HMS Victory by Dan Vadas - FINISHED - Del Prado - Restoration

[Dan Vadas]

About six months ago a friend of my girlfriend's asked me if I could finish off a model ship which her father was building before he passed away. Being the sucker I am, I said yes before I'd even laid eyes on it, or even before I knew which ship it was - MISTAKE.

 

It turned out to be one of the worst constructed models of HMS Victory I've ever seen - only the one I'd previously restored for a friend (similar circumstances) was worse, but at least he didn't want me to spend too much time on that one. As I'd already promised both my girlfriend and her friend that I'd do the job I was stuck with it  .

 

This was the old guy's first ever attempt at building a wooden ship, and he couldn't have picked a worse kit for his debut - a Victory, and a Del Prado part-work kit to boot. I doubt I've seen another kit with worse materials and instructions, at least the timber on my AL HMS Suppy wasn't too bad for an experienced builder to make something of it even though the rest of the kit was rubbish. A novice attempting this Victory kit was never going to get far (bloody thing should have been banned on it's release   .

 

Here are a few of pics of what I faced when I first saw it :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have spent the last 18 days stripping and re-planking the decks, ripping out and replacing a lot of hull planks, bogging the entire hull and replacing wales and deck furniture. I am currently re-painting the hull.

 

I will update this log when I get home from my holidays in a week or two - the internet connection I am using at the moment is as slow as a wet week and it takes me forever to try to send anything.

 

  Danny

[NMBROOK]

Wow Dan you have sure got your work cut out there  

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[Dan Vadas]

I sure have Nigel, but the worst is over. Here's a pic from two days ago :

 

 

At least I haven't been suffering withdrawl symptoms while I'm on holiday, although I've missed my Byrnes Saw a lot (would have come in very handy  .)

 

  Danny

[JeffT]

oh yikes!

[NMBROOK]

You mentioned Deagostini Dan,looking at the gunport lid sockets,is this not a Mamoli kit,or partwork based on that?The deagostini Vic is an artesenia product.I have a feeling this was offered by del prado.I agree it is looking better already,doesn't look like the same model.

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[demonborger]

The biggest problem with attempts like this is that the person never sands it. They don't fair the hull, or sand anything or file anything. Or use wood filler etc. It is probably a lack of patience and also a lack of understanding how vital it is to sand things before finishing with paint.

 

This is nothing like the Mamoli Victory. Mamoli doesn't use an sockets at all for the gunport lids, they use cast metal false hinges that you put into holes that you drill in the hull, and attach the other part to the gunport. It certainly does look like the Del Prado one however.

[JesseLee]

I have an old unfinished ship( supposed to be the Mayflower) that I picked up in an antique store a few years ago. I thought it would be simple to restore & finish it until I actually got it home & got to looking at it better. A lot has to be redone. I've been messing with it off & on for a few years. Don't know if I will ever be able to finish it! Good luck on this project. Can't wait to see what you do with it!

[druxey]

In a word, gruesome! My sympathy to you, Dan, for taking the project on.

[rlb]

Dan,

 

I can tell from just a few photos that you've already taken this wreck up quite a few notches.  Cudos to you for sticking with your commitment.

 

At the risk of seeming uncaring (which I have the feeling you are NOT), I would probably be thinking of balancing my efforts with your friends' expectations--in other words, what seems only mediocre to you, might be fabulous to them.  But knowing your standards, I bet it's very difficult to do a sub-par (to you) job. 

 

Wishing you a good and speedy outcome,

Ron

[clipper]

Oh Danny what have you gone and done mate. Someone mentioned my two most feared words "Del Prado" . If that is the case you have my sincere sympathies and even greater respect for taking on this project. Knowing how long these things take you must be one of the most giving people I know to do this for a friend. All the best mate

Tony

 

Ps: I spent as much money bashing my Bounty as I did on the issues. It would have been cheaper and materials would have been of better quality had I binned the first issue and bought a quality kit.

[Dan Vadas]

On 04/01/2014 at 0:29 PM, NMBROOK said:

You mentioned Deagostini Dan,looking at the gunport lid sockets,is this not a Mamoli kit,or partwork based on that?The deagostini Vic is an artesenia product.I have a feeling this was offered by del prado.I agree it is looking better already,doesn't look like the same model.

 

Kind Regards Nigel

 

Oops - quite right Nigel ...... it IS a Del Prado partwork kit   . There was not much of an indication of the brand in the instructions until I looked a lot closer.

 

My apologies to DeAgostini  . I have edited the Title.

 

Ron - your comments are spot-on. Working out where to stop IS one of the hardest parts of the project .

 

Thanks to all the others who offered their sympathies .

 

  Danny

[NMBROOK]

The biggest problem with attempts like this is that the person never sands it. They don't fair the hull, or sand anything or file anything. Or use wood filler etc. It is probably a lack of patience and also a lack of understanding how vital it is to sand things before finishing with paint.

 

This is nothing like the Mamoli Victory. Mamoli doesn't use an sockets at all for the gunport lids, they use cast metal false hinges that you put into holes that you drill in the hull, and attach the other part to the gunport. It certainly does look like the Del Prado one however.

It doesn't necessarily follow that the Mamoli kit is the same as the partwork.The dep prado is 1/100 the Mamoli is kit is 1/90.Kit manufacturers produce these partworks under licence.Hachette's Bismarck and Hood would manufactured by Amati.Del Prado/Osprey is just a publishing house with no facilities to manufacture.When you look at a cast 'Del Prado' gunport it is obvious that any other manufacturer would have been in breach of Mamoli's patent on their metal ports.

