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.