hi everyone

im building the revell kit of the 'uss constitution', or 'old ironsides' as she was affectionately known and would like to know if anyone has built this kit or one like it and the best colors to use for the decks /timbers.

ill try to get some in progress pics on here asap. any help/advice would be great

cheers

kitbasher

You'll want a tan color. I would go with a darker tan as the decks are shellaced. SAlining ships with all that rigging are a real tough build. Be patient and it'll turn into a real masterpiece. I built one a long time ago and that was enough for me. Now my eyesight and finger dexterity would probably work against me even with the close-up visor hat I use.

hey blaster

thanks for the tip - ive built the hull and painted that, now im onto the top deck. I know what you mean about the rigging :-) - this is my first sailing ship but its coming along well - im going to take my time with this one lol. I plan (with help from the missus) to make the sails from cloth to add to the look - i bored the barrels of the ships long guns out to make them look a little better. Ill get some pics on asap.

thanks for your help

kitbasher

I got the opportunity to go on the Constition in the early 80's. A very spiritual thing with someone like me. I delighted in hearing the news of her restoration and was proud to the point of having very moist eyes when they showed the film clips of her under sail a year or so ago. She is still a commissioned ship in our Navy, so do her proud my friend.

Hi Kitbasher,




If you make the sail from cloth, what are you planning on using? You will need something very thin, otherwise it will look to much out of scale, and with a sailing ship that really stands out. What scale is your model? I would use the plastic sails (if they are provided in your kit) as a template, soak the material you're going to use in a PVA/water solution and form the sails over the plastic ones. don't leave the sails just hanging untreated as it looks really un natural.
I will try some parchment for my sailing ship, I started with the plastic ones, which with the right paint job look 'allright', but I'll have a look at some thing else to see if it can be improved.
Also think about showing some of the sails 'stowed' .

Don't worry if it seems to take forever, I started mine last year, and do the rigging bit by bit. The result will be worth it. Besides, a tallship in progress looks almost as good on the mantlepiece as the finished articel.
It shows people howmuch work goes in.

Good luck and where are the pictures?


Sorry, forgot to put this one right side up. The windows were solid moulded, so I cut them out and replaced them with acetate. Paint still needs detailing in this picture.


Cheers
Henk

hey guys

the kit itself is 1/111 scale, and its my 1st tall ship, so the acetate windows would be a bit tough :-) ive completed the hull, and have done the main painting, and a little detailing like boring out the barrels on the long guns. Im now onto the top deck painting/detailing and building. The detailing on this kit isnt so great so im working with what i have - what ship/kit is the one pictured? looks fantastic and i only hope mine comes out something as near good as that. btw the pics are being sorted - will have some soon.

Ill do my best to do her proud blaster, suffice to say i can sit back and smile at what ive done so far :-)

cheers guys

kitbasher

This is the Dutch ship Batavia. She was build in 1628, to run on regular trips between Holland and Indonesia. Unfortunately she run on rocks and sunk on her first voyage. The model is by Revell, not sure about the scale, I'll look that up.

Cheers
Henk

hi henk

great looking ship - hope mine comes along half as well. Since my last post ive managed to get a few pics on the digital camera, just general shots as our cam isnt too great at close up detail, theyre on the comp and will be posted shortly.

Ive completed the bowsprit and top deck, nearly cut the end of my finger off boring out the barrels of the 22 guns that sit on the top deck!

Im now onto the masts - and am nearing that worrying stage of rigging!

cheers
kitbasher