Soleil Royal

warshipguy

You could be right.  There is conflicting information.  Looking at the layout of the model, even the capstans would have to be placed under the fo'c'sle and quarter deck.  They would not be visible on the finished model.  This brings us back to the frequent complaint about this model . . . too little deck furniture.  Perhaps I should limit my efforts to the galley stack and the chicken coop.

Which leads me to a question; if this kit is maligned over the furniture issue, why are no other kits of ships from the same period (Royal Sovereign, Prince, etc.) not equally maligned for having precisely the same furniture limitations as Le Soleil Royal?

I sincerely believe that this kit has been unfairly criticised.  Granted, Heller provided no way to attach the yards to the masts.  But, their HMS Victory also has no way to do so, yet, these same critics proclaim it to be the finest ship kit produced!  The critics proclaim the lower hull to be mis-proportioned, yet drawings in Les Vaisseaux . . . show the same underwater hull forms and proportions on French first and second rates of the period.  Much of the criticism seems unfair and inaccurate.

Bill

You said it, Bill!  I agree.  There seems to be way too much criticism of this kit.  IMHO, it is a great kit.  Sure looks like the Soleil Royal to me..and that's good enough.

To be sure, there are problems, just as there are with every kit.  The quarter galleries need to be opened, the blocks and tackle should be replaced, and the hole in the knee of the head should be filled.  But other criticisms are far overstated. It is a terrific kit of a lovely ship.

Before they had their financial difficulties, Heller was planning a 1/100 scale kit of the Royal Sovereign (ne: Sovereign of the Seas). I sincerely hope that they do so.

Bill

I completely agree, the lack of deck furniture is not terrible.  It's probably unknown exactly what deck furniture she had, so I think Heller did okay to leave it off.  It's much easier to add it than remove and correct wrong detail.  And I think blocks and tackle are better replaced on plastic kits and would have done this anyway. The only thing I would say I'm unhappy about is the hull, but I can live with it- it's still  a lovely kit.  Maybe people were disappointed that a kit with so many parts was missing detail.

But I am a little confused.  Bill, you say that the jeer capstan would be under the foc'sl, but I think it would be very visible on the foc'sl deck like in this photo of "Protecteur"

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Protecteur_mg_7255.jpg

I agree that according to the plans at least, the main capstan was out of sight under the upper gun deck.

I am not sure if the 4 pumps around the main mast were visible on the upper gun deck)or out of sight on the middle gun deck.  A deck plan show the former, a longditudinal section the latter.  I would have thought bilge water would have been better pumped out onto the upper gun deck rather than inside the ship, but maybe not?

Looking at it a bit more, I think the gratings were flush with the deck, but I think the companionways had a small coaming round them/.  When I build mine, I think I'm going to base the decks on the plans of the "Louis XV"  in Souvenirs de Marine.

Cerberusjf,

Thanks for the picture of the Le Protecteur!  It helps!  And, I will look at those deck plans of the Louis XV.  Right now I am in the discussion phase of some loose ideas to improve the deck furniture of the model.  I appreciate any ideas anyone can give!

Bill

 I saw your post and I would realy love to get a copy of the english instruction of the Soleil Royal.I started this ship ship model after being out of modeling for some 40 or more years.I am now retired and have some time to enjoy building this sailing ship. My mailing address is             As you can see I am still Trying to master this computer with the one finger hunt & peck . Thank you again for this help, and if you inclose your address I well send you some picture of yhe build as it go along. If you need to EMAIL them my EMAIL is fmaloney118@comcast.net

I have both the English and the French instructions, and I am willing to send you a copy.

Bill

   Bill I have just sent a e-mail with my mailing address to you,thanks again. I just want to thank you and Jeff for the help in getting me started back into ship modeling once again. It is great to see that people are out there that will help steer you in the right direction. This forum is a great place to meet and talk to people with the same interest.I only hope that I to can return the same help to some one else. I may not have the knowledge on ship building, but I now have the time to learn hopefully. So thank you again and am looking forward to reading more posting about the Soleil Royal         Fran

Hello there, not sure if you still have copies of the English translation. Please let me know if you do? Thank you

I do. Send me a mailing address and I'll send them.

I hate to ask, but my original copy of the English instructions has been destroyed by a mouse!  Does anyone have a copy ? I will gladly pay.

Thanks!

Bill

I have them.  I don't have a scanner so I'll have to send them via snail mail.  PM me your mailing address and I'll get them to you by the first of next week.

Cody

Thanks, Cody!  I sent my address by PM.

Bill