U.S.S. Kearsarge - WIP

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I really appreciate them. 

Grey Snake - That's why I was really happy when asked to finish her and she would be placed in the library of the central building of our retirement community. Already have 2 in the living room and my wife loves them but says any more would be tooooooooo much. Plus, when I go to the "Great Workbench in the sky",  I know she'll have a permanent home.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/crdrQPmbg8nr6nCE9

Don - I noticed that when looking at the pics and you increase the size, the pics blurr. I'll remember next time to use my tripod instead of my shaky hands.

Warshipguy - Thanks for all that info that you have been feeding me. I am definately going to file it all for future reference.

Jim  

I had once started converting the Revell CSS Alabama into a more accurate model but my autistic grandson broke it.  I have since repaired most of the damage but there is still more to do.  I improved the deck layout, provided more accurate fittings, replaced the kit's cannons with accurate ones, changed  the gunports to their correct locations, and will eventually rake the masts. But, I digress.

The Revell USS Kearsarge does represent her final appearance before her loss. In order to convert her to her original appearance really isn't that difficult, but you would need to find plans and some after-market products like the correct cannons and the Alabama kit's hull halves.  I'm not sure but you would also have to remove the raised forecastle and raised poop deck.

There were two wood kits of the ship depicting her general appearance at the time of the Alabama battle, one by Scientific and a larger 1/96 kit by Sterling. I have both.  Also, Bluejacket has the best models of these ships ever released as kits.  Their  Kearsarge depicts her as originally built.  I will have to invest in that one.

Very nice! Great photography too.

Very Nice work, Jim,

Thanks for posting those shots they look great.

Ok! Got the phone and took some pics. Hope that they come out OK.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ukRH9ECijXu3sKXr9

Didn't use all of the figures. I guess that because of their size when molded, some had no hands and others had no feet. I think there are enough onboard to provide details.

Jim  

Well, I am happy to say that the rigging is finished. I am now painting and installing the figures. I hadn't looked at the bag they came in until yesterday. Big surprise. What I think are the Captain and 2nd in command are OK. They have the long coats with 2 rows of bottons down the front. There are 3 or 4 that look to be climbing the rigging that have turtle necks on so they would be OK. The rest of the crew, 8 to be exact,  seem to be wearing modern shirts with pockets on both sides in the front. Wondering if going to all the work of fixing the shirts would be worthwhile. If they are painted dark colors, they wouldn't be too noticeable unless someone is going right up to within a few inches with a magnifying glass. I don't think she is going to come under that kind of scrutiny. The lights in the library are not that bright either. I was told Friday that she will be on the mantle during the Spring and Summer. 

Something funny I noticed about the sailors in the rigging. Three of them are barefoot and 3 have shoes on. I'm not a naval historian sooooooooooo did they wear shoes to climb the rigging or not? Enquiring minds want to know.

Will post some pics later this week.

Jim  

One of the prettier features of Alabama were her very raked masts. I don't think Revell got that right.

Thanks for the info Bill! Hey, I accept all criticism and keep it filed away to help in the next build. You can't improve your work if you don't.

In my opinion, there's a lot just plain wrong with the rigging on the Kearsarge kit for one thing. "If" the rigging were functional, all it would do is pull the whole thing down to the deck. I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I've done some sailing on the Chesapeak and can usually figure out what the lines are supposed to do and how they do it. As I said before, "If" I build another one, I will dig into the researce a lot more than I did this time. I've been giving GM's suggestion a lot of thought. I do enjoy building the sailing ships and that mixed media build is sounding very interesting. I've made a couple of friends at the local library and could use their help with the research.

Jim  

For those who may be interested, here's a good comparative analysis of the Revell Kearsarge and Alabama kits:  

http://www.steelnavy.com/Alabama&Kearsarge.htm

To summarize:  

Kearsarge:   The designers got the 1864 configuration of the ship mixed up with the post-1888 refit version, and mixed elements of both into the model. The biggest error is that Revell claims it to be the 1864 ship, but the parts are actually much closer to her 1888 post-refit version, which involved  major changes.

Alabama:   Not an accurate scale model, IMO.  Revell took the existing Kearsarge hull and parts and tried to make it into an Alabama-ish model.  Ironically, the Alabama kit's modified hull is more accurate than the original Kearsarge kit's hull,  if you want an 1864 Kearsarge!

I am not posting this to criticize anyone who wants to build the kits as they are out of the box-  just sharing the info in case some do care. (I'm more of an OOB guy myself these days!)  

-Bill

Doc, Often I love what you say & this is my feelings on models, I do it to make me happy & have fun. I went to enough HO train meetings & contests & saw the guys that had every bolt in an engine that took 10 years to build.  That is great if he is happy. I am more Out of the Box now because it is easier & cheaper & I live a thousand miles from a real hobby shop..

  Keep going doc.    Gene

Hey Jim:

     Don't let folks worry you about accuracy! I say if you build a Sail Ship Model OOB and it is finished and makes YOU happy, Who cares? 

 I believe that plain and simple, because we modelers are our own worst critics, when we see something we want to do, But are afraid of criticism we just criticise and never feel the satisfaction of the job, However in-accurate but WELL DONE!!!!

 I say the H#$$ with it! Enjoy !! the ship looks great to me !! T.B.

GM, I can't remember when I bought that kit or what I paid for it, but, there was about 1/2" of dust on the box when I took it down to start working on her. At this time in my life, it's out of my price range too and I think my best option is to just work on the large stash that I have on hand. When I go to contests, I will continue to buy raffle tickets and maybe I'll win a few more here or there. I have a few ships in the stash including subs, sailing ships and paddle wheelers to keep me busy including cars, planes and armor. 

