Hms Victory kits

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

I am considering a project involving the Mantua 1:200 kit of HMS Victory. I am a complete novice to frame and plank, be it kit or scratch build. My primary concern is whether these kits require upside down hull building,on a baseboard or whether the purchase of a cosrtruction slip would be worthwhile. I have noted comments posted on a previous thread re HMS Victory, but would still welcome any sage advice. My other idea is for a static kit model of the Americas Cup yacht Endeavour.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

John,

As a novice, I would respectfully suggest that tackling a model of HMS Victory is a bit too ambitious really. Many people lacking modelling experience buy these kits but become discouraged at the complexity and give up. You could be looking at a two year project if all goes well depending on how much time you have available.

The general advice is to start with a less complex project to get an idea of what is involved with building a model of this type, then you can assess whether you are ready to take on board a much more substantial project such as Victory.

It might be worth looking at HMS Sherbourne from Jotika's Nelson's Navy range as an preliminary project which would familiarise you with the various techniques in building plank on bulkhead models: **LINK**

A previous editor of Model Boats magazine once commented to me that many Victories are started but few are finished as builders take on more than they can cope with. By starting with a simpler model you can assess your capacity to tackle something which is several orders of magnitude greater in complexity.

Hope this helps,

Colin

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

Colin,

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I think you are probably quite right. I appreciate your suggestions, it's just for considerations of space more than time, I can't afford to fill the place up with several model boats. Perhaps I would be better with the Heller moulded plastic kit at some point..

Cheers!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

John. There is nothing easy about those big plastic kits. Yes, you dont have to actually MAKE anything for them, but fitting it all together and painting it is an art, as is the rigging of them.

The building of the Victory a stated is a long job involving considerable skill and more relevantly, patience. Doing something of a lesser size is the only way to start.

Ashley

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

Thanks for that Ashley. Assembling and painting does not worry me unduly, and if it proves to be a long project, fair enough, it won't be taking up kitchen or dining room space and I can always give it a rest for a few days.. But is the rigging actually doable with a bit of patience and application? I've actually just finished a years project of model cars, but seem to have nowhere else to go with that, and was actually looking to up the challenge. There does not seem to be a kit of this sort between the extremes of the Heller on the one hand and the Airfix on the other, which I suspect would be a bit pathetic. If there is anyone out there with actual first hand experience of the Heller kit, I'd love to hear from you, particularly with regard to rigging. My ears are open to suggestions for alternative projects. My criteria are first that the subject of the model should have actual or historical existence and second that the finished article should have a satisfying aesthetic quality. This effectively means that with boats, I would not do non-sail, and I favour items of British interest.

Cheers!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It's all a matter of personal preference really. When making a traditional sailing ship then a big proportion of the work will be in the rigging and you need to get that right for a good result.

Just my opinion, but a plastic kit will always be just a plastic kit but a model made of wood and traditional materials will always be an object to treasure. Here is a photo of the Sherbourne kit mentioned above. To my mind it would be something to really be proud of but still within the scope of the less experienced modeller. It is a lovely thing to look at.

Colin

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

Thanks once again Colin for the trouble you have taken on this reply. I just rather suspect that the woodworking skills required in plank on frame, even in kit form, would defeat me and/or occasion the purchase of tools and equipment that I might never use again, as I don't envision a multiplicity of ship models. My subsequent project, for example, might be a London tramcar, or an 'Ole Bill' London omnibus.

Cheers!

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

John,

The important thing is that you are happy with your choice, you have at least explored some of the possibilities and hopefully have a better idea of what best suits your purpose.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

Colin

[Andy HustlerParticipant @andyhustler32076]

John if it's anything like the Airfix victory , an excellent static model , then good luck to you. The Airfix victory could be a right pig in places but overall an excellent kit and wonderful display /static kit .But each to thier own and would be intrested to see your results as i tend to stick to plastic kits esp when i spill the glue , sorry could not resist that joke !!!!

best of luck

Andy from Cardiff

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

Hi Andy,

The only Airfix kits I ever came across when sourcing were fairly modestly priced items. What I finally homed in on was a Heller (French) comprising north of 2000 parts, plus a shroud-making frame. Not quite sure where that sits on the pig scale. Got it at Xmas, had to wait until Cornwall Model Boats re-opened in order to get paints etc, have been painting ever since, and am nowhere near wielding the glue yet. I suspect there are in any case rigging preparations to do before I even glue the hull halves together. The plans are rather different to what one gets used to from the likes of Revell and Tamiya, but I suspect this is a rather old, possibly o.o.p. kit. I base that assumption upon the number of ebay references I came across seeking to extract an average of £40-50 on top of the already substantial rrp. I may well have obtained the last one available in UK at rrp.

I have to say I did go into this anticipating at least a years project, so you may have to wait a while for the final verdict from me.

Thanks for your post

John

[Master ShipwrightParticipant @mastershipwright]

Hi John,

You will find the following references useful to decipher Heller's rigging plan for the Victory.

1) The 100-Gun Ship Victory – John Mackay

2) The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships – C. Nepean Longridge

3) The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War 1625 to 1860. – James Lees

4) Rigging Period Ship Models – Lennarth Petersson

There are also lots of online build logs for this model. e.g . **LINK**

Martyn

[John WilmotParticipant @johnwilmot83094]

Thanks for that Martyn.

I suspect that at least one of these shows up on the booklist at Cornwall Model Boats and I have it in mind to acquire such a thing at the appropriate time.

Cheers!

John

[john Morris 9Participant @johnmorris9]

Hi new to forum and bit of a dinosaur with computer that aside l am building a mantua kit hms victory the netting supplied in the kit is awful does anyone know of an alternative maybe a cotton type material which l can use any advice would be very much appreciated.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Hi John and welcome to the forum. I too have a Mantua kit (still in box) and would be interested to see how you progress.

​The netting…is for what exactly???? Sail material for a static build can be had from a fabric shop (loads of choice) but ratlines would be best made on a jig…a simple pin-board.

​Ashley

[john Morris 9Participant @johnmorris9]

Hi Ashley the netting sits in the satchions on the top deck in the kit it's plastic mesh l was looking for a more natural material.As for the mantua kit l bought it not knowing it was an Italian the instructions are a bit vague and the small laser cut parts delaminate.I have changed a few things, not the best choice for a first model.But took my time and have started the masts and rigging now I have bought the sails but intend to have them furled l think that's the term used so far it's taken 3 years.

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