Rattlesnake by KenW - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - American Privateer

[rafine]

A wonderful model Ken. You have every reason to be very proud of your work.

 

Bob

[zappto]

This is worth to place in the museum, seems alive. Enjoy it.

[donrobinson]

Beautiful build, congratulations

[EJ_L]

Beautiful model Ken. Well done! 

[DocBlake]

Beautiful job,, Ken.  Extraordinary.

[JSGerson]

With such a beautiful model, how are you going to display it? Hopefully you won't just put it on a shelf to collect dust. What are your plans?

[KenW]

Thanks Al, Bob, Zappto, Don, E.J., Dave and Jon for you comments.

And Jon:  I do intend to get a case before I allow my son to take it home.

Cheers.

[KenW]

The model is finished!   I made an ensign which I’m flying from the gaff.  I followed Chuck Passaro’s method from his log about his new kit of the Queen Anne Barge which can be found at ‘https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/12476-syren-ship-model-company-news-and-forthcoming-new-projects-products/&page=9’.  His method worked and I’m really pleased with the flag. 

A few words about American ensigns during the Revolutionary War:  According to the US Navy ‘American Navel Flags of the Revolution’ web site, the Continental Congress in 1777 ”passed an act establishing a national flag for the United States of America.  The law specified the flag have thirteen stripes and a blue ‘cannon’ of thirteen stars.  No further details were specified.”  This lead to several variants of navel ensigns, the most famous being John Paul Jones’ ensign with red, blue and white stripes and eight pointed stars.  For my last model I decided to use the ensign flown by John Barry on the US Alliance which had 7 white stripes, 6 red stripes and eight pointed stars.  For the Rattlesnake I’m using a “common variant” of 7 white stripes, 6 red stripes and five pointed stars arranged in a unique pattern.   I guess I like being different.   But I am the captain.

(Notice that I neglected to trim some lose threads attaching the ensign block to the gaff.) 

More Photos:

 

 

[BenD]

God I love it!  Fantastic work all around. 

[EJ_L]

I don't think there are enough ways to say congratulations on such a magnificent build! You did truly inspiring work on her Ken. Now it's time to just sit back celebrate and admire the work!

 

Do you have a next project planned? This was such a great build I would hate to miss out on another. 

[Ryland Craze]

Congratulations on completing your Rattlesnake.  You did a super job on building her and I really enjoyed following your build log.

[russ]

Ken:

Well done. This is a beautiful model. Congratulations.

 

Russ

 

 

[JSGerson]

I LIKE IT!

[usedtosail]

Great job Ken. She is just beautiful.

[KenW]

Thanks Ben, E.J., Ryland, Russ, Jon and Tom; as well as for all the 'likes'.

Cheers to all.

[captgino]

Another beautiful build! You are good a great job, as always big fan of your furled sails.

 

[Tigersteve]

Echo what these folks said. 

Steve

[john_wilmer]

Ken,

I'm so happy to see your ship in the photo feed on the home page!  Congrats on your completion!!

 

-John

[Martin W]

Congratulations, Ken.  The Rattlesnake is a lovely ship, and you have done her full justice.  Display your build proudly!

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[KenW]

Thanks Jean, Steve, John and Martin.  It was a fun journey.

Good luck to you in your journeys as well.

Cheers.

[KenW]

One last observation.  At some time during the build, a question was raised as to the scale of the Rattlesnake vs the Fair American.  While I agree that there are scale issues with the MSW Fair American, I don't think it's the same scale as the Rattlesnake.  The photo shows the 2 masted, 14 gun Fair American next to the 3 masted, 20 gun Rattlesnake.  And while the length of the two models from tip of the boom to the tip of the jib boom is the same, I think the Rattlesnake model is clearly done in a smaller scale.

Thanks to all who followed this build and I hope to have another build log started soon.

 

[EJ_L]

Scale issues are well known in model building no matter the subject. I too would have thought that Rattlesnake would have been a bit larger. No expert on either ship but a 20 gun three master would, to me, be larger than a 14 gun 2 master. Maybe not by much but a few feet in length, breadth and height. 

 

Any case, you have a couple of very beautiful models to proudly display! 

[DocBlake]

The Fair American (MS) is 1:48 scale;  the Rattlesnake (MS) is 1:64 scale.  If the Rattler were in 1:48 scale, it would be 1/3 again as long as it is in 1:64 - clearly the larger vessel.

 

The problem is that the Fair American is a model of a model...original plans for the vessel don't exist, so some speculation may have been involved.

Edited October 22, 2017 by DocBlake

[Jim Rogers]

I’m thinkin’ you need to build the Syren so I can steal so more great techniques. Your Rattlesnake is a true work of art. BZ Ken.

[KenW]

Thanks E.J. and Dave.  I'm completely convinced that the Rattlesnake is built at a smaller scale(1:64)  than the Fair American (1:48). 

And, thanks for the kind words Jim; as well as for the 'likes'.

Cheers.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Great work Ken what a fine model you have made, love the look of the furled sails,

very well done. 😊

 

B.E.

 

 

[donrobinson]

Beautiful model Ken, Congratulations

[src]

Like usual I am late to the party. Well done Ken, something to aspire too!!

Sam

[JerseyCity Frankie]

Congratulations! I missed the entire log and only noticed it when it made its way to the front page Completed Models Gallery. Arriving late to the party, but I have to say that this is one of the best build logs I’ve seen AND it’s one of the most well built and presented models I’ve seen too. It’s flawless. Every one of your photos is well shot cropped and lit. All the details of your model appeal to my sense of “how a model aught to look”. I love the subject, I love the execution, I love the presentation, and I’m very impressed with the finished results. There can’t be many better Rattlesnakes out there, maybe none?

[KenW]

Thanks Frank.  I didn't notice this post until just now.  Sorry I missed it.