SOLEIL ROYAL by Robert Taylor - Heller - 1/100 scale - PLASTIC - side project

[kirill4]

Sorry for my too late question regarding ratlines thicknest ...

May be  this " check point "  question will be usefull for the next model... 

All the best!!!

[yvesvidal]

Incredible model and assembly. You are turning this Plastic kit into a little marvel: Pimping it up, should I say !

 

I remember assembling the Heller Royal Louis some fifty years ago, but it was far from your level of expertise.

 

Looking at the stern of that vessel, one can see the differences of richness and decorations between the French and British vessels. The French builders were definitely putting more emphasis into the glamor and opulence. That "Chateau Arriere" is absolutely amazing.

 

Yves

[Robert Taylor]

On 12/17/2024 at 8:36 PM, yvesvidal said:

Incredible model and assembly. You are turning this Plastic kit into a little marvel: Pimping it up, should I say !

 

I remember assembling the Heller Royal Louis some fifty years ago, but it was far from your level of expertise.

 

Looking at the stern of that vessel, one can see the differences of richness and decorations between the French and British vessels. The French builders were definitely putting more emphasis into the glamor and opulence. That "Chateau Arriere" is absolutely amazing.

 

Yves

Thank you very much for your kind words Yves. I have also built the Heller Royal Louis a few years back to which I improvised on that kit too when still finding my feet bk in modelling after a 40yr absence. I didn't  improvise as much as on this Soleil Royal kit obviously because of the scale difference. Here is some photos  of my Royal  Louis 1/200 Heller kit finished.

[Robert Taylor]

SOLEIL ROYAL UPDATE : 

the Lower ratlines are now complete from the Spritsail, Foremast, Main and Mizzen mast, with 942 clove hitches being tied in the process.
Now moving on to rig the deadeyes/shrouds for Top masts of the Fore, Main & Mizzen.

[Robert Taylor]

Just rigging up the deadeyes for the Fore topmost Shrouds in my usual unorthodox way. The modelling wire on the lower deadeye will go through the hole on the crowsnest then I will bend it up into a loop, where I can then tie the Futtock Shrouds from, this is the same way I rigged the futtock Shrouds on my Occre Endeavour build.
The 2nd pic below is for information only as to what I mean, not taken from my Endeavour build.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Robert Taylor
Improvised text

[Robert Taylor]

Its been a while since my last update due to other circumstances. All the Futtock Shrouds and Ratlines are now complete as is all the backstays on my Soleil Royal and the rigging to a point. Next up is measuring and drawing the sails on to cloth, after which is hand sewing all the detail on to them. Roughly 14 sails to do as I won't be adding the studding sails as this would make the width too much for where I want to display the ship when finished.
Still a good 3-4 months work involved in hand sewing the sails as well as adding reef points.

Edited April 7 by Robert Taylor
Photo update

[Robert Taylor]

Fore Top gallant mast, Fore Top mast, Fore main mast sails drawn up and cut out from cloth.

 

 

[Robert Taylor]

Well that's the 14 Sails measured, drawn up and cut out next step is the long process of Hand sewing all the detailed lines etc.. I've also made the flagstaff out of wood with only a little aid of the plastic support, as well as 2 brass halves of Fleur de lys bonded together, next will be a little paint and weather for the support and staining of the wood.

Edited April 13 by Robert Taylor
More photos

[Robert Taylor]

Small update on my SOLEIL ROYAL

Nothing much to right up about apart from I have now completed hand sewing 4 of the 14 sails I intend my ship.
Updates now will be few and far between as it's pretty pointless putting sail completion updates everytime one is finished. Hopefully I can get these done and rigged up before the start of September in time for the Model/show exhibition I've been invited to display at, if the ship isn't finished it can still go on display as a Work in Progress.
Hope everyone is OK, have a great time all with your builds.
A few photos below...

[Robert Taylor]

It's been a long time since my last ship building  post on here due other good but necessary conflicting circumstances.
All the Soleil Royal sails have been hand sewn, now in the process of rigging them up, a bit of tight time schedule due to the the fact that the model show exhibition I've been asked to display at is in just under 3 weeks time, still confident enough this ship and other stuff will be ready for her maiden voyage.

[phoscar]

A superb achievement. Thank you for your photographs, they are a great help to me in understanding some of the subtleties of the rigging.

[mrcc]

Hey Robert…

 

Awesome job on this kit!

 

You are a real master!

[Robert Taylor]

On 8/29/2025 at 9:29 AM, phoscar said:

A superb achievement. Thank you for your photographs, they are a great help to me in understanding some of the subtleties of the rigging.

Thank you very much, the ship will be finally finished in the next couple of days, just some small bits of rigging and flags  to finish and mounting her on her stand. All the sails have been  rigged up as well as adding in the black n tackle for lifting and lowering the lifeboats. 

[Robert Taylor]

1 hour ago, mrcc said:

Hey Robert…

 

Awesome job on this kit!

 

You are a real master!

Thank you very much mate, I don't  know about being a master lol.. nowhere near a professional, then again it's not something  I am overly bothered  about i just build my ships the way anyone else does to their own capabilities and own pleasure.

[Robert Taylor]

After 2 1/2 years some a lot of which I had to deal with heartbreaking circumstances my Soleil Royal is finally  finished. Originally the Heller kit but I heavily  improvised  her giving her wooden decks, masts, yards, Deadeyes, rigging blocks etc.. while adding a lot more deck detail rigging  up all 104 Cannons, 1,864 clove hitches, approx 500 reef points, 520 Cannon balls as well as Barrels and rope hanks not to mention  miles of Amati rigging thread in various  sizes.

 

Without  the personal circumstances I've had to endure she has been  a labour of Love. 

I'm  not a craftsman by any manner of means and don't have any ambitions to be one either. I just build these ships for the Beauty and historical aspect that each one has. 

Some of the photos you will see were taken at a recent Model Show in Scotland i was asked to display at.

 

I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed building her. 

 

All the best 

Robert 

(ART's Model Dockyard)