Welcome to my Web site

Welcome to my website. This site is for folks who build or would like to build plastic model ships. I’ve been building ship models for many years and I still get as much enjoyment from the hobby as I did when I started. If you are an occasional modeler, serious modeler or if you’ve been away from the hobby for awhile and are coming back, I think you will enjoy this site.

I chose Revells’ Cutty Sark as the launch project because there are a large number of these kits out there in closets, attics and modelers collections, waiting to be built. Also, this kit builds into a pretty impressive ship model, no matter where the modelers’ skill level is.

The plan is for this site to grow over time, featuring a different model about every month. Previous models will be archived for reference and new visitors to the site. As you may have already noticed, this site is written in a blog foremat with the latest post on top and previous posts in decending order. I hope that modelers will find this website enjoyable and useful and will visit often……………..John

Finished Model




Although this kit is not as detailed and as high quality as most kits, it can be built into a very nice model. The hull is just beauitful. Lots of super glue was used to hold it together.






























































Flags and Nameplate





The only flag that comes with the kit is the jolly roger pirate flag. Since this ship will be built as a British frigate, I needed a Union Jack. The best one I had on hand was in an unbuilt kit of the HMS Prince. This ship is from an earlier period and the jack needed some updating. After making a copy of the Princes' flag sheet, I used colored pencil to update the union jack. White glue was used to cement it around the flag staff.
Before calling the ship "done" Testors flat clear acrylic was brushed over all the shiny super glue spots to give a fairly even flat finish.
I found, in a Patrick O'Brian book, the name of a 32 gun British frigate named the HMS Thames which was from the late 18th century, broken up in 1803. Two more cannons were added to the main spar deck and the name was given to this model. The 2 name plates from the kit were reversed and painted yellow. Decals for the name plates were made on my PC in a word file and printed onto decal paper.

Anchors and Gunport Lids











A surprisingly accurate detail of this kit is that it contains the correct size and number of anchors. I started with the Best Bower installation on the starboard side. With the large anchor held by alligator clips, I used thick thread for the cable and knotted it per the illustrations in the book Historic Ship Models by Wolfram Zu Monfield, (This is the best book on the subject of ship models I've ever read.) and mounted all the anchors per the illustrations in the book. The end of the cable was inserted into the haws hole and secured with super glue. Instead of trying to tie the anchors onto the ship, I cemented them in place with super glue. This made them rigidly installed and the ropes holding them on easier to tie.
I have left the gun port lids off all along because the get knocked off so easily. With most of the model completed, it's time to cement them in place. Since everything is painted, super glue is the best choice for attachment. I use thick super glue for this after applying a little accelerator to the area above the gun port opening where the lids attach. I did manage to loose one lid so one was cut from a .020 sheet of styrene and installed.


Running Rigging Continued











The braces are installed last so as not to damage the previously installed rigging. As I stated earlier, the instructions a not clear on the running rigging. I looked up rigging for this period in some books I have and rigging instructions from other models. I think it's fairly accurate. The blocks for this kit are also weird. Instead of blocks, oval shape rings are used. I found it easier to tie the attachment threads on with the rings still on the spru. I usually have a pile of remnants when I get done rigging. This part of the model was done over a period of about 2 weeks.




Yards and Running Rigging




The yardarm attach points are usually too small to fit around the mast, so I use a round file to open it up. I've found my own way to rig running rigging that is different from the methods normally shown by kit instructions. I start by installing the inside running rigging first. On this model the spanker gaff rigging was first. For the yards, I install one yard at a time starting with the topmost mizzen yard and install its running rigging but not the braces. I work my way down the mast this way, then move to the main mast and again work from the top down installing the rigging one yard at a time until done.

