Masts and spars on plastic ship kits

[Peter Roberts]

I have an Airfix HMS Victory to build, but felt I needed a slightly ‘easier’ kit to build first to get an idea of what I am supposed to be doing, as a newby to this. (I have built and rigged an HMS Victory once, but that was over 40 years ago and I’ve had a sleep since then so don’t remember much about it)

 

So I made a start on an HM Bark Endeavour, the Airfix re-issue and have started ‘cleaning’ up the parts which is quite nostalgic; a reminder of mid-20th C moulding technology. A cross between clean up and scratch building with a head start. But quite therapeutic...

 

Anyways, I fast forwarded the tape to when I rig this thing and am concerned the kits plastic mast and spars may struggle to hold ‘shape’ with the rigging so looking for advice please from those who may have been there already with these kits.

 

Will the kits parts cope ok with the rigging, or should I replace them? 

 

If I should replace them, what should I use?

 

Also, any clues on where I can find dead eyes and blocks small enough for this kit? Looks like 1-1.5mm; the smallest dead eyes I can find are 2mm. (Looks like 2mm will be ok-ish)

 

Would be grateful for advice and guidance on this,

 

PR

 

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by Peter Roberts

[bentwaters81tfw]

Bamboo food skewers and cocktail sticks?

One of our best ship modellers used to use these, but he used to scratch everything.

[73north]

Master models produce brass masts .

also for rigging recommend Infini of Korea for aftermarket rigging line 

[Peter Roberts]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, some great ideas to check out.

 

I had thought of knitting needles too - may check that out too.

[Noel Smith]

Peter, there is a man who might be able to help you big time!

His name is Steve Newton, who belongs to the Birmingham Branch IPMS UK. He has won many awards for his ship and boat models at the IPMS Scale Modelworld Show at Telford. I have often had a chat with him at the show, and he is very generous about sharing his techniques. I do know that he has used knitting needles as mast material on some of his models. If you contact IPMS Birmingham branch, I am sure that they can put you in touch.

Another poster mentioned Bamboo Skewers, that reminded me that there is a company in the USA named Byrne's Model Machines who make a draw plate for making spars etc. They have a website.

Hope the above into helps.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Noel Smith

[Peter Roberts]

Noel, thank you! 

 

I’ll follow up on your suggestions, much appreciated.

 

I have an Airfix ‘Victory’ to build which has rather intimidated me, so have started an Airfix ‘Endeavour’ which looks a little easier. Busy cleaning up, scribing and modifying the hulls at the moment, may do a WIP, but looks like it will be slooowwwww build!  

[Noel Smith]

The Endeavour I think was Airfix's first venture in their classic ships range. Every now and again they do a re release of some of their older classic ships series. In their catalogue though they keep churning out the Victory, Cutty Sark and Vasa kits year on year as they must sell well all the time. The moulds for all of them date back to the 1970's. Victory and Cutty Sark appear to be quite accurate, but their Vasa unfortunately is not. When the Vasa (Wasa as it was known) kit was released the real Vasa's restoration was far from being completed and the hull was still being sprayed to stop it from drying out until preservatives could be impregnated into the timbers. So some inaccuracies crept in on the Airfix kit. The Revell Vasa is a much more accurate rendition of the ship, but has some simplifications in the kit.

The Endeavour was one I built many years ago and remember it being a nice kit.

[bootneck]

I've been waiting years for the Discovery to get re-released.  Anyone know if Airfix still have the moulds and what chance is there of a re-release?

 

Mike

[Peter Roberts]

On 8/1/2021 at 6:58 PM, bootneck said:

I've been waiting years for the Discovery to get re-released.  Anyone know if Airfix still have the moulds and what chance is there of a re-release?

 

Mike

 

Looks like nothing listed Mike - a case of haunting the second hand dealers me thinks. I have found KingKit quite good, but I am sure there are others.

[Peter Roberts]

On 8/1/2021 at 6:08 PM, Noel Smith said:

The Endeavour I think was Airfix's first venture in their classic ships range. Every now and again they do a re release of some of their older classic ships series. In their catalogue though they keep churning out the Victory, Cutty Sark and Vasa kits year on year as they must sell well all the time. The moulds for all of them date back to the 1970's. Victory and Cutty Sark appear to be quite accurate, but their Vasa unfortunately is not. When the Vasa (Wasa as it was known) kit was released the real Vasa's restoration was far from being completed and the hull was still being sprayed to stop it from drying out until preservatives could be impregnated into the timbers. So some inaccuracies crept in on the Airfix kit. The Revell Vasa is a much more accurate rendition of the ship, but has some simplifications in the kit.

The Endeavour was one I built many years ago and remember it being a nice kit.

 

Airfix have been re-releasing a lot of older kits and the Endeavour has fortunately been one as I’ve had an eye on it for ages. The kit shows all the issues of early moulding capability with a LOT of clean up needed, and plenty of pin and sink marks to look after. Planking is represented by fine raised lines which I am now scribing on the hulls, and will replace with paint and pencil lines on the deck. Sadly I am rubbish at scribing but a good coat of primer helps…

 

I have found two very good references for the HM Bark Endevour. ‘HM Bark Endeavour’ by Ray Parkin and ‘Captain’s Cook Endeavour’ by Karl Heinz Marquardt. These two differ slightly in some details; I have gone with Karl where they do as he gives reasons for why/how he has identified certain details. Karl has also written two very good articles, “Do we really know the Endeavour” and “HM Bark Endeavour - What do we really know about the ship?”

 

In terms of the Airfix kit, it does have some issues when compared to these references. It is missing bumpkins, anchor linings and some hatches on the hull. It is also missing a stern lantern and the bridge over the tiller. The stern detail is lacking and needs a complete overhaul and the hawse holes are wrong. The ship had six four-pound guns but only two are provided in the kit; all guns are oversized. Karl also suggests there should be covers over the hatchways, not simply gratings. Some details are a bit basic, such as the capstan, but there are some after market items around to replace these. The plans in both references are very good; those in Karls work also suggest the anchors are the wrong pattern. Note also the profile of the wale is incorrect according to these plans - it should maintain a constant distance to the top planking along the length of the hull, but on the kits it drops at the bow so needs to slope upwards there and needs re-profiling. Lots of fun so far but very slow! And slowly learning a new language.  

 

When I have something to show I may start a WIP but progress will be glacial so not sure about that. It wont be so much as pulling up a chair as pulling up a bed.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Peter Roberts

[Peter Roberts]

Ooops, should also add that the ship’s (Endeavour) boat also looks to be too big, and depending on the period there should be another two or three.

[Noel Smith]

Mike, if you are looking to make a vintage polar exploration vessel, OCCRE, a Spanish company has a kit in their range that is fairly new of Shackleton's ship the Endurance. It is a wooden model though, but looks nice.

Another plastic kit (originally from Heller) is the Purquoi Pas (Why Not) that went to some Eastern European kit manufacturer. I think this kit is roughly the same sort of scale/size as the Airfix Discovery.