HMS Terror by Jond - OcCre - 1:75

[Jond]

1 The Beginning 

I join a group of recent builders of this model kit with enthusiasm.   Not as to the model and building of it but to the story that it represents.  I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to move to Canada in 2009-2012 and fell into reading Pierre Berton, a prolific writer and former TV guy. Reading all about the Klondike and then his book   Arctic Grail sent me on a long adventure.    

My current library of Arctic oriented past, present, and future reading has grown extensively. I think to try to hit a few high points of those books and stories may take us too far adrift.   This log is to be about HMS Terror, why I am building it and ultimately, with some pictures, how will it come out.   So, to keep it brief….

 

Why the build?

 

•    After 15 years of on and off again study, reading well over 40 related books, I have decided to take a trip north later this summer and pass through the Northwest passage.  I will include a summary of that trip after it happens in August to September.
•    Adventure Canada gave me an Essential Reading list that I have devoured, and hopefully one well known historian will join us on the cruise.
•    On a recent, May 2024, three-week road trip across the Canadian prairie to the Glacier Park and back home through Dakota Buffalo county, I read MSW logs each night of everyone who has listed the HMS Terror or HMS Erebus.  It took that many nights as the logs are incredible.  I learned something from every one of them and that is the value MSW.  
•    Several of the more complete logs, by great builders, referred to the recent book on HMS Terror by the Museum Curator Mathew Betts.   Combined with his log of partially built HMS Erebus, it’s great reading for both modelers and those with interest in the Antarctic and Arctic sailing.
•    The Idea that HMS Terror as a new vessel bombed Baltimore in 1815, sailed three complete circuits of the Antarctic and then went off to the Northwest passage is embellished, as Betts explains she was technologically the best of the best at each stage.
•    The Stephen King style book, HMS Terror   by Dan Simmons is great summer reading.  It was made into a mini-series but alas one must subscribe to another TV channel to watch more than the first episode.  I recommend the first episode, which is free on Amazon Prime.  The studio recreated a life size set of both on deck and below, with Matthew Betts advising them.  It was great to watch.
•    Michael Palen’s book HMS Erebus is also a fascinating read on the “bomb vessel” or bark’s history up to her disappearance.
•    In recent years, Canada Parks and others have found both vessels where they sank near the King William Island.  There are many books written of those findings and as one might say, the beat goes on.

 

How to build

 

•    Over the past 10 years I have focused my study and building to the local mid-coast of Maine shipbuilding in our Boothbay Region.  There are more than enough examples to build. There were 14 barks or ships to choose from in our little town.  A fully rigged bark is on my list to try soon.  That effort will involve more upfront investigation to get, or I should say adapt useable plans, as the records here are wanting to say the least. 
•    I could have taken the HMS Terror plans that are available in the Mathew Bett's book and done CAD bulkhead thing and moved on step by step.  I chose to take advantage of all the work done by others.  I found the kit as an open box on eBay with a little discount. I was not concerned about any missing parts.   I also have had fun buying other stuff that I will share as I get to them, the wheel, the small boats, possible walnut to replace hull planking etc.   
•    My version will not likely come up anywhere near the great work by others already having gone down this path.  I shall leverage their lessons learned and point out when I don’t follow their wisdom and get my oops.
•    I record my current thoughts at the beginning of the build, and we shall see how they evolve.   I think I will leave wood more in a natural way than to simply paint it black.   I am debating between diorama of ice bound or more complete pedestal display as others have done.  If I use the sails in the kit, it is more likely to be as patterns for silk span replacement.   If a diorama I ask should they be furled or stored below.
•    I have no idea where I will go with ships boats.  The records say there were 12….wow one image shows one swinging from the yardarm while icebound.

So not knowing really where this project may end it is time to get started.   I am now actively doing two builds at a time.  My idea is to have two different types of builds going so I can go back and forth.   I also plan to take on the challenge to build more small ships boats and the like, something I really need to develop especially if I want to do a diorama. 

