Airfix 1/180 scale HMS Victory - scale and accuracy

Very interesting indeed! 

I still think there's something wrong with the shape of the kit's bow, but it obviously isn't as bad as I remembered it.  As I suggested earlier, the kit's figurehead doesn't project high enough; there's too much room between it and the bowsprit.  And there seems to be something a little wrong with the sheer line along the forecastle deck.  (I think the problem is at the after end of the forecastle deck - the hance, or step, in the bulwark doesn't seem right.)  But the overall shape isn't nearly as far off as I thought.

That the kit and the plans in the Longridge book are on exactly the same scale just can't be coincidence.  Full marks to Airfix, though, for picking the best source that was available at the time.  (For that matter, I'm unaware of any major errors in Mr. Campbell's drawings.  He showed the ornamented entry points and the lowered forecastle bulwarks; some researchers question whether those features looked like that in 1805.  But I don't know of a set of plans that doesn't show them.)

I'm reminded of the old Revell Bounty kit.  When I was getting ready to build a model based on it, about thirty years ago, I dug up an old issue of The Mariner's Mirror from (I think) 1936.  It contained a nice, fold-out reproduction of the Admiralty draught of the ship.  When I laid one of  the Revell hull halves on it, they matched precisely.  The scale was 1/110.

Proportions of the small ("1/600 scale")Airfix model are not so good, scale may vary between 1/513 and 1/988 depending if you measure parts above the waterline or below the waterline, the part of the hull below the waterline is much too small, do not forget, as J.Tilley wrote, this model was first issued as a waterline model,

height of the hull (above waterline) is 1/513

height of the hull (below waterline) is 1/988

length of the hull (above waterline) is 1/643

length of the hull (below waterline) is 1/867.

Michel

 

First of all thank you for this highly useful thread!

It's interesting to note that the folks at Airfix indeed didn't just eyeball the original or a model, but used actual plans for their model. It's a pity they didn't slightly enlarge the model to (roughly) the same scale as the Prince; they make nice companion pieces, and in company with the Sovereign (which in my eyes isn't exactly up to the same standards as far as finer details are concerned) produce an interesting line of three decked warships.

The results of measuring the small Victory regarding the lower hull prove what I've suspected for some time. I wonder whether the height problem is one of the upper bulwarks only, or whether all the decks are too high.

Jorit

Thank you Jorit,

I'll post pictures showing  the complete half hull part of the 1/600 scale Airfix model with the different scales I could find.

But now, I can not resist, I want to show you a picture of a HMS Victory model a modeling friend has just finished after 1150 hours and 48 minutes of work   This is the Mamoli model with many extras : hull covered with boxwood (light wood) and ebony (dark wood),....

Model by Raul Guzman Jr.

Michel

 

WOW! I must say, your friend did a remarkable job with that kit.  And the photograph is very well done too. 

Scott

Michel,

Thanks for the information on the Airfix kit! It's nice to see how closely the kit matches the drawings.

Does anyone have any photos of a completed 1/180 scale Airfix Victory?

Regards,

There is a Victory on Ebay right now. Entex kit. 17.XX inches in length. I take it is the Revell kit as it appears only the waist gunports are open.

Item number: 6051601817

Can you confirm if it is Revell or Airfix or different?

Celestino,

this is a variant of the so-called 1/146 scale Revell (1/220 scale) model.

Michel

 

Lufbery

There's a book that was first issued in 1970 called HMS Victory-classic ships Their history and how to model them. No. 1.The author is Noel C.L. Hackney. This book a hard cover book has step by step instruction on how to build and change things out to make this and accurate model of the Airfix Victory.In the book there's pictures of the model and also alot of drawings on how to rig.They rig the model in harbor rig.There's also a color chart.I found my copy on Ebay a couple of years ago.The book was put out by Airfix.

Rod

Thanks for that information, Rod.

I'll have to see if I can find that book.

Regards,