Newsworthy updates from Chris Watton

[Blue Ensign]

Great shots Chris, what a marvel that kit is going to be.

 

B.,E.

[Kevin]

LOL you build a brand new pre production kit - in a short period of time, that looks far superior to my 800+ hours build and at only 1/2 of what you have done, - its just not fair

[Landlubber Mike]

Wow, this is really incredible.  Absolutely stunning work.  One day hopefully I'll have half that skill 

 

Sorry if I missed this earlier- is this 1:64 or 1:72 scale?

Edited June 9, 2013 by Landlubber Mike

[chris watton]

LOL you build a brand new pre production kit - in a short period of time, that looks far superior to my 800+ hours build and at only 1/2 of what you have done, - its just not fair

I may have spent more time on this - don't forget I work on it all day, virtually every day - I also try and design my stuff so that all the mundane bits are cancelled out, meaning we can build them slightly quicker than other kits.

 

Wow, this is really incredible.  Absolutely stunning work.  One day hopefully I'll have half that skill 

 

Sorry if I missed this early - is this 1:64 or 1:72 scale?

Thank you, it is 1:64th scale

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Chris - good thing I have a big coffee table to work on. 

[demonborger]

Oh this looks very nice.

If you at Amati/Victory Models get stumped for ideas after these kits come out you can always make a Neptune (Neptune, Dreadnaught, Temeraire) class 1/90 scale kit 

[Jaxboat]

I like "the Admiral" standing on deck. Gives scale to the ship.  Did you carve?

Jaxboat

[Decoyman]

Great work Chris!

 

There is an excellent portfolio of Victory photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Portchieboy/VictoryReference?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSnmbSV56rtLA. What I noticed in relation to gunport lids is that, although they may in principle be quite thin, in fact the outsides are profiled to follow the profile of the hull. These particular shots illustrate it well:

 

 

Have you thought about adding timber to the outside to reflect this?

 

In relation to the gunports I have often wondered if the drip mouldings currently visible over the openings, and which you and others have included in their models, are original or whether they were added once Victory was moved into dry dock to help with the weathering of what are now windows. I don't recall seeing them on contemporary models, but I may be wrong.

 

Best wishes

 

Rob

[chris watton]

I like "the Admiral" standing on deck. Gives scale to the ship.  Did you carve?

Jaxboat

It is a 64th scale Amati figure - I placed it near where nelson fell....

 

Great work Chris!

 

There is an excellent portfolio of Victory photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Portchieboy/VictoryReference?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSnmbSV56rtLA. What I noticed in relation to gunport lids is that, although they may in principle be quite thin, in fact the outsides are profiled to follow the profile of the hull. These particular shots illustrate it well:

 

IMG_2373.jpg

IMG_2420.jpg

 

Have you thought about adding timber to the outside to reflect this?

 

In relation to the gunports I have often wondered if the drip mouldings currently visible over the openings, and which you and others have included in their models, are original or whether they were added once Victory was moved into dry dock to help with the weathering of what are now windows. I don't recall seeing them on contemporary models, but I may be wrong.

 

Best wishes

 

Rob

All the gun port lids have been profiled( All of the ones that require it, that is). All of the lower lids, (you can just about see it on the lower lids in my photos) the last four middle gun port lids and the last three upper gun port lids - They all follow the hull profile. I made the hinges in 0,25mm photo etched brass so that they could be manipulated to follow the steps in lid profile easier. . This brings the thickness up to almost 2mm for the lids with the wale detail, and 1mm for those that do not.

 

As for the drip mouldings, I couldn't say 100%. All I know is that every drawing from the most well known and respected sources seems to show them, so it would be very remiss of me to leave them off. Like the stern davits, you don't have to add them if you don't want to - it's one of those sets of fittings that isn't structurally significant to the build. Since adding the scuttles to the lower lids, I have re designed them so they look exactly like the real ones.

 

ETA - I should mention that all of the gun port lids are laser cut, and each one is specific to its particular gun port opening - so if you don't keep 'em in order, you're in trouble!

Edited June 9, 2013 by chris watton

[Decoyman]

Apologies - I didn't spot that you'd already profiled the gunport lids.

 

I'm really impressed that all the gunport lids are cut to the correct elevation profile for each opening. That's the way to do it properly!

 

Rob

[Kevin]

It is a 64th scale Amati figure - I placed it near where nelson fell....

 

All the gun port lids have been profiled( All of the ones that require it, that is). All of the lower lids, (you can just about see it on the lower lids in my photos) the last four middle gun port lids and the last three upper gun port lids - They all follow the hull profile. I made the hinges in 0,25mm photo etched brass so that they could be manipulated to follow the steps in lid profile easier. . This brings the thickness up to almost 2mm for the lids with the wale detail, and 1mm for those that do not.

 

As for the drip mouldings, I couldn't say 100%. All I know is that every drawing from the most well known and respected sources seems to show them, so it would be very remiss of me to leave them off. Like the stern davits, you don't have to add them if you don't want to - it's one of those sets of fittings that isn't structurally significant to the build. Since adding the scuttles to the lower lids, I have re designed them so they look exactly like the real ones.

 

ETA - I should mention that all of the gun port lids are laser cut, and each one is specific to its particular gun port opening - so if you don't keep 'em in order, you're in trouble!

i presume then if a wale is running through a gunport lid and you want to have all lids in the shut position then you have the perfect alignment set up -ie fit the lids and then the wale

[chris watton]

i presume then if a wale is running through a gunport lid and you want to have all lids in the shut position then you have the perfect alignment set up -ie fit the lids and then the wale

Yes

[runner63]

A curious question, in the real world did they plank the ship then cut the ports for the cannon?

