Golden Hinde 1578 by Ferrus Manus - FINISHED - Revell - 1/96 - PLASTIC - English Galleon

[kirill4]

Once again I would like to return to this briliant work of Michael D. - look at this magic transformation plastic in wood by using  simple stuff... if it so easy, why everybody do not do the same? :)))

 

 

[Ferrus Manus]

15 hours ago, kirill4 said:

As I understood looking at foto of your model, your already started to draw ornamentations while You didn't paint hull yet, didn't You ? If this is the case - it is wrong choise of painting sequence ... need to be done it other way around

I did the base coat of brown first, then painted the fields of the detail areas white, then did the detail colors. The point is, i did a base coat first, and then did the detailing.

[Ferrus Manus]

@woodrat Why did you exclude the tack lines in the build? Nearly every (accurate) representation of a carrack i have seen includes tack lines... even the one in my profile picture!

[Ferrus Manus]

This is what i meant when i said i painted the decks and bulkheads in December:

I just finished applying the last coat of shade to the quarterdeck, which explains the shiny texture. It will soon dry. I believe i got the decks to look like wood, or as much like wood as possible given my current paint selection. 

 

In order to install the cannons, which are the smallest i have ever worked with, a drastic measure had to be taken: i had to build a jig. The only problem was, i didn't have the tools to make a proper jig, especially one so small. So, i used my immense skill at mickey-mousing random objects into a workable tool that performed adequately for the time it was needed. I cut a rectangular section off of the packaging for a container of plastic glue, which i had yet to throw away. Then, i punctured two holes in said cardboard with a needle. After that, i affixed a piece of upside-down painter's tape to the board with two other pieces of tape. The back piece needed to be in a specific place in relation to the holes, because this would be the guideline as to where to stick the cannon carriage. I set the jig up, and it was ready to work...

This was a small gun, one of four for the upper decks. On the larger guns, the gun carriage would have been lined up against the back piece of tape. 

The jig worked perfectly, and this was the result:

Yes, the ugly gap at the front will be hidden by the beakhead grating and forward bulkhead, as well as the forecastle deck.

[Ferrus Manus]

I gave the cannons a bronze wash to make them appear, well, bronze. In the era in which the Golden Hinde sailed, cannons would have been made of bronze. This cannon material was much more expensive, but also much safer than early iron guns.

[woodrat]

11 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

@woodrat Why did you exclude the tack lines in the build? Nearly every (accurate) representation of a carrack i have seen includes tack lines... even the one in my profile picture!

Please go to modelshipworld.com/topic/4915-venetian-carrack-or-cocha-by-woodrat-finished-164/page/21/#comments for my reply

 

 

Cheers

Dick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by woodrat

[Ferrus Manus]

Most aspects of the rigging of Carracks (my favorite type of ship) have been lost to history. You have done an excellent job of bringing them back to life. I am sure different shipwrights, regions, and nations built and rigged their carracks differently from one another. 

When i look for accuracy in a model of a carrack, i typically look at contemporary designs in paintings, as well as the Mataro Carrack.

Weren't you going to add a foremast to your ship? what happened to that?

 

I can't believe this. This is a Golden Hinde log, but i just can't stop bringing up carracks.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Ferrus Manus

[Ferrus Manus]

Your carrack is based almost solely on contemporary sources, and in fact, i will probably end up needing to use those sources at some point in the future. When i eventually do another carrack model, i will likely use you as a source. Please. Claim accuracy. With all the contemporary sources you could find, i cannot imagine the ship being anything other than a 1-to-1 representation of a 15th century carrack.

[woodrat]

Ferrus, I dont want to derail your thread so I will answer your question on the carrack in my log of the carrack

modelshipworld.com/topic/4915-venetian-carrack-or-cocha-by-woodrat-finished-164/page/21/

Cheers

Dick

[Ferrus Manus]

You haven't derailed my thread in any way. This is all part of the deal! I was the one who brought it up, after all.

[Ferrus Manus]

🎵...All i can hope for is for me to get better, 'cause all i can take is no more...🎵

 

This is the first time in well over half a year that I've listened to Tears Over Beers by Modern Baseball, and i can't get it out of my head while i work on the Golden Hinde. 

Anyways...

