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my 1/96 Constitution pics thus far and any info on heller clippers...

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  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Allentown
my 1/96 Constitution pics thus far and any info on heller clippers...
Posted by Andrew Sergi on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 11:49 PM

Hi everyone! This is my first post on this site, and this is my current project...A Revell 1/96 Constitution...What do you think? Tips, tricks, anything! Feel free!  I am taking a break from my Soliel Royale and its broken bowsprit for now.  Also, does anyone have any info in the Heller Pamir, Pruessen, Passat or Cap Horn? Thanks guys this is my new modeling hub Cool [8D]

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Greenville, NC
Posted by jtilley on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 12:13 PM

Welcome to the Forum!  You've got a remarkably handsome model under way.

Regarding those Heller kits - quite a few years ago I bought the Pamir.  I never got around to building it, but I remember it as a basically sound kit.  I do recall one peculiar goof in it - the sort of thing that was typical of Heller kits in those days.  The designers made an effort to represent the eyebolts through which the jackstays on the yards run.  Molding the eyebolts to scale was impracticable, so they put little blocks, with steps on them, in the places on the yards where the eyebolts were supposed to be.  The modeler was supposed to cut pieces of wire to represent the jackstays themselves, and glue the wires to the blocks.  Nifty idea - except for one problem:  they put the blocks on the fronts of the yards instead of the tops.   A yard with a jackstay on its front would look ridiculous.  (Actually ships like this generally had double jackstays - one on top of the yard for the sailors to hang onto, and one at a 45-degree angle in front of it for the robands and other lines.)  The problem, fortunately, is easy to solve.  Shave off the little blocks, and figure out for yourself how to represent the jackstays - if at all.

The thing that discouraged me from tackling that kit was the scale.  A ship like that had a great deal of interesting - and crucial - deck equipment, such as Jarvis brace winches.  That sort of thing is awfully hard to reproduce on such a small scale.  Heller made a valiant attempt at it, but those little plastic parts, to my eye, just don't look much like Jarvis brace winches.

To my recollection, though, it's basically a good, reasonably accurate kit. I haven't seen the others you mentioned, but I think they were designed by the same people at about the same time.

Another one you might want to think about is the Gorch Fock.  I bought that one some years ago too.  She's a three-masted barque, so she doesn't have as much rigging - and her deck equipment is a good bit simpler.  She's also an uncommonly handsome ship.  I'm not sure whether the Heller kit is still available, but it's currently being sold under the label of Revell Germany.

Good luck.  It's a great hobby.

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: 37deg 40.13' N 95deg 29.10'W
Posted by scottrc on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 2:19 PM
Welcome to the forum Andrew, I think you'll really like it here.  Your skills are very good and I really like how your Constitution is turning out.  It looks like it is livery of the Isaac Hull model.

Also, very nice painting  in the captians cabin.

In regards to the Heller Pamir, Pruessen, Passat or Cap Horn, I have the Pamir, have looked at the Pruessen at a LHS, and remember Squadron selling the Cape Horn a few years ago.  To my recollection, and to true Heller practice, these are all the same kit in a different box.

They are sparse in detail accuracy, instructions, and the hull halves are kinda buggers to put together, but still are better then nothing for someone who wants to build a windjammer, and one of these would look nice in your collection.

Regards,
Scott

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Greenville, NC
Posted by jtilley on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 2:32 PM

The Pamir and Passat were sister ships.  I'm sure there were some differences between them, but for Heller to use the same hull for both isn't unreasonable. 

Those two were 4-masted barques.  The Preussen was the only 5-masted full-rigged ship ever built.  The Heller one is a completely different kit - considerably bigger than the others.  (I haven't bought it, but I remember reading several critical - and generally favorable - reviews of it.)

I don't know about the Cap Horn.  I've only seen picture of the box - and it does indeed look remarkably like the Pamir and Passat.  I suspect Scott may well be right:  this one's a spurious reissue, in the great Heller tradition.  But I'm not sure.

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

  • Member since
    April 2004
Posted by Chuck Fan on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 2:41 PM
I spied a Soleil Royal underneath the Constitution on your shelf.


  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Allentown
Posted by Andrew Sergi on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 9:35 PM

Its a funny story actually the Soliel Royale is my brothers abandoned project (The stand my Constitution is on is actually the Soliels, and my bro would never let me use it if he was home at the time Tongue [:P] )...The pieces where accidentally thrown out by my moms spring cleaning scourge Sad [:(] ...It really says something about a model when just the hull itself is beautiful enough for display.  Still, maybe some day we can get it back to buildign status.  The Bismark and Yamato are mine and hopefully I can redo them with brass.

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Allentown
Posted by Andrew Sergi on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 9:37 PM

While we are on the Soliel is there any way possible to obtain the pieces and directions?

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 12, 2006 2:02 AM
Cheers for the pics mate.Now I,m really getting excited about my restoration seeing the work you,ve done.Anyway here is a couple of pics of the remains of the wreck!!!Also sent you off an email with more pics..Cheers and beers..     
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: arizona
Posted by cthulhu77 on Thursday, January 12, 2006 7:32 AM

Very nice work ! 

 

          greg

http://www.ewaldbros.com
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Derry, New Hampshire, USA
Posted by rcboater on Thursday, January 12, 2006 4:59 PM
 Andrew Sergi wrote:

While we are on the Soliel is there any way possible to obtain the pieces and directions?

I'll repeat the same advice I gave "RUSS" who was asking a similar question about a Constitution hulk....

Keep an eye out on Ebay and kit sales and the like-- sooner or later you'll find someone selling an incomplete or partially finished  kit for pennies on the dollar.  (You've got plenty to keep you busy until then!)

 

Webmaster, Marine Modelers Club of New England

www.marinemodelers.org

 

  • Member since
    April 2004
Posted by Chuck Fan on Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:53 PM
 Andrew Sergi wrote:

Its a funny story actually the Soliel Royale is my brothers abandoned project (The stand my Constitution is on is actually the Soliels, and my bro would never let me use it if he was home at the time Tongue [:P] )...The pieces where accidentally thrown out by my moms spring cleaning scourge Sad [:(] ...It really says something about a model when just the hull itself is beautiful enough for display.  Still, maybe some day we can get it back to buildign status.  The Bismark and Yamato are mine and hopefully I can redo them with brass.



I have 2 Soleils, one to build and one to provide spares not only to the Soleil, but several other sailing ship models as well.   In sevearl month, when the Soleil being built is done, I will be willing to part with the remaining parts from the spare.

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