 

Start to build

 

I just want to mention that for some of us Yanks, a 1:75 scale model causes a few inconveniences.  If I were to scratch build, I would likely go with 1:64 or 1:48 to allow side by side comparison with say my diorama of Bowdoin.   I also cannot seem to find 1:75 figures yet… I am still looking. First up was to take all parts out of the box and assemble the deck.   I followed advice from others and took first the drawings that I thought were correct for the deck.  After more review the Matthew Bett's book, I scanned the deck drawing from his book, which shows the deck furniture layout and more importantly the “lights” that need to be drilled based on his research.   I took the little provided rivets and filled them with clear silicon to simulate the glass.  I am amazed that one builder added lights to shine up through.   That is well over my pay grade.

So as I close this introduction I have the deck done and the first layer of planking in place.  I am mid-way through the second planking and will share that soon. 

 

• 01.   The first picture shows the deck planked and the plan scaled from the British museum.  My source was another log.

 

• 02   the second view shows the gray copy of the scaled scan from the Mathew Betts book.  

 

• 03.   here we see the two plans laid off to the side of the completed deck

 

• 04-05     
• here are two views of the underlay planking in place.  I also have some filling and more sanding to do.  The keel and stem are loosely dry fit. I note that the kit recommends they get installed after.  I do not know how pinning the light planking will go, so I started the outer planking without them in place. 

 

 

All for now
 

[clearway]

welcome to the Terror club and all the fun that comes with the Occre kit🤪😜.

 

The north west passage cruise sounds awesome.

 

Keith

[Jond]

Keith

 

thank you for dropping in. I must say following your build[s] has been wonderful.  the back and forth of a few years back too between about 4 of you guys was great to read through as well.  I was thrilled yu jumped in again and have opened the box for Erebus as I was curious what they would do.   Your idea of fixing the bulbous hull was well thought out as well.   best wishes as you can carry on.

 

 

Jon

[Jond]

2 trying to get the hull done

 

There are a few steps here as I follow all the folks who have gone before me on this build. I find it interesting that different approaches prevail.  I have done a few things that got me where I am, but I see others were smarter. The outer planking is longer than the hull in my kit.  I therefore chose to wrap the second planking all the way forward, tapering to make it work.   Others stopped the visible planking at the border with the bow plating…..I conclude that they were better off.

 

I followed the Kit’s guide photos and installed all the second planks everywhere before working on the ice bumpers.   I see now that I have started the ice bumpers that my choice was not great.  Those that run the top four outer planks = 20 MM, and then run the ice bumpers and do all that sanding with only inner planking in place, win the prize for smarts.

 

I have chosen to try to work in darker stains since the outer planking is nicer than say bass wood, maple, or other typical planking.    I can always paint black over it if it does not come out right…. One can see below my first go

 

So, there is more to do but for a mid-point hull update, but it is the end of July so here are a few pictures

 

• 1,2,3   I found to install the thin outer planking a combination of pins, rubber bands and bent sticks all come into play.  I show mid-way through, then the last plank opening and finally all planks in place

Next up is the refinishing since believe it would be more than difficult to finish after installing the ice bumpers.

• 4, 5here we see the set up with the first 4 ice bumper planks. I taped off the area where I will glue the ice bumpers and metal plating on the bow.  The pre-bending of ice bumpers is a parallel task.  I believe 18 planks are needed.  For the stain I compared an old can of what is labeled Jacoby with one labeled dark walnut. They are very similar, and I chose Jacoby. 

• 6,7 Two coats applied:   after the first coat the tape all came off.   Then after the second coat it came off again.  I chose to leave more stain on and not to rub it in either coat than I normally would as I am trying to get the darkest finish I can get.

• 8   I just bought a can of hand rub poly as I fear the tung oil will not like the handling during the next phase.  I have about three coats on at this stage. Here it is drying and one can see the unabsorbed pigment came off in that rubbing.   The jury is still out on the stained wood look as it has absolutely no relation to any scale and may take the eye away.   we'll see.