Jim  

You can buy a very nice mixed media Kearsarge from Bluejacket for only $ 750!

Still out of my range, but a much better choice.

Thanks Steve! I've written down that info for future reference. Looks like a very good set and the price isn't outlandish. "If" I ever build another one, I will definitely have them at the top of the list of AM parts to purchase. Better ropes will be #2 on the list. 

Jim  

Jim,

Your Kearsarge is looking great! This is one of my Holy Grail ship models and  one day, the good Lord willin‘ and the creek don’t rise, I’ll find one at a more reasonable price! 

That listing has been around for at least a year. There is another one for $1500 plus shipping on evilBay that comes up every couple of months too.

If you ever build another Kearsarge or an Alabama for that matter I would highly recommend Cottage Industries gun sets.

http://cottageindustrymodels.com/?page_id=289

Looking forward to more updates when the wife’s phone is available.

Steve

Thanks for the kind words Bob. You'll have to thank the wife for taking those 3 pics. She was in a hurry to get back to the person she was talking to and I had my hand woven into the rigging and didn't want to remove it until I was finished with the connection (you know how that goes).

I choked on the coffee that I was drinking while reading that post. Holy Crap!!!!! Had to show it to my wife. Told her "See, I told you some of my stash is very old and could be worth a little bit some day".

Jim  

Also wants $50 to ship it.  Doesn't even guarantee all the parts are there.  I suspect it will be there awhile at that price.  No rush.

Fox, your build is looking fantastic.  Loved the photos with the modeler in view.

Bob

get a load of this price for the kit on Ebay........

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Revell-USS-Kearsarge-Model-Kit-No-H-391/153804874545?hash=item23cf7c2331:g:VTMAAOSwnw9aJM5r

God bless'em if he gets it.

Got the phone from my wife and took pics of the ship. Went to put them into the post and they weren't there. It seems that they went to my wifes account. Had to get her to get them back into my account. All the pics of all the contests I've been to and some of the pics of my builds are gone. Can't figure out where they have gone. Oh well, that's for another night.

Here's the pics of the ship.

 https://photos.app.goo.gl/ka5UM9PyQUUo5ryf8

The rigging for the Fore Mast is finished. The rigging for the Main Mast is not finished. The rigging for the Mizzen Mast is finished. The only things left after that is the rigging for the guns. They are not permamently mounted. Shouldn't take long to finish that part. Then a little bit of touch up where I replaced small broken plastic parts with wire. If and when I build another ship, I will not follow the instructions for rigging. They have you working from the outside in instead of the inside out.

The person that I'm building the ship for is one of the people that runs the Retirement community where we live. The ship will be placed on the mantel in the library of the mansion. The mansion is the original home of the 3 sisters who converted it to a nursing home. Then the community evolved around it. The mansion has been kept basicly in original condition from late 1700s. The library is used for various functions (meetings, lunches, partys). They think that the ship will fit in nicely with the decor as she was from around the same period.

Jim  

Jim, Your pictures & your ship are both really great. I loved the 2 ships Alabama & Kearsarge. I also built the Airfix Great Western. It was a nice kit, small, but looked nice. Nino, jim, sent me a bigger Oriental Star ,another steam ,sail ship.

       I ran a post on the great Western & I will put on a finished picture that may help you decide to build. Put on more pictures, please.

That is one happy man!

There's been reams of comments about the kit's accuracy, it's comparison to the Alabama, etc.

There doesn't appear to me that there's much fundamentally wrong with it, and the list of available steam/ sail plastic kits is too short.

Thanks Wilbur! I didn't do a lot of research on her, but I do believe that there are at least a few inaccuracies on her as there are some things that just don't look right even to my untrained eye. This was a case of just trying to do a decent job for a friend. Maybe if the Man Upstairs lets me hang around for a while, I'll get another one and do it up right.

Jim  

Thanks for the kind words Pete. I am enjoying the build. Been working on it on and off for a couple of years. One day about 3 months ago, a friend was visiting and looking around in the loft and saw her sitting there partially built. He asked if I could build one for him to put on the mantle in his library/office. He said it didn't have to be perfect sooooooooo, I figured instead of starting over I'd just finish this one. He knows nothing about sailing ships so I don't think he'll see my mistakes.

There were a few problems with following the instructions. Some of the plastic was very brittle and the parts broke with the slightest touch. The white tie-down eyes were very small (and brittle). Broke over half of them when started rigging. Redrilled the mounting holes and made new ones from copper wire. Mounting the whaleboats when instructed to meant having to work around, over and under them. Should have left them till after the rigging was completed. Mounting the booms on a 45 degree angle as instructed causes all kinds of problems. Mainly with the ratlines. Lastly (I hope), the rigging diagram is, to say the least, impossible to follow. Lines dead end into nowhere and some of the ones that you can trace to their belaying pins turn out to be in the wrong place. Good thing it's not going to a museum.

I have an Airfix "Great Western" that I started a long time ago. After I get some of the planes done for the museum, I'll get back to it. Hope I have better luck with it.

Jim  

Really nice Jim.  Beautiful job on this rare kit.

I built the Revell CSS  Alabama about ten years ago, but I'm told the kit is wildly innacurate.  It was still a lot of fun.

Pictures came through fine on the link. Model looks great, looks like you are having fun!

I have the later Revell Germany release of the Kearsarge from 2004. I have heard the original releases have far better instructions. Gene1 on this forum did an amazing job on this kit!