1/96 USS Constitution, is there a difference ?

Bill,

www.HiSModel.com offers quite a few aftermarket sets for the Connie, including really nice cannons.  Check it out!

Bill

I remember back in the early 1960s Revell released two versions of the 1/96 model, one with full sails and one with no sails. They were boxed in two different boxes, the kit without sails having the most attractive picture. The hulls of both kits included pre-painted copper below the waterline, and both included a very nice booklet history of the ship.

Both packages were later combined into the "with sails" box, presumably because Revell realized that the model with sails could be built without.  However, the hobbyist was now forced to pay the higher price for the kit with sails.

Revell later released a "Museum Quality" kit where the lower hull was pre-weathered as well as coppered.  the sails were some form of "cloth" material, the stand was a set of simulated gold pedastals, and  there was a rudimentary wood base.

These are the only versions of this kit except for several re-releases with different box art.  Also, the later kits of a few years ago were released with molded shrouds and ratlines after Revell's old machine broke down; they could not replace it.

Please note that this is the only change to the actual model since its initial release in the 1950s.  Private companies have released after-market products, notably HisModel.com in Czecholsovakia, ScaleDecks.com in the US, and Model Monkey in the US.

Bill

Going back to the sails- bare, set or furled.  I am working on a three master lakes schooner.  I am planning furled sails-never done them before.  I have a few photos of her with furled sails, but I am still not sure of how they look.  Particularly how they a tied furled and still dodge the many lines going to the booms.

Bill,

That is usually true. However, I model mine  with the starboard side run out while the port side cannons are behind closed doors.  There are exceptions. Please note that some designers of warship model kits (notably the Revell 1/46 and 1/196 USS Constitutions) include molded on gun port lids. On the 1/196 kit, the kit has molded on half-lids while the larger 1/146 quick build kit only includes five mid-ships open ports. The rest are molded closed.  The various models of the HMS Victory usually have several molded closed gunports,but that is not universal. 

Bill Morrison

With good drawings, anything is possible.

After that, it's really down to how much surgery you are willing to undertake.

ugliest part would probably be the having to carve off all the chainplate hul reinforcements so that they align to Shannon's shroud layout.  Which would want for a lot of rescribing hull planking.

Stern galleries might be a bit of work, but, that's going to be par for the course, too.

Livit,

  I have kind of a stupd question for anyone on the forum....

      Can the HMS Shannon be built from a USS Constitution kit?

     I ask because, # 1, I don't know but they sure look similar, and #2, because so many modelers have asked that some manufacturer make an HMS Shannon kit (other than that 1/600ish Airfix bagged kit.) but no one has.

     There is the 1/96 Revell, the 1/120 Monogram and the 1/159 Revell Simplified Build among the multitude of Constitution kits. I had wondered if these kits might be usable to represent Shannon and Constitution in a similar scale.

      Nino

Build thread   http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/177573.aspx

ShipWreck, I have recently had several requests to start a build thread.  The biggest thing holding me back is, how much of a PITA it is to upload pics to this site.  

Hi guys, Happy New Years to y'all.  No my Hull was not pre-painted.  Yes, cleaning up all those cannons and detailing them does take a bit of time. I am lucky that I work from 1900 to 0700 and can bring small stuff into my office area at work. There is usually a very quiet time from around 0100 to 0400 that allows me to work on little details while at work. 

I was lucky enough to be off the past 3 days and got some more done. I first tried to install the deck as one piece. I could not get it in place as one piece. I am really glad I had not already layed the AM Scaledeck in place, that would of been the end of this project for sure !  I am glad that I had not seriously glued the 3 pieces together.  I got them seperated and layed in with no problems. A little adjusting and everything lined up perfectly. I did get the AM Scaledeck layed, it is really simple to do. The fit on mine was "Excellent" I used white glue, which I spread a thin layer, layed deck and lightly smoothed from center to edges. Any excess glue was easy to clean up with fingers and a moistened Q-tip. Real happy with results.

