HMS Rosario 1899

[The Velociweiler]

Steel-hulled Sloop of the late Victorian era, this model worked out to roughly 1\420 scale.

It started life around seven years ago as a Heller 1\600 Gorch Fock from the older 'Humbrol' photographic box-top incarnation from the mid-1980's. I picked it up from a car boot sale for 10p and decided to see if a conversion was possible.

To be honest, it was a bit of a waste of time doing it that way round since the basic shape modifications were such that I would have been better off starting carving the hull from a bit of wood and committing it to 1\350. Never mind. Live and learn as they say. I was just trying to be a wee bit too clever on this occasion.

Spare bits and bobs from all sorts of kits, and etch brass ratlines from Peter Hall's 'Atlantic Models'. Couple of figures on the bridge and a Trumpeter display case. The wooden deck was from a pic I have on the computer which I can now print off to add to suitable models - does actually look quite effective, although doubtless the scale perspective is probably a little awry. Rigging from John Adams' lycra rigging thread, with a wee bit of assistance from the heavier rigging thread comprised with some Revell sailing ships.

As I say, I started this model the weekend after the Trafalgar events of 2005 in Portsmouth and it has been languishing unloved for some time with a bit of sporadic work from time to time - mainly losing inspiration due to the fact I knew from an early stage I should just have gone for a straight scratchbuild, but was too bloody-minded to scrap the Heller kit (spent too much money on it originally - I just couldn't face letting all that cash go to waste..!!...) and so persevered.

However, in the meantime, and most recently, Bronco have released the Elswick Cruiser 'Chih Yuen' in 1\350 which is a boxful of spares for British period equipment and upper-deck fittings, so this model will be one of a small collection of Victorian-era ships I'll build in the coming years which can be scratchbuilt and fitted out via that source. Planning on the Melpomene, Orlando, Powerful and Archer for starters, and we'll see what comes along after that. Very likely the Armoured Cruiser 'Shannon', which only came in the later grey scheme.

Norman Friedman's 'British Cruisers of the Victorian Era' was published in recent days and when I get my copy in the coming days, hopefully there'll be a deal of inspiration on the pages therein.

[Steve Jones]

wonderful conversion job there mate, and those in the planning stage, what a collection that will be - proper ships that actually look like warships! Hoping to scratchbuild an 'Apollo' some time in the future but can't decide if it should be pre or post minelayer conversion.

Steve