HMS Harpy 1796 by Blue Ensign – Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[Blue Ensign]

Post 81

A look around Harpy at this six month build stage, a very enjoyable experience overall.

In my search for authenticity, there has  been some frustration with detail queries, and some things still remain a mystery.

Even so, she is shaping up into a fine model, Harpy is a worthy addition to Chris’s  range.

4487a

4488a

4489a

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4493a

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4495a

All the hull work bar some minor fittings, is now essentially complete, time to move onto the Masting.

 

B.E.

25/05/2025

[Glenn-UK]

A great set of photos which shows your excellent skills in building these kits.

[SaltyScot]

A masterpiece to be sure and one that continues to inspire me.

[glbarlow]

Well done!

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys for your  comments and 'likes'  much appreciated.👍

 

Post 82

Boom and Gaff

I have spent a couple of days looking at the two booms I will include with my model.

An interesting use of terminology here.

What we may generically know as Driver Booms are referred to by Steel as Main Booms in relation to cutters and Sloops.

Again, there are defined proportions relating to Driver/Main Booms.

The Steel tables indicate subtle differences in the taper arrangements between  Driver booms and Main Booms, mainly in relation to the position of the widest diameter, but the differences at  1:64 scale are minimal.

Driver Booms – largest diameter – mid point along the boom

Main Booms  -   largest diameter - Position of the sheet – just inside the Tafferal.

 

The  sizes of booms is confusing, it must be tricky to decide what to apply to the Harpy Kit.

Unfortunately Steel doesn’t have tables relative to Brig Sloops.

The kit Main Boom seems to be based on a 200 ton Brig with a Boom diameter of 10½” – 4mm at scale.

Harpy is a 316 ton vessel, yet a Sloop of 300 tons has a Boom diameter of only 7⅜”-  3mm at scale.

 

There are also defined proportions set out in Steel for Gaffs

Length of Gaffs 5/8 of respective booms, diameter of Gaffs -same as booms.

The kit seems to follow these proportions.

4529a

Both booms were shaped on the lathe using sanding papers.

4540a

4542a

I note that the boom jaws lack iron bands which were common for these items.

I used heat shrink tubing for the purpose, but black card would suffice.

The Gaff

On my build I found the jaws  a tad too small to fit around the mast in the raised position even tho’ the overall mast dimension including the cheeks is the correct diameter.

4554a

Here I have  thinned down the jaws as much as I dare but the fit is not ideal.

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Fortunately, on my build the Gaff will be in the lowered postion where the fit is fine.

Had I been rigging the Gaff in the raised position I would  have to re-do the Gaff for a better fit, probably by splitting the jaws and re-attaching with a slightly less tapered boom at the inboard end.

 

B.E

01/06/2025

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 83

Bowsprit

My eye had been drawn to the Bowsprit as looking a little underweight compared to the Mainmast. My understanding is that Bowsprits are generally the same diameter as the Mainmast (at the Partners).

The Adm plan does seem to show the Bowsprit diameter as being comparable to the Mainmast.

 

As you may expect there are rules, and for Bowsprits of a given gross diameter  a proportional taper is applied at  each quarter along the length to the outer end, and inboard to the heel.

Heel   1^stQ      2^ndQ     3^RDQ   Outer end.

 6/7   60/61    11/12     4/5        5/9

Long story short, having compared information from Steel I decided to use a 8mm dowel reduced to 7mm+ on the lathe, before the proportions were applied.

Between the Head Timbers (Knightheads) I had to accept a degree of compromise, settling for a diameter of 6.6mm. This also involved a little sanding of the Head timbers to allow passage. 

The Bowsprit was tapered to 5.8mm at the step, and 4.7mm at the outer end.

 

I had initially used a 6mm dowel to check the position of the gammoning cleats.

4503a

A Gammoning test line was applied to mark the position.

4556a

I used Syren 0.63mm ø line for the Gammoning which I dyed using Dark Jacobean wood dye. This is something I do for all standing rigging as  I prefer the look to kit supplied black line.

