Postiljon c.1666-1678 by Ab Hoving - FINISHED - a Dutch frigate

[Ab Hoving]

In spite of my shaking hands and fading eyesight I just could not resist the building of this light frigate.
The Postiljon only measured 100 x 24,5 x 10,25 feet and was armed with 20 guns. Het crew existed of 75 men. She was part of the group that executed the Raid on Chatham, an occasion at which many British warships were burned and the flagship Royal Charles was captured and brought to the Netherlands. Postiljon only played a modest roll in the event, but she was on the Medway, so she wrote history.
I pictured het counter-braced to come to a halt. We will probably come with images showing her in her natural surroundings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For whoever is interested, here are the plans in 1/77 scale. The model measures 52 cm over all, bowsprit and lanterns included.

I hope you like it.
Ab

 

 

Postiljon_rev_1_77b.pdf

[Alvb]

Dear Ab Hoving,

I admire your models, they are extremely lively precisely because they are not aimed at extreme precision or accuracy.

 

my respect,

Alvb

[Jsk]

Ab,

 

When I first dabbled in card modeling around 2016/17 I came across your models over at papermodelers.com. I recall using some of your son's first compositions of your ship models as computer desktop images for many months to keep me inspired. Your models still inspire me.

 

Thanks for sharing them!

[Ab Hoving]

Thanks to all the people who liked my model. Inspiring!

Special thanks to Alvb and Jsk for their kind remarks and to Alvb: No, neatness and accuracy are not my main purposes. I must confess the lack of them in my models are partly a result of the physical problems I encounter, but I never felt much attraction in polished, neat, shiny ship models, although I admire the skills of those who produce them.

In the end we are all here to inspire others and when it sometimes succeeds, it is a reason to be contend.

 

Oh, by the way, I built another model this summer for a friend who is building full size vessels from wasted plastic. Here is his web site. https://www.clean2a.nl/onze-schepen/  It is worth to keep an eye on him, because next summer, after he finished his pleasure vessel after Witsen, he will start a full size 100 feet long fluit. For inspiration I built him this model:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a paper finger exercise.

 

Best,

Ab

 

 

[druxey]

Makes a nice, plump model, though, Ab! Very nicely done.

[Alvb]

Dear Ab Hoving,

 

As you know, taking perfection to the extreme, despite all admiration for the craftsmanship, often leads to rigidity and lifelessness. Filling an object with life is artistic virtuosity! I would never want to call that a lack.

 

I am excited to see how the plastic Speel-jaagt behaves under sail.

 

Best wishes

Alvb

[TheDuckDetective]

Hello Ab, 

Both models are lovely. I agree with Alvb and Jeff. Your models carry a lifelike feeling which inspires me as well. It's like they jumped right out of one of the paintings in the Rijksmuseum.

 

I've been following the build of the speeljaght, and I am definitely looking forward to the Fluyt build develop. I hope to visit their shipyard someday.

 

Best regards,

 

Rutger

[flying_dutchman2]

Every Fluit you have built is always beautifully executed. I always learn something looking at your Fluits. I use this knowledge on my own fluit to make sure the Zeehaen is correct.

 

Marcus

[Baker]

Congratulations 

Very beautiful models 

[Michael Mash]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:41 AM, TheDuckDetective said:

Hello Ab, 

Your models carry a lifelike feeling which inspires me as well. It's like they jumped right out of one of the paintings in the Rijksmuseum.

Best regards,   Rutger

 

Well said.  I have been looking for those words to describe Ab's work.  Thank You.

 

 

[firdajan]

Deep respect, Ab. Awesome models

 

Jan

[scrubbyj427]

On 9/1/2024 at 10:25 AM, Ab Hoving said:

In spite of my shaking hands and fading eyesight I just could not resist the building of this light frigate.
The Postiljon only measured 100 x 24,5 x 10,25 feet and was armed with 20 guns. Het crew existed of 75 men. She was part of the group that executed the Raid on Chatham, an occasion at which many British warships were burned and the flagship Royal Charles was captured and brought to the Netherlands. Postiljon only played a modest roll in the event, but she was on the Medway, so she wrote history.
I pictured het counter-braced to come to a halt. We will probably come with images showing her in her natural surroundings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For whoever is interested, here are the plans in 1/77 scale. The model measures 52 cm over all, bowsprit and lanterns included.

I hope you like it.
Ab

 

 

Postiljon_rev_1_77b.pdf 1.27 MB · 44 downloads

Hi Ab, 

Is there more information available on this ship? Like deck drawings/layouts profile, carvings, gallery’s… everything to build as you have? Your model is incredible! I would love to build this.

 

JJ

[Ab Hoving]

Thank you gentlemen, for all for your undeserved praise,

@druxey: The shapes of fluits have been a subject of mockery from the beginning of its development. Still it was a most functional vessel for those days.

@Alvb:  At the moment Ter Velde is laying the fore deck:

@TheDuckDetective: Next summer the full size plastic fluit will be built on the premises of the old Willemsoord Navy yard in Den Helder.

@flying_dutchman2: You are making nice progress with your fluit.

@Baker: Thanks Patrick, I cannot stand in your shadow with your 'noblest ship'

@Michael Mash: Thanks Mike. Still, as a paper modeler yourself you know the tricks.

@firdajan: Wonderfull work on your SoS, Jan. 

@scrubbyj427: I have a confession to make JJ. Usually I never picture a specific ship, because it suggests that I know all the details. I don't. I prefer building a ship type, on which I put an invented name in the stage when the taffrail has to be added. But it is all fake. There are almost no 17th century ships of which we can be sure above a certain level. All I had as a source was this Van de Velde picture, which shows some peculiarities,  like a two-rails beak head instead of a three rails one, the locations of the gunports, the ship's ladder, the absence of the forecastle deck, and some more details which I tried to model Furthermore what James Bender tells us in his book Dutch Warships.

All the rest is general knowledge of how the decks were detailed, dimensions of the rigging, etc.

To make a long story short:  what I make is little more than a mixture of general knowledge, logical thinking and the impression the images Van de Velde left us, translated in paper and paint.

You can get any support for your build you want from me, but don't expect your model to be a true replica of the original. At least mine is not.

 

[scrubbyj427]

Hi Ab, thank you for the info. I think I’ll take a stab at this one on my computer first. This or one of the ships in your book. I love the shape of these 17th century Dutch ships.

 

JJ