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Discovery 1901 - decking out ...


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Thanks to Col and the hosts for the go-ahead for this thread.

The subject of this build is Airfix's RRS Discovery (Royal Research Ship), the ship that Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) used on his first expedition to Antartica in 1901-04.

The last traditional three-masted ship built in Britain, Discovery was laid down in 1900, and launched in 1901. Built in Dundee of English oak, she was adapted and strengthened to work in pack ice.

While she did have coal-fired steam engines, Discovery relied primarily on sail because the coal bunkers did not have sufficient capacity to take the ship on long voyages. She was rigged as a barque (or bark).

More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RRS_Discovery

Scott was an Antartic explorer, famous in Britain for his journey to the South Pole, and his death on that journey (1912).

More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Falcon_Scott

Google (or other search engines) will reveal lots more information.

I may also refer to SWMBO for information - early Antartic exploration is one of her specialist subjects.

This Airfix kit has been sitting in my loft for years (decades), having been started when I thought I was interested in N gauge (1:148) modelling - the kit itself is 1:144 scale.

The current state of the model:

discovery_001.jpg

The hull had been closed up, but painting some of the deck structures would have been difficult, so I split the hull, removing the deck.

discovery_002.jpg

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discovery_004.jpg

discovery_005.jpg

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Shrouds (ratlines?) and vacform sails.

discovery_009.jpg

In terms of parts attached, it comes in under 25% complete, with no rigging or painting attempted.

Edited by Robert Stuart
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There was me thinking that rigging a 48th scale monoplane was testing my limits!

Welcome to the fun Robert. I'm particularly keen to see how you tackle this one.

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I walked past the real thing on my way to work everyday for years so I look forward to this very much. Great pick for a build, looking forward to it.

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I didn't even know Airfix made a kit of this! Vacform sails and rigging included as well... it must have been a premium kit of its time, is there a copyright date on the instruction sheet anywhere?

Looking forward to seeing your progress B)

Cheers,

Stew

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Hello Stew, theres no copyright date on the instructions, though the box does say 1988

discovery_011.jpg

I believe there was an earlier boxing of the kit dating from either 1969 (reference: http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/Featured_Kit_No_4_Discovery__about12142.html) , 1970 (reference: http://www.modelerjoe.net/shipmodellist.html#AirfixCountyDiscovery ), or 1971 (reference: http://www.vintage-airfix.com/airfix/large-scale-classic-ships/discovery-p-314.html).

This is my box front:

discovery_010.jpg

Edited by Robert Stuart
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I mentioned this build to the boss this morning, and she's come up with a reference book ...

discovery_012.jpg

The Voyages of the Discovery by Ann Savours

I've also come across this blog: http://discoveryplus-rrsdiscoveryetc.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/royal-research-ship-discovery-part-1.html

Lots of parts, the May 2012 parts deal with the ship's Antartic history

Digression, but one of the photos in Ann Savours' book is of the Norvegia (though not this photo, the book shows Norvegia from the port side)

Norvegia.jpg

That would be an interesting build ...

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There was a pair of articles in the Airfix Magazine back in 1981 detailing improvements to this kit - my index shows:

May 1981 Vol22/9 - 'Discovery' of the Antarctic - modelling Captain Scott's ship part 1 by I.M. Fleming

June 1981 Vol22/10 - 'Discovery' of the Antarctic - modelling Captain Scott's ship part 2 by I.M. Fleming

I am fairly sure there was also an article or two in the IPMS(UK) Magazine back in the early 1970s as well - that index is a card one not Excel so not so easily accessed as I am at work.

PM me if you do not have the magazines available.

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Oooooh, this could be interesting, I built this one last year with the Space Shuttle Discovery too, a most enjoyable (and at times frustrating) build. Good luck with this one!!

. . . Kes

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By sheer coincidence, I received a book aout Scott for Christmas, and started reading it just as your build kicked off. It'll be great to follow along while you finish this one.

The part were the author talks about what they crammed into that little ship is quite jaw dropping - supplies for 47 men for 3 years...

