Mayflower rigging

you can try this website. i have bought dead eyes and other miscellaneous rigging parts for plastic and wood ship kits.

model expo-online

I'd suggest the book The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast, 1600-1720 by R.C. Anderson.  It describes the general practices of rigging ships in that era.  I bought it originally as a reference for building a Mini Maloli wooden kit of the Golden Hind. 

Model ship kits just about always have simplified rigging plans.  It's really up to the modeler as to how much they want to add.  It's mostly just of function of time & patience.   

Once you decide on a rigging plan, then Model Expo is a great place to source components.

Mark

You could try Anatomy of the ship "Susan Constant" by Bryan Lavery to help with the rigging.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Susan-Constant-Anatomy-Ship/dp/085177489X

I applaud your intent to replace the kit ratlines with tied thread- you wont regret it. 

Richard Mansir did a book on rigging that was softcover, not very expensive, but I cannot find my copy at the moment to give you the title. I doubt if it is still in print, but with internet places that specialize in used books you should find a copy easily enough.

Another book I might recommend is The Neophyte Shipmodelers Jackstay.  This book has been reprinted a number of times and I saw it not too long ago in a Model Expo flyer.

I'll offer one more book suggestion:  The Mayflower and Other Colonial Vessels, by William A. Baker.  The Revell kit is in fact a scale model (and a remarkably accurate one) of the Mayflower II, the full-size reconstruction that was built back int he 1950s and is still open to the public at Plymouth.  The Mayflower II was designed by Mr. Baker, a naval architect from MIT.  There's been some rethinking recently about whether some of his conclusions, based on the historical record (which is awfully meager), were absolutely right, but the kit is a faithful replica of the replica.  The book is excellent and well-detailed.  It's also out of print, but you may be able to find it at a library, and used copies do turn up on the web.  If you're lucky you can find a copy in good condition, with a set of plans for the Mayflower II - including a sail plan - folded up inside the back cover.

Good luck.

The book to which Mr. Tilley refers is available used at several places. Here's a link:

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_t1_1&qi=9BBPZEXyrYA8nq1VqRzBfsHIviM_4800828358_1:1:8&bq=author%3Dwilliam%2520a%2E%2520baker%26title%3Dmayflower%2520and%2520other%2520colonial%2520vessels

1943Mike

As was a real asset of Revell kits of that time, the model has beautiful figures.

I was given this kit in a very unusual circumstance by Dusty Ebsen, the youngest son of Buddy Ebsen the actor.

It was a Christmas present he received while at Bear Valley Ski Lodge in 1967, where we were also staying. Made friends over models, etc.

I wish I still had it.

It ranks IMO with the Golden Hind and the Viking ship as the best models Revell ever made, taking into account the unique subject.

I would like to have the time some day to research who sculpted the figures in the Revell kits of that era. Most people are familiar with those of the Constitution, who saw service later in life in the Civil War. That person was a sculptor indeed.

As a small aside, I had the chance to visit the replica at plymouth, which is a bit of a trek from California.

I engaged Governor Bradford in a discussion about that, and he was amazed to learn of a "Papist" from the territories of Spain having the ability to travel so far as to meet him. All a lot of fun.

Luckily Miles Standish was no where to be found.

Chris, PM on the way.

Jim

I'll second the Susan Constant Anatomy of the Ship book. It is perfect for the Mayflower kit.

There is another book that was specifically aimed at modellers of the Airfix Mayflower Classic Ships Kit. The Author was Noel C.L.Hackney and the book was published by Patrick Stephens Ltd here in the UK in the 70's. A number of similar books were published like this one in conjunction with the Airfix company at the time. Threre were two other ship books for the Airfix Cutty Sark and the Airfix Victory by the same author. All the other PSL/Airfix books were about their big 1/24th scale aircraft kits. I guess ebay will be the best place to source these books.

I suggest looking at the instructions Model Expo offers for their wood version of the Mayflower

http://www.modelexpo-online.com/images/docs/MS2020/POBinstructionsMayflower.pdf

There is a lot of good information there.

Pete

Check out this link.  Plimoth Plantation has the plans from Baker's book.  The 3 sheets should give you a good start.

http://www.plimoth.com/i-mayflower-ii-i-model-ship-plans.html

Simmons

Thanks for the links, very useful.  Prolly going to be a late summer start so I can finish up a couple aircraft group builds then off to a month long school to get some good Army training. 

Regards, Chris