Old Ironsides - Revisiting the classic Revell 1/96 kit

Heather, 

Add my vote for posting. Thanks.

PeetGee

I happened to be surfing at the Constitution Museum website last week, and stumbled on this: http://store.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/collections/books-models-modeling/products/uss-constitution-plans-for-model-ship-builders-and-general-researchers .

I ordered a copy (the price is very reasonable), and it arrived yesterday.

It's one of the best sources I've seen for modelers of this ship. Dozens of plans - all carefully marked as to their dates. In addition to the ones made during the 1927-1930 restoration, there are all sorts of drawings and documents (including photos and some paintings) showing the ship at other dates. And there's a lot of good information on how she's been changed over the years - and what restorers have done (and are continuing to do) to bring her back to 1812 configuration.

Highly recommended.

Heather, please do post some pictures. I'm sure we'd all enjoy seeing them.

A great thing to remind us of, John. 

Museum gift shops are a great resource. While you pay full freight, it goes to a good cause.

I bought the Stillwell book on BB-39 from the National Monument store, for original list. I called her, she went in the back, came out and said they had a couple left. And it came with a receipt from that institution, handwritten note "Mahalo".

Plus think about it- the models that are marketed correspond very often to museum ships.

I bought this CD last year.  John is not exaggerating; it is a wonderful reference.  I recommend it highly even if you are not building a model of her.

Bill

Museum gift shops are a mixed bag. The boooks say a good gift shop's goal is to stock something for everybody - from a kid on a field trip wit a quarter to spend on a pencil to a rich tourist who wants to spend several hundred dollars on an original artwork. Some museum shops hit that target; a lot don't.

Even in big museums, a gift shop carries a good bit of junk and a lot of stuff for kids. (I once honored my boss at the Mariners' Museum with a coloring book from the Mystic Seaport gift shop. And I once walked out of the National Maritime Museum in London with an inflatable plastic parrot on my shoulder.)

I guess the two best ones I've seen are the ones at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. It's tough to get out of either of them without dropping a hundred bucks.

Sometimes I feel like I'm getting a paper graded.

USS Pampanito the museum has the Ed Beach classics, plus an older but serviceable Revell Gato, and yes I know, the Pamp is a Balao.

Both the Cutty Sark and Victory museums sell I believe, Campbell drawings at various scales.

When I went to the museum at Manassas way back when, I unwrapped a Britains horse drawn artillery set in the back of the car.

I could go on, but I think John that yes plastic cutlasses are de rigeur in the various pirate ship museums, etc. and yet there are truly nice items if the person is willing to look.

But the treasure of my visits is a Battleships of Pearl Harbor "Hawaiian shirt" I bought at the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans. A real Reyn Spooner.

I too purchased this about 6 months ago. It has been a HUGE help for me too !! Highly recommended...

Ron

I too purchased this about 6 months ago. It was a huge help to me. Highly recommended !...

This thread started by Force9 is brilliant! Wish it had been around 15 years ago!

With all of the reference materials mentioned throughout, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "CONSTITUTION CLOSE UP: Minutiae For The Modeler And Artist" by Commander Tyrone G. Martin, US Navy (ret).

With different sections like "Hull", "Spar Deck", "Guns", "Boats", etc, each section is written chronologically with actual log entries, invoices, and journal entries detailing changes in the ship.

It's hard to find, but it was published by Timonier Publications in 2003.

Force9 - I like your styrene gun shot racks. Can you tell me what size styrene you used to make these? I'm a novice making my 1st attempt to build this ship and I would like to incorporate your idea on this for my build. I am at awe when I see the time and detail you have put into this build. Many thanks!

jtilley - absolutely agree with you on Force9's model build. His attention to detail and the ability to recreate it is amazing! I'm trying my 1st attempt at building a sailing ship and I'm working on Revells 1/96 scale Constitution kit. I'd like to try my hand at doing the gun-tackle, if possible, for the 'visible' long guns and caronades. I'm wondering what size blocks I should use - I'm totally clueless on this. Any help would be apreciated!

Hello Fright, (interesting handle)

I hope you don't mind my chiming in here but as I have been closely following both Arnie and Evans builds for quite a while I might offer a suggestion.

I know Evan is using a lot of white metal fittings from Bluejacket and he, I believe Arnie, as well as myself, purchased Bluejackets plans for the ship. If you go to this link http://www.bluejacketinc.com/kits/ussconstitution.htm and click on the parts list, it will bring up a pdf that will break down all the blocks and numbers needed as well as rope sizes they use for their wooden kit. I am rigging my Connie based on their plans.

Arnie used the superb and I mean SUPERB Boxwood blocks as well as cordage from http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com  and I think also from http://cottageindustrymodels.com/ . I am amazed at the quality of the blocks and cordage from Syren, and I am following Evans method of using white metal from bluejacket for the deadeyes but I will be using Syrens blocks everywhere else, Arnie used Syren throughout his excellent build.

A word of caution here, you mentioned this is your first attempt at a full rigged sailing ship, in no way would I discourage you from the attempt. That said, as we have had this discussion elsewhere on this thread with another modeler jumping into the deep end of the pool, this kit is not for the faint of heart, I have built 4 1/96 scale Revell ships and I am nowhere near as skilled as what Evan is doing, Professor Tilley pointed out, correctly I think, that he believes only a small pecentage of these big kits ever get finished. I am nearly 2 years into mine

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/164251.aspx 

and have yet to mount a mast, and have spent more time on the channels and boats than I even thought possible.

