Royal Sovereign (1891) 1:600

[Golden Bear]

Well, SJ, I believe that somebody could build this model, without the tiny details, and enjoy it without too much effort. I'm trying to talk myself into doing this with a second build that shows the 1892 coloring. For instance, all the deck detailing can be left off because the artwork represents it. The 1:600 brass railings can be left out and card images showing railings with canvas coverings subsituted.

Here are photos showing my progress during the first day of the glorious three-day weekend we have here in the U.S. to celebrate the 4th of July.

Observant people will notice two significant errors. First, my lack of attention caused me to glue the funnels on backwards!!! Heh. Gives it a personal touch. I'll tweak them off and turn them around. With the flanges any mess at the joints will be hidden. The second error results from a nasty trick that Rhino has when it lays out parts sometimes. It saw the deck from the inside and laid it out as a mirror of what it should be. Up front there are only three hawse holes; two on the starboard and one on the port. You'll notice that the deck art is reversed on this model (oh well, I can live with it) and the side art shows two holes on the port bow. All this has been corrected in case I actually kit it up.

On the photos:
- finished the railings (except for deck edge) with the aft searchlight platform
- built the little binnacles and three searchlights (one more needed for main top)
- put in the 4 6pdr q.f.s along the sides amidships
- built the masts. Notice that one top has a little railing on it (hard to see in the photos, I know)
(- I've also rolled 5 of the 10 6" gun barrels; they'll go on last after the deck edge railings.

Left to do:
- anchors
- torpedo net spars
- capstans
- attach boats
- flags

I don't believe that I shall rig her for a couple reasons. One is that although I fine enough thread, when I look at rigged 1:700 models the rigging is too "obvious." It intrudes more than it should to please me. The other reason is practical... this is supposed to be a simple and easy model!

Note that the upper masts at yards are one piece cut out of doubled card and painted. As long as I don't bump into them too hard they are stiff enough.


Carl

[Uyraell]

I think the 1:600 scale is a very good choice.
Even in my plastic kit days I was never a great builder of ship models.
Yet: seeing your work here, Golden Bear, I'm extremely interested in completing a few ship models, as they would add variety to a series of vignettes I have in mind.

In short, you've won a convert, in a sense.
I'd certainly be far more keen to build a model ship in 1:600 scale than in 1:250 or larger, mainly because of space for the completed model.

I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing your models here, and congratulate you upon them.

Kind and Respectful Regards, Uyraell.

[Zathros]

That is cool looking! What you left out isn't detrimental to the model at all. It reminds me of flying over Long Island Sound and looking down at the ships from around 3000' feet. You know exactly what you're looking at.

[Don Boose]

It's a terrific-looking model, Carl. You have certainly captured the look of Royal Sovereign.

Don

[Greg S.]

GB:

You stated, "Up front there are only three hawse holes; two on the starboard and one on the port. You'll notice that the deck art is reversed on this model (oh well, I can live with it) and the side art shows two holes on the port bow."

Reminds me that I committed the same error a few years back. I did not realize the mistake until the entire model was completed (after about 200 hours of work). I was sick. However, I decided that it needed fixing even if I risked ruining the the model. I carefully cut out the deck before the shearwater with an Exacto knife and fabricated a replacement. I was able to effect a repair so that even I could not notice anything had gone amiss. You may be able to do the same with your model.

Your "Project X" has been puzzling me and I've been mulling that one over in my mind. Is it "Duilio?"

[Golden Bear]

Hi Greg... no, you cannot shame me into doing it. This is not that kind of model. Well, for me, at least. It still looks like RS to me so it is a keeper.

I built a new frame for the 1892 version and it took me just under 1 hour to cut out and another 15 minutes to glue.

Carl

[Paperwarrior]

Carl this looks awesome! Great job!

[Gil]

Carl,

You've left the magnifying visor on your head way too long. You're beginning to think in 1:600 scale because of it. Take it off before it's too late!...

On the backward funnel thing. If I remember correctly ship's funnels could be rotated to align with the wind...,

+Gil

P.S. I am watching so don't screw up too badly...,

[Michael Mash]

Nice work Carl,
One cannot determine the scale from the images. It looks like GBM 1:250 work. The big differnce is the speed. This has come together much quicker than a larger ship would have.
Mike

[Golden Bear]

Hey, a Gil sighting! Great to hear from you. But... sorry, I rather like this scale now that I am playing around with the little ships. They are just plain fun. And in this case the steam pipes need to be on the aft sides of the funnels. Drat and oh well!

And hello and many thanks to you others following and commenting, Jeff, Uyraell, Greg, Don and Mike! And Uyraell, if it doesn't bother your, may I ask where you are from? I have friends that I have met here from France, England, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Vietname, Japan, China... oh, you get the idea. That is a great part about the hobby.

OK, for no particular reason, I am showing the 1892 Royal Sovereign - actually Empress of India, and an example of what the framing for these little jewels looks like. The one in the photos is for Colossus and is thus rather low. Royal Sovereign is a deck higher so a little more substantial. RS, as the first trial, did not have the deck edge frames so is even simpler to cut out. But the deck edge frames should make it easier to get the formers trimmed correctly and the hull sides glued on. To make it even easier, only half the cross frames actually notch into the center frame. The others are half frames. I'm going for fast and fun here.

The Empress of India hull and topsides in the photo took about 1.25 hours for the frame construction and another 35 minutes for the skins that are shown. Not too bad.

Now I just need to focus since I have three builds going at once!


Carl