Vintage Billings Norske Love

[NMBROOK]

Although due to weather,work and Tour de France,despite getting very little build time in on current projects,I have managed to acquire a part built Norske Love from the builder that has been untouched in Fourty!!! years.Since being a kid I have always wanted to build this model but choked at the current asking price for a new kit as most items would be changed.The outer hull has seen the effects of 40 years of movement and was not planked according to the rather fragile intact instructions,but clad in wide pieces of Obechi veneer.I will post some pics in the next day or two,it has only landed today.If anyone has any pics or links to an example of this vintage,please post them here.One distinct difference is the transom is flat and does not possess the round tuck of the current model.Aside from this detail,the rest of the model is almost identical to the current version.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Blue Ensign]

I will be interested to see what you make of Norske Love Nigel. I built this model back in the early 1980's and it still resides in my office.

 

It needs some serious modification to the head works, and replacement of many of the fittings, something I have no doubt you are well up to.

 

One thing that really puzzled me about the kit was that for a ship of around 1760 it was supplied with round tops more appropriate to a vessel of the 17th century.

 

I made many mods to my version although I would hope today that I could improve on my 1980's effort.

 

I have some pics of the model including details, I'll post them up later.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[NMBROOK]

Thanks B.E. pics would be great.I will post some of the model when I get the chance.I have one website covering a build mentioning there should be roundhouses on the beak bulkhead but unfortunately the build stops there and hasn't been updated for several years.I am also hitting a brickwall when searching for info on the real vessel using google.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Nigel, here's a few pics of my old Norske Love, she's been uncased for many years, and has to have a periodic dusting, but I'm still very fond of the old girl as she marks my first foray into wooden kit building

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you find them of use

 

 

B.E.

[NMBROOK]

Just some pics of the plans and instructions included with the model.Note date on drawing,not quite as old as me,but older than my wife   .The instructions actually include more information than some of the current ones from Billings!I will take pics of the model at the weekend as I have several bags of loose items to wade through.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[NMBROOK]

Thanks B.E. ,some great pics and one great model.I notice you added the roundhouses,corrected the shape of the tops and rigged her in keeping with the correct period.I am wondering whether the shape of the bow in the kit is a little too pointed and needs to be more bluff,inline with other vessels of the period?

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[popeye the sailor]

sweet looking build B.E. great looking ship!

 

 

looking forward in seeing pictures of the hull Nigel....... to me, there's something cool about building an old kit......reminds me of when I build the Nordkap. truly a lucky man to have the chance at this baby!

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Nigel, Popeye, and Brian, the kit produces a nice looking model, but being only single planked there is only one chance to get it right(ish), not for the faint hearted.

 

This is the original catalogue I had.

 

 

I remember thinking what a superb model and I wanted to be that guy, This was the hook that got me into wooden ship modelling.

 

 

 A lot of the fittings were plastic and some of the brass ones looked slightly out of period to my eye even back then. One thing I do like is the stern and Quarter galleries, which despite having plastic decorations etc;  does have an authentic and nice period look.

 

Don't know about the bow Nigel, it never struck me as being insufficiently bluff, but back in the day  such considerations were way beyond my awareness level.

 

My main, and virtually only reference work was Lees Masting and rigging and I sort of followed the style of the 60 gun contemporary model (photo63) shown in the Representative Models Section. That didn't seem to have a particularly bluff bow.

 

 I look forward to seeing you work your magic.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

B.E.

 

 

 

[Stockholm tar]

Nigel,

 

I think most of us have seen this model, either in the catalogue or for real (in my case in a model shop), and thought 'what a great model'. BE made a superb job of his, and I expect you will do the same – given your penchant for accuracy! Looking forward to seeing how she turns out. I suppose the only down side is that it will slow up work on your other models – but I guess you will just have to 'bite the bullet'!  

 

Btw, I trust you didn't take any 'selfies' whilst watching the Tour de France – and now seemingly England?

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Kester

No plans to dive in on the model at the minute as I am attempting to progress a little more with Mordaunt.I will use the time to consider possible plans of action,but do know for certain that it will need stripping back to a skeleton.The hull was sheeted/planked and decks fitted and that was about it really.The pictures will explain better this weekend .

Other than the lion figurehead,no plastic ornaments were supplied.The builder was expected to carve these from the printed Obechi sheet.

I had every intention to go and watch the Tour de France in person,but common sense prevailed.Leaving home at five am to get a semi good position to see the peleton go past for several minutes put me off.Got a much better view on the Eurosport channel  

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[David Nuttall]

I have been given one to finish off as well!! The instructions are not good, check out other sites for rigging

pics.The original kit was dark mahogany and deck was not planked.Looks a good rugged kit when finished.

I´ve had to make up a lot of missing bits, including all the cannons.

regards and good luck David

[NMBROOK]

Thanks David Yes the hull and deck are skinned in Mahogony veneer.Unsure as to the planking under the waterline as this is covered in 'crazed' paint at the minute.There is the remainder of the printed mahogony veneer sheets included,but these are in a pretty poor state and full of splits due to drying out for such a long time.I did consider replanking in Obechi strips to keep it in keeping with the current model,but Billings strips are unobtainable in any great quantity at the moment due to supply issues from the factory.I will see if this situation changes in the future.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[yancovitch]

hmmmmmm   just found this site.....many many years ago, i built a reg size model of the norske, and also a 7 foot r/c version as in the photo.....liked this model because of the fat hull which was able to sail without external ballast....blue ensign--beautiful job on your model.........

  loved  your modifications, noticed also the rounded transom opposed to flat......don't remember, but i think my bow was rounder

good luck with yours nigel

       actually i was looking for plans with bulkheads for this model, but couldn't find although i don't think i won't build any more ships....ha ha........will have to keep an eye on this post........cheers.....vic

Edited July 12, 2014 by yancovitch

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Vic Your sailing model is stunning   .My priority was to obtain the hull lines through buying the model as I too could not find hull line drawings of this vessel.If I could have just bought plans with adequate information,I would have gone that route.There are drawings somewhere as the author of this site mentions them http://www.webng.com/moon2stu/index.html but hours of internet trolling have revealed nothing to me.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[yancovitch]

thanks for the link............vc

Edited July 13, 2014 by yancovitch

[barnhart4dsn]

Blue Ensign

How did you finish the lower end of the main stay collar?  I see you run it forward of the fore mast but cannot see where it goes. I built the older kit in the late 70's.  I did not have the eye for detail that I have now and am trying to correct my mistakes.  I am looking at the plans for the newer kit and see there are many differences between the two kits.  The new drawings show the stay going forward but the details are hidden behind an anchor.

 

 

thank you

warren barnhart

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Warren, it's a long time since I built Norske Love, but fortunately she is within 15' from where I am writing this reply.🙂

 

I followed the James Lees (Masting and Rigging) book for the Main Stay collar, arrangement after 1690.

The collar was a long strop with a heart in its bight, the line leading thro' a hole in the beak below the Bowsprit.

One end has an eye spliced into it and the other end rove thro' this eye and was seized to itself.

The eye lies on the Port side of the Bowsprit and should be served all over. This was a fine detail I omitted back in the 1980's when I built my version.

You can see the collar running down between the Knightheads before it rounds the Bowsprit and is seized thro' the eye.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[barnhart4dsn]

Thank you B.E.  I just ordered a copy of Lee's book.

 

wb