USS Constitution by The_bitter_end - Model Shipways - 1:72

[The Bitter End]

Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

Welcome to my attempt to redeem myself.

 

After having begun a Build log for my HMS Pegasus in 2019 with great enthusiasm life got in the way(everything from the daily challenges of being a farmer right the way through to falling through a warehouse roof and spending a long time recovering). This left a gaping hole in my progress log. My intention is to begin this Constitution build and record every annoying step from beginning to end. I like to think that it might help some of the modelers on here who are also beginners with a limited collection of tools and experience(Pegasus was my first build and is still not quite finished as I am waiting for parts).

 

I do enter into this build with a fair amount of apprehension. Literally the first word of this log brings up a question, the first of many. Should I be referring to this vessel as the Constitution or the USS constitution. My intention is to build her as she was in 1797 at which point she would have been the (frigate) Constitution...I think. Everything I have read about this kit tells me it will be a huge challenge, but I am hoping that with the help of the kind people on this forum and the bottomless well of knowledge contained within its build logs I will be able to create something worthy of a glass box. I have already had incredible help from @Der Alte Rentner so I am feeling cautiously optimistic.

 

My first big challenge is a decision on how to approach the hull, I think I will go with double planking. Due to my location and budget it is almost impossible to get hold of planking strips for the second planking that are worthy of creating an unpainted and coppered hull so i have decided that I will cut pear wood planking from the pile of pear trees destined for the fireplace. This in itself is a pretty big challenge but I have managed to extract some decent stock from the trunks and my early trials with ripping planks has lead me to believe I can cut stock with success. This does however lead me to wonder what the correct size stock to rip is? What I have read in terms of plank length is anything between 22ft and 60ft(values which seem too low and too high to me) and 12 inches wide. I have sort of decided to go with plank lengths of 35ftx12inches(+- 150mmx4mm at scale). If anyone has any suggestions on correct dimensions please let me know!!

 

This also leads me to another minor point. I created a little excel spreadsheet to convert imperial measurements both from the plans and information from the original ship to metric scale measurements. It is pretty simple but if anyone happens to need something like that I will happily send it through.

 

I think I will try and create a model that is structurally as true as possible to the 1797 Constitution but with a paint scheme that is more like the Belle Poule(which I believe was based on the constitution). Largely natural wood, perhaps a little staining and black paint with some ocher highlights. I like a somewhat more muted final outcome and I cant bring myself to paint or copper over the hundreds of hours it take to produce a decent double planked hull. Takingf a look at what is still an incomplete Pegasus model(as of 20 October 2024) on my other log will give you an idea of the style I like

 

I guess I should attach a photo of some sort to this post so for now I will simply be a closed constitution box containing many man many hours of work. Hopefully it is complete, I bought it for around 250 dollars off facebook marketplace.

 

 

I look forward to sharing this journey with you all.

 

Kind regards

 

Haiko(The_bitter_ end)

 

 

[Pfälzer]

Wish you fun with this Kit 

[Nick 843]

Enjoy it!

[Nearshore]

Look forward to following you progress. I have been toying with possably building the same ship once I've completed the Bellona which i have been working on for the past 2 years. I am pretty far away from completing her so i still have plenty of time before i make that decision. Good luck and have fun building this amazing ship.

 

Cheers

Nearshore

[Der Alte Rentner]

8 hours ago, The Bitter End said:

I like a somewhat more muted final outcome and I cant bring myself to paint or copper over the hundreds of hours it take to produce a decent double planked hull.

 

A man after my own heart!  

 

Welcome aboard.  I think you will find the Constitution (USS or Frigate) an interesting challenge, especially since you're opting for the 1797 edition and departing from the norm, given the overall preference here for the black and white hull painting scheme.  By all means, showcase your woodworking skills!

From what I see of the Pegasus above, I think you'll do splendidly.  Looking forward to following your progress.   

[Marcus.K.]

As I am very much interested in the ships 1803 appearance and did some research on the older design - I would like to hire and come abord for your trip!

 

I am also curious about the quality of "the most accurate kit" - since what I see at the bow on the box´s pictures is for example not a Hercules figure head which should be there for the 1797 apprearance ... So how much do you plan to modify the kit?

 

Most important in any way: have fun !