• 9 here I have started to glue on the ice bumpers.  I will remove the pins in the outer layers, but they are handy.   It is easy to see the issues I will have next when I try to sand the bumpers. 

 

It is already August , so only a few more weeks before I travel north to the passage.

 

Cheers  

[clearway]

coming along nicely- say hello to the 1:1 Terror and Erebus for me when you head North😁.

 

Keith

[Jond]

03 Finish the hull

 

My goal has been to get the hull basically complete before heading north.  I completed the kit photo instructions for pages A-E , so here she will rest for a while.  In the update photos we see a little of the process and then how she is today, as I have put her on a shelf.

 

1 -3   getting the ice channels sanded and shaping the cap rails by soaking and then clamping them to one side of bulwarks to dry to shape.

 

4 -6  the rails are on and a coat or two of poly rubbed in.  In this photo I thought I was done.  The kit masts are just loose in the “holes”. I am also sitting with all natural wood.   Not sure yet how far that will go. 

I checked the kit instructions and found one more item to complete sheet E and that was the simulating mast boots.   Before adding them, I recalled much discussion on earlier logs that the kit supplied masts were too small, so I and went back to those logs to check.   Using USA numbers, I switched to get close to the 7MM bow sprit and foremast, 8 MM for the main mast and 6 MM as supplied for the mizzen. I reduced the stepped section to fit the existing boots and “mast hole”. I am sure there is a more elegant name for it than mast hole!

 

7-10 here are 4 views with upscaled mast blanks using a white back drop to see if I can get a better feel for the dark colors and how they will play versus the black and white paint option. As I’m an amateur photographer, I suggest…no I can’t. I suppose some side lighting would have helped. 

Anyway, I hope to have a great adventure in the Canadian Arctic.  I see online that the ice is not yet out, so not sure what will happen and how far into the passage we'll get. At least I will have a fun memory with HMS Terror sitting on a shelf.

 

Happy summer

[Jond]

04 My transit of the NW Passage 

 

I won’t try to tell the whole story but will at least include a few images of my tracing the route of the Franklin Expedition through the  NW Passage this August/September.

 

• 1.    
• here is copy of the total route we took. The trip is managed extremely well by Adventure Canada...

 

Greenland

We started from the airport 100 miles up the fiord at Kangerlussuak.  Ports of call included the towns of Sisimiut and Ilulissat.  We also had a stop on Disko Island.  We know that the two vessels HMS Erebus and HMS Terror took on supplies from a supply vessel at Disko Island, a common port of call for whalers and other explorers before heading either north to Melville Sound or straight across Davis Strait. 

 

• 2     
• On shore at Disko Island, we were with our geologist, as he explained another episode in the evolution of the arctic. He turned out to be a critical part of this story.

 

Baffin and Devon Islands

• 3   
•  We crossed the Davis straight and landed at Pond Inlet.  This town is there for a former airbase, now an airport, at the north end of Baffin Island, as well as the large Iron mine in the region. This view is the Pond Inlet overview looking north toward Bylot Island.

 

• 4     
• here is the NE corner of Baffin Island.  This location is often mentioned as a rendezvous site for the Franklin follow up exploration fleets, whaling fleets etc.

 

• 5    
• We rounded Bylot island to enter Lancaster sound and reached Dundas Harbour.  Dundas Harbour is where in the 1920’s RCMP officers were stationed, so that Devon Island would be considered occupied. They did not do well as two were dead when the replacement vessel returned three years later.  

 

• 6    
• Running to the west, we stopped at Beechey Island.   Beechey Island is the known last winter encampment of the Franklin expedition.  Here are the graves of three of their members and one for a rescue party sailor who died years later.

 

• 7    
• As one of our team leaders suggested, only a British admiral would have considered that this nice, protected harbor would be a great place to winter.    One would be frozen in for 9-10 months where there was no vegetation nor food of any kind.  There were polar bears that were hunting seals out on the ice, and that was it.  

 

• 8    
• Several years later, a wrecked schooner at the north end of Beechey Island was demolished and used to build a Cache by Hudson Bay Company and called Northumberland house. It was intended both for any Franklin rescue/ searchers or others in need.  

