1:64 HMS Indefatigable (1794) - prototype for Vanguard Models

[James H]

Ok, just an interim update. 

 

I was going to leave this until weekend when the office was installed, but I may as well show the upper deck being fitted and prepped for further work. Indy will be supplied with deck planking material as standard. At the moment, this looks like it will be red alder, which is gorgeous. I have some here that I'll do a couple of stages showing how to present it, assuming the modeller will have a good idea already. Indefatigable isn't marketed at modellers who are novices or intermediate. This is an 'Advanced' level kit in VM's new 5-point kit categorisation. More on that when it's released. What you see here are the standard ply sections which are laser-engraved so you have something as a planking guide. 

 

 

 

 

This is where checking the lay of the deck beams really does pay off. This deck is fitted in halves, unlike the main deck, simply as it's a more complex item. With everything test fitted and dry run several times, the deck beams have glue added to them and the deck is slotted into the outer bulkhead ears. Weights and clamps are then used to hold things down until dry. The 2 inch clamps are perfect for this, especially the cutouts where the front end clamps the joint and the clamp tail holds down the opposite side. 

 

 

 

And then the other deck half is fitted in the same way. 

 

 

 

There is a little more internal fairing to do, but this is easy enough. This is where the cabin walls will be installed and I need to make sure there's no bumps anywhere. 

 

 

 

And while this seems drastic, these frames DO need to now be removed as the next build stages will incorporate engraved inner bulwarks which glue onto the the sides.

 

 

 

The forecastle bulkhead ears are now history too.

[James H]

This is my weekend update time as I'll be working flat out from this stage to get the upper deck work done. Getting the cabin built and fitted out seemed like a good time to post.

 

The first thing that's to be done is to fit the vertical face for the benching in rear of captain's office. 

 

 

 

With that fitted, the parquet floor is added. This is supplied in card and it looks nicer than the maple version, and a cool contrast. Titebond is used to fit this. The remainder of the rudder housing boxing is then completed.

 

 

 

The bulkhead screens are supplied in two 0.6mm engraved laminates. Instead of using wood-curling white glue, 3M Spray Mount is used. The parts are lovely and glass flat.

 

 

 

The outer bulkhead screen is fitted with laser-engraved columns.

 

 

 

The inner bulkhead screen and the partition wall are temporarily fitted so that the engraved maple floor sections in that area can be trimmed to size. Once they are done, the floor sections are glued into place and the screen and partition removed until later.

 

 

 

This picture will give a good idea about the post design process that I am engaged in when building the production prototype. I will invariably find a small number of things which needed amending. This is either because it was missed during the initial cut build, or because something in the design was changed and a small number of affected areas may have missed an update. Here you see the cabin side wall and the changes made from the initial part. That includes shifting details by 2mm to align gun ports and also packing out the rear to cater to the lowered cabin shelf. Hey, at least we can show you how we do this as a tag-team!

 

 

 

I temporarily fit the cabin walls and the screens so that I can draw a demarcation line to guide me for painting the cabin interior. 

[James H]

The cabin walls and internal cabin screen are now painted, and the screens fitted out.

 

 

 

 

I can finally glue into place the cabin walls, screens and partition. Note the eyelets are added to the ports and floor. 

 

 

 

Did I say this came with a cabinet? No? Well, it does, and this is now fitted into place.

 

 

 

The carronades in this area differ from the others as they will retract into hull during the hull painting process. They can be rolled out into position when that job is complete. These are now fitted to the cabins area.

 

 

 

Time for some furniture and maps too. 

 

 

 

Hope you like the work so far. Onwards!!

[James H]

I re-took the photo of the cabin area as there was too much glare on the deck and the background was dirty. 

 

So, here it is. 

[James H]

Another update as at least it's now looking a little different. 

 

Well, like it or not, the cabin areas now have to be decked over and here you see the beams in the fore cabin area, including the timbers for the original position of the skylight. This was likely moved rearwards when razed.

 

 

 

 

And here you see the new skylight position over the main cabin, which sort of does make much more sense as that area can now be subject to some direct down sunlight. 

 

 

 

 

With all beams in place, the 0.8mm laser-engraved ply sub-deck is now installed, notched into the protruding bulkhead ears that you can see.

 

 

 

With the poop deck now installed, it's time to turn attention to the quarter galleries. This always gives a hull some character and definition. Here you see the frames, now painted, being glued to the indents on the rear of the hull sides.

 

 

 

The inner stern panel can now be fitted, as well as the counter. 

 

 

 

As with Sphinx, the quarters are sheathed in two layers of timber with the upper parts creating a recessed frame. Here are the inner skins for the galleries.

 

 

 

And here is the stern up to this point.

 

 

 

Three MDF layers are used to create the roof, except for a pear caping piece that's fitted soon. These will eventually be painted black and covered with laser-cut shingles. The reason for the layers is that it makes it easier to sand to the correct angles as you temporarily sit them on the hull side.

 

 

 

After fettling, the finished roof will look like this.

[James H]

Before I glue the roof into place, it needs to be tested against the gallery once the outer skins are added. 

 

 

 

 

 

WIth those glued into place, the roof is finally trimmed to size and also glued to the model.

 

 

 

On top of that is the pear cap which will slightly overlap the shingles that will later be fitted. The pear parts that make the lower galleries are now shaped and fitted.

 

 

 

 

Time to fit the outer stern panel and quarters. I highly recommend you use CA for this so there's no curling of the parts.

 

 

 

 

These are then shaped and the gallery/stern area given a finishing sanding to even up all edges etc.

 

 

 

And lastly, the engraved upper stern is fitted and then also sanded into the rest of the hull. 

 

 

 

 

More next time...

