Philadelphia 1776 by palmerit - Model Shipways - 1:24 - American Gunboat

[palmerit]

I've been following some of Olha Batchvarov's videos ()https://www.youtube.com/c/OlhaBatchvarov/videos. She's been doing a group build on the Midwest Models Lobster Smack for a while that should wrap up in a week or two - I had just completed the Model Shipways Lobster Smack and was not interested in building another one of those to follow along. Next weekend (Sat May 10), she is starting a new group build on the Gunboat Philadelphia by Model Shipways. I wasn't sure if I wanted to follow along on this build since I had so many other models in my stash and that I was trying to work on, but I was able to get a copy of the Philadelphia for over 50% off the usual price and decided to jump on this group build. 

 

It's a different style of model from anything else I've built or have in my stash. And the instructions are also quite different from any model I've worked on so far. The instruction book is text heavy with almost no illustrations. Instead, there are lots of large paper plans that include build instructions as well as the usual kinds of things that are on plans. 

 

I'm going to try to follow along fairly closely to what Olha does and at the pace of her group build. She said she expects this group build to take at least 6-8 months. I'm sure I'll fall behind a few weeks from time to time because of travel, vacation, and work, but I don't plan to go ahead of her in the instructions. 

 

Ships in Scale apparently had a multi-part series on the Model Shipways Philadelphia back around 2014. I've been thinking about buying the back issues from the NRG web site: https://thenrgstore.org/collections/ships-in-scale

[palmerit]

I’m following along with Olha’s build. I’ll probably fall behind at some point but will try to catch up when I can. First step is locating and labeling the parts for the bulkheads and the keel. As I mentioned, this kit has large plan sheets, including one with a full map of the sheets. Will copy the part numbers to the sheets. I won’t write the numbers on the parts because this model will be stained. 

[palmerit]

The instructions have you add the stem and stern post to the keel. All these pieces are thick and sturdy. The instructions then have you add additional pieces to the stem, but Olha pushed those steps to next week so I will to. The next step is to construct the bottom from three pieces (this boat is flat-bottomed), add the keel to the bottom, then add the bulkhead pieces to the keel.  

[palmerit]

Like Olha’s kit, my bottom pieces are cut wrong. One of the pieces is too short. Frustrating given that this kit has been out for quite a long time that this mistake hasn’t been fixed. I don’t understand what business model would keep Model Shipways from fixing (and avoiding) these kinds of mistakes, especially on what’s a fairly beginner model. Every model I’ve gotten from them has quality control problems. Thankfully they do have a great replacement policy, but I wish they tried a little harder to avoid problems in the first place. I’m going to build with the error (and not request a new part) so I can follow how Olha fixes her model. 

[tmj]

It looks as though you are going to lose your centerline at the stern which is going to force you to reshape the bottom back there making it 'lopsided'. Have you taken measurements back there? I think I'd order a new bottom and save a lot of grief.

  

[palmerit]

1 hour ago, tmj said:

I think I'd order a new bottom and save a lot of grief.

Good eye. If I was just building this on my own I’d have ordered a new piece. I’m treating this as a learning experience to learn from and replicate how Olha deals with this same grief. 

Edited 20 hours ago by palmerit

[palmerit]

Adding the bulkhead pieces. I’m now caught up to where Olha is. Only took me 2x as long 😉

[palmerit]

If you haven’t done a model that requires faring the bulkheads, I recommend having the “printed” sides of the bulkheads pointed towards their respective ends of the ship (they can be put in either direction). These markings then show approximately (don’t take them as exact) how much of the bulkheads (at an angle) will need to be sanded off; a lot near the front and back, none at all (except to remove the char) in the middle.