Note: The Gammoning line has twist in it; Starting on the port side each successive turn  goes over the Bowsprit forward, and crosses the previous line aft as it runs thro’ the gammoning slot. The line is completed with frapping turns around the centre and seized off.

4565a

Gammoning completed on the replacement Bowsprit.

The Gammoning cleats are very small; I found that attaching them to double sided tape was sufficient to hold them for a light cleaning up.

4564a

Ramin dowel was used to make the Bowsprit

I used w-o-p  on the Bowsprit followed by a light oak dye concoction to match the masts.

4558a

I am not quite decided how much more detailing of the Bowsprit I will do, it is there primarily for the attachment of the Fore Stay.

 

The next stage is completing the mast detail and onto the shroud rigging.

 

B.E.

02/06/2025

[SaltyScot]

On 6/1/2025 at 8:06 AM, Blue Ensign said:

I used heat shrink tubing for the purpose

 

Now THAT is a great idea! I will tuck that wee bit of info away for future reference.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 84

Completing the masts.

The Pin rails and a driver boom saddle are added to the lower mast sections.

4576a

Fore mast Pin rail, beautifully cut slots for the pins.

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The Pin rail on the Mainmast really needs fitting before adding the lowest  ‘iron’ mast band otherwise it won’t slide up to the correct position.

 

The tops which are traditionally painted black down to the hounds, are now attended to.

I used Vallejo Black/grey for the purpose.

4570a

I love the planking detail Chris has engraved into the tops, I used a slightly thinner mix of paint in this area so as not to obscure the detail.

4579a

There are five iron bands  spaced equally along the Masthead. For these I used 1mm slices from heat shrink tubing. This gives a subtle shade difference to the painted head.

Atop the iron bands are a series of battens designed to protect the rigging from wear.

4581a

Kit provided pieces are of 0.6mm strips which I found a little thin to notch over the bands. I replaced these with some slightly thicker strip which allowed a shallow notch to be cut.

 

There are eight of these on each masthead; a small detail the top ends should be sniped to follow practice.

Steel also notes that; battens should have rounded edges for the rigging to slide down easily.

4603a

Steel also notes that; The afterside of Mizen masts  in ships, and mainmasts in brigs, to be coppered in the wear of the gaff and boom.

An easy addition using copper tape if so motivated.

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I now have the overall size of my model version which will require a cover of 30”L x 9” W x 16” H.

I can get this organised while I continue with the build.

 

B.E.

04/06/2025

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 85

A short post about Long Guns

Harpy has two Bow chaser six pounders which I have been thinking about how to display.

These are the last two items to be  fixed to the deck, ideally done before the masting and shroud rigging begins.

I had thoughts of lashing the Long guns inboard, parallel to the ports, but I couldn’t quite decide  on the lashing approach, so I took the soft option and positioned them run-out.

4638a

The breeching rope is 3 x the gun bore length, using 4” circ line – 0.50mm dia at scale. I actually used Syren 0.63mm ø line.

I will only be attaching the Breechings, as I did with the Carronades.

For those in mind to attach the side tackles:-              

Tackles 1½” circ line - 0.20mm ø  at scale

Rigging blocks single  5/6” size -2mm-2.5mm at scale.

4641a

I find it useful to use small sections of tubing to secure the breeching line for addition of the seizings.

4649a

I used Morope 0.1mm  Polyester line for seizing, it is the finest 0.1mm diameter line I have found.

4647a

Quite fiddly to seize the breechings on the model, a better job can be done using an off-model jig.

The downside is that it can also be fiddly fitting the bulwark ringbolts with other deck fittings in place, and the guns may have to be fitted at an earlier stage of the build.

4650a

Onwards….

 

 

B.E.

07/06/2025

 

[SaltyScot]

That is an impressive setup, sir. You had mentioned using a piece of tubing on the seizings. I take it that it doesn't stay in place once done and is only there to help hold the two ends together before you seize them? I was a little confused about that.

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Mark,  once the seizing is complete I use a scalpel blade to carefully cut the tube and remove it.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 86

Lower mast rigging -  Part 0ne

My approach to rigging.

The limited rigging I will apply to this build will be based on Steel tables for a vessel of 18 - 14 guns of  300 -250 tons.

