1/96 scale USS Constitution build.

[Tim A.]

Have the same kit, but not nearly in as good a shape.

The sails are even in good shape. I'm also impressed with the box. It's pretty thick cardboard.

 

[Rhino]

It seems you will have plenty to do with your free time!!

 

[Tim A.]

It seems you will have plenty to do with your free time!!

The wife showed me not to complain about how much work building a little 44 gun Frigate is...lol.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

My sails hit the garbage as they were so thin and messed up they were beyond salvage. Also the box was quite water damaged, and I found one part was missing a bit. Have the mirror image part for the other side so I will scratch build the missing section.
Bob Letterman has a Heller ship he is planning on building and says there is an aftermarket company in the Czech republic that makes sails for these. Supposed to be a LOT better than the vac sails. After I built my Constitution years ago I decided to never do sails on a ship again.

 

[Duke Maddog]

Wow! A Victory! I always wanted to build one of those but the rigging is too daunting for me!

 

[Tim A.]

Wow! A Victory! I always wanted to build one of those but the rigging is too daunting for me!

It's a nicely molded kit. I been reading through the instruction booklet to familiarize myself with the steps and such. It'll take a few more read threws for me I think..lol.

 

[Tim A.]

Rigging the hammock stanchions

 

[moon puppy]

Careful!!

 

[Rhino]

A Patient fellow this Tim is. Yes!

 

[Tim A.]

I managed to get all the hammock stanchions ropes on. But the bigger news is I only knocked one cannon loose while doing it!

 

[moon puppy]

Most excellent!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

The biggest problem I had building my Constitution back when was knocking the gun deck cannons loose. They were all sticking out and probably knocked about 80% of them off and had to do weird horrid gluing to make them stay in place after the fact. If I were to do it again I would figure out some way to 3d print some protectors that would press into the square openings around the guns.

 

[Rhino]

Truly impressive ship modeling!

 

[Tim A.]

I just couldn't do the kit's one piece molded deadeyes & lanyards. Which means making new channels, which means making new chain plates, which means a lot of work to do to rig the deadeyes proper. So while I wait on the new deadeyes to arrive I've decided to replace the fore, main & mizzen mast's royal masts with wood. The reason is these top most masts are pretty dainty and the plastic won't stay straight when the rigging puts tension on them. The pic shows the foremast with the much stronger basswood royal mast in place.

 

[moon puppy]

This is going to be worth all the trouble.

 

[Tim A.]

This is going to be worth all the trouble.

I think

This is going to be worth all the trouble.

I think so too Bob. The larger scale of the kit just screams for actual rigged shroud lanyards.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Doing your practice for the Victory Eh? This is really looking good Tim! It will be so worth while once done.

 

[Tim A.]

Doing your practice for the Victory Eh? This is really looking good Tim! It will be so worth while once done.

Thanks Eagle. The Victory is a complicated build for sure!

 

[Tim A.]

I have the fore, main and mizzen top gallant masts redone using bass wood. None of the masts, fighting tops or cross trees are glued up yet. There's still a lot of work to do on them but the deadeyes I ordered for the shroud's channels are here so it's time to jump back to working on them.

 

[moon puppy]

Oh she's gonna stand tall!