H.M.S. Inflexible, 1876

**Golden Bear** · #1 01-18-2009, 08:43 AM

Laid down in Portsmouth Dockyard in 1874, launched 1876, completed 1880.

This is one of the classic and landmark ships of the metal ship age with far too many interesting features and much history to go into every bit right now. She was built of iron with armor of iron back with teak as much as 24" thick in places.

Being a very old ship in the metal ship era, the photos of her tend to be rather poor and few in number. Fortunately Fred found a site selling plans which has allowed me to proceed with her design. As a caution, I may never actually lay out and build a model for her despite doing the computer model. But then again I may! And I cannot yet say at what scale!

In any case I am attaching a screen capture of the rasterized computer model and a photo in order to ask a question: What were the colors of the ship in this particular photo?

The "classic" British PD ship coloring, as shown on my build of Victoria, was black hull with white upperworks - sometimes with a blue stripe through the upperworks - and buff funnels/ventilators/masts above.

However, this photo shows the supposedly white upperworks to be actually two different colors: the uppermost parts appear to be white with a stripe, but then the lower part is of a color to match the stripe. And the funnels seem dark to me. Some ideas:
- white with blue lower for the upperworks and buff for the top works
- whte with buff lower for the upperworks and black for the top works

I am asking for any speculation - particularly with book/fact based knowledge or comparison to back it up - about what this color scheme could have been. I personally have no certainties at all and would like to gather any kind of opinions from anyone that would like to offer them.

Carl

**Royaloakmin** · #2 01-18-2009, 08:55 AM

Carl, I think the light gray is a light blue. I also think the funnels are normal buff, even though they look dark. I think dimly somewhere that I have seen a painting with RN ships in this scheme. Can you resist building her in this scheme???

**B-Manic** · #3 01-18-2009, 09:35 AM

Looks like you have been working on this for a while Carl. She is certainly an interesting interesting subject.

**Golden Bear** · #4 01-18-2009, 09:43 AM

Hmm. I'm attaching some views of how she looks in different paint schemes. I don't think that I could handle the one with all the blue. The one with black lower walls is based upon a photo from earlier in her career.

I'm leaning towards a single blue stripe or just plain white... probably the stripe.

I've mostly been working on this because the shoulder of my cutting hand has been very painful. It's fun to try to put in all the detail (although the masts and rigging, ugh).

Some different color schemes, let's call them 1, 2, 3, etc. if we want to reference?

**Golden Bear** · #5 01-18-2009, 09:46 AM

There's actually a few photos of her in #5. The problem is that the black hides detail so I will avoid it. The other common scheme is the one in the photo in the earlier post that I am asking about. I'm leaning strongly towards the rather basic scheme of #4, a simple blue line.

Carl

**member_3** · #6 01-18-2009, 10:00 AM

Well, my vote would be for the classic #4. The #2 blue is obviously the sports model. Which came first - the nooks and crannies of English muffins or the nooks and crannies of British pre-dreadnought warships? The renderings show your usual meticulous design work, Carl. Looking forward to seeing this translated to paper.

**shrike** · #7 01-18-2009, 10:57 AM

From a visual appeal POV I like #3.

One question/observation I have. in the photograph posted, the masts appear to be different colours, and the tops different again. Was there some bit of colour coding going on? (Thinking of the information recently posted on the Arizona thread)

**Barry** · #8 01-18-2009, 11:12 AM

and just to box the compass I prefer number 1 looks great whatever you choose

**Papercut** · #9 01-18-2009, 11:37 AM

Golden Bear, I have searched and read every thread I can find that you have posted. I have watched thru these threads your skills grow to the point that I for one would most definitely purchase anything you designed, albeit, most are very complex compared to today's designs of hulls. But this next project you are posting has me lusting for a copy of it. Please, please consider. I believe you would be surprised at the number you would sell. Oh yea, #3. Design as a down load and they will come!:D

**Don Boose** · #10 01-18-2009, 12:21 PM

Carl -- If there is documentation to support all five schemes, I would vote for #3. And if you ever produced it as a kit for sale, I would purchase one in any scheme.

Ron -- I love it when you bring in that technical nautical vocabulary -- nooks, crannies, and, specially, muffins. "Two-block the muffin and do not throw trash over the fantail."

Don