LIVIT

Still debating with self on starting a build thread for my 1/96 Connie build.  

Dale, I, among others, hope you do a build thread because I plan on starting my Connie within the next month and I need all the help I can get! I will be building my one and only sailing ship; it will be OOB!

Dale, 

     That is a good point about when to "Deck".  I'm sure some members have tried it both ways. Let's see if we get some updates for the new year.  This update ought to move you to the top of the newest posts list.

     I have the 1/96 kit too along with many extra parts,(cannons too!), from someones previous build.  I have not bought any AM stuff yet. I too am searching for suggestions and any new or older Works-in-Progress. 

         Don't let anything stop you from posting some pictures.   There's a bunch of cannons that need assemby and many other Sub-assemblies that you can start with. Was your hull pre-painted?

       Happy New Year.

                 Nino

Still debating with self on starting a build thread for my 1/96 Connie build. I got the AM scaledeck for it. My question is too anyone who has used these scale deck products. Should I install the deck into the hull and then apply the AM Scaledeck ? Any how to links would be nice to have. I am ready to install the gun deck now.    Happy Holidays   Dale

  baltosale,

       Search on FSM Forums for comments about the kit. It is not the same as the 1/96 kit. It is based on a different re-construction.

And take a look at http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/p/165707/1820725.aspx#1820725

 Also AV8R1992 (Rob Heinke) did a 1/196 kit. His pictures on FSM don’t show anymore but his public Photobucket page is still out there at http://s1064.photobucket.com/user/Rob_Heinke/library/?sort=3&page=1

Try pages 2, 3, and 4.

     The masts on the 1/196(1/192?) Revell Constitution bend (break) real easy. Like you I built it as a kid.  My Mom's cleaning lady kept dusting it and breaking the masts. I kept repairing it till I was 15 or 16. The rigging got looser after each repair.  I never thought about using other material for masts back then.

  The kit is really nice but Not a good kit for a beginner IMHO.  Since you are NOT new to following directions or glueing stuff together this kit will be a good exercise to get back into it... untill you get to the rigging.  To be accurate some of the thread you will need may be as thin as .020. Tough to see let alone tie off. What you really need is someone with experience to discuss the rigging.  I expect many experienced members will add on to my comments.

     Nino

P.S.  My family got me another 1/196 Constitution kit last year. I will do it before I attempt the 1/96 kit.    So, if you build it, I will come... to your posting.

I love that kit. I’ve probably built six. It lends itself to being a ship from other navies.

Its not practical to rig it with blocks, rather just knot at each end.

Yes, only thing I found to be somewhat frustrating at times was doing the more detailed rigging. With it being so small, often while tying the next rigging I was slacking the last. Tying knots with the smaller line at times was interesting !

This subject has been discussed many times on the forum. I cannot remember all the kits that were suggested now. I personally would do something a bit larger with less rigging, just to get some practice with the rigging and knots..... Dale

has anyone taken on the 1/196 Connie?  I have it and I see the clear differences between it and the 1/96 I completed in the early 70's.  However I am restarting the hobby and figured this would be a good re-introduction.  Any pointers?  Ideas?  Condolences?

GMorrison

Only thing is that it's going to be $ 500 or more before you get it all. And most folks don't finish the kit. So it's up to you to decide how you want to handle that.

Have to agree with that. Went Connie crazy a few years back and accumulated several unbuilt kits in the various scales from Revell, Monogram, Imai from swap meets and the auction site - haven't built a one yet.

There is a reason these were sold unbuilt, and if I was also accumulating ancillary add-on bits - it would have been even more expensive for me.

Jose, interesting info thanks.  Thats a lot of stinky bodies !