Today, i did some more hull and deck stuff (kevels, gunport lids, the hawse plates, the ship's boat, and the rudder). Here are the pictures:

You might not know, but before this point, the counter/lower transom was simply sitting in its place, and now i have glued it. Yes, i know i have yet to do the finishing paintwork on the seam between the parts. One interesting thing about this kit is that the sternpost and rudder are all one piece (technically two, but they are simply two halves of the same construct) 

One interesting thing (or two, rather) are the two circular holes on either side of the sternpost. I believe they could be either freeing ports for ropes, or entry points for auxiliary steering tackle. The instructions never elaborate.

 

Having the boat in its proper place makes me wonder how anyone got from point A to point B on this ship... no wonder they towed them in later eras when they cleared for action.

 

My next task will be to touch up some of the paint, and likely install the aft balcony. This will add to the detail of the ship.

Yes, at some point we will get to the anchor rant...

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Ferrus Manus

[Louie da fly]

Well, of course the boat may not be in its proper place. This is a speculative kit, not a precisely accurate reproduction of a known vessel. A lot of guesswork involved, and I for one think the kit manufacturers got this bit wrong.

 

Steven

[Ferrus Manus]

Where else would they put it? This is always where they put the ship's boat(s), on really any vessel in the age of sail. I believe it is in the correct place, it's just a small ship and thus a cramped area.

[Baker]

 

A possible solution for the purpose of the holes in the stern and for transporting the boat.

[Baker]

1 hour ago, Baker said:

 

A possible solution for the purpose of the holes in the stern and for transporting the boat.

But transporting the ship's boat in this way was not without danger.
Read this somewhere in one of my books.
An English fleet on its way to Spain ran into a storm and almost all the boats towed in this way were gone after the storm...

[Ferrus Manus]

Exactly. Freeing ports for ropes of various utilities. I'm just glad i did not miss something in the instructions, because now that the counter is glued on, i have no way of going back and changing things. Usually, boats were only towed behind ships in combat, to avoid them getting damaged and to free up space on the deck. I legitimately believe the boat is in its proper place and scale, unless someone proves me wrong. I am open to being proved wrong.

[Baker]

4 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

open to being proved wrong

Not me  😉

[Ferrus Manus]

Hah! You're an expert, so being proved wrong would be more catastrophic. 

 

At least my Golden Hinde has a boat: where's yours? 😉

I just did some research, and it appears that small galleons either had a boat sat on the spar deck, or no boat at all. At one point, Drake had his men lower the boat into the water in order to appear busy, before surprising the Spanish. So, clearly, the Golden Hinde had a boat.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Ferrus Manus

[Ferrus Manus]

So i promised i would touch up the stern paintwork, and that i did. I also painted and installed the aft balcony. It took me two hours, most of that was painting. I think it turned out pretty nicely. I decided to paint the fields of the balcony walls blue and beige, even though Revell wanted me to paint them straight brown with yellow trim. As you are probably aware by this point, i thought that simply wasn't exquisite enough. Come on, this is an English galleon. Of course i am going to go all out on the painting, at least to the best of my ability. 

This is the balcony:

I think Revell could have designed this part a little better, and put a little less give in the bottoms of the wall pieces. That way, those tacky gaps would be avoided. 

I am glad it is done (kind of) though, because i knew this part would be a hassle due to the nature of the pieces and how they fit together. 

 

Anyway, the reason i said i was only kind of done is because there are decals for this part. I do not know if the decals are any good anymore, or if the 6 decades of this kit's existence has ruined them. I am probably leaning toward the latter, having dealt with a near original Cutty Sark. Even so, the Tudor roses, fleurs de lis, and crown decals look kind of cheap considering they are not actual molded decorations. When i did my Man O' War, i painted those decorations gold. I will not use those decals. However, i would like to put the E R on the back; anyone who remembers this kit knows that they go on the inner two squares of the back wall of the balcony. I will try the decals at a later date. 

The amount of sheer detail on the Golden Hinde is really adding up. English galleons were very exquisitely detailed with geometric patterns and decorative elements, a tradition starting with the carracks of Henry VIII. I'm sure its primary function was as an intimidation tactic. It must've worked.

[Baker]

8 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

Hah! You're an expert, so being proved wrong would be more catastrophic. 

