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

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for that Keith. It actually measures at 28 degrees - your guess was pretty good .

 

Thanks Craig and Scott. Actually, I keep reminding her that it was her idea in the first place .

 

cheers:  Danny

[Craigie65]

Dan,

That's nearly a whole 48 hours since your last post, you must be finished by now ?

 

Any more pictures?

[craigb]

I will go the other way and say that if the model was indeed the guy's first attempt at building a ship, good for him.  He got pretty far along and was still building it and presumably having fun doing it before he passed.  

 

Danny, it is very nice of you to continue the work and re-work it to your standards. You are doing an excellent job. 

 

But I disagree with the replies making fun of how the model looked.  I doubt people would say such things if he had a build log on this forum and posted those pictures. They would instead do the standard (great!) MSW thing and encourage him on his build and to have fun and enjoy the hobby. 

 

So I will repeat, good job man! Sorry we didn't get to follow along with you and see  you finish the project but you got a really nice guy helping for you.  

Edited January 9, 2014 by craigb

[Dan Vadas]

Dan,

That's nearly a whole 48 hours since your last post, you must be finished by now ?

 

Any more pictures?

 

I won't be finished for a while yet , but here's a couple of pics of the "current state of play". I'll do a full set of progress pics when I get home next week - it's too hard to do with the laptop I'm using at the moment.

 

 

 

 

Craigb - sure, the old guy had a go to the best of his abilities on a very poor kit. The more I read the "destructions" the more I realise why he did it the way he did - they even confuse ME .

 

If he'd have been on MSW from the start we'd have helped him through and I'd have had a much easier task now. Or we'd have talked him out of attempting the kit in the first place and gone with something a lot easier which he probably would have finished before he passed away.

 

  Danny

[gjdale]

Wow Danny!

 

Already it's hard to believe that's the same model. Can't wait to see the full set of pics.

 

You're doing a great job (as usual), and all jokes aside, your generosity of spirit towards almost total strangers sets an example to us all.

 

Well done.

[Craigie65]

Wow what a difference! At first I thought it was another build

Thanks for posting

[Craigie65]

I will go the other way and say that if the model was indeed the guy's first attempt at building a ship, good for him.  He got pretty far along and was still building it and presumably having fun doing it before he passed.  

 

Danny, it is very nice of you to continue the work and re-work it to your standards. You are doing an excellent job. 

 

But I disagree with the replies making fun of how the model looked.  I doubt people would say such things if he had a build log on this forum and posted those pictures. They would instead do the standard (great!) MSW thing and encourage him on his build and to have fun and enjoy the hobby. 

 

So I will repeat, good job man! Sorry we didn't get to follow along with you and see  you finish the project but you got a really nice guy helping for you.

 

I think that's a little unfair. I re-read the posts and the majority are sympathy for Dan or having a pop at Del Prado. Okay one or two could have been phrased a little more tactfully but on the whole I have no problems with what has been posted.

 

What I do agree with is your sentiment that the members of this site are very supportive when you need help. I guess if the chap had known/used MSW then the model might have looked a whole lot better.

 

I'll get off my soapbox now

[Dan Vadas]

Craigie65 - I was editing my previous post as you sent the above reply. My sentiments exactly .

 

  Danny

[Lucius Molchany]

Can't believe it is the model you started with!Amazing what a little sandpaper and putty will do!

[demonborger]

The most important thing to take away form this is that it is so important to spend the time to sand things to shape, and use filler where required, and paint where it will improve the overall look etc.

 

A good motivator to anyone with an abandoned earlier attempt.

[michael mott]

Kudos to you Dan for what you are doing with this ship, I had to do a double take when seeing the rework it did not look like the same model. A testament to your skill and kindness.

 

Happy New Year Sir.

 

Michael

[edmay]

Hello Dan.Micheal said it perfectly,you are gifted ,Edwin

[NMBROOK]

Excellent work Dan.I applaud the way in which you have exercised restraint and done the minimum to bring her current state.The thing to remember is the great sentimental value that the model must carry and completely rebuilding it would mean it was no longer really the model that you started with(coupled with the fact it would be a massive amount of time for yourself).

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[Moonbug]

Holy cow Dan!  I just  came by this log. What a challenge!   The victory still scares the heck out of me too much to try, I can't imagine a newbie starting with it.

 

I'm quite interested in how she will fair.

 

- Bug

[Dan Vadas]

Thanks for the comments Philo, demonborger, Michael, Ed, Nigel and Bug .

 

Now that I'm back home again I'll post all the progress pics I took (a couple might be repeats, but they are there for a reason).

 

From the start, and a couple of real nasty ones :

 

 

 

 

 

Work in progress on the Hull. Guns, Port Lids and Wales etc have been removed :

 

 

 

Wood Filler has been applied and sanded. The Ports are later trimmed to shape :

 

 

 

 

Note that I changed my mind several times in the early parts of this Reconstruction as to how far I was going to go with it.

 

To be Continued in next Post .....

