HMS Victory by gil middleton - FINISHED - Caldercraft - 1:72

[popeye the sailor]

you've really put a lot of fine detail into the rigging.......some of the tackle is simply a work of art.   great job Gil!

[Sjors]

Hi Gil,

 

As usual great job !

One question...

How do you know that you not forgot something ?

I mean a rope that goes from somewhere to somewhere.....?

For myself I use a marker on the drawing witch rope I have done.

Maybe you have another way to doing it ?

 

[Jim Lad]

Excellent, Gil.  What more is there to say?

 

John

[Cap'n Jack]

Gil.

 

I have missed my train stop. I have read this post from the beginning and I am speechless.

 

Your craftsmanship and depth of underpinning knowledge leave me blown away.

 

As for the precision your ship demonstrates - wow.

 

If I can achieve a fraction of what you do I will be a very happy modeller.

 

You're a one off fella - and I would love to see something of this standard in my mess!

[md1400cs]

Gil,

 

In this art-form, model ship building, you are one of those who reside at the very top of the pyramid. As a newbie I have so enjoyed following along. I, of course, could not articulate some of the technical notations as many of your peers have done. Nonetheless, you are an inspiration for what can be achieved. Stunning work of a very difficult ship to replicate in miniature. Kudos -- well deserved.

 

Sincerely 

 

Michael

[gil middleton]

Thanks you all for visiting and your more than kind comments.

 

Kevin, it would seem that the Victory is almost done, however, with yard tackles, boats, lanterns, anchors, name plates, stun's'l booms, etc. to go, I would expect another year.  Shortly, the dust cover will go on as we turn our attention to  preparing our real boat for a five month cruise to Alaska. It's almost like a day job, after the boat has sat out in the weather over the winter.  Painting, varnishing, mechanical, safety gear and provisioning, etc., etc. The Victory will come back to life again in October.

 

Ronald, If I remember, Longridge stated that the main course yard measured 102' in length and 2' diameter at the center.  No wonder triple jeer blocks were used to raise the yard.

 

Sjors, I'm probably not as organized as you.  I simply try to work out from midships in order not to trap my hands in the rigging.  By completing each yard, with the exception of braces and yard tackles, I tend to keep track of what is done.  Of course we could run a contest to see who can find the most mistakes and the most missing lines.  I suspect I'd win the contest.

 

Cheers, Gil

[dragzz]

that is some great work u have done there  the craftmenship is sec to none keep up keep up the great work 

[edmay]

Hello Gil , "Bon Voyage" ,Enjoy your well deserved trip,see you in the fall,Edwin

[Kevin]

i just wonder how much more lines i need to include with 36 sails hanging of their respective yards

[dgbot]

You are just getting started on a road to grey hair shaky fingers, 12 packs of cig 50cups of coffe a day  welcome to the club of the lost.

David B

[Rich.F]

She looking great.

But has anyone built the Victory with sails. My wife would like sails I don't. But...

[Harmstronginga]

Gil I notice you used your drill as a lathe. I don't have a lathe so I am interested in how you rigged your drill. Could you provide me with any drawings so I can use my drill. Thanks

[gil middleton]

Dragzz, I probably can't get to Kamloops by boat, but Edwin, I may just show up one day in Port Alberni. Thanks Kevin and dgbot.  Kevin, are you planning to add all those sails?  David, regarding the "road to grey hair and shaky fingers,"  I've already had the grey hair, and then lost most of it.  Does that make me too old to join the club?

Archicar (is there another name to use?) There are models of the Victory with sails bent on, but it's a good question. It goes to the decision every modeler must make in deciding how to present the model.  Some dislike rigging and present a model with only stumps for masts.  I prefer no sails because I think the sails mask the beauty of the rigging and their purpose (or it may be an excuse for my lack of experience in working with sails).  However, I do feel that poorly done sails (furled or full) greatly degrade the appearance of a model, and working with sails is an art in itself.  To go further, if a model is displayed with full sails, the model needs, or perhaps demands the presence of crew on deck else we envision a ghost ship. Probably haven't helped with your question.

Cheers, Gil

[dgbot]

You are a member of the club.  Totally lost in the model.  You sleep eat go ro bed obsess with it welcome to the clubI will call the boys to get the rubber room ready.

David B.

[Kevin]

Yes Gil the plans still are to have here in some form of Diorama, with every sail made and rigged including stuns, hence the reason that i have very few cannons on display

[popeye the sailor]

that must be your formula for a fantastic build.........sail all summer,  and then dry dock in the winter.   whatever it is Gil.......you have it down-pat !

