Converting the 1/96 Cutty Sark into the Glory of the Seas

Lucky you.....if you can..take a peek at their plans if you can and let me know what you think?

Rob

Will do!  And, I plan on extending the trip to visit Bluejacket as well.  I will let you know all about it.

Bill

Bill...I'm wondering...what era are you going to model your glory after?  she was remodeled several times.  Personaly I modeled her after McKay's original design...however some have modeled her after her cabin boy house was added and after her hatch houses were added.

She had extensive mast remakes and rigging redos from her original design.

Her is an image of her poob deck cabin during her cannary refit...notice the lack of aft hold house that would be just forward of her main poop cabin.  No boat davits or skids either.

Then notice the second image with the boy on the cabin boy cabin...with the boats stowed on top.  All after additions to McKays design and removed for her conversion to a cannary.

Rob,

I usually have a bias towards building my ship models in their original configurations. In my general opinion, that is usually when the original ships were their most beautiful. There are exceptions, of course, but that is my general rule. But, I plan on following your build log to see if I can duplicate your excellent work.

Those are very interesting photos! Having been stationed aboard ships during refit periods, they take me back to the clutter and the seeming chaos.

Bill

I couldn't be in more agreement.  The life of a vessel and subsiquent additions/exclusions can provide the builder with a varried pallet to replicate.

I'm choosing to build my ships in thier original configurations....I feel closer to the builder and somehow more represtitive of thier original conceived designs.

On the opposite side of the coin, I am in the progress of building a Constitution representing her during her low period..when she was a receiving ship.  It tells a story...almost dioramic like....then a simple display.

Rob

Rob,

I would love to build a Constitution in her original configuration.  I would love to see her with that Hercules figurehead as she first appeared at Tripoli.  To do so, I believe that I would have to start with the newer Bluejacket kit since that one is closer to the period of interest. The various Revell kits depict her as she appeared (1) around 1924 (1/96), or (2) during Andrew Jackson's presidency in the 1830s (1/196).  It also might be interesting to show the Jackson figurehead with its head lopped off.

Bill

Indeed.  Telling an historic event that actually occured with a vessel is to me more telling of the vessel then of a model represtitive of when she first left the builders yard.  Scars of a cape horn struggle, or a deruddering at sea and a susiquent repair(Like my CS diorama) action that was historicaly accurate but done with some artistic license.

Research is your best friend...well.. along with some good modeling skills.

Probably why I love doing these clipper mods.  There is so much more to represent then a tired static Cutty Sark.  No disrespect intended.

Research has revealed that many models of the Great Republic are mixing original and rebuilding after the fire details.  Especially with attention to the spar deck/bullwarks confusion...and the addition (after fire)of a mizzen skysail.  Far too many changes were made that get mingled.  I want to keep her as authentic to the original McKay depiction as possible.

Same thing for Glory of the Seas.  I chose to build her before her 1870's modifications...you have to pay attention. Nothing worse then a novice saying, that your model doesn't look like the ship you are representing...if the year is not clearified.

Same ship...just different details..can throw folks off.  Lucky for me, most folks don;t know the differences anyway.

Rob

Rob,

Your comment, " . . . tired old Cutty Sark . . ." is exactly the comment I have been using when petitioning the various model manufacturers for more sailing ship kits.  Several years ago, Airfix responded to one of my requests by saying that they had just released the HMS Endeavor.  My response was that I already had that kit, and that the manufacturers need to realize that they cannot keep expecting sailing ship modelers to purchase the same, tired old products.  I then asked about just how many HMS Victory's, Cutty Sarks, Bounty's and Constitutions each of us was supposed to buy.  I concluded by saying that they have to offer new kits to see any increase in sales of sailing ship kits.

I am currently finishing the old Heller Cap Horn for my son.  I know that that ship never existed, but the kit is based heavily on their five-masted Flying P-Liner Preussen, indeed, most of the parts are interchangeable, including the hull. The only real differences between the two kits is that the Preussen is ship-rigged; the Cap Horn kit is barque rigged.  Historically, a near sister or the Preussen was built as a five masted barque, the Petosi.  That ship shared a very similar hull to the Preussen, and it also had a similar deck arrangement. It is a relatively easy conversion. And, it builds into an attractive model.