Ratlines and Standing Rigging
















I decided to use the kit supplied ratlines because they were quicker than making ratlines on a loom. The instructions say to slide the chain plate section through the slots in the channels but this was just about impossible. The next best install was to cement them to the channels. As far as bending the chain plates and inserting them into the holes in the hull, forget it. I bent the chain plates so they lined up with the holes and super glued them. I left the top of each ratline unattached to the mast until after the standing rigging was installed. This is because the standing rigging will pull the masts into alignment. Then I cemented the top of the ratline to the mast. Touched up the paint where needed.
The instruction sheet does not give very clear pictures or instructions for the standing rigging. So, I looked up some examples in ship model books and came up with some simple rigging for the period of this model. Black thread was used for all the standing rigging. Mast alignment, as always on plastic models, was tricky and as you can see not always successful.




Assembling Masts




Flat Black was used to paint the woldings and rings around the masts. Mast tops, crosstrees and doublings were painted flat black also. Assembling the upper masts through the tops and crosstrees was difficult on all the masts. A lot of trimming with an exacto knife and cleaning up with a file and sanding stick was required to get all the parts to fit. The rat lines would not go through the holes in the tops, so I cut off the extensions below the deadeyes and at the top of the ratlines. Lots of super glue was used to attach them but after touching up the paint they look ok.


Bowsprit




The Bowsprit went together pretty easy. I painted the hoops and woldings flat black and the rest flat brown. The Gammoning did not fit very good and took some fooling around with to get it into an acceptable position. Super glue was used to cement it since plastic cement would never have held. After drilling 2 holes in the hull behind the head timbers, I made eye bolts from steel wire and Superglue them into the holes. These will be the anchors for the bowsprit standing rigging. The bobstays were first installed using the holes in the stem. The jib boom guys were tied to the ends of the jib boom and bow sprit and wrapped over the spritsail yards and finishing at the eye bolts in the hull. Black thread was used for this.

Small Boats


The large boat has no detail inside and the smaller boat sits inside. I'm not a real nut about authenticity but this is just wrong. After cementing the large boat halves together, I glued three strips of styrene to the inside to support the seats, made from sheet styrene. I next used the same square styrene strips to make a cradle for the small boat. This cradle was cemented to the thwarts of the large boat and the small boat cemented to the cradle. The whole assembly was then cemented to the boat cradle on the gun deck. The color scheme of the ship was carried onto the boats : white on the bottom, blue at the wales, black on the thwarts and red inside with brown seats.

Mounting the Hull




The pintels and grudgens that attached the rudder were usually bronze during this period. After painting the rudder white I masked off these items and painted them Tamya Dark Brown. Followed by dry brushing with Testors Copper to make them look bronze. The hinge pins had to be cut off before the rudder was cemented in place. A basswood plaque from a craft store makes a very good display stand after staining and a few coats of varnish. The kit mounting stand was centred and attached with wood screws after it was painted Testors Glossy Black, To make sure the hull was mounted securely to the stand, I drilled a small hole through each of the front upright legs and into the hull. Thin brass rod was inserted through the legs and hull while super glue was used to glue the hull to the stand. The Quarter gallery and stern windows were glazed using Testors Clear parts cement and Window maker.


Head Timbers and Figurehead




The head timbers were very problematic to install. The instruction sheet is not clear as to their exact placement and they are required to curve more then they are already curved. I started by super gluing the aft part to the hull where it looks like it is supposed to go. After the glue cured overnight I carefully worked the part around the beak head until it fit and glued the fronts together. During this procedure some damage was done but just a little so I left it. I'm not sure what the figurehead represents. It looks like someone topless wearing a turban and holding an unidentified object. I just painted white and tan and the balls(?) yellow to match the overall trim color. This also required some trimming to fit in the space provided. Finally I drilled a hole in each side of the beak head for the anchor cables.


Deck Furnishings




After the decks are installed, the deck furnishings such as capstan, cleats, helm, etc. can be installed.I used a lot of super glue here, so after all the assembly was finished a good coat of dullcoat was sprayed on. When spraying dullcoat, I mask off the white painted areas, such as the hull bottom. I've learned to not spray dullcoat over white because it will turn yellow after about a year. This might seem desirable to some as it might give an aged, antique appearance. This is not the case since the yellow discoloration is not even and just looks bad.