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1/700 USS Constitution US Navy Frigate Warlord Games model kit

Warlord Games produces a line of miniature warship model kits in 1/700 scale for their Black Seas Age of Sail Battle Game series. Of note is USS Constitution in Her War of 1812 fitment. I confess I had my doubts about such a little gaming version of the oldest undefeated US Navy warship still in commission. As I Modeler, I hope for more intricate detail than gaming pieces are often made with. Detail is often sacrificed to allow a more sturdy, portable model. 3D printed ship models generally are proper basic length and beam, but are absolutely inaccurate otherwise. (I.E. the 3D 1/700 CSS Arkansas Ironclad I recently bought was this way. Her refit is underway as we speak. ) I suspected the hull might be 3D printed in that awful white durable plastic you can't sand with the awful layering. Such is not the case.

The kit contains a resin cast one-piece hull and deck. White metal masts and yardarms with battle sails furled on the lower yards, Paper precut sails, printed on both sides and ratlines printed in black on acetate sheet. Game instructions and a wake card (wuht?) with double sided printed overscale flags and pennants. In truth, a really nifty little kit. Cost was a hair over USD $30.00 and shipping from St. Louis was free.
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The grand ol' Lady measures a solid, accurate 53 scale meters at the waterline. The Hull/Deck casting is clean and free from bubbles and sink holes. The men in Great Britain that did this mastering & resin casting evidently knew what he was about!
The details are a tad overstated. Deck planking, chunky cannons, railing, catheads & capstan, but otherwise pretty cool. Details on Constitution's stern are particularly intricate! Masts, bowsprit & yardarms sacrifice scale diameters in the interest of sturdiness I believe. The included rigging thread is non-scale to enable basic standing and running rigging. I'll use my USCHI elastic thread for rigging. It's still overscale. Whaddyagonnado? Sails have to hang from SOMETHING!
The first step is drilling every cannon barrel with a #80 drill bit.
This should be FUN!!
Stayed Turned as Old Ironsides comes together. Homage to Captain Isaac Hull, Officers and Men of the US Navy, so many years ago!
Thanks for looking in!
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Yeah those guns sticking out the sides look like what, 250mm? You going to try and correct that or just go with it?
 
moon puppy said:
Yeah those guns sticking out the sides look like what, 250mm? You going to try and correct that or just go with it?
Click to expand...
The 24 pounder guns carried by USS Constitution have bore of just a hair over 152mm. Darn good guess! Scale inside diameter of this models cannons would be .22mm, According to Mike's trusty Models Alliance drill bit index chart would be a #90 drill bit.
I'm thinkin' I'll stick with snapping #80 micro drills for 44 of these guns.
Very astute, Mr. Britt! You get a gold star! :coolio1:
 
Not all Black Seas kits have resin-cast hulls! See here1/700 HMS Revenge, a Royal Navy 2nd class frigate. 5 possible figure heads, 4 different stern plates, Revenge cast in white metal! For all of our Princess Bride fans, She will become the Dread Pirate Roberts privateer, Revenge in my favorite ship model scale and my imagination! Crisply injection molded. Same sails and ratlines. Neeto!!

Thanks for looking in! Model night tonight! Zoom meeting tomorrow! (You know Who you are!) :yipee::yipee::yipee::salute::oldguy::pilot
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"Mr. Thompson! Clownfish! Starboard quarter, close board! Fire as your guns bear!" "Aye, Captain!"
USS Constitution's wood deck and dark brown wash. I used Vallejo (Thanks Mike!) acrylic paint, thinned with a drop of Windex.
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"Captain Hull! Mr. Clownfish is showing us his heels, Sir!" "Very well Mr. Thompson, secure from general quarters. Well done."
We couldn't hit Mr. Clownfish in his heels or we would have done so. Test fit of main deck hatch grating, masts & bowsprit. Just for the fun of it.
USS Constitution should make a pleasing little waterline model.
You know how we all have 30+ paint brushes, but we only use 6 brushes or so regularly? My favorite Model Master #3 8842 brush gave up the ghost this day. :blink

Thanks for looking in!
 
Looking good! How about a little wash in the sails followed by a good dry brushing? :good:
 
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Washed and dried, USS Constitution sits amid a forest of her freshly base coated masts and bowsprit.
I had been neglecting Old Ironsides. She deserves better.

Thanks for looking in!
 
Sealed things today. USS Constitution's white masks along her gun deck. CSS Arkansas is clear coated and ready for light washes. I used my old favorite, Testor's Metalizer sealer.

CSS Arkansas' 2.0 master, and USRC Caleb Cushing are ready to mold.

The Universal Hull has her deck sealed even though so many of the interesting nautical details aren't finished yet.

Graf Zeppelin's false bow & stern will be getting some masking and paint soon as well.
Lighthouses and keepers homes too!
I get lost in the minutia sometimes. In my pursuit of happiness, I know I can't add every tiny detail to a sailing vessel in 1/700.

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If I did NOTHING would ever be ready to mold. :bang head
I lumped today's progress in with USS Constitution's thread to keep from seeming redundant.
Thanks for looking in! :salute::oldguy::skipper:
 
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Painting really shows how much relief USS Constitution has mastered and cast into Her hull! The individual masks for the white hull stripe went pretty well, but still needs a little TLC. Paints are Floquil reefer white and Model Master flat black.

Back to work tomorrow. I am now the proud owner of a negative CCV test!!
Thanks for having a look-see!
 
"It is a shame there is no mp3 to buy of your version, Mr. Coffin, sir. I credit you with being the American Stan Rogers. AND YOU are still alive!! BONUS!! Soothing, timeless baritone that begs my sea-hungry heart yearn to return to the bosom of the Big Blue after 2/3rds of a blessed Life, well lived. How would you like to join me an' me Mates for the USS Cobia submarine sleep-over and sing-along this year? I PROMISE we won't sing any of your songs as well as you do. We will all sing nonetheless "Roll The Old Cobia Along". Bring ear protection!!"
My YouTube comment to David Coffin.

Inspiration can arise from unexpected places. Music has and still does fire my modeling. The kind without adds!

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