I will investigate further as this has me intrigued.

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[clipper]

Hi Danny, no probs mate its nothing that an angle grinder and a belt sander wont take care of.

Tony

[Dan Vadas]

On 05/01/2014 at 8:56 AM, Brian C said:

you going to paint the hull blue again ?  I wonder what the original builder was thinking, using that colour .

 

No way Brian - I've used Copper Hammertone paint below the waterline to simulate the plating. There is a limit to how far I'm going as regards authenticity and even usual model ship building practice. The Hammertone hides some of the imperfections   .

 

I'm doing this project at my holiday van at Tuncurry - no power tools apart from a Dremel, and any extra bits and pieces I didn't bring with me I have to purchase from either Bunnings or the local Hobby Shop which both have a very limited range of suitable products.

 

According to the Del Prado instructions Navy Blue was used instead of Black - go figure. Old Mate probably used the closest colour he could find, and got considerably confused into the bargain.

 

Nigel - do what you will   .

 

  Danny

[NMBROOK]

I gave up looking after 40mins Dan,there is not a great deal out there,can't have been very popular . It was 10 years ago when it was released and it is hardly an icon.However the blue will be to represent annealed copper .

Kind Regards Nigel

[capnharv2]

Very brave of you to take that on Danny-and you're doing a wonderful job of it

 

I assume no rigging?

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[AntonyUK]

Hi Danny.

WOW .

I remember the first kit I made. Was almost as bad as that one. I put it down to expearance.

You have done a excellent job so far with the first recovery of the hull.

Taking your modeling on holiday with you ... That's a first . My admiral would have something to say about that ):

I know you are not asking for advice BUT.

My advice is -: don't build it with the same quality as your past and current build.

Just the hull and deck furniture ?

No rigging only stub masts ?

 

Lots af before and after photos please.

Regards Antony.

[dragzz]

wow dan i looked at pic from the start what a mess its was now looking at when u done some work to it big change to it can wait to see it when its all done iam working on the corel kit iam going real slow at it . keep up the great work

[kiwiron]

Poor man what a shocker you started with.

[S.Coleman]

Oh my! To be honest, buying a Victory as a first kit was way too much to bite off, let alone chew! But with that said, I say good on him! He gave it a shot and had a go. I know each and every one of us on this site has different skill levels. I'm not a master model shipwright so I'm in no position to judge. But with that said, yes it could of done with a bit more care. Good on him for trying but.

Your doing a great job Dan it's coming along well.

[Keith_W]

Wow Dan, I burst out laughing when I saw that model. But I think it has a certain rustic charm to it, with all the misshapen planks and all

[gjdale]

Wow Danny, your girlfriend's friend must be hot!

[Lucius Molchany]

Well if anyone can turn a sow's ear unto a silk purse.Dan is the man for the job!

[Dan Vadas]

On 05/01/2014 at 4:53 PM, Brian C said:

probably the kit instructions are suggesting the blue hull colour represents the ocean,  Danny. 

 

That was my first thought too Brian .

 

Quote

 

 

I gave up looking after 40mins Dan,there is not a great deal out there,can't have been very popular

 

 

No great surprise there Nick   .

 

Harvey and others who were wondering - yes, I'm going to do a simplified rigging. All Standing Rigging, and Braces and Lifts for the Running Rigging. Yards but no sails.

 

My intention is to finish this as a purely "decorative" model which will look OK on the mantelpiece of someone who knows nothing about how the ship actually looks (which describes the owner   ).

 

Anthony - I have no intention of building it with the same quality as my past and current build, but it's difficult at times not to do so. I'm very limited with the poor state of the original, the materials and tools I have on hand at the moment, and the amount of time I want to spend on it - I'll be getting straight back to Vulture when I get home again. This project will stay at my van for the next time I come up here - it gives me something to do instead of sitting in front of the TV all day .

 

Quote

Wow Danny, your girlfriend's friend must be hot!

 

 

No, not particularly Grant .

 

Thanks to all the others who commented.

 

  Danny

[CaptCraig]

This is an incredible undertaking. I can see you have already made vast improvements. I will be watching this log with intensity when you are at your van working on it!

[TBlack]

You're a very generous fella; I hope there is no timeframe.

 

Tom

[Dan Vadas]

Thank you Craig and Tom - no timeframe other than what I limit myself to .

 

A quick question for anyone following this log who has built a Victory, or has plans for one  (I don't currently have access to mine) :

 

What is the angle of the Bowsprit from the horizontal? Del Prado's looks way too steep to my eye.

 

  Danny

[Keith_W]

I don't have my protractor with me, but it looks like it's about 25 degrees. If you have a protractor, you can measure it off the screen. This was taken from AOTS: Victory.

 

[Craigie65]

Dan

You must be a saint to take this on!

What amazes me more is using your van as a travelling shipyard. Also extremely luckily you have an understanding partner

 

Look forward to seeing the next instalment

[ScottRC]

A project like this is why its a mixed blessing when wives and sweethearts take an interest in this hobby.  I myself cannot deny a time when I accepted a similar request only to find myself feeling like a knight facing to slay a dragon with a pocket knife.  What you have shown us looks like she is being transformed into quite a fair looking maiden.