Soleil Royal by EricWiberg - Heller - 1/100 - started 45 years ago

[EricWiberg]

That information helps me immensely!

[Hubac's Historian]

Anytime!

[EricWiberg]

As mentioned previously, I have sanded off all strakes, decorations, whatever from the bulwarks (completely revising the bulwarks was a planned outcome of my decision to add new wales that would show much more sheer at the stern). That left me with the standard Heller gun ports, windows, and exposed timberheads. In pursuit of an SR 1671, heavily relying on Royal Duc drawings, some things had to happen: 1) the main deck gun ports had to lose the arch on top, 2) the four circular gun ports on the quarterdeck had to become five square gun ports, 3) create some new windows for the quarterdeck and poop deck, and 4) cover up the exposed timberheads to make a "solid" wall.

 

 

All items done, and I decided I wanted a little more height on the sides of the bulwark as they descend from left to right. This also helped with the repositioning of the poop royal deck. The gun ports and windows aren't finished yet, but they are getting close, and my laser leveler is very helpful with maintaining plumb.

 

One big item that I also had to resolve was the poop royal deck. In order to add a second gun to the poop deck, I shortened the poop royal deck by 11mm (after already removing the top sheer step at the poop royal deck as well). I didn't feel like redoing the poop royal deck entrance bulkhead, so I did several things with the royal poop deck and the poop deck that lowered the poop royal deck vertical height by several mm (thinning the deck supports in the hull by almost a mm each, etc.)... and yet kept the same stock bulkhead entrnce.

 

Now it is just a matter of finishing the starboard rear bulwark (I have already started work on the port rear bulwark). I scribed planks on the exterior, but will glue styrene strips on the interior walls to see how that looks compared to scribed planks. Of course, I will add new shorter exposed timberheads on the rails with a caprail. Then on to the forward bulwarks. As GuyM has done, I will affix the bulwarks to the hull quite a bit earlier in the process than normal, but that will make attaching the top wales and the listons d'or much easier. 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by EricWiberg

[Hubac's Historian]

I think it was a good idea to pad up your sheer steps.  I also think planking the inner bulwarks is a good idea, as your sanding away of detail appears to have made your bulwarks quite thin.  The inner planking would provide an easy way to create the port lid rebates for those main and quarter deck square ports that are housed.

Edited 35 minutes ago by Hubac's Historian