HMS Surprise 1796 (prototype) by James H - Vanguard Models - 1:64

[Daniel M]

6 minutes ago, James H said:

There are times I'm too mentally (and physically) drained to operate properly

I feel you. Most days I have to go to sleep after work because I'm just too tired, so most of my hobby work is done on weekends.

[knightyo]

Same here.  Due to a stressful job, nothing very productive gets done in the evenings anymore.  All of my hobby time is now done on Saturday or Sunday morning after my first cup of coffee, before the Admiral wakes up and assigns me my duties for the day.

 

Alan

[Pelk]

16 hours ago, James H said:

 

There will definitely be an update this weekend. Surprise is under paint and I've been working on exterior stuff, so that's what you'll see next. Coppering is imminent too. Initial production will be circa 100 kits, but that's a rolling production as when things get down to low numbers, then you can guarantee the next series of parts are being produced. 

 

James,

 

You are just full of good news. Thanks so much for the speedy reply. You have done a beautiful job thus far, and I look forward to seeing more.

 

I'm really glad to hear about the rolling production run. Thanks again for the inside scoop.

 

-P

[James H]

Update time.

 

Surprise is now under paint and the next step will be coppering with PE plates. Here's some photos showing the work recently done.

 

To start with, the hull was prepped with Tamiya white primer, and any defects were then sanded back, filled, sanded and then re-primed to make sure all was good. This is a little tedious when you believe that all is good first time around and then find you have a couple of days work to sort it 😆 After the priming and fettling was complete and the gun ports etc. masked off, AK's Ochre paint was airbrushed over the model. I used my new Gaahleri for this and it works real nice with this paint, just over 50% diluted with water. 

 

 

The ochre was then masked off and black was sprayed onto the hull. Normally, I'd do this with the AK paint, but as I'm to a deadline, this was speeded up by using Games Workshop's 'Chaos Black' in a rattle can. I can also get an immediate even finish with a very slight sheen which helps me with further masking.

 

Back onto the bow, with these parts glued to the (as yet unfitted) V-frame assembly. This is then removed and the latrines fitted before being sprayed in the same black as the hull.

 

 

This is now finally glued to the hull and the catheads finally glued into position. 

 

The cathead knees are then fettled and glued into place.

 

...then the various bow rails are added.

 

 

I can now turn my attention towards the galleries and stern. The model is masked off and the various rails are airbrushed in ochre. It's far easier to mask the hull and then paint the rails than it is to do it the other way around. The 3D gallery drops and the roof trims are also painted.

 

LaserBak is used for the roof shingles. This is FAR superior to photo-etch as then can easily be cut and manipulated. Also note that the windows, frames and columns are now in situ. 

 

 

There's a reason I haven't added the wreath decor to the upper stern at this time. The gun port doors you see here are only there if you wish to model your Surprise with them closed. I don't intend doing that, and will show them open. As these will be removed, I didn't want to cause any fragility when I turn the hull upside down for copper. That decor will be added later. Some windows have been shown in the open position too. You have a choice here.

 

Here is the hull as it currently stands. 

 

More when I've done the coppering.

[James H]

@Pelk

 

Just for you! 😆

[Maid of the Mist]

Goodness me....

 

This reminds me that in the end I'm just a boy.  I still love bright colours, and that black and yellow contrast is sublime.  If I can figure out a workspace, this model is gonna be mine one day.

[chris watton]

Looking great in her colours, first time I have seen her like this, too, and I do like the way the engraved areas are still easily seen through the paint - I was worried it would not be seen...

 

And those PolyBak parts do look better, and easier to work with than the usual PE parts

Edited Sunday at 08:05 PM by chris watton

[kurtvd19]

Jim:

Looks great!

 

I always use an airbrush so the fine details can be seen and not hidden by thick paint.  Long ago I was very good with brushing paint onto my 1/25 scale cars but I lusted after an airbrush.  Got my first airbrush for Christmas when I was in 8th grade (1960).  I had a great uncle who modeled HO railroad stuff and his brass locomotives where my inspiration for airbrushing.  When HO scale rivets are not hidden under paint the results are great so I figured if I could paint my model cars using an airbrush my finishes would be much closer to scale thickness and would show the details others hid under paint.  Remember the time period I am referring to.

