Charlemagne, French Pre-Dreadnought BB, 1:250, Scratchbuild

**Golden Bear** · #1 10-12-2007, 11:22 AM

I really don't have any build to show right now, but I can show the progress of the model. I've completed the basic structure and am doing the detailing one section at a time. I've done the fore deck and am almost done with the hull sides. Contrary to the coloring of the model that I am showing, I am planning on building it as black/buff. If I don't run out of energy I will try to color it both in black/buff and in grey for release. It is a long way away from being even close to release since I'll need to figure out clever ways to make assembly easier - personally I don't need joining tabs and I butt join the rolled barrels and such. I doubt that I can make the artwork as nice as John's but it should look nice.

Thanks to Renaud I can put in much of the interior detailing (backsides of bridges and such) with high confidence. His unselfishness and energy with sharing photos and plans is the single most important factor in allowing me to attempt to make this a sharable kit. He is an outstanding example of our wonderful global community of card modeling.

Enough blathering. Here it is. I'll be working on the aft bridge today...

Carl the one-handed designer

**Greg S.** · #2 10-12-2007, 03:16 PM

Carl:

Looks excellent. But what am I looking at? Is it a card model or a CGI? I like it a lot either way. You've captured the look of the ship very well.

**Golden Bear** · #3 10-12-2007, 03:19 PM

Hey Greg, it is only a screen capture from Rhino of my progress in designing.

**Greg S.** · #4 10-12-2007, 03:35 PM

GB: Hey, it's still great! Your skills at Rhino are really improving. When you complete the designwork, the photos will be worth collecting as well as the model.

Renaud: Thanks for providing GB with the references so that I can follow this. I also am a fan of French predreadnoughts.

**B-Manic** · #5 10-12-2007, 04:29 PM

Looks nice - another challenging hull shape?

**Stev0** · #6 10-12-2007, 04:48 PM

Looks amazing GoldenBear. I gotta try the new rhino out.

**Barry** · #7 10-12-2007, 06:15 PM

Looks great and your typing has improved by leaps and bounds already........must admit I do envy that rhino program look forward to the build... how about a dazzle scheme on it.

**Golden Bear** · #8 10-13-2007, 10:47 AM

Barry, no dazzle camo yet. I'll work on that. I can actually use my right hand to type now as long as I don't overdo it and don't take it out of the sling.

Here is the state of my work on the aft bridge, not quite complete:

**Don Boose** · #9 10-13-2007, 11:27 AM

Try as I might, I have been unable to find a photograph of the Charlemage, or any other French pre-dreadnought, in dazzle paint.

The best I could come up with was a WWII photo of the French cruiser Gloire. http://gotouring.com/razzledazzle/articles/dazzle3.html

But with a little imagination . . .

Don B.

**Gharbad** · #10 10-13-2007, 11:54 AM

Wow, that dazzle camo is crazy stuff.
I've never seen it or heard of it before.