[Knocklouder]

Good luck on your journey!!   ,  tagging along😊.   Bob M

[The Bitter End]

11 hours ago, Marcus.K. said:

As I am very much interested in the ships 1803 appearance and did some research on the older design - I would like to hire and come abord for your trip!

 

I am also curious about the quality of "the most accurate kit" - since what I see at the bow on the box´s pictures is for example not a Hercules figure head which should be there for the 1797 apprearance ... So how much do you plan to modify the kit?

 

Most important in any way: have fun !

Good Morning Marcus

 

I was thinking about this very thing just before you sent this message. I think "the most accurate kit" is a bit of marketing gymnastics. Its more or less a big box of planks with some vague suggestions about what to do with them. From everything I have seen this is going to translate to something quite close to a scratch build with a huge amount of modification.

If you take a glance at my Pegasus you will see that there was fairly little that wasn't somewhat modified and if i could rebuilt that kit i would have done far more.

 

I am going to do my best to do the kit some sort of justice but I cant make any promises just yet. If you happen to have any suggestions or see me going the wrong way please let me know!

 

Kind regards

 

Haiko

Edited Monday at 04:26 AM by The Bitter End

[Marcus.K.]

Well ... reviewing the model kit itself in internet I found this statement:

Quote

Our kit is based on the 1927 Navy drawings, photographs and documentation used during the 1993-97 restoration. 

I guess I need to apologize - since the mentioned "1797" on the box most likely is only a reference to the frigates launch - while the kit itself may be a very accurate representation of the Lord-Restoring efforts. If you like the ship in those years ... 

 

On 10/20/2024 at 8:23 AM, The Bitter End said:

My intention is to build her as she was in 1797 at which point she would have been the (frigate) Constitution...

I am looking forward following your steps - and if you like I can provide some information, myths and rumors I gathered the last years (2 decades by now - although with huge gaps on engagement) - mainly with a lot of advice and hints by so many kind and knowing modelers in this and in other model-ship-forums (a BIG, BIG THANK YOU from here !!) 

We all know that the ships earlier appearance is a mystery - and that a lot of ideas and interpretations are billowing like fog .. and its hard to see the real shape of things.

 

So what are your sources so far? 

 

On 10/20/2024 at 8:23 AM, The Bitter End said:

Should I be referring to this vessel as the Constitution or the USS constitution. My intention is to build her as she was in 1797 at which point she would have been the (frigate) Constitution...I think.

I would advocate for the choice of "Frigate Constitution" if I am to decide .. and while reading this I notice that my previous "U.S. Frigate Constitution" may have been as wrong as a "USS Constitution" for those years. I just recently saw an old newspaper asking for volunteers to hire onto the ship - headline "Frigate Constitution". .. no U.S. .. no U.S.S. of course..  

[The Bitter End]

On 10/21/2024 at 2:00 PM, Marcus.K. said:

Well ... reviewing the model kit itself in internet I found this statement:

I guess I need to apologize - since the mentioned "1797" on the box most likely is only a reference to the frigates launch - while the kit itself may be a very accurate representation of the Lord-Restoring efforts. If you like the ship in those years ... 

 

I am looking forward following your steps - and if you like I can provide some information, myths and rumors I gathered the last years (2 decades by now - although with huge gaps on engagement) - mainly with a lot of advice and hints by so many kind and knowing modelers in this and in other model-ship-forums (a BIG, BIG THANK YOU from here !!) 

We all know that the ships earlier appearance is a mystery - and that a lot of ideas and interpretations are billowing like fog .. and its hard to see the real shape of things.

 

So what are your sources so far? 

 

I would advocate for the choice of "Frigate Constitution" if I am to decide .. and while reading this I notice that my previous "U.S. Frigate Constitution" may have been as wrong as a "USS Constitution" for those years. I just recently saw an old newspaper asking for volunteers to hire onto the ship - headline "Frigate Constitution". .. no U.S. .. no U.S.S. of course..  

Good Morning Marcus

 

I think you may be right about the kit being an accurate representation for the 1927 layout, I do forsee this being a problem and an adventure to try and get as close as possible to how she originally looked.

My "research" so far has only been reading scraps of information here and there, browsing through the constitution museum database and drawings, scrolling through logs and even asking AI for some information. I have been working on Pegasus so I have not yet had a chance to really get into proper research.

 

I would be enormously grateful if you would point me in the right direction on any of this information as one can easily get led astray with bad sources.

 

I look forward to having your input as I struggle along!

 

TBE