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I'm in on this one.

By sheer coincidence, I received a book aout Scott for Christmas, and started reading it just as your build kicked off. It'll be great to follow along while you finish this one.

The part were the author talks about what they crammed into that little ship is quite jaw dropping - supplies for 47 men for 3 years...

What's the title of this, it's sounds interesting?

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It's called 'A First Rate Tragedy - A Brief History of Captain Scott's Antarctic Expeditions' by Diana Preston. First published 1997, revised 2007. She apparently read History at Oxford.

It's quite good so far, one of the easiest Scott bios I've read.

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Thanks czechnavy, I've receive your emails - LOTs of reading there. so thank-you for taking the time.

Don't worry about the IPMS magazines, I'll have enough to do following Ian Fleming's article.

He has answeed one question for me already - the colour below the waterline. Airfix say black, but I'd thought it would be red anti-fouling paint. Fleminng suggests a different black.

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Thanks czechnavy, I've receive your emails - LOTs of reading there. so thank-you for taking the time.

Don't worry about the IPMS magazines, I'll have enough to do following Ian Fleming's article.

He has answeed one question for me already - the colour below the waterline. Airfix say black, but I'd thought it would be red anti-fouling paint. Fleminng suggests a different black.

The dock was drained for preservation work last year and I can confirm its definitely red under the waterline now. I guess it depends which period you're modelling.

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  • 1 month later...

Back after a bit of a hiatus. I haven't been totally quiet in the time, but ...

Stosh65, thanks for checking the current colours of the hull.

According to my info, at launch Discovery's hull was painted with tar and pitch, which gave a two tone black finish. I also have a photo of the launch ceremony where it seems the bow might have been painted with the same finish as that used below the waterline.

Progress, of sorts ...

The ship has had a light spray of primer ...

discovery_013.jpg

I've also started waving a hairy stick around ...

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The deck houses here are just dropped on, not glued back (yet)

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I found a model shop not far from me, Mantua Models in Windsor, they do a range of kits, but also import model boat stuff - so I aquired a few blocks (pulleys) and some rigging rope.

discovery_016.jpg

These will be over scale, but better than the stuff I dont have.

One problem, I seem to have lost the bridge deck. At least it is flat(ish?), so not impossible to replace.

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I dare say you've Google'd them already, but this is their web-site Chris - https://www.mantuamodel.co.uk/- looks very much like home to a modeller who likes ships and maritime subjects.

Not listed on the web-site, but they had small an interesting selection of plastic model aircraft (mostly Airfix)

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Beginning to assemble the masts

On change I'm making to the rig is to show Discovery in harbour rig

In preparation for this, I've cut new locations for the upper yards

discovery_017.jpg

The next stage will be to fill the old location slots, and re-paint ...

Edited by Robert Stuart
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Painting black and white.

Discovery's hull has two coats of gloss black.

I intend spraying a mat varnish below the water line, after the hull is closed up, to simulate the difference in black finish (tar vs pitch).

I've also started painting white, inner hull, below the hand rail and some fittings (not shown) together with the boats.

discovery_018.jpg

A closer shot of the hull, together with some of the ship's boats. These will get a second coat of white.

discovery_019.jpg

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This GB was very busy this week-end, obviously a popular project.

The deck has been re-attached to the starboard hull, and I've started adding deck features.

This isn't the standard build order, but I am trying to think how I'll work on the standing rigging.

Other progres - I've started picking out some of the white on Discovery's outer hull - a bit of dry brushing here

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And the a start on adding deck housing. Any houses added are along the center line and on the starboard side.

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In the image above, we are looking forward from the starboard side.

The roofless houses here are under Discovery's bridge. The windows here were added using a fine black fiber-tip pen. The roofed house needs re-touchng near the deck.

discovery_021.jpg

In this view, we are looking back toward the bridge at the same buildings.

You can see the lid of a jar of Humbrol white here, and the port hull in the background.

discovery_022.jpg

In this view we are looking toward the forecastle.

The panels have been picked out with a wash of acrylic ink, Antelope brown.

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