Bill, got book and crew members. Thank you bud....  Dale

LIVIT

Thanks guys !  I cannot imagine being onboard a ship of this size with 450 plus stinky shipmates and here I moaned a bit the first time I was on a DDG for a short assignment, about the limited space and cramped quarters. I had a bed locker and some other small storage space and the bed was all mine !  It is hard for me to fathom the fortitude it took to serve on these kind of ships.   Dale

 

Hello all,

According to the following site, it took 14 crew to man a 32-pounder on the main gun deck of HMS Victory - the site even breaks down the roles of each man:

http://dawlishchronicles.blogspot.com/2014/11/nelsons-ship-smasher-32-pounder.html 

And here, Constitution's 24 pounders are said to have been manned by 13 crew:

http://www.navyhistory.org/the-constitution-gun-deck/ 

Assuming only half the guns were being run at any one time (ships could usually fire only one side at a time), the total men manning the gun deck would have been 195 out of the 450 crew. 

I found this kind of interesting   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQSBxQiLSyQ

Thanks guys !  I cannot imagine being onboard a ship of this size with 450 plus stinky shipmates and here I moaned a bit the first time I was on a DDG for a short assignment, about the limited space and cramped quarters. I had a bed locker and some other small storage space and the bed was all mine !  It is hard for me to fathom the fortitude it took to serve on these kind of ships.   Dale

Thanks Bill,   I was afraid I had watched too much TV and had recalled a TV Gun Crew.

       Jim.

The heavier the gun, the more guys on it. They had to run it out, and then run it back. Unlike a rifle, it didn't present itself for loading as a result of the recoil.

The 32 pounders on Victory had as many as nine, seven is a good estimate on a 24, and so on. And attrition happened pretty quickly. Add all of the sailors and marines and it's not hard to understand why the Constitution had a crew of 450- 500.

LIVIT,

     It takes a large crew to handle those heavy guns. My recollection was it took at least 7 or more depending on size of gun.  There is a  video that shows a Constitution gun crew running in, swabbing, loading, running out, aiming and fireing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQSBxQiLSyQ .The video is showing a 24 pounder being fired and it looks like a crew of 7.

   There are quite a few members who will know better then I. I hope they will chime in.  If you are going to add crew to your ship, you will need to know what each crewman does what as far as placing the figures in the right spot.

     Nino.

   Hey Dale,  my memory could be a bit fuzzy. I watched a bunch of Horatio Hornblower episodes last week. The last episode I watched showed his 5-man gun crew in action. It's a great series but maybe a bit short on accuracy. 

Nino, I am compiling all the great info I have been given and finding here on FSM and a few other forums.  I am planning on doing a build/reference thread soon, just need the time to finish up compiling it all and getting it posted. I may post a few pics of the results I achieved using a combo of OOB and aftermarket as suggested by forum members. One thing I can for sure suggest is get some styrene strips and sheets. I will post suggested sizes soon.

In between doing research and getting it all compiled, I have been working on building my cannons and getting them a bit detailed. I work from 7pm (1900) to 7am (0700) for 2-3 days in a row then off same. I am fortunate that my job here at the VA Hospital allows me a bit of time to do some work on little items like cannons.

On a ship like the Constitution, how many on a gun crew ? I am thinking 3, but wanted to make sure....... TKS    Dale

LIVIT

http://www.lesliejonesphotography.com/collection?search_api_views_fulltext=constitution  

I came across this. "Warning" it is 525 photos of the USS Constitution, mostly rebuild and drydock stuff. But there is some decent photos of how some things are done.   

 

That's a great shot of the Nantucket with the bow of Constitution in the foreground.

   There's a whole lot of good info here on this Thread. Glad this topic has resumed. I have made this one of my "favorites". 

     Like just about everyone else, I have a 1/96 Constitution in the box.  No after market stuff yet since I do not know what I will need. The postings here will help take care of that.

     Nino

http://www.lesliejonesphotography.com/collection?search_api_views_fulltext=constitution  

I came across this. "Warning" it is 525 photos of the USS Constitution, mostly rebuild and drydock stuff. But there is some decent photos of how some things are done.   

Bill, Thanks so much ! I have read all of the Force9 build thread several times. He is an impressive modeller.  His build has inspired me to go a bit more detailed on my build than I had originally planned. So much for well made plans :)  I am waiting patiently on him to start posting again on how he is doing the rigging.