The principle rigging will consist of:

Pendent of tackles –  7”circ – 15” Single block-  6mm

Lower Shrouds       - 7”circ – 0.88mm - (5mm Deadeyes)

Forestay                - 9½” – 1.19mm  -  13” Heart. (5mm)

Fore Preventer stay - 6”   -  0.75mm   - 10” heart  (4mm)

Mainstay                - 10”  - 1.26mm   - 15” Heart  (6mm)

Main Preventer Stay - 7”  -  0.88mm  -  10” Heart  (4mm)

The kit line dimensions are close to this using 1mm line for the shrouds, and 1.3mm line for the stays.

The kit indicates use of deadeyes for securing the stays but I have opted for hearts.

 

I begin with the Pendent of tackles, which are omitted from the kit rigging plan, but are an important feature of naval ship rigging. These go over the head before the shrouds are rigged.

I covered my approach to making the pendents in my Pegasus build log.  They are spliced over the mastheads, and I followed the method described in TFFM book Vol 1V.

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Syren 0.88mm line is served overall with 0.1mm line, I used the kit provided line which is Gütermann Polyester.

 

Steel indicates use of a  single block attached to the pendent, but a  thimble would also be appropriate, an opportunity perhaps to try out one of Chuck’s new additions to his fittings, a 2mm option would be about right.

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I used 6mm single blocks, mainly as I had them to hand.

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At this time period the pendents extend a little below the Hounds.

 

 

B.E.

08/06/2025

[Rustyj]

Very nice work!

[Blue Ensign]

Post 87

Lower mast rigging -  Part two

Fore and Main shrouds

I will be using dyed Syren 0.88mmm line for the purpose.

4653a

The line lengths are held under tension for a few hours before fitting to take any spring out of them.

The shrouds are put over the masthead in pairs starting on the sb side, then working alternate sides.

The shrouds are served  for the centre section around the masthead and  down to the futtocks.

The Foremost shroud is usually served overall to counter chafing from the  sails.

4679a

Once served I attend to the seizing on a dummy masthead and then slip over the  real thing. This is much easier than making up the full mast sets off model, and then doing the work with the masts in place.

4682a

The shroud is  re-dipped in the colouring solution.

4688a

When rigging I always work from aft forward so I begin with the Main mast. Fortunately there are an even set of shrouds so  on this mast I can avoid the complication of a splice.

Fore Mast

There are two sets of two and a single spliced shroud that I have fitted over the masthead first.

4684a

This foremost shroud, as with the Main shrouds, is served overall. The spliced section needs to be formed first as with the Pendent of tackles.

This is a lengthy piece of serving covering 650 mm overall, and as can be seen there is a degree of kink in the line  by reason of the serving.

4687a

I put this set under weights to even the line out.

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4694a

The shroud sets are all made up; they will now be removed for final fettlin.’

 

I have been having second thoughts about the Pendents of tackles. I think the 6mm blocks (15”) look a little heavy, and the seizings a little bulky.

I have some of Chuck’s  new resin thimbles on order, so a replacement set will be made up.

 

B.E.

12/06/2025

 

 

 

 

[Nipper]

This will be praise where praise is due BE! 

 

The above sequence is an excellent example of the care and time you take to explain step by step how you deal with a tricky issue, and the carefully composed photos are such a help for us to see what you mean.

 

I don't know how you find the time to do it, but I hope you find this a satisfying thing to do.  All I can say is, your time spent on building up a set of instructions like this is an incredible help to everyone.

 

Thank you.

 

Nipper

[SaltyScot]

20 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

The line lengths are held under tension for a few hours before fitting to take any spring out of them.

 

Another lesson learned. I had been wondering how to achieve that. Thanks B.E. !

[SaltyScot]

20 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

Once served I attend to the seizing on a dummy masthead and then slip over the  real thing. This is much easier than making up the full mast sets off model, and then doing the work with the masts in place.

 

I 100% agree. The possibility of ruining something else or getting all tied up somewhere is taken off the table by doing it like this. This is the way I will be doing the Lynx masts once the time comes. Thanks again, B.E.