Bill

Hey Bill...did you ever get over to check out those plans?  My copy of the Great Republic plans arrived the other day and they are 3/32"=1', or 1/128.  Making the hull around 36" long.  Pondering between a solid hull or a POB...Think I'll built it POB style.  Keeping the weight down.

From my study, it looks like the plans depict the shotened rebuilt masts/yards and rigging after the fire, and the deck plan is more to the likes of her before the fire.  Capt. Palmer who had her refloated and rebuilt eliminated the weather or spar deck and kept her a three decker.  Creating gunnals...where in the original McKay design there was none...but oak railing around the entire perimeter. He origanally had 4 decks with no forcastle or poop decks.

Personally, I love the plans and plan on scratch building the entire vessel.

But first to finish the Glory of the Seas.

Rob

Rob,

Not yet. I have to finish the Revell Mayflower for my oldest grandson, and the Potosi for my son.  But, I will check out those plans sometime over the next two weeks.

I have a recommendation for you.  Check out the hull of the Heller Preussen or Cap Horn.  Although the kit is of a windjammer, and the hull has iron plate details, a little sanding and minor surgery might give you a usable hull for a clipper conversion. The kit is in 1/150, but the hull is slightly larger than that of the 1/96 Cutty Sark. I will be happy to send you pictures if you would like them.

Bill

Yeah..send pics if you have them.....cool.  I'll check out the Preussen from Heller in 1/150.

Thanks.....

I hope Bill doesn't mind if I post these two pictures I just took on my little balcony. It should give you the general idea.

Thanks Mike.  Wow..it is much larger then the Revell kit.

Mike,

Thanks!  I appreciate your photos.  That Cutty Sark looks terrific!  Anyway, as you can see, there is heavy iron plate detail that would need to be sanded down, and there is a midships structure that would have to be surgically removed.  The hull bottom i s also fairly flat, and I am not sure that it would match any clipper, but I will leave that to Rob to evaluate.  It might be a positive step in modeling the Great Republic, but, again, you would have to modify the hull.

Bill

This hull could be modified.....I'm not sure of its deadrise...but the Great Republic had a shallow deadrise as well.  The cutwater would need to be  modified I'm sure(Been there done that).  If I had one of these Heller kits...I'd examine it further for such a modification.

Rob

Rob,

I received Chappelle's The Search for Speed Under Sail for Father's Day.  The is a profile of the American clipper ship named Witch of the Waves or Witch of the Seas that seems to closely resembel the Sea Witch.  I immediately thought of you, and thought that converting the Lindberg/Aurora kit could add to your collection.

Bill

That book is a plethora of hull designs and diagrams.  I've read it cover to cover.  It has been a superb aid to me for years.  No true clipper modelers library can be complete without it.

Rob

That is a very nice display idea

Thanks Boomer. I had to create a connective display relating the artifacts to the model.  I too think it is effective.  It is for me an emotional display....these are actual remnants of Donald McKay's last clipper......MMMMMMM

Rob

Iv'e decided to stop work on the Great Republic and finish the Glory of the Seas.  She is far from finished and needs my attention.....

I'll begin finishing the rat lines.

Rob

Rob

 I spent some time last night finishing up the ratlines on the Glory of the Seas.

Now it's onto the backstays.

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I posted these images today 4/5/17..not march 27.

Rob

Very impressed with your clipper ship model, which displays professional workmanship.

Happy modeling   Crackers  

I spent several hours working on the mizzen and main mast backstays.

I have a question ;

 What happened to the pictures ? All I see is a little black square with an X in it . Hmmm?  T.B.

Gary,

I see the pictures just fine.

I reopened the files and reposted them.  I can see them both.

Some earlier files were hosted by another site and are no longer available.  but those are some of the earliest images..but I did attempt to replace some of them to keep the log fluid.

Thanks for the input.

Rob

Rob,

Nice to see an update, I have been enjoying your threads and all the research you do on your subjects.  

Scott

Thanks Scott for your fine comment. Many of these clippers had varried histories and many captains...who took it upon themselves to make cosmetic and structural changes.

Researching the time pariod and changes at the time that you want to model your ship can be daunting...especially if you want to be as accurate as you can.

Again thanks for your comments.

Rob