(Note that to save page load times, half of the images are clickable links - just click on them to see the photo)
After a lot of work, the Victory is now finished. This has turned out
to be a much larger project (in more ways than one) than I originally
envisaged, and I'm very glad I built a model of a smaller, simpler ship
(the brig "Black Falcon") beforehand! However I am very pleased with
the appearance of the finished model. It may not be accurate in some
areas (e.g the shape of the beakhead and angle of the bowsprit) but to
my eye really captures the appearance of the real ship.
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycomplete3.jpg
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycomplete4.jpg
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycomplete5.jpg
Rigging was added using the kit instructions and the supplied 0.3mm and
0.6mm thread. not sure of accuracy but it looks OK - not every single
line is represented but it gives a good impression of the rigging
layout. The colour of the thread (off-white) seems to be a fairly good
match for the colour of the ropes on the preserved
Victory.
Flags are from the kit (paper, glued together with CA), and are rigged
on short lengths of line rather than wrapped around the masts as the
instructions advise.
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorymasts2.jpg
Shrouds were added using thin black thread (from a Revell kit), holes
being drilled in the deadeyes to loop the thread through. Most of the
shrouds were attached one side at a time, by gluing them in the lubber
holes and trimming the loose ends off - until I was advised by John
Tilley to use the more accurate method of looping the shroud around the
mast and through to the other side, allowing the shrouds on both sides
to be rigged with the same length of thread. This saves a lot of time
(halves the number of knots needed).
I didn't add any ratlines (the horizontal lines on the shrouds), but in
this scale it doesn't look too bad; when I build something in a larger
scale (e.g Airfix's 1/72 Golden Hind), I'll probably attempt adding the
ratlines as well.
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycloseup4.jpg
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycloseup5.jpg
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycloseup6.jpg
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pinniger/models/ship/victorycloseup7.jpg
As mentioned in previous posts, the kit was built more or less "out of
the box" other than opened-up gun ports on the lower decks (the cannon
barrels being lengthened and a deck "ledge" installed), and small
refinements like drilled-out gun barrels, skylights and gallery
windows. It's painted mostly with Revell acrylics (Black and Ochre for
the hull, Earth Brown drybrushed with Stone Grey for the deck, Leather
Brown drybrushed with Brown for the varnished wood parts) and
dry-brushed/weathered with craft acrylic paint. Tamiya Metallic Brown
was used for the copper plating on the lower hull, heavily drybrushed
to give a dull oxidised effect. Blue areas of the forecastle and
beakhead are Citadel Ultramarine Blue, gilding is Citadel Shining Gold
and Burnished Gold.
One thing it's really missing, though (IMHO) is crew figures. However,
I'm not really sure where to get these - are there any other plastic
sailing ships in this scale range (1/150-1/200) supplied with
figures? N-gauge (2mm) model railway figures are useful for more
modern warships - in this scale, uniformed train and platform crew
figures look close enough to warship crew if painted in the right
colours - but not an 18th/early 19th century sailing ship.
It could also do with a few more boats (the real Victory had a lot more
than 2), possibly if I acquire some suitable spare ones left over from
another kit I'll add them to the Victory.
Anyway, I hope to build many more sailing ship models in future - not
sure which my next one will be, probably something smaller like one of
the Pyro/Lindberg kits.