[DocRob]

Another stellar kit from Chris of Vanguard Models. It was about time to present this one to our landlubber forum, as I followed your prototype build on MSW eagerly. 
Having built Vanguards Duchess of Kingston sans rigging until now (winter business), I can only state these kits are among the best you can get as wooden ship models.
I have HMS Sphinx in my stash, so it will be a while to consider Indy as a new project, but she is so tempting.

Hey Ho, Hornblower, let's go 

[HubertB]

Wow ! What an update. Chris Watton is really a master at designing these historical ships, and you’re doing his work justice, Jim !

Keep it coming 

Hubert.

 

[Bomber_County]

Wow and wow, I think I’ll start on the beginners kits, very inspiring, thanks

[Peterpools]

Jim

Masterful work - beautifully done.

 

[James H]

Time for an update here.

 

The hull was varnished and sanded back a couple of times, helping to seal any open grain before applying paint. This was instead of using a primer, which you can of course use. Yellow ochre was then applied. I used Humbrol Linen as I wasn't in possession of the VM acrylic paint at the time. This paint was airbrushed over the hull and rubbed back successive times over a week or so, to make sure I'd got it right and it looked reasonably homogenous. The reason for painting all of this in ochre was that it's easier to see any fault areas that needed fixing up, before applying black paint.

 

 

The hull was then painstakingly masked off before applying black. It's always tricky cutting a mask line across the longitudinal rail, and this took a few bits of touching up to get right. The effort is worth it though. The rails were also then painted in ochre and the gun ports touched up again after ochre overspray. 

 

 

I used a Prismacolor silver pencil to add a waterline on the hull, and made sure this was a few millimetres below the eventual one. The plan is to then use that as a guide and copper above it. Once coppered, I'll add another regular pencil line at the correct height and score a line along it before removing the copper tape above the waterline.

 

 

 

A 50m roll of 6mm self-adhesive copper tape is included. This is reduced down into 18mm lengths. It sure does take some time, so I recommend a tool like this for making them. Each plate is exactly the same length and with perfectly square ends. 

 

 

Ok, it's about time to start coppering this hull...

[James H]

Ok, I have a reworked figurehead to reflect the bronze/gold armour, instead of the silver steel from the previous incarnation.

 

[James H]

I'll do a proper update in a few days, showing coppering, but until then, here's a photo showing the work so far. 

 

Coppering is a fairly quick process, thankfully, and fairly therapeutic. 

 

[James H]

I'll do a proper update this weekend, but here's a quick phone photo of the coppered and trimmed hull.

 

Other work I've been doing is finishing up the 24' cutter, painting the timberhead rails and building channels...as well as many other things. She will come together pretty quickly, but I do need to protect this copper from tarnishing.

 

 

[James H]

Update time. 

 

As you've seen recently, I've been doing the coppering using 6mm tape, cut into 18mm lengths. It's a little tedious, but perhaps less so that using PE, and it's also a little quicker. I coppered the hull in around 4 less than full days. There's no double banding on this.....just complete from keel to waterline. When all done, the copper was buffed down using cotton buds.

 

 

 

The coppering was added above the slightly (and intentionally) lower waterline I added in silver pencil onto the black hull. I figured that adding a good two levels above that would be a reasonable indicator of 'enough'. It was as planned. With the copper added, I set the waterline tool again so I could draw along the copper plates this time. It needs to be remembered the the stern of this sits a little lower in the water than the bow, with the waterline increasing in depth from around 90mm to 95mm, bow to stern, along the full hull length.....so not parallel with the lower keel. With that done, I ran a fresh scalpel along the whole pencil line and peeled off the excess above the line. The keel and stern edges were then coppered too.

 

 

 

The rudder is a very simple affair. I'm actually coppering this at the moment, but don't have those photos yet.

 

 

 

The headrails are built up from various laminates of pear, and there are other single piece rails. All have engravings which must be painted in ochre, whilst the main colour is obviously black.

[James H]

...continued:

 

Gun port lids. Very straightforward.

 

 

 

 

The channels are made up from three layers, so look more realistic. The edges of these were rounded/chamfered as per the real thing.

 

 

 

The reworked figurehead is complete!

 

 

 

And here is my work so far on the 24' cutter, which is still ongoing. Many are already familiar with the construction of these little boats. 

 

 

Until next time.

[Clunkmeister]

Good grief!!  This is stunning!!

[Peterpools]

OMG, looking simply tremendous. Woodworking skills are way beyond my abilities and the workmanship is off the charts.

 

[Clunkmeister]

Peter, I’ve been working on a Brig rig sloop, HMS Speedy, by the same kit

amer, Vanguard Models, and all I can say is that Vanguard makes it attainable, even for me. The construction manual is simply amazing. Think Wingnut but full color and about 200 pages, plus full scale blueprints for reference as well. 

If you ever want to try a wooden ship, I highly recommend Vanguard Models. 

[Peterpools]

4 minutes ago, Clunkmeister said:

Peter, I’ve been working on a Brig rig sloop, HMS Speedy, by the same kit

amer, Vanguard Models, and all I can say is that Vanguard makes it attainable, even for me. The construction manual is simply amazing. Think Wingnut but full color and about 200 pages, plus full scale blueprints for reference as well. 

If you ever want to try a wooden ship, I highly recommend Vanguard Models. 

Thanks for the info and absolutely something to consider for down the road. Is the there a build thread on the forum? Love to see your approach and build

 

[Bomber_County]

I reckon I’ll wait till I’m retired and then start with a row boat, amazing modelling…

[Peterpools]

3 minutes ago, Bomber_County said:

I reckon I’ll wait till I’m retired and then start with a row boat, amazing modelling…

I'll be waiting and will be following. Remember I'm 75, so don't take forever to retire.

 

[KevinM]

Nice Work James making me go one day back to the "Baltimore II"