughts from others.  I think they also have 22mm and 25mm.

 

https://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/figures/35mm-sailors.html

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Coyote_6

[Gregory]

1 hour ago, Coyote_6 said:

What are your thoughts on the figures? 

I think they are ' interesting'.  They add some character . I like the slight caricature nature of some of the faces.

 

I am at in a bit of a quandary about adding figures to a build.   To be realistic, the sheer numbers would be distracting from what I want to showcase.

 

I ponder the idea of maybe a single figure along the rail to add a sense of perspective. 

Otherwise I like the idea of including them in build photos , but not so much in the finished model.

If I may clutter up your log a bit.😁

 

[Coyote_6]

17 minutes ago, Gregory said:

If I may clutter up your log a bit.😁

Always sir!   I love that figure example - I've been shipboard in that exact pose so I can relate! 🤣🤣🤣

 

I might try to add a small clear base to the figures so they could be placed or removed at will.  It will be interesting to try to paint them and get a good outcome.  I doubt I would glue them down - I've done two plastic aircraft carrier builds in recent times and have yet to glue an aircraft or support equipment to the deck! 

 

And yes, after having empty decks on the Prince all this time, 6 figures seems alot.  It is difficult to fathom 50+ men and boys on deck for an engagement, maybe 5 per gun?

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

Edited 12 hours ago by Coyote_6

[Gregory]

I would like to see those figures painted.  I don't fancy myself much of a painter, but those figures make me want to try.

[SaltyScot]

I had to smile at the expressions on a couple of those sailors' faces, Steve. They look ready for a fist fight! I used to paint fantasy figures way back when, a very rewarding task once the job is done. I found it amazing the difference it made to the figure, bought it to life really. Perhaps paint one or two and see how they look on your fine model then....?

[Coyote_6]

@SaltyScot  I guess I know who to come to for figure painting advice! 

 

We'll give it a try.

[Coyote_6]

1st attempt.  Definitely look better on board when they have been painted.

 

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Coyote_6

[Dr PR]

I used your Amati "captain" figure on my schooner build. It makes a good size reference for details. The six pounder cannons aren't very large and the figure shows this off nicely.

 

However, my build is 1:48, so this fellow is pretty short. The 35 mm part (with hat) is about 5 1/2 feet (1.7 meters) at this scale, or closer to 5 feet without the hat.  So I think he is a midshipman and not the Captain. But the telescope indicates he is the Officer of the Deck (OOD).

 

I chose the colors of the US Navy uniform of about 1815.

 

Thanks for posting pictures of the other figures. I would like to add a few more crew to enhance the anchor fishing "diorama" that I put on the model.

Edited 8 hours ago by Dr PR

[Coyote_6]

@Dr PR  I like the white of your style better Phil, especially with the taller boots.  I may try a redo.   Your Captain looks very good!

Edited 6 hours ago by Coyote_6

[Coyote_6]

The Captain has many changes in his sea chest.

 

 

[Kenchington]

There is a danger to including painted figures in a finished model.

 

Unpainted "ghosts" seem useful for giving a sense of scale, particularly during a build, but a finished, painted figure in the wrong clothes, the wrong posture or engaged in the wrong activity will stand out like a sore thumb -- something like putting a post-1803 white ensign on an 18th Century British warship, an ensign on the jackstaff or the union flag at the mainmast truck. Which means that the model builder doesn't just need to study period ships, their rigging, guns, boats, the handling of their sails etc. etc. but must also engage with costume studies and the social history of the kind of ship presented.

 

To take Nelson's Victory in 1805 as an example: Commissioned officers did not wear boots but buckled shoes, silk stockings and knee breeches. Common seamen were invariably barefoot. Midshipmen and gunroom officers probably followed their betters but most petty officers went barefoot. The officers' uniforms were not very uniform, while the common herd had no uniform at all (aside from the crew of the Admiral's barge or the Captain's gig, who might be dressed up at the expense of the officer in question, if he so chose). And that's the easy stuff, for which historical evidence exists. How would you dress the crew of small trading or fishing vessels of the same era? Or the men aboard an Elizabethan galleon? 

 

For those willing to do the research, then develop the skills needed for modelling human figures, there's a huge open field for talent. But it's a big field 😀

 

Trevor

[Coyote_6]

2 hours ago, Kenchington said:

There is a danger to including painted figures in a finished model.

There is truth here, as in everything.  

 

At least a privateer affords some leeway. 😉

 

I like the idea of adding bases so the figures can be placed or removed depending upon the audience.

 

These figures are pretty versatile - if one wanted to spend the time a dremel and Tamiya two part modeling clay would go a long way.  Think US Navy 1812 officers cap or saber in scabbord.  A good starting point. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Coyote_6