 

Franklin’s route 

 

• 9   
• we ran into sea ice traveling west from Beechey Island. We enjoyed a wonderful sunset zodiac outing with great photo ops.  

 

• 10   
• here is the map showing the mystery of the southern route taken by Franklin from Beechey Island .   The Peel sound was often full of Ice as was the Bellot strait. The mystery is how to get to the point NW of King Williams Island, the point of Franklin’s final capture by old sea ice. There are many theories of what route was taken after leaving Beechey Island. 

 

One thing I learned is a study now underway by Parks Canada and the geological institute in Ottawa.  The annual diving now taking place on HMS Erebus is focused on the damaged side of the hull that is slowly being crushed and is slowly collapsing.   It is the naval officer's cabins being searched now, because the scientific officer's  cabins are in good shape, and will be explored in later years.  There are only about two weeks of diving each summer, so time is of the essence. 

 

What was found in these naval officer cabins is a surprise; it is a collection of 16 rock samples.  These samples are being analyzed. Let’s wait for the actual scientists to publish their findings, but the short version is this tale.    The geologist on our cruise is the geologist doing this study.  He can take a rock sample and identify which coastline of which island is the source.  Thus if the sailors collected souvenirs along the way that is a way to trace the route….hold that thought.

 

The ice this year was different than the last few years.  The tour normally travels south down Prince Regent Inlet and through the Bellot Strait.   This year we went up around the sea ice we encountered and sailed down the Peel Sound into the Franklin Strait.  

• 11.   
• On the way, we landed at Prescott Island just off the east coast of Prince of Wales Island. It as a first time ever landing by Adventure Canada, our Expedition team.  

 

• 12.   
• Not only were there hundreds of Beluga whales there, but we also found a distinct red rock.  Our geologist cut out samples for the study. [ obviously he is allowed to do so…smile] He also predicted that this new sample will match one of the 16 samples that he knows well…….wow.  we were there when he found it! I can’t wait for the next Parks Canada publication on their progress.

 

The tour then made two transits of the Bellot strait. 

 

• 13.                   
• Here is the monument showing the northernmost point of continental North America, halfway through Bellot Strait.  Yes it is further north than Alaska!

 

The finding of Franklin’s route

• 14     
• Later that afternoon we were cruising along headed for Cambridge Bay on the south shore of Victoria Island and we crossed the straight where HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were [pinched] stuck.  We saw no ice whatsoever! What was great was in mid afternoon, we saw a fogbow….how appropriate.

 

The tour ended in Coppermine, now Kugluktuk.  A place of much history, but for another day.  I look forward to getting back into this build.  More house guests just left, so maybe next week.

 

Cheers 

Jon
 

Edited October 9 by Jond

[JacquesCousteau]

Quite the adventure!

[hamilton]

Wow - what a spectacular landscape - and an incredible adventure! I've not been further North than Rainbow Lake Alberta - there is just way too much Canada to deal with!! Glad that you shared this experience with us Jond

hamilton

[clearway]

thanks form sharing- must have been a bit humbling thinking about all those who tried to find a way through.

 

Keith

[Jond]

Keith

 

I thank you for your continued interest and willingness to encourage all who share enough interest in this incredible history to build this model.  I also enjoyed reading all of your posts and hope someday to see more on your build of HMS Erebus.   Now that we have learned that Parks Canada is diving on the [ now Canadian] Erebus first as it is some danger for underwater losses, I can't wait to see their update.   

 

Also to note I finally saw the fictional monster involved story called The Terror based on the fantasy book describing the demise of the crew.  The Prop built with Matthew Betts input was fantastic.  I'll leave off my opinion of the story as presented.  Perhaps someone might use that prop to tell of McClure, and all the others who also were stuck in the North and survived.  

 Finally there is an older fictional book by Clive Cussler, Artic Drift.   I highly recommend it.  Clive guessed as his heros found the two vessels, on in 1,000 feet of water and and the other up on an Island......