 

At least my Golden Hinde has a boat: where's yours? 😉

I just did some research, and it appears that small galleons either had a boat sat on the spar deck, or no boat at all. At one point, Drake had his men lower the boat into the water in order to appear busy, before surprising the Spanish. So, clearly, the Golden Hinde had a boat.

There was a terrible storm, and I lost it...

😇

[Ferrus Manus]

Apologies for my absence. I have been going absolutely nuts on the Golden Hinde, so you guys are in for a real treat. First thing i did was to install the forward grating, which was not as bad as i thought it would be. Then, i installed the fore bulkhead and then the forecastle deck. Around that same time i did the beakhead side pieces. I originally painted the fields blue, but i decided that blue would conflict with the rest of the paint job. So, i played it safe and went with beige instead.

After that, i did the bowsprit and the head timbers. I had to bend the bowsprit a slight amount at the base, in order to prevent it from shooting off to the port side. Now, it pretty much reaches the center. I then did the gammoning line on the bowsprit. These are a lot harder to do on galleons than other types of ships, because they have to be fed through a lot more stuff. I then installed the ACTUAL Golden Hinde onto the bow of the Golden Hinde, then worked on the forecastle deck accessories. I am painting the pins a different color than the rails for the first time, actually. I thought you would find that interesting. 

Why does the interior rail need the same level of detail work as the outside of the hull? Because England, that's why! 

[Ferrus Manus]

I am confident we have established a pretty clear chain of command here on the golden Hinde build log: It's Kirill, then Baker, then Steven, then me. Anyways, i now have most of the hull done. The only thing that annoys me about how they designed the kit is that the poop deck encroaches on the railing and thus has some ugly gaps toward the front. I also painted the lantern rather differently. I painted the fields yellow, and then went back and put a dot of white in the middle. I literally painted the lantern like a Kinkade painting, and that was on purpose. Here is the progress:

I have yet to attempt the decals on the aft of the balcony. I had a near-catastrophe today when the spritsail yard vanished into another dimension, only to reappear out of my chair. 

I might do the nagging knighthead post later today, or tomorrow. 

[Ian_Grant]

Looking good. Does Revell provide any seats of ease for the beakhead gratings?

[Ferrus Manus]

Nope. I watched a documentary and in the days of the Golden Hinde, you just sat over the edge of the forward bulkhead and went. On Monday, the Monday Liar (the first person to tell a lie on Monday) would have the unpleasant job of cleaning it up. There might have been heads on the Golden Hinde; Baker was kind enough to add them on his model.

Edited January 28, 2023 by Ferrus Manus

[Ferrus Manus]

I have recently learned from @Baker that belaying pins did not in fact show up until after the Golden Hinde sailed. So, this model is now slightly inaccurate. However, this also means i can belay lines to basically whatever and wherever i want. I was thinking about belaying some of the topsail lines to the masttops, making room at the pinrails for more lines to be belayed (leech/buntlines, etc) 

[Baker]

7 minutes ago, Ferrus Manus said:

this model is now slightly inaccurate.

I think this kit is almost as OLD as me.
Forgive revell these little mistakes.

[Ferrus Manus]

This kit is older than most people here. 

[Ferrus Manus]

Well, i currently can't see a darn thing. They dilated my eyes today, so no update on the Golden Hinde. I have been told i have to chill out with the up close work, because my eyesight is currently going downhill much faster than normal. I would like to cuss like a sailor right now, but this is an academic forum so i won't. I am 18 years old, and i have the eyesight of an old man. My left eye went down three times as much last year than what's normal.

No, i will not stop modelling, or even slow down. I might just get some magnifying glasses or some other device i can attach onto my glasses while modelling. Forgive any potential typos: i currently can't really see.

[rcweir]

Sorry to hear that you have eye trouble.     Coincidentally,  I'm just finishing up a re-read of 'Two Years Before the Mast'.  When Richard Henry Dana wrote that book he was about your age and had eye trouble, too.  His solution was to go to sea for a couple of years to give his eyes a rest.   

[Ferrus Manus]

Yeah. Might do that. The immediate effects of the eye-dilating test subsided quicker than i thought they would, so i went down to the model shop and got some supplies. However, the whole "light sensitivity" effect stayed longer than it should have. I have brilliant blue eyes, so i am already very light-sensitive by default. However, i think this has also subsided by now.

 

I might post an update later. I am starting the masts! yay!