I guess what I'm saying is go for it, but be patient, patient, patient. The tedium in some parts of the build can discourage anyone, when that happens, break it into smaller increments, mini models as it were, like the way I'm building the boats as seperate models. When some part becomes mind numbingly tedious, like rigging the guns, stop, work on something else for a while. If you do indulge, keep a good single malt Scotch on hand  and realize this is no quick and easy build, but the end result is so worth it!

Dan

Dan - thank you for those words of caution!  I started mine in mid-March and it's now December and my gun deck is still not installed in my hull. 2 years indeed? I am trying to break down building parts into small 'projects. Once completed, I place them safely aside and move on to something else. That's a great tip to break the monotony, like you said. I have purchased 3mm blocks for my long guns ( I will only do tackle for guns that can be seen through the open hatches), some barrels, as well as cordage from Cottage Industry Models for this kit.

There's no way my model will be as detailed as these more experience builders have accomplished, but I hope I can build a clean and decent representation of this ship. I find myself constantly following these builds as a reference, and also referring to AOS book as my source for inspiration. I also picked up Rigging Period Ships book to try and get my brain rapped around what lies ahead. I've started my build with FS and am open to any comments, tips, advice etc. from members such as yourself.

Thank you for responding to my questions and your advice. Happy Holidays and Cheers to you and loved ones! 

Hello Evan,

I hope this post finds you and your family doing well.

Just thought I'd drop you a note to say I am sure I speak for all who have been following your extraordinary build on this thread who are wondering when you might be updating your progress. I know I for one am missing reading up on and watching the ship come together. I know that it has inspired me and given me valuable tips (as has Arnie60) on what I want to do with my build, which I have had to set aside for more time than I'd like due to circumstances beyond my control (remodeling my daughter and her husbands house), So I hope this is just a temporary hiatus and you will soon be posting your progess.

Dan

A small correction to Ageofsail's next-to-the last post. The address of Chuck Passaro's website is www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com . If you go to www syren.com you're in for an...interesting surprise.

Oh my! Thanks John, I will correct that immediately! Sorry about that

Dan

A question, the kit lower masts, are all cast with iron hoops, however Marquardt's Anatomy of the Ship, page 93 clearly shows in the mast drawings and lists rope wooldings, as well as mast hoops. I  really like the look of the wooldings and am curious what the concensus is regarding this subject, I'm turning all other masts from cherry but the lowers will be the kit pieces. I can't find a definitive answer on whether wooldings were used circa 1812, any opinions? Professor Tilley, I'm looking at you.

jtilley

A small correction to Ageofsail's next-to-the last post. The address of buck Passaro's website is www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com . If you go to www syren.com you're in for an...interesting surprise.

 

I'm afraid I can't help much. I can only offer a couple of points. One - I think both systems were in use at that time. Two - critics have said quite a few nasty thingS about that AOS volume. Just how much research the author did seems to be in question. Did he ever actually visit the ship? The big, two-page drawing of the hull framing is sheernonsense. I'm not sure how far I'd trust that book on rigging details.

I'm separated from my book collection at the moment, but I'll do some web searching.

I used 1/8 single and double blocks for the side tackle on the guns visible from the spar deck. I haven't finished the gun deck but intend to do the same with the guns there. I had intentions of also adding the train tackle on the rear of the gun carriages but it turns out it would only look congested. Blue jacket sells britania blocks but the condition of them is less than desirable. I ended up getting the blocks from syren ship model company.

Sorry, I still can't add photos so you'll have to take my word that the tackle with a little excess rope coiled next to the cannon is a very nice touch.

Hope this helps you out.

Eric

I found that out by surprise as well. Lying in bed with my wife when I tried getting to the correct site. She got a good laugh.

EricE

Sorry, I still can't add photos

If you have google+ account (which you may very well have if you use and android phone) it could not be easier.

You open google, and up at the top right there is a matrix of 9 dots, 3x3.  Click on that, the the google menu will drop down.  At the bottom right of that menu is Photos.  Click on that and it will open.

You can then organize photos into folders, and add or subtract them as needed.  Only one thing--the album needs to be "shared" (a setting within Google Photos).

If you do not have a google+ account, you can store the photos on picassa or photobucket or something similar.

Once that is sorted, open a thread here at FSM.  Open the photo site in a separate window.  Select the photo you want.  Right click that photo, choose Copy Image Location.

Back over here.

Look up top of the window, fifth icon on the bottom row looks vaguely like a mountain, click on that.  The "Edit Image" window opens.  Paste (press CTRL+V, or right click and select "Paste" the image on the line labeled "Image Location." 

For the image below I did all that, I included the description "cat" and constrained the width to 400 pixels.

The reason I constrained the first image is so that, this second image would be the same size, to wit:

If I had not, it would appear like this:

Hope that helps

see if this works

Thanks guys. This shed some light on my problem. I got the two brass pedistals and the wood base but no bolts or nuts. Lost the wood base, but didn't care much for it anyhow. Will make another, possibly out of cherry. I'm ready to put hull halves together, so it appears I will have to find the appropriate size nut and mold it into the bottom of the hull (mine has slots for them). Any suggestions as to how to make a temporary stand so that I don't have to install the finished base this early in the project?  Thanks again

Gentlemen,

Has anyone heard from Force9 lately?  I hope that he is okay!

Bill

Last I heard from him was on modelshipworld in June , apparently his job asked him to relocate to the east coast, he hadn't decided yet so everything was on hold I suppose with regard to the Constitution. Hope he'll update his log soon!

It would be nice to hear from him.

Evan,

Welcome back!  It's great hearing from you and knowing all is well!  Good luck with your career decisions.

Bill