 

thanks again

 

Jon 

[Stuka]

Amazing scenery!!   quite jealous of your trip Jon 

[Jond]

Thank you Robin

 

I am just getting back to working on the model.  I am thinking more about how best to tell the story.  I am watching U-tube shows of sailors going through the passage and one things seems sure.  The storms are crazy.  Also they seem to last for days, unlike here where maybe two days its it.

 

cheers

[Jond]

05 back to work on finishing he hull  

 

I am finally back in the shop and focused on this build as my big 1921 schooner was just put away and the third 1916 schooner is still resting. I start by sharing the decision I made to paint the hull.  The main reason is because I want to try to use the model as a prop while telling the story of this amazing vessel, as its part in the saga of the Northwest Passage.    That story must include ice.      

 

My TV aged out and I came home with a new one last week and saved the Styrofoam. I will collect other grades and then think more about what a reasonable approach to making ice might include. I have atleast seen some real old age ice pack and it is a strange combination to say the least.  For one thing a natural finished model half buried in ice would not make sense. Therefore, despite painting not being a high skill off I go.    

 

As I restart this build, I am working first on the general hull completion and also on the deck furniture and masts. This way I can move around the shop and do a little of each and move on. First up, and before I decided to paint, I built out the stern.   Oops!  I wish I hand decided to paint before.   Oh well

• 1-3.  here are three shots showing the stern work as it progressed before paint
• 

For the metal bow plaiting I decided to use the copper tape I have.  There are so many comments on many blogs about whether to show rivets or not.  I believe dots on decking or dots on exterior planking are great.  I even have run a pounce wheel when the copper stays exposed.  Perhaps a cop out, but under paint I chose to move on not using the pounce wheel.

• 4-10 here are 7 shots showing the copper tape on. I use compound cement under the tape so it will stay. I have never had just tape remain uncurled in place. I then simply brought the paint over the top.  In the final shot we see that work has begun on masting as well. I took this shot because in the winter the morning sun comes through the leafless trees directly into the shop for maybe a half hour and it is fun to be there and see the different lighting.
• 
• 
• 
• 

next up   progress on deck

 

All for now
 

Edited November 13 by Jond

[Jond]

06  time for a check up on deck progress.

 

thank you one and all for your likes.  

 

I, like many others, get to this stage of a build and go… oh my!  there really is a lot to do!  I have been working away and making some progress.  Thanks again to those that went ahead of me, as I am spending time looking at their posts and Bett’s book for help.  Those before me said; Beware the kit has some issues.  Well, I am trying to fix some things.  It is fun to do.  I will not try to list every change as I go, but I am off and running.

The following images capture a few attempts to follow the plans from Bett’s book. A few examples are nice, and few ended in my “oops:

I scaled his plan and used it for layout.  First up were all those port lights…no problem found.   One who fully studies his plans first, might see that the literal scale of parts as shown on his plan are noticeably smaller than the model kit drawings or parts.  This issue comes up a few different times.  I marched ahead just using his plan and got bit.    On my first attempt I used the layout to cut holes for the bitts.  A week or so later I got the little Massey pump kit parts outs and there is no way to fit them between the bitts as shown on the drawing.    I had to plug two holes and recut the forward bitts, so the pumps would fit between. I also picked up that there are a pair of bitts on the aft side of the main mast to carry both the load of the fife rail and the pump handle.  I chose to keep using the kit sized bitts and that is what I got.  This 1:75 and MM vs inches throws me off.   Perhaps all the bitts should be smaller. Who knows. The last picture shows what I have going forward. 

• 1-2 shows the plan and holes and the big pumps.  I moved the holes, added the double/pair of aft bits and just ordered some flywheels.   

Forward bitts and things I suggest the same.  I was only able to fit 4 pins in the forward curved rails.   It seems that all this timber is oversized.   So be it.  Same thing for the stern davits. I did bring them down to be closer to the plan. I think 5x5 means ( 5x75=375/25 = 13 inches. Much too big in my mind for davit.  

