HMS Indefatigable 1794 by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[allanyed]

52 minutes ago, hollowneck said:

I've squeezed both open ends of the upper chain links closed.

David Antscherl goes into great detail on how to make realistic binding, middle link, toe link and preventer plate in The Fully Framed Model Volume II pages 262-265.  Way to much to post here, but as he is a member, hopefully he will see this and post some information from his book.   

Allan

[hollowneck]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

David Antscherl goes into great detail on how to make realistic binding, middle link, toe link and preventer plate in The Fully Framed Model Volume II pages 262-265.  Way to much to post here, but as he is a member, hopefully he will see this and post some information from his book.   

Allan

Thanks Allan. David's Vol 2 is the one I don't have!

[allanyed]

2 hours ago, hollowneck said:

David's Vol 2 is the one I don't have!

Sorry Ron, wish I could have been of more help.

Allan

[Blue Ensign]

 

Thank you Ron, and Allan for your input.

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Chris has done a great job on designing and producing the  strops/chain link combinations to allow the fitting of these with the minimum of fuss, and with an excellent result.

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The trade-off is that the middle link chains of necessity have a tiny gap that is necessary for linking the strops to the lower chains and is a simplification much appreciated.

 

The middle links should retain that elongated oval shape and personally I don’t think they are improved by either turning them into effectively an iron strap with eyes either end, or  trying to squeeze  the gap together that risks deforming that perfect oval shape.

 

David Antcherl does indeed cover the making of chains from scratch very well, but in this case, and at this scale, even my inner pedant recognises that rejigging the chains is simply not worth the effort of messing with Chris’s excellent set-up.

 

 

B.E.

 

[glbarlow]

On 2/24/2024 at 6:33 AM, Blue Ensign said:

Syren laser board rudder straps,

That is a clever idea, wish I’d read this about a year ago when I did my port lids. Nice!

[Blue Ensign]

Chuck produces a lot of stuff useful to  non Syren kits builders, and I see he now has working  port lid hinges (Winchelsea) which may adapt to smaller scales.

His Laser board rudder /pintle sets are my go to for use on the Vanguard kits I have built recently, and easily double for lid hinges.

 

For 'Indy' Chris has supplied laser board straps for the Rudder, for me, brass etched rudder straps are a thing of the past.

 

B.E.

 

 

Edited February 26 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Post One Hundred and fifty

 

Completing the ports

The two  enclosed Qtr deck ports remained to be done.

Usual top hinged lids into the Great cabin, and a pair of side opening doors into the Coach and Bed space.

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I thought I had done with queries about ports, but I’m not entirely convinced why side opening doors are shown in the position they are, constrained by Mizen chains which only allow  them to open half way.

 

They are a feature usually found in positions above the channels, or at the foremost bow port, where space is restricted.

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This shot onboard Victory taken when I blagged my way onto the Poop deck shows similar doors in place.

 

The photo also has other interesting features. Note the tube thro’ which the port lid lanyard goes inboard, and that the port only has one lanyard presumably due it being of lightweight construction over a Qtr deck cabin.

 

The final interesting feature for detail fans is the knot secured on the Mizen channel.

 

This is the reason at the time I wanted to look over the Poop.

The knot secures the Rudder pendant which attaches to the chains and is used to control the rudder should the tiller lines be shot away.

 

Back to INDY..

Notwithstanding the above, the side doors do make a nice feature and provide additional interest to the build, more so if displayed closed.

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I used a normal port lid as it makes more sense to me.

 

Stern Ports

There are two stern ports engraved on the lower counter, the plans show use of provided hinges (PE47) over the patterns, but I didn’t seem to have sufficient to do this, but the Laser board Syren straps filled in nicely.

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This is not a very prominent area of the model but that is no reason not to enhance it.

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Addition of double lift rings and lanyards complete the effect.

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The trickiest part is securing the lanyards thro’ the lifting rings using a false splice.

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Getting the needle thro’ the 0.3mm line is a severe test of my aging eyesight.

 

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Still lot to do on this build.

 

B.E.

26/02/2024

 

[hollowneck]

On 2/25/2024 at 2:57 AM, Blue Ensign said:

even my inner pedant recognises that rejigging the chains is simply not worth the effort of messing with Chris’s excellent set-up.

Well reasoned and stated, B.E. My inner OCD recommendation got the best of me: fly specks amongst the pepper.