When I see people using brushed on paint today and if they ask my advice I tell them to get a decent airbrush and learn to use it.  Airbrushing can make such an improvement in the finish of the model.  But, one must practice like anything else and that seems to be something so many just can't seem to do.

 

Take care,

Kurt

[glbarlow]

It must take some serious masking to use an airbrush as you do. I guess I’ll have to be bold and give it a try with this model. I really detest coppering, after Vanguard I promised myself I’d never do it again, I may not have a choice with Surprise. 
 

At what point did you paint the gun ports?

Edited yesterday at 03:42 AM by glbarlow

[James H]

3 hours ago, glbarlow said:

At what point did you paint the gun ports?

Those were finished as soon as the black was sprayed and the whole model unmasked. 

[Pelk]

On 2/1/2026 at 9:15 AM, James H said:

@Pelk

 

Just for you! 😆

Haha! Thanks so much. I'm sure there are many others who are appreciative of the update. 

 

The paint is just beautiful. I wasn't imagining th hull under the wales to be black. I'm really excited to take the same approach. I totally agree with Maid of the Mist. The contrast between the yellow ochre and the black is just stunning. 

 

I have Vanguard's HMS Harpy and am yet to copper the hull, so it will be great to see how you approach the process. 

 

Thanks again, James. Outstanding work, along with the excellent commentary. As always, looking forward to the next update. 

[Thomass]

Hi Chris,
First of all, thank you for your amazing work, which brings joy and peace to the soul, and certainly to mine! 🙂 
I have a small request. 
Your philosophy of a precisely crafted model with all the details and very detailed instructions 
opens the door to building more complex models even for us amateurs. 
I have only built three ships (including Sherborne) and I would love to buy and build HMS Sphinx and HMS Surprice, but I can't. 
I'm worried about the rigging, which is usually not as detailed in the instructions as the hull. That's a shame. 
Maybe one or two more drawings would attract a lot of modelers like me. 😉

Edited 5 hours ago by Thomass

[James H]

7 minutes ago, Thomass said:

Hi Chris,
First of all, thank you for your amazing work, which brings joy and peace to the soul, and certainly to mine! 🙂 
I have a small request. 
Your philosophy of a precisely crafted model with all the details and very detailed instructions opens the door to building more complex models even for us amateurs. 
I have only built three ships (including Sherborne) and I would love to buy and build HMS Sphinx and HMS Surprice, but I can't. 
I'm worried about the rigging, which is usually not as detailed in the instructions as the hull. That's a shame. 
Maybe one or two more drawings would attract a lot of modelers like me. 😉

There are a whole range of rigging plans included. Everything is there that the modeller will need.

 

Also remember that this level of kit isn't aimed at those unfamiliar with large, complex models such as these. At this level, the modeller should be comfortable in completing such a vessel.

 

Remember that most kits don't include photo details of every rigging aspect. it's expected the modeller will have knowledge.

[Glenn-UK]

From my experience of all the Vanguard kits there is a wealth of information provided with regards to the rigging so I have never struggled to understand where all the threads go. The skill level is how we are able to action things like seizing blocks, belaying threads, etc. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Glenn-UK

[Thomass]

 

Ok, thank you.  I'll study hard then. 

[chris watton]

Rigging is never as bad as you first think. Most of the lines go to and through blocks that you have already attached to the various masts and yard, kind of like a 'rigging by numbers' - plus, as most rigging was standardised, if you have rigged one ship, it will probably be little different to another even larger ship, with the only major increases in rig being perhaps the mast shroud count, which means more ratlines to tie.

 

For Surprise, I have highlighted some sections of the rigging in red, which do not need to be done, but can if you want to fully rig her. So you will have a choice of how far you want to go (this is when the printers decide to mess up and print all my plans in black and white....)

[chris watton]

And here are both laser machines hard at work, the one has a Surprise 0.8mm sheet set on, and the other has the Surprise limewood decks - took literally 10 minutes ago..

Edited 3 hours ago by chris watton

[chris watton]

And here is that Surprise deck set complete! For a few, I am also cutting an upper deck with no openings, (the deck seen at the bottom) so just like a standard deck, in case anyone asks for it and they don't want to show the gun deck.

 

For one set, this takes just over an hour and 16 minutes - and this is just for one kit..