 

Just curious

 

Runner63

[chris watton]

A curious question, in the real world did they plank the ship then cut the ports for the cannon?

 

Just curious

 

Runner63

The gun ports were worked into the framing of the hull, so the planking were made to fit.

[runner63]

Thanks Chris.

 

runner63

[george kidd]

hi chris.

it is a bit of a daft question.  but can you please tell me what the coiled rope is for, that is comeing out of the hull in your photos of the victory.

that your doing

regardes george

[chris watton]

hi chris.

it is a bit of a daft question.  but can you please tell me what the coiled rope is for, that is comeing out of the hull in your photos of the victory.

that your doing

regardes george

Fore and main sail sheets and tacks - it would be impossible to belay them properly to the upper gun deck bulwark cleats once the masts, yards shrouds, stays and boats are in place - just a bit of forward thinking.

 

ETA - Just had all of my cannon barrels and ships boat parts arrive!

Edited June 12, 2013 by chris watton

[chris watton]

@chris watton

 

There are 4 sizes of cannon barrel - no more off the shelf 'that'll do' parts...

 

 

Depth markings!

 

 

I have even added optional window frames for the poop gun ports:

 

[Kevin]

wow

[WackoWolf]

I agree with Kevin. Dam that looks nice. Keep the pictures coming.

[chris watton]

Cheers

 

More ship's boats stuff - I try and add as much as I can to make the assembly less boring, so thwarts, knees etc. have been laser cut, too, and the floors and gratings are photo etched. The only things you need to do is plank, add the ribs and paint. (I would like to advise using something like Evergreen styrene strip for the ribs, instead of wood strip...)

 

Here are the differences between the 12 pounder long (upper gun deck) and 12 pounder short. Not much in it with the carriages, but the barrels have a huge difference in length! (The quarterdeck carriages are being primed, hence the white..and the upper gun deck carriage is a superfluous reject...)

 

Edited June 12, 2013 by chris watton

[Kevin]

we appreciate all the hard work - such a shame that most of it will be hidden

[Kevin]

tell the truth i did not realise until now that some thing i have taken for granted- keel depth marking were used on these period vessels

[chris watton]

we appreciate all the hard work - such a shame that most of it will be hidden

Thank you

 

You could always leave sections of hull planking off.

 

If you look through the gun and entry ports, you can still clearly see that they are full assemblies, and you can see other deck detail, too. Also, with the gratings off, you can see right down to the orlop - plus of course, you can have the stern windows in their open position, so you can look right down the gun decks. I wanted to do a kit where, no matter how hard you looked, there'd always be detail. Bellona was the test bed and Victory is the result.

[chris watton]

Oh yes, many have asked about colour, which I explained why I used what I did a few pages ago. If you look at the carriages here on the lower gun deck  middle gun deck, you can see the original Vallejo colour I was going to use - but after much thought, I went with what I know works for longevity and stability, as the model will be shipped around quite a lot and subjected to changing temperatures often.

 

Edited June 12, 2013 by chris watton

[fnkershner]

Chris - You could make a wonderful kit of just the ship's boats. Very nice! I especially like the oars. I find it hard to get them to proper scale and look right. since the cannon barrels are white metal. How do you plan to blacken them? Just paint?

[chris watton]

Chris - You could make a wonderful kit of just the ship's boats. Very nice! I especially like the oars. I find it hard to get them to proper scale and look right. since the cannon barrels are white metal. How do you plan to blacken them? Just paint?

Thank you, Floyd

 

The barrels are being sprayed black right now. It would be the same if they were in brass, too. They are cast because the trunnion (the bar that goes through the barrel to rest it on the carriage) is offset rather than central.

 

I have been using  AK interactive's Brass Photoetch Burnishing liquid for the cannon balls on the upper decks and some PE parts. It works very well. I bought it from here:

 

http://www.emodels.co.uk/plastic-kits/interactive-brass-photoetch-burnishing-fluid-00174-p-36558.html

Edited June 12, 2013 by chris watton

[shurick]

Alright, alright I am ready to order!!! Someone take my money already and send me that ship!!

Edited June 12, 2013 by shurick

[chris watton]

lol - shurick (love that avatar, BTW) - it'll be a while yet, have to sort out the thousands of assembly pics and do the drawings first - gulp...

 

I will say that there is one area that I have thought about the most - the height of the bow deck. The sources I used for the main hull and deck designs show it at upper gun deck level, yet other sources, including the real thing show a platform added about 2 feet in height.

 

I have changed the designs twice, and decided to leave it at the deck level - why? - Well, I figured that it is much easier to increase the height of the platform than to lower it - as I do not know either way which is supposed to be correct, it is better to go with the option that is easier to change, depending on which side of the fence you sit on regarding this area.

Edited June 12, 2013 by chris watton

[Kevin]

lol - shurick (love that avatar, BTW) - it'll be a while yet, have to sort out the thousands of assembly pics and do the drawings first - gulp...

 

I will say that there is one area that I have thought about the most - the height of the bow deck. The sources I used for the main hull and deck designs show it at upper gun deck level, yet other sources, including the real thing show a platform added about 2 feet in height.

 

I have changed the designs twice, and decided to leave it at the deck level - why? - Well, I figured that it is much easier to increase the height of the platform than to lower it - as I do not know either way which is supposed to be correct, it is better to go with the option that is easier to change, depending on which side of the fence you sit on regarding this area.

lol maybe they will find a secret panel - behind they will find a few water wheel and lots of hungry mice waiting it raise or lower it - depends who they are trying to confuse at the time