[DBorgens]

Gil,

Are you cruising on opening day this year (while I look out at steady rain)? Leading?

Dave B

[fnkershner]

Yes Gil, I hope to see you leading the fleet thru the cut. Then you can head north.

[gil middleton]

David (dgbot), perhaps I'll escape before they come to get me.

Popeye and Lawrence, we don't leave until May, but preparations certainly become a priority.

Dave and Floyd.  We won't be in the Opening Day Parade.  I've passed that on to others.  Preparation and provisioning for Opening Day, with 35 guests, food, extra seating etc., etc. is entirely different than preparing for a long cruise.  It take's me nearly a week to undo one and prepare for the other.

Cheers, Gil

[Patrick Haw]

Gil, Good luck with your preparations and hope you have a fantastic cruise.  You'll be missed while you're away but I will be all over your log as I move ahead with my Victory.  Yours is one of the logs I could not get anything done without!

 

Patrick

[gil middleton]

Continuing with the braces.

 

We think of rigging as complicated, rather tedious and once done, to be left alone. However, I'm currently reading "The Life of Captain James Cook" by J.C. Beaglehole and I'm intimidated by the fact that in severe gales or storms, Cook strikes the topmasts and yards, only to send them aloft again  when the weather moderates.  Can any of us do that with our models?  Perhaps Grant is the most experienced among us, with his vast experience with broken masts. (Sorry Grant, I couldn't resist). Of course the point is that when one looks at real life experience, rigging takes on a dynamic role with every line serving the ship.

 

This will complete the braces for the mainmast yards and crossjack yard.  Then we can deal with the prodigious excess of line each generates.

 

Main Topgallant Yard Brace. Originates from the mizzen topmast stay collar, passing through the yard block and back to a block on the collar, then to a shroud cleat.

 

 

 

Main Topsail Yard Brace. Originates from the Mizzen stay collar and returns to a block on the mizzen just below the bibbs.

 

 

Main Course Yard Brace.

 

 

Lizzard off the after mizzen shroud.

 

 

The origin at an eyebolt, passing through a block at the rail and belaying to a large deck cleat.

 

 

 

[dgbot]

You have been a busy boy.  Nice work.

David B

[gil middleton]

Crossjack Yard Brace.  Braces arrise from the aft main shroud, pass through the opposite yard block and return to the block on the shroud before leading to the pinrail. Note the yards cross each other, seen better in the second photo.

 

 

This completes the braces. 

 

Cheers, Gil

[gjdale]

More great work to follow - thanks Gil. I doubt that Cook would have used the same method as me for dealing with a broken T'Gallant!

[gil middleton]

The fun stuff.

Small details that were left unfinished earlier.  The chain from the spectacle plate acted to  secure the rudder when it was unshipped as well as provide another method for emergency steering.  The end was left free to avoid interference with the gun port lids.

 

 

A hook connecting the chain with the line (made from an eyelet).

 

 

Lashing the hook

 

 

28 G. dark annealed wire through a hole in the channel, to allow seizing the line at the eye formed in the wire, and to act as a messenger to pull the line up to the channel.

 

[Sailor1234567890]

Nice job on mousing that hook. I can't imagine doing it at that scale.

[scott larkins]

Wow, nice work.  Stunning

[Beef Wellington]

Inspirational work Gil, I wish I had known about MSW when I was still living in Seattle given that there is such a great bunch of modelers in the area - I've been following your Victory for quite some time.

[peterwwebster]

Hi Gil 

 

I am in awe of your build and refer to it regularly being a new boy to the Victory.

I see the pics on the coiling of ropes etc has no photos. If  possible could you please add them for us beginers

 

Many thanks

 

Peter

[Jack12477]

Gill

 

I am new to MSW but not the hobby of ship building. I've been reading your log for the last several weeks. Thank you for this inspiring and educational log. You have shown me a number of ways in which I can improve my own rigging skills. Your workmanship is superb and your model is magnificent.

 

Thanks

 

Jack

 

"No one is as smart as all of us"

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Completed solo-builds: AL Swift , AL Armed Virginia Sloop, AL Santisima Trinidad Captain's Launch, AL Morgan Whaleboat, Dumas 3/8"=1' Scale model of 41 ft USCG Utility Boat

Completed co-builds: MS Phantom, MS Sultana, MS Morgan, MS Niagara, Amati Lady Nelson, AL Swift (2nd time)

In dry-dock for solo-builds: AL 1798 US Constellation, AL  Marie Jeanne, MS Willie Bennett, MS Picket Boat, Dumas Donzi Z65 Tournament Fisherman (R/C)