Encore USS Olympia: Finished.

These booke ase both original and after over 100 years, not in the best shape.  Glue only lasts for so long.  As far as I know they didn't make that many of them.  They probably were a souvenier book you could pick up at fleet week or something like that.  I have another book titled "Your New United States Navy" that was printed only a year or two (I think) from that one.

Between the two on them they cover all types of ships from Battleships down to monitor, and I think torpedo rams or something like that.  The Maine is in at lest one or maybe both books and when looking at some of these designs, I don't think I would go near one if it wasn't tied up somewhere.  Brave guys, but these were cutting edge back then, at least some were.

I have got to start finding reliable homes for some of the things I have sitting around here, scrap books from Vietnam and so on.

Nice thought had I gone conventionally,thanks. That a first edition,rare?

Here's the cover:Here's the only shot I have of the Olympia.  It was taken from a book I have from the 1890s.  Hope it helps, this book is very old so the picture is not the best.

Here's the cover:

Haven't thought of it like that, it's actually based on a sculpture of the Olympia,done in scrapmetals, thanks for the thought. 

Chinese medicine balls. Great for dexterity.

I do have one question though.

     Where did you get those neat Golfball  in the Shot Glasses weights from?

Thanks TB, unique is the ultimate compliment.

So?

    You built a unique and great model anyway!

Thanks Jim, best part is none of the flaws stand out.

Great build!   

Jim  

Stay Safe.

Thanks Tojo, I'll assume you are not alluding to her appearance and agree that the photo and others like it make her look much sleeker.

Wow,fantastic technique on all of that rust and weathering,but it looks different then the one I saw in Philly

docidle

Templar, That is one seriously cool finish you created. The armor modelers must be serious envious of it! Steve

Thanks Steve, I don't think too many armor guys took notice of " a boat". I thought it would receive more comment from ships, but there's a lot going on over there now.

Templar,

That is one seriously cool finish you created. The armor modelers must be serious envious of it! 

Steve

Sorry TB,couldn't replicate the canvas.

Hi Ya'll

    It seems that "G" hit the nail on the head. All of the class was woven wire Wrapped in heavily black lead painted canvas for protection .The "Ratlines themselves ( the Crossbars were steel rod or tube capped at different times.)

Thanks for the look-see Ben, appreciated greatly.

High praise PJ, many thanks.

Scott,thanks for the compliment,yea it was fun.

Great job, I really like the patina. Looks like it may need a little preventive maintenance.

Nice aged metals looks....

Ben

Outstanding 

templar1099

Ok,so this became known as " Project 19" in my household. An old kit long covered in its deficiencies,I'll stick to my issues,this ain't a review. First, the three piece deck, why? In addition it wasn"t a good fit. Next up was twisted masts caught way too late to attempt any sort of fix,even if I knew how. It came with a fair amount of PE accompanied by instructions that must have been an afterthought written for the re-release when the technical writers were on strike.Nicely detailed but frail,not brittle, I just broke a piece now just writing about it. While doing my utmost to have a mar free build the best laid plans.... Mangled and pieced together as damage; guns,rails and stairs. Didn't use the resin props as they shattered on the mold,but did do my first surgery for the torpedo tubes,nice try.I also did not include the side boats as four different threads and two typesof wire could not yield even a good enough for government standard.Having opined previously on the aestethics of the IJN boats I got to say these protected cruisers have some panache to them. Anywho,take away the PE and resin surgery and you've got a good boat for someone looking to cut their teeth on large(r) scale boats. Just my opinion. I know it's a little different,but it was fun.Criticism and feedback welcome as always. I know how everyone loves the cluttered work space pictures so I include some,one or two might even be good.

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That turned out really well.  I would like to try something like that, it really lives up to the name of Ironclad.

Finally found the picture that started it all, this is a sculpture I saw out in a gallery on the left coast. Looks better with the texture of cast off metals.

Ok,so this became known as " Project 19" in my household. An old kit long covered in its deficiencies,I'll stick to my issues,this ain't a review. First, the three piece deck, why? In addition it wasn"t a good fit. Next up was twisted masts caught way too late to attempt any sort of fix,even if I knew how. It came with a fair amount of PE accompanied by instructions that must have been an afterthought written for the re-release when the technical writers were on strike.Nicely detailed but frail,not brittle, I just broke a piece now just writing about it. While doing my utmost to have a mar free build the best laid plans.... Mangled and pieced together as damage; guns,rails and stairs. Didn't use the resin props as they shattered on the mold,but did do my first surgery for the torpedo tubes,nice try.I also did not include the side boats as four different threads and two typesof wire could not yield even a good enough for government work standard.Having opined previously on the aestethics of the IJN boats I got to say these protected cruisers have some panache to them. Anywho,take away the PE and resin surgery and you've got a good boat for someone looking to cut their teeth on large(r) scale boats. Just my opinion. I know it's a little different,but it was fun.Criticism and feedback welcome as always. I know how everyone loves the cluttered work space pictures so I include some,one or two might even be good.

Thanks G, I was thinking that 1888-90 it was probably some sort of steel cabling. But I could be wrong too. Really wanted to know for weathering. Thanks for your opinion.

In her current fit, she does not have ratlines. She has steel cable stays, and Jacobs ladders to the tops.

I could find a photo from 1899. The ratlines, or rungs for the sailors to climb, look like iron bars, which would be typical. I'm sure the standing rigging was steel then as well.

But I could be wrong.

Bill

I'm sure the Professor could answer this but does anyone know what the ratlines on the Olympia  were composed of? 

I'd like to get to see her one day. Reading a little about her she's been described as " being in pristine condition even at sea". Helped being the flagship.But I have a different idea.