First Model- Revell HMS Bounty

My shrouds and ratlines vs. the plastic from the kit. Definitely worth it, and I'm just not going to think about how many more times I have to do this. 

The shrouds and ratlines look fine - and the minor glitch in rigging sequence isn't detectable, due to the care you took and the way Revell molded the tops.

The good news about ratline rigging is that it goes faster as your fingers get more practice. I'll bet the second set takes about half as long as the first.

Regarding a next project - I think my suggestion would be to find out just how you get along with the rigging of this one. So far everything looks great. But you may, conceivably, decide that another three-masted, full-rigged ship on a small scale isn't what you'd like to do next. If that happens, I'd go along with CaptnMac in suggesting the Revell yacht America - which is scheduled to come back on the market sometime this year. But the Airfix Victory is also a nice kit. In fact all the Airfix sailing ships are. Unfortunately, many of them are out of production at the moment; the only ones in the current Airfix catalog are the Victory, Cutty Sark, Vasa, and Golden Hind. Here's a link: http://www.airfix.com/us-en/shop/ships/tall-ships.html .

If you do settle on the Airfix Victory, don't be too troubled about the guns. The only ones with full-length barrels and carriages are the ones that are exposed, on the quarterdeck, in the waist, and on the forecastle. All the others are "dummies" - stub barrels that plug into recessed square openings in the sides. (Almost all Victory kits are made that way. Even the great, 1/72 wood kit from Jotika - which costs over $1,000 - have dummy guns. To my knowledge, the only Victory kit on the market that has complete guns in all the gunports is the 1/100 Heller one - and please believe me, you don't want to tackle that one as a second project.)

jtilley

Even the great, 1/72 wood kit from Jotika - which costs over $1,000 - have dummy guns. To my knowledge, the only Victory kit on the market that has complete guns in all the gunports is the 1/100 Heller one - and please believe me, you don't want to tackle that one as a second project.)

Jess that is mighty nice work.

To what John was suggesting about physical memory- I'd do all of the shrouds next, and then go back and do all of the ratlines. I went through this the other day putting rope eyes on the ends of braces, sheets etc. I just sat down and started doing them. After about three I was pretty good at it and just kept going for a couple of hours until I'd made several dozen. The time actually kind of flew by.

I have all of the standing rigging complete. The masts are firmly in place with all the shrouds done. I'm working on attaching blocks in various places for the running rigging and my yards will be going up soon. I'll post photos this evening after I work on it some more.

I really love doing the rigging, which surprised me. The Yacht America is beautiful, but I think I will probably do another full rigged ship. 

Progress! 

Looks great. Just remember that at this period the lowest yard inthe mizzenmast wouldn't have a sail on it.

jtilley

Looks great. Just remember that at this period the lowest yard inthe mizzenmast wouldn't have a sail on it.

 

I did not know that. Interesting. .. Now that I look at some of the Bounty model photos I saved, a lot of them have a sail there. I think the revell instructions for the kit's sails have it wrong too. Thanks for the info. 

JDavis657

... The Yacht America is beautiful, but I think I will probably do another full rigged ship.

What about the beautiful Revell kit Charles W. Morgan then?

No guns, a lot of history, comparable scale, many possibilities to play around with weatering techniques, and full rigged ship ... with the possibility to do a barque rigging .. if you like to work according historical photos.

You Bounty is a beauty

Well worth the time taken on your ratlines Jessica.  Great job

Looks good!

Got my copy of "Rigging Period Ship Models" today and am looking it over on my lunch break. This book is fantastic and it definitely makes me want a larger model that I can rig like crazy with all the proper fittings. 

Take a look at the Lindberg Lightship. It's good looking when finished.

I too admire the CWM, it's a favorite. I do think however you are going to start seeing mizzen topgallant yards in your dreams and wake up screaming.

The lady seems to prefer a true 19th Century boatie, I think.

Scratch my head to think of a plastic equivalent to the Privateers of the late 18th.

The Lindberg Gloire she's nice.

Of course I'm partial to the America, and that would be nice but my God the woman looks into detail.

Pass the rum Cap'n.

Hmm, maybe the Eagle? She's a bark and a fine model, tons of detail and a fun rig.

Wee me asss.We need to hove up. Next time I'm in the Republic. Glenmorangie be mine. The Morrisons of Skye and all that twaddly stuff.

On the subject of anchor hoys, kind of a dead end journey eh?

Jessica says she likes a big old Man of War. Assuming for the moment that she's a happily married woman, and I'd be happy to be her husband, I see big ships, not the ancients.

Jess if you are following this crap, I really liked the old 1/196 Revell Constitution. It's a great kit, if smallish. Probably built about 5 of them. In a way a really fine looking sailer, which is my prime criterion. Low, lean and mean. And at the scale, obvious short cuts in rigging are forgiven. But classic lines, really a gorgeous ship.

Gentlemen, I'll take the liberty of making a suggestion. Jessica has now received enough next-kit suggestions to last at least ten years. And over the past few weeks she's surely demonstrated that she's perfectly capable of making a good choice for herself. I suggest a moratorium on advice - and that we await the next pictures of her excellent model.

Beautiful work Jessica. I look forward to see what you will do on your next project.

Steve

Jessica, I second doc's praise.  You put this old clumsy fingered coot to shame.  Just don't get burned out with them.  The main thing is to have fun and enjoy what you are doing with it.

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. I'll get some more photos up after my bonus day off tomorrow. I didn't get much done this last week- gotta love those times when high-stress work makes you too tired for your stress-relieving activities. :) This hobby really is wonderful though- working on the ship takes all of my attention, which is a very good thing for me. 

Progress! Got all of the ratlines on the bottom done and started some of the lifts. I really need to get a better background for my pictures. 

Holy robands and gaskets! Very very clean and orderly work.

Looks great Jessica!

Long time no update. I hadn't gotten as much work done lately, and the rigging was going a little slowly, but I think she is pretty much done! I ran out of blocks and ended up buying some small wooden ones at the hobby shop. They don't match, and I kind of wish I would have just used wooden blocks from the beginning, but it's been a great learning process. 

Not too shabby for a $25 kit purchased on impulse.

my word jessica , that really is a great build , I hope you get some more impulses , I would love to see you attempt a bigger ship !? , I would also like to be able to buy those kit's for $25 in australia lol .

steve

 Wow!   That is a beautiful model!!   I'm now ashamed to call myself a modeler. Thanks for sharing.        gk

Very well done Jessica. Thanks for doing the build log.