Pourquoi Pas? (IV)

You are correct that this kit was a Heller original.  It is part of a three ship series as also noted.  Therein lies the problem: Heller took the path of making three "different" ships from one set of molds.  Compromises were made with regard to accuracy on all the ships.  There are quite a few fit issues as well.  Rigging is dicey not least for the reason that the masts and spars are soft and springy.  Not much is provided  to create standing rigging either.   However, if you are not haunted by concerns for accuracy the model will build into something satisfying to look at.

I remember the 1/100 Heller version pretty well.  My recollection is that it was a pretty nice kit for its day (the late '70s), and certainly capable of being turned into a serious scale model.

As I remember, Heller (as was its wont in those days) recycled the hull and most of the other components twice:  as a sidewheel paddle steamer and a sailing brigantine.  The "brigantine," as I remember, looked pretty bad - its foremast was taller than its mainmast (highly unlikely if not impossible).  I don't remember ever seeing the paddle steamer outside the box.

My impression is that the kit was designed as a scale model of the Pourquois Pas? and, in typical Heller fashion, the parts were recycled into fictitious ships without much regard to accuracy.

The 1/400 version I've never seen.  That's mighty small; most Heller kits on that scale are pretty crude.

Thanks for the info, Dread and John.

I'm interested in the subject, but not ready to take on a larger sailing ship just yet until I get some other models finished.

These kinds of ships interest me as there's usually all kinds of machinery and equipment on deck.

In this case though the sailing rig looks pretty complicated, but obviously at 1/400 will be simplified.

I'll post up pictures and a box review of the kit, when it comes, if it's worth the trouble. The total cost with shipping was only $ 33, so i am up for anything. Worst case scenario is that my Chinese battleship from Bronco has really pitiful masts and yards and there may be salvage possible.

I do have a fair amount of extra PE at 1/400 from various previous Revell flat bottom projects.

This turns out to be my third polar exploration model, not counting my old Model Shipways Gjoa that's at Dad's house.

I have the Zvezda 1/100 version of the "Pourquoi pas?" (they have these Heller molds)  but haven't made it yet.  It's a nice kit, quite small for a 1/100 ship though.  It's well, done, only complaints would be the cutwater is a bit thick and the steel bars at the bow are a bit on the thick side too.  

It's been a while since I studied it in detail, but I seem to remember it is fairly accurate.  

The Heller 1/400 kit is pretty small, I have it somewhere and not seen it for a long time.  I don't remmeber it being bad, a bit simple and lacking a lot of detail, but you would expect that.

I have the Brigantine kit as well, which I intended turning into a "Scotia" (the exploration ship "Pourquoi pas?" was based on)  but the hull form is too different.  Maybe it will do for something else...

There is a dvd available with archive footage of her, called "Jean-Baptiste Charcot, un epoppe scientifique" by Yves Leonard and some books by Serge Kahn that contain photos of her if you're interested.

The  plans available from AMM at the Musee de la Marine, Paris are not that good and I seem to remember they contain some errors.

Thank you, Cerberus. That kind of information is always very useful.

Pourquoi? would be the more appropriate question.

The kit came yesterday and it is a nice little model. A little model....

That's a quarter on the table...

I measured the beam, which is the only reliable model ship measurement, sort of, and the scale based on Wiki's description of a 9.2 M dimension; is 1/495.

Hi,

I just measured mine from the tip of the figurehead to the taffrail and it is 11.5cm long.  The ship was 46m long, figurehead to taffrail according to the AAMM plans, so mine measures out correctly for 1/400 scale.

Heller make a series of small ship kits of which Porquoi Pas (Why Not) is one.  I have their litttle Pamir kit that scales at 1/600th. I believe that they released the Eagle Coast Guard Cutter that scaled at 1/400th scale as well as some other little ship kits.

The Szvesda kit is indeed from the ex Heller moulds for the 1/100 scale kit that they released back in the 70's.

Fairly measured. I always question length, as there are multiplicities. But as Cerb has drawings, defined.

I'm interested in the 1:100.

I think the 1/100 kit is a nice model.  I've looked again at the dvd and I'm not sure if there are details missing or not.  My kit is sealed at the moment and I would rather not open it at the moment and I'd rather not open it for now.  The dvd has footage from 1926, which is 18 years after her launch, so maybe equipment was added, not sure.  They are mentioned on the plans too.

To begin with, there is a boom on the foremast that is hinged to the mast higher than the bulwarks.  It stretches forward and is lashed to the # shaped frame just aft of the foc'sl (sorry, forgetting my terminology).  On the plans, this extends almost to the tip of the focs'l.  I would assume this is for deploying samplers over the side.  Oddly, there is a bitt on the focs'l that is not seen in any of the photos I've looked at... very odd.  and there are two blocks (one either side) on the focs'l that I guess one of the anchor flukes would sit on that is missing from the kit.

There is a steam winch on the starboard side by the mizzen mast, it is not clear if this is in the kit or not..

There should be sounding devices by the pillars supporting the bridge, a Lucas device starboard and a Warluzel device to port.  The accommodation ladder platform starboard is seen acting as a sounding platform for the (I assume) lucas device in the film footage.

Zvezda got the pourquoi-pas flag wrong though, it should be black and white, not re and white.  The white triangle with the "?" should also be next to the mast, not the other one.

Hope this helps a bit.

It was my birthday yesterday so I bought the 1/100 kit for a very good price on eBay.

Now I'm planning to buy the DVD, Cerb.

Thank you for the citation.

Dontcha just love birthdays, justification for a little indulgence! The 400ish scale model looks positively tiny, if you are rigging it, I can recommend 'UNI-Caenis 20 denier black' thread from UNI Products Inc. Canada. It's thinner than human hair and very strong and looks great as small scale rigging mate.

Jockster.

He may not get online that often mate! If he's got a family then he might have to fight for computer time! Give him time and he may reply eventually!

If you could send me to a place where I could get those plans...

You can buy them here

www.aamm.fr/.../index.php

but watch out, they have some errors I think.

Try the Musee de la Marine, Palais de Chaillot, Trocadero, Paris, France.   They sell monographies for modellers with plans and photos. May have a website to look at. As Pourquoi Pas was a French research vessel  similar to the British Discovery, the French Maritime Museum may well have the info you are looking for.