[dafi]

3 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

The final interesting feature for detail fans is the knot secured on the Mizen channel.

 

This is the reason at the time I wanted to look over the Poop.

The knot secures the Rudder pendant which attaches to the chains and is used to control the rudder should the tiller lines be shot away.

Hello B.E.

 

wonderful work, as always from you! Just rediscovered this thread and enjoyed your astounishing work.

 

Small remark/question for the knot in the channel from fixing the the rudder pendants. In the most probably contemporary model of Victory LR0512 http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66473.html the pendants do not stop there but run through the  channel boards up to the poopdeck to be secured on a clamp there. Is there a contempoprary source that indicates where the pendants were usually led to?

 

Also concerning the small leather tube that protects the port lid lanyard: I had it alraedy in one of my models faked by a bit of white glue to give volume and a bit of black paint. looked convincing at my small scale.

 

All the best, Daniel

Edited February 26 by dafi

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you, Daniel, hope things are good with you.

 

I have not seen any contemporary information regarding the lead of the pendant and I don’t know whether the knot is a modern convention simply to secure the line, or if a further line was eye spliced to the knot, and set up with a tackle.

 

The arrangement on that wonderful Victory model would seem to fulfil most model making requirements.

 

Harland (Seamanship in the age of Sail) covers various mishaps to wheel and rudder and courses of action to counter them. He mentions the pendants in relation to the loss of the rudder head and use for steering. He shows a tackle secured to a beam athwartships, and a jury rig to the wheel on a Frigate.

 

Re: the leather tubes for the lid lanyards; I did the same as you for the stern ports, but for broadside ports, I am thinking of using the sleeves from telephone wire – if I can remember where I have put my supply.🤔

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post One Hundred and fifty-one

 

All things brass

A few days taken up with the fitting of deck eyebolts, stanchions, and hammock cranes.

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These items are beautifully crafted by Chris particularly the waist cranes with integral retaining hooks and eyes.

 

Cranes also line the Qtr deck bulwark and are placed atop the Qtr deck breast rail.

Before removal from the fret I clean with fine steel wool which aids the subsequent blackening process.

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Once removed the Qtr deck cranes needed careful cleaning up to remove all traces of the fret nubs and are then trial fitted to reduce handling later.

They are given an acid bath, followed by the blackening procedure.

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I use 0.5mm ø brass tubing to maintain the line whilst progressively fitting the waist cranes.

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I did notice that cranes or stanchions are not provided for the Fo’csle rails between the timberheads. 

Should there be, I don’t know. 🤔

Victory was equipped with cranes, and the Sphinx model has stanchions around the Fo’csle.

The contemporary model of Amazon (32) 1773 had stanchions around the Fo’csle between the timberheads.

 

I am inclined to think that 'Indy' may have had them for safety on the exposed Foc’sle, particularly as we know these razees were prone greater rolling.

 

I’ll have a ferret thro’ my spares box and see how they look.

 

 

B.E.

29/02/2024

[Theodosius]

Youre Indy became a real beauty! I like it very much!

[Blue Ensign]

Post One Hundred and Fifty-two

 

Anchors 

As a change of scene, I thought I would make up a couple of the anchors.

The kit includes the four main bower anchors, if the smaller stream and kedge anchors are required they are easily obtained using aftermarket suppliers.

 

The kit provided anchors have a scale shank length of 77mm (16’ 2”) which equates to a weight of 43cwt

This weight falls between the allocated anchor weights for 38-50-gun ships.

The outer diameter of the ring is 29” which scales to 11.5mm.

The thickness of the ring scales to 1.4mm.

A 64-gun ship had 4 bowers at 57cwt plus stream at 15cwt and a kedge of 7cwt 2qrts.

 

The kit anchors are 3d printed and very finely sculpted. All the subtle features are moulded into the shank and arms.

I think the day of the white metal anchor is coming to a close.

As with all resin stuff the parts need washing and priming.

 

The stocks are pre-cut from Pearwood and are faced with a thinner veneer that contains the Trenails correctly positioned and with engraved markings for the iron retaining bands.

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The only modification I felt necessary was to taper the arms thickness a little from outside the central area towards the outer ends.

This reflects a more authentic shape.

 

Once primed, I used Vallejo black/grey, followed by dark brown /rust weathering powders.