[Dan Vadas]

The hull after painting with Hammertone Copper. The particular paint I used didn't come out as a real hammertone, more like a very light ripple :

 

 

 

Wales and other strakes were made from new stock and re-fitted :

 

 

 

Some more particularly bad work around the Quarters. The kit instructions were to blame for a large part of this - no mention made of Fairing the frames at all   :

 

 

 

Wood Filler was used below the waterline. I laid new planking forward of the quarters themselves, and later fitted a roof over them (also not mentioned in the instructions).

 

To be Continued in next Post .....

[Dan Vadas]

The first part of the model I tore out and replaced were the Decks - the hull actually came after when I saw that I'd done TOO good a job on them . Here are a couple of pics from BEFORE :

 

 

 

The decks were ripped out using a flat chisel-point Xacto. I removed the whole quarterdeck as it was badly out of position :

 

 

 

 

Some pics of the decks after sanding smooth, filling and re-planking :

 

 

 

 

To be Continued in next Post

[Dan Vadas]

The hull was painted (I remembered why I do all my models in lacquered raw wood - I HATE painting ). I used Tamiya Acrylic in Satin Black and a Yellow that was somewhere near Ochre but had a bit too much green in it - it was all I could get from the local Hobby Shop but it looks a lot better than the Gloss Yellow of the original. Tamiya Masking Tape was my friend here - excellent sharp lines and it didn't pull up any paint when removed. It was my first experience using this tape and I can highly recommend it :

 

Guns were fitted to the poorly mounted cast ports by re-drilling the holes for the pins. I taped a couple of strips underneath the barrels to support them in approximately the right position while the slow-setting Epoxy dried :

 

 

 

I opted to leave the Port side guns in the closed position - I'd already spent too long fitting the Starboard (better) side, and most of the ports on the Port side were too far out of position to make a half-way decent job of them. Some of the worst ones on the Starboard side are also in the closed position for the same reason :

 

 

BTW - compare the above pic with the one taken from the same angle in the BEFORE pics .

 

To be Continued in next Post .....

[Dan Vadas]

Before I could fit any of the poorly cast (why was that no surprise?) fittings they all needed a thorough soaking in Acetone, followed by half a day's worth of scrubbing with a toothbrush to remove all the glue and paint. This was a REAL mission :

 

 

 

 

Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning up casting flash and filing.

 

Continued in next Post

[Dan Vadas]

I made and fitted a new Companion to the lower deck. Old mate must have attempted to make one in-situ (I wish I'd taken a pic of it). The treads were roughly VERTICAL   and as rough as guts :

 

 

 

Note the planking on the lower deck - I couldn't really do anything about it without ripping up the entire forecastle deck/gangways. This was another result of confusing kit instructions . Most of the lower deck will be hidden anyway when I fit a couple of Longboats to the beams.

 

Continued in next Post

[Dan Vadas]

The re-built and mostly finished off Headworks :

 

 

I also re-made the Rudder, but unfortunately forgot to take a pic of the finished result. My attempt turned out fairly rough historically speaking, but it was a bit better than what I had to start with :

 

 

I'll post pics of the rudder on my next visit to my caravan in two weeks. The model has been left there so I'm not tempted to work on it at home instead of on Vulture - a huge temptation I'm sure you will agree   .

 

Continued in next Post

[Dan Vadas]

First, a pic from BEFORE :

 

 

Some progress pics of the hatch coamings and deck furniture. I re-made all the coamings from new stock. I'll fit some aftermarket wooden Gratings to several of the hatches later on (naturally, the local Hobby Shop doesn't carry them - they mostly do all R/C stuff) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued in next Post

[Dan Vadas]

I made all new Timberheads. I used 0.5mm brass wire to ensure a good bond. Yeah, I KNOW they aren't accurate :

 

 

 

 

Continued in next Post .....

[riverboat]

Wow!! amazing transformation...... You are going to make someone really HAPPY!!!!

Frank

[Dan Vadas]

The last BEFORE pic :

 

 

This is almost where I am up to (a couple of pics still to come on my next visit to my van). All the hull is finished except for the Stanchion rigging and Gratings, and the next job will be the masts (a total re-make).

 

Not having any stock of sufficient thickness, I laminated some pieces together to make the Cathead Knees :

 

 

 

 

 

This concludes my Update for now.

 

  Danny

[Dan Vadas]

gosh, you are ambitious Danny.  It was probably only good for firewood.

 

Landfill perhaps?

 

Thank you Frank - I sure hope so .

 

  Danny

[Moonbug]

That is absolutely amazing.

 

-Bug

[CaptCraig]

Excellent craftsmanship Capt. Dan! I am very impressed at the speed that you are able to accomplish this at. I know you are a seasoned builder though, so I should expect that! Looking forward to more updates. I know your wife's friend will be amazed at the final product.

[DSiemens]

I love to see restorations.  The process from point a to point b is fascinating.  This log is a great example.  Incredible work Dan.  I echo the thoughts to not be so harsh on the original builder.  While he was new to the craft he had the guts and persistence to get the Victory as far as he did.  I can't say I would have done the same.     

[olliechristo]

WOW, onwards and upwards.. This is great Danny, I love to make crappy things fantastic, it gives you a buzz, not to mention what you are doing for friendss/fam.. I take my hat off to you.. She looks great...

 

Have you kept a tally of how many hours this has or will take? Would be very interesting also.. Warm Regards Ollie