Carl's build thread or I'm not hiding my ball I'm building Charles Martel

[Renaud]

Does this match your model better?

[Golden Bear]

Yes, that's it, Renaud. It looks much better.

BTW, the belt pieces are not fastened into place yet. I'm afraid that they'll take too much of a pounding while I handle the model to install rigging and railings.

[Michael Mash]

She is a real masterpiece. I have enjoyed following this build all the way through. Question: Is the armor belt the material along the waterline? (almost looks like some kind of catwalk).
Mike

[Golden Bear]

That's it. You are correct, Michael. These were wonderful ships with many interesting features. The popular opinion (ahem, entirely British in opinion for what it matters) is that these ships would have taken a pounding by their contemporaries in the RN. Based upon the performance at the Dardenelles, they look pretty poor. However...

RN contemporaries had verrrry low freeboard. To the point that the Admiralty specified that they needed a companion just to sail from one port to another along the coast. French guns and propellant were just, well, superior through a lot of this (metallurgy plus short guns vs. long guns with better and long burning propellant, etc.). Plus, in any kind of sea, the three guns of a French broadside could have fired, vs. zero guns of a British ship with water flooding everything. Firing three guns, however inaccurately must be better than firing none. And nobody at the time, well at least British sources because the French are not as well documented, thought that a long range battle could happen despite the obvious abilities of the guns. They all still thought of pulling up a couple hundred yards distant and pounding each other. Wow. What a period of change.


Carl

[Michael Mash]

Thanks for the great info. Yes, things rarely turn out exactly as the designers and planners forsee.
Mike

[Papercut]

Golden Bear, you too I have missed the last few days. I am not sure, but have or are you about done with this one. I know you have posted another design, I have laid out, the frame work for a copy of the 1904 Perevest, and per your advice will spray to mount to card tonight. Just wondering what you were going to do next. I have followed your build threads closely for this wonderful ship and I have learned a great deal about this type of ship's construction from you and by going to the Russian Papermodeling.net Forum. Don't understand a word, but the photo's tell the story. Many outstanding builds there of the Dreadnoughts, mostly Russian. Just wanted to let you know you have students watching and waiting.:D Rick

[Golden Bear]

No, nothing abandoned here. I'm just in one of my building funks and am waiting for the urge to pick up the knife again. Then I can finish Charles Martel.

I've been doing some brain work though for Inflexible about a novel way to piece things together in order to solve some problems that have bugged me.

Carl

[Golden Bear]

I don't know whether to post this here with the model or over in the Inflexible thread where Fred asked about it...

Some not very high quality shots of rigging the ship. The plastic clamps are applying tension to the lines while I set them with glue. Note the different colors of clamps for upper or lower yards. The plastic clamps are just the right weight for applying tension without distorting things. I also took (handheld but no flash) a photo to show the rigging (not all of it I've just started) on the fore mast so that Fred can decide if he likes the look of the 8-0 thread. I have to admit that I've pulled out the 10-0 and may use it to complete the rigging. I'm undecided on that front.


Carl

[Golden Bear]

The thread gauges are 6-0 and 8-0 actually in the previous post. I've gone down to 8-0 now from the 6-0 shown in the photos.

cpb

[Royaloakmin]

Carl, the thread size looks right. I've seen, as I sure you have, many models marred by too heavy looking black rigging. It wasn't tarred rope.... Thx much!