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The anchors on the left have had the weathering treatment, those on the right as painted.

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Brass wire of 1.4mm ø was used to make the rings which have an outside ø of 11.5mm.

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The ends of the rings were reduced in size to fit the shank and chemically blackened to give a little tooth for the puddening.

 

The stock halves have mortises cut into the inner sides to fit against the shank. There should be a gap between them but I thought it a tad too large so I deepened the mortice somewhat.

Glued together the facings are then added.

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Those familiar with my stuff know that I favour heat shrink rubber tubing to represent iron hoops.

 

The final part is to add the puddening to the anchor ring.

I used Syren 0.45mm ø and Morope 0.1mm stuff for the seizings.

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In applying the puddening unless you glue the ring in place it needs to be held steady. As I work around the ring I apply pva to help keep it in place.

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3847

 

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Capt. Pellew is dwarfed by Indy’s anchors.

 

I won’t be fitting or rigging the anchors but as far as I can see there is no reference to this in either manual or plans, so other sources will have to be found; fortunately there are many available.

 

 

B.E.

02/03/2024

[Blue Ensign]

Post One Hundred and Fifty-three

Anniversary

Today marks twelve months since I started this log.

I have worked several hours, mostly each day, over the period and have included many modifications to the basic kit, some obvious, some not so, and some now hidden.

 

That such a large and detailed model can be constructed to this stage in such a relatively short time is all down to Chris’s planning and design and the quality of the fittings.

 

Apart from a few minor additions, the hull is effectively completed.

 

To mark the occasion, I cleaned up my workbench, and took some photo’s using my tripod rather than the usual handheld w-i-p shots.

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In the earlier stages of the build, I didn’t have the same sense of enjoyment I had with Sphinx, perhaps because it is a more difficult model to manoeuvre during building, it is large financial investment you don’t want to mess up, and it is a far testier challenge than Sphinx.

More recently, with the build challenges mostly behind me, I have warmed to the task, and there’s no denying the ‘Indy’ model certainly has that WOW factor.

 

Mrs W loves it, even if she is still asking where I’m going to put it.🫤

3905

Getting there Gov’nor, getting there.

 

Cheers Gromit.

 

 

B.E.

05/03/2024

 

 

[wvdhee]

Absolutely stunning 😊

[Nipper]

It's fantastic B.E. - no wonder you feel such a sense of achievement!

 

I notice the sheathing from telephone wiring that you have used for the lanyards on the gunports.  Doesn't that work well! That's another great idea I will borrow from you, if you don't mind.  What thickness are the gunport lanyards - 0.20mm?

 

Nipper

[Blue Ensign]

 

Thank you Walter and Nipper.

@ Nipper - I used Syren 0.3mmø  line which equates to 2½” circ.

(Lavery comments that in the 1780’s port ropes were usually of 3” rope.)

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

 

 

[Nearshore]

Fantastic job!!

 

Nearshore

[shipman]

Yet another of your splendidly handsome builds.

Sublime. Thanks again for another journey of discovery.

[mgatrost]

Thanks for taking us along on this wonderful journey. 

[hollowneck]

11 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

Mrs W loves it, even if she is still asking where I’m going to put it.

Bravo, B.E. - strike while the iron's hot, says Gromit! If your Indy won't fit on your wife's bedstand, try her chest of drawers.

[Darius359au]

Stunning work!

 

Richard

[aliluke]

Awesome! Your work is, as always, inspiring and wonderful to behold. I have got a spare shelf here if you need somewhere to put it...😁

[Blue Ensign]

Thankyou Guys for your comments and 'likes' 

@ Alistair - that shelf is going to need some heavy duty brackets.😉

 

B.E.

 

 

[Kevin]

she looks fantastic, well done

 

[Thukydides]

Great job, as always I have greatly enjoyed following along and listening to your thought process.

[mugje]

She looks fantastic! And so massive! Then you can appreciate when fittings etc are designed in the right scale, and not a gross blob of wood/metal. The fine details really gives the ship a massive appearance.

[Hubac's Historian]

As always, B.E., a very impressive build!

[72Nova]

Hi Maurice,

This build is just fantastic on all levels, I've always admired all your builds and they just get better and better, Cheers🥂

 

Michael D.

[scrubbyj427]

Very nicely done! She looks incredible. Congratulations!

 

JJ