Heller HMS Victory

Geez, you want to dive in at the deep end eh?
Assuming from your post that you have not built a full rigged ship before, I would start with a small sailing boat, wood or plastic hull (doesn't matter). Try a fore and aft rig like a schooner. What you want to get experience with is rigging a mast (preferably one), and playing with sails. Most model sails are junk, and you should try and make your own.

My own first effort was a wooden sailing dinghy. I got to build a lap strake hull, rig a mast, make sails, in short do all the things a full rigged ship demands with only a fraction of the frustration.

Two references I can recommend are "Ship Modelling Simplified" by Frank Mastini, and "Ship Modelling from Scratch" by Edwin Leaf.

Good luck and let us know how you make out,
Bruce

Paul, Please do a search on the HMS Victory and you will see a few pointers on how to do certain aspects of the model.

I've built several of them for my clients.

Jake

Another suggestion has come to mind ... There is out there somewhere a sectional model of Victory which might be a good start. It is a cross section model through the hull, covering about a dozen frames, at, I believe, the mainmast, including the interior.

I am having another 'senior moment' and can't recall who put this kit out, maybe someone else can jump in with that information (and I'm not even officvially a senior yet!).
Bruce

From my experience their is a big difference between rigging plastic and wooden ships. If you are going to build the plastic ship practice on plastic. For me wood is much more forgiving when it comes to rigging than plastic, a lot tougher to bend the masts and yard arms....

I would recommend that you start with a plastic model of say one of the Airfix kits if you can still get them. Try getting something of a similar scale.
When you do start your Victory please don't use the rigging jigs - these are a waste of time. Also get yourself a good reference book and read it first.
Happy modelling

Guys, why start small? It seems to me that with a larger kit, one just needs to practice patience and follow the instructions. I admit I haven't put together a rigged ship before but it seems that it would be the same as rigging smaller ship, only fewer threads. What am I missing here?

QUOTE: Originally posted by awdavison I would recommend that you start with a plastic model of say one of the Airfix kits if you can still get them. Try getting something of a similar scale. When you do start your Victory please don't use the rigging jigs - these are a waste of time. Also get yourself a good reference book and read it first. Happy modelling

Awdavison,

What specific Airfix kits would give me a good prep for the Heller Victory? What reference book would you recommend? Keep in mind that I don't know the name and functions of a sailing ships parts.

Paul

Start while you are still young and you have good eyesight.
I bought this thing in 1985 from Model Expo for $50.00 - it was a special purchase from Imai which produced it for a while. Same kit.

You will need to spend a lot of time just to rig it right. It can actually be a very rewarding and fun process. My last ship was the old Model Shipways Rattlesnake. It took me 9 years to finish but is is fully rigged with sails and actually looks fantastic. You will find these things to be a peice of art and fun to look at just for the detail for years to come. The trick is to keep at it through thick and thin. It can really be a love and hate relationship.

Good luck and don't give up!

Paul

You should still be able to find one of the many Airfix kits produced. They are found in various scales but build up to be between 15 and 18 inches long. You will learn basic rigging skills with these kits because of there size, it's just too hard to replicate all the lines in this scale. I have the large Victory in my inventory of unbuilt kits and it is a beautiful model. Another good model in plastic, in about the same scale, is the U.S.S Constitution. You will also find a need for some rigging tools that you will probably have to make yourself, most made out of large eyed sewing needles. You will also find a need for some beeswax. Good luck and rig on.

I am at the stage in my model of the Heller Victory where I am using the rigging jig without any problems at all.

My first attempt was a failure because I used the wrong type of glue so the next attempt was using Elmers White glue applied with the end of a toothpick to each point on the ratlines.

The glue dries clear and is strong so I'm happy with the results.

I still have a very long way to go. This is a huge project but I can see that the finished model is going to be worth all the time and effort.

Ques

Ques,

DO NOT GIVE UP! For my own model of the Cutty Sark it's been about 1 1/2 years, but every last correct peice of detail is crammed on this thing! It will be deisplayed in ny livingroom as a "centerpeice" if my boss (read wife) las no major problems with it. SHE WONT.

If i'm building for a client I have to stop my hobby to make thiers. But I get a big boost when ever someone comes by the shop and sees how it shaping up, (you know how they act).

Jake

I would agree that the Airfix kits are a good place to start. I'm going to try the HMS Prince first and then try Heller's Royal Louis before tackling this mammoth. Does anyone know if Heller re-tooled this kit? I recently purchased it from Model Expo and upon a closer look, I think Heller made some mistakes on the hull. I remember many years ago having a Cap Horn kit whose hull was damaged during shipment and Heller accidently sent me an HMS Victory hull piece instead. I remember that it had the elaborate entry port on the side of the hull. This seems to have been eliminated along with the steps leading to it. Instead the recent version has a gunport. I'm confused why they did this. The real ship has these entry ports.

Good study aides on this are John McKay's revised edition of HMS Victory and Anatomy of Nelson's ships. Also see The Rigging of Ships in the days of the spritsail topmast by R.C. Anderson. It predates Victory by about 45 years but there are some good explanations of rigging and masting for ships of the line.

This looks like an exciting kit.
-Bob

I bought my kit in 1980 at the UK Model Engineering Exhibition. It also does not have the entry port. Early reviews I have also indicate no entry port. I have gone as far as asking the Maritime Museum in Greenwich, UK for help. Initially, a researcher concured, based on paintings, etc, that the entry port was a latter addition, but then he recanted after doing more research.

I would be interested in finding out if it has been re-tooled WITH the entry port.

I'd start with a Revell Consitution or the CSS Alabama to get a feel for working with a large model without losing your mind. The re-released Spanish Gallion is also a good quick build practice model. Revell kits are pretty forgiving. Heller are great kits but are "builders" models. Like what was mentioned, try the Royal Louis before the Voctory, this is a smaller kit and is not too hard by Heller standards and will give you experience with Heller. It too is a 1st rate like Victory. I use the Rigging jigs as well and have built jigs for my other kits. I brush the entire rig with white glue and then follow with a coat of diluted epoxy. The shrouds will cut well, look to scale, and are strong.