Queen Elizabeth 1588 by Ferrus Manus - Revell - 1/96 - PLASTIC - Baker-style galleon of the English Armada

[Ferrus Manus]

Part 2: Digging In

This is a photo of my completed Golden Hinde. You should remember this if you've been a long-time viewer of my build logs. 

As I was building this model, I ended up noticing multiple historical inaccuracies. For one thing, the Golden Hinde might not have even looked like this. In Wikipedia's records, it was armed with 22 guns of different types. This ship is armed with 12 guns. In fact, the Golden Hinde was probably not even a race-built ship as is depicted here. For a 1965 kit, it holds up to scrutiny however. That being said, calling it the Golden Hinde might be a fallacy. There is also the issue of the belaying pins. Baker told me as I was well underway with the running rigging that English ships didn't start incorporating belaying pins until over a century after the Golden Hinde sailed. 

 

Plus, let's face it- with the skill and knowledge I have today, I could do a lot better on this kit. For one thing, the entirety of the shroud assemblies could be scratch-built. Secondly, the majority of the rigging and sails do not hold up to my current skillset, and the anchors and flags are the same way. I would like to significantly improve the paintwork as well. While the paint job is relatively good looking even now, I have better paints and brushes than I had then. I also have better tools and fittings. 

 

That leads me to my plan, and this build log. I will not touch the original Golden Hinde. However, I will order the Heller version of this kit and do that. I am planning on doing all my normal work on the ship, while paying special attention to the paint, sails, and rigging. I plan on making silkspan sails, putting decals on the sails, staining the rigging (something Kirill told me I should do) as well as making general improvements. 

 

This is still just a plan, and I haven't even ordered the kit yet. However, it would be nice to have some company while I work on what is hopefully going to be my best model yet. I plan on portraying this ship as a small galleon of the English fleet that went up against the Spanish Armada in 1588, and yes it is named after someone I know, but for official records, the name Queen Elizabeth comes from the English tradition of naming ships after the reigning monarch at the time. There were two ships in the Elizabethan Navy bearing her name (The Elizabeth Jonas and the Elizabeth Bonaventure) so this name is historically plausible. 

 

For now, this is a research log. 

[Ferrus Manus]

@Louie da fly @Baker @kirill4 

welcome to the circus. 

[Ferrus Manus]

This is Matthew Baker's design for a race-built galleon.

Notice the fact that this ship is much larger than the Queen Elizabeth would be. The communication port near the waterline is possible owing to the ship's size, and such a feature would be far too close to the waterline to exist on my ship. 

Also, would a smaller ship participating in the Battle of Gravelines (or similar engagement) have used waistcloth? 

[Ferrus Manus]

I also don't know how useful Vroom's paintings would be in this situation. He tended to paint the massive Dutch and Spanish two- and three-deckers in his paintings. However, almost all of the Dutch ships seem to be built in the Spanish design, being huge galleons designed to pound the enemy into submission before boarding and destroying whatever was left. This was not how the English built ships. The English vessels were designed to sit just outside the range of Spanish guns and fire volley after volley until the enemy gave up. This doctrine of naval engagement leads me to believe a race-built ship would not have needed waistcloth. 

[Ferrus Manus]

This is an English two-decker that would reasonably have been able to use broadside-and-board tactics. Notice the close-up sparring match between the English and Spanish ship, that will probably result in one or both parties trying to board the other. 

[Ferrus Manus]

This is a smaller Dutch galleon that would have been around the size of the Queen Elizabeth:

 

Note that small ships still engaged in close-up duels at this time period, necessitating the use of anti-boarding and anti-small arms measures:

[Baker]

15 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

@Louie da fly @Baker @kirill4 

welcome to the circus. 

Baker wants a free ticket to the circus 

BTW.
I am not related to Mathew, My name translated into English is.... Baker

 

15 hours ago, Ferrus Manus said:

However, almost all of the Dutch ships seem to be built in the Spanish design,

No. 

 

(First post and already comments... )

 

[Ferrus Manus]

4 hours ago, Baker said:

I am not related to Mathew

I know that, but to me (and probably most other members of MSW) you might as well be Matthew Baker himself. 

[Ferrus Manus]

4 hours ago, Baker said:

No.

I will admit that the Spanish ship looks slightly blockier and less streamlined than the Dutch ships. However, I think my point stands. 

[Ferrus Manus]

I am aware that fluyts, jachts, pinnaces and other Dutch ships are regularly depicted in his paintings, however, many of the large galleons Vroom paints under the Dutch flag look similar to the Spanish ships. 

Edited February 21 by Ferrus Manus

[GrandpaPhil]

Looking forward to this build!

[Ferrus Manus]

The idea is, eventually, to have a Fleet Admiral in charge of the shipyard. This build might, potentially, be a step in getting one of my own. 

[Ferrus Manus]

Anyway, does anyone know a technique to put decals on silkspan? Remember, silkspan is a flexible material upon which decals might crack. I plan to put "E R" regalia on the mainsail, perhaps along with a Tudor Rose. 

[Richard44]

Don't know if it would work, but you could try printing by stretching and fastening the silkspan onto a sheet of paper. Laser printer might work better than ink jet.

[Bob Fraser]

Iron on transfer paper might work - use it with an ordinary inkjet. I've used this on t-shirts but not on silkspan.

Sublimation printing works the same way but needs special inks in a dedicated printer on sublimation paper, can work with an iron, but usually a heat press.

 

[Ferrus Manus]

Thank you both for the ideas. I will likely attempt to print the design on the silkspan. 

[Ferrus Manus]

Now, onto the next issue: the rudder preventer configuration. I used a complex chain configuration on the Spanish Galleon, but none on the Golden Hinde. 

The truth is, almost none of the period artworks depict rudder preventers on any of the ships. So, your guess is as good as any other. However, I have an idea. I might be able to put an eyebolt into the bottom of one of the knees holding up the stern gallery. See my original Golden Hinde build for a look at what I'm talking about. This eyebolt could be the end point for the rudder preventer. 

 

[kirill4]

Good day Ferrus Manus!

Very interesting building You started, will follow with great interest!

Duch artists/ or artist - Van deVelde, as I remember,  shown this detail / rudder preventer, in many...

Wish You all the Best!