• 3-4 Second were things that I tried but decided not to use.  First up was the windless, where I used the plywood parts as a template for a boxwood piece.  But then looking at the cast metal I decided to make my own.

• 5 I was able to go to a meeting of our local Model club, Downeast Shipmodelers Guild associated with Maine Maritime Museum.  A skilled member shared with me that painting the hull black was a much better presentation than the walnut-stained wood he saw earlier at our recent club showing.   I thanked him!

• 6- 8. I learned from previous blogs that the main davits were critical and different from the kit.  I tried to use their smarts and have progressed as they need to go in early. I also made my attempt to make the water closet/ bowsain’s locker.  I still am a little dubious on this subject.  Some 50 men on board and only one head other than the captain’s personal seat of ease.   Normally officers share something the aft galleries, but these were removed for arctic service.  Therefore, as I find Betts drawing nonspecific as to port and starboard but only one drawing conflicts with his addition of the forward door on the port side on his model.  Thus, I made them as if both were heads but added the questionable door on the port side.    The things we can get hung up on !

• 9-11 . I got an order of lettering for three different builds.  I think the Terror came out OK. I had two more-dimension issues. Based on many comments of earlier builds, I went online and ordered a 3 D printed 10 spoke wheel. It was for a close scale, but it is easy to see way too big.  I retired it and went with the kit wheel.  However, I note that even it is too big to satisfy Bett’s drawing.  We do the best we can and move on.  A third issue is the reported elm pumps just aft of the forward gangway.  I ordered the best I could find but it is double the size.  I used it for a model and made my own. I set the Amati 20MM pump behind to show how big it is.  

Well, there is so much to do we shall just keep on as winter and the holidays are headed our way

Cheers 
 

[clearway]

ahhh the joys- nice to see you really getting your teeth into the alterations-  i am in a similar situation with my Erebus build- i used Caldercraft brass ships wheels while Keith s and i think Daniel D used syren wooden kits for their Terrors- i also used the caldercraft wheels for Erebus.

 

keith

[Jond]

07 time to blend early rigging with other on deck work

 

Thank Keith for following along and others for their likes. It is encouraging.

 

I find that each build teaches us lessons on how to better set sequence.  I am not sure however that I can remember previous lessons. Regardless I am moving ahead with masting and standing rigging trying to be sensitive about blocking things out.  A good example is to decide what gets done off the boat and brought in all complete.  I suspect the top mast work might be better done off boat,  but have decided to move forward with lower masts.   On a similar note, as tight as things are, I suspect tying down boats stored amid ship may be difficult if left too late.

Also, I am beginning to fool around with how to present the model.  A funny example to consider is, if the vessel was “pinched “, locked in ice, the rudder and propeller that we all carefully installed should be removed.   One might say I should show her just before getting pinched.  A little water to be present.  We’ll see.  

 

Progress

• The first 2 views show two masts starting to be rigged.  I will not lash the dead eyes now but leave them with bent wire connections in case I need to take them out.  The mizzen top is being rebuilt as I learned from other builds there was no “top” on that mast.  as came in the kit.  One can also see I have Styrofoam on the table to get my thinking going on what I want to show.  I think the story will be they are pinched and stuck.  

• The second three shots show a little more detail. Up forward I found I need to buy some hearts for the shrouds bob stays etc.   There is still a lot of stuff to go inside here, and I am focusing on getting that in before lashing the shrouds.  Amidship, I received some pump wheels. I am holding up the center until I figure out which two boats to store there and do I make a sled etc.  Further on the mid-section and aft I need to make the racks for spars and do all the other deck stuff before blocking with shrouds.

• Finally, I have begun the build within the build that is key to Terror project.  They reportedly sailed with 12 small boats.  There are several lists, and, in the photos, I have accumulated a variety to build.  I have currently a total of 12 including the 3 metal hulls that came in the kit.  I have always struggled working small and have challenged myself to start with these kits and then see what I learn.   In the views I show the group of small boats and then the Amati chain plates that I bought to simplify and I believe improve on  the kit.
   
• 

onward we march...