French Ironclad Neptune 1:250 Scale

[Don Boose]

It's a beautiful thing!

Don

[Llaut Mallorquin]

Interesting project Michael. Surely you will bring it to fruition
Good luck Cheers

[Michael Mash]

Thanks Fred, Don, Radek and Llaut and Happy New Year:

I have a few photos for a brief update. This phase of the project is labor intensive, and time consuming.
But I can share what I have completed so far. The first layer of lower hull plates are installed the traditional way, each piece stretching from water line to keel. They are made of card.

The second layer has just begun, as seen in the final two images. These plates are made mostly of paper, with a few at the bow being made of card. Although it is a lot of extra work, I like adding this layer to eliminate the “ripples” caused by the frames that are so common to paper/card hulls.

Kind Regards,
Mike

[Don Boose]

It is very instructive to see you scratch building techniques, Mike.

I have also been reading through your thread on your most interesting Ulfberht pre-dreadnaught battleship design and build.

Incidentally, Lil gave me (as she always does each year) the latest volume of John Jordon's annual, Warship 2020, which contains an article on the French battleship Charles Martel, which of course took me back to your splendid Jauréguiberry project of 2016-2018.

Don

[Michael Mash]

Thanks Don.
This is the "ugly" but necessary phase of the hull building, as the images show.

Regarding "Warship 2020" . . . you are lucky to have a wife like Lil.
Yes, you may recall Carl/Golden Bear building Charles Martel from scratch.
It happens to be a bit more challenging than most, particularly with the boat storage and launching characteristics. I remember Carl working his way through that part of the project. Difficult work but in the end he succeeded nicely.
Mike

[Joe711]

Mike, this technique is very interesting, curious attention. It is already apparent on the hull that it is much more uniform and more beautiful in shape than the "traditional" design.
Regards, Joe

[Michael Mash]

Thank You Joe.

[Didier]

Hi Mike,

Here are some pictures of the "cuirassé" Neptune you plan to build.

Neptune - Google Drive


A question : What do you use to realise the plans ? Or maybe they exist ?

Best regards,
Didier

[Didier]

Neptune, Cuirassé du type Marceau (1892-1908)
Construit à Brest. Commencé le 17/04/1882. Mis à flot le 07/05/1887.
Mis en service le 23/12/1892.
Caractéristiques : 10 850t. 12 000cv. 101,6m x 20,2m x 8,3m. Construction Fréville sur plans Huin. Coque en fer. 8 chaudières. 2 hélices. 16 nœuds. 650 hommes.
Armement : 4 canons de 340mm + 16 canons de 138mm + 7 canons de 65mm + 18 canons de 47mm + 6 canons de 37mm + 5 tubes lance-torpilles de 450mm.
1892 : armé pour essais.
Janvier 1893 : basé à Toulon.
1896 : fait partie de la force d’interposition internationale, lors de l’insurrection en Crête.
Janvier 1898 : sous le commandement du CV MARQUER le bâtiment est versé à l’Escadre de Méditerranée Occidentale et au Levant.
Octobre 1898 : sous le commandement du CV PUECH, le Neptune est affecté à la Division d’Instruction à Brest.
Novembre 1899 à novembre 1901 : désarmé, sert de casernement.
04/08/1908 : rayé.
1909-1913 : condamné puis conservé comme cible de tirs à Cherbourg.
Il y eût 20 bâtiments appelés Neptune et 4 variantes telles que Neptune II… :
1610-1915 : Corsaire.
1628-1641 : Vaisseau 16 canons.
1652-1655 : Vaisseau.
1666-1671 : Vaisseau 64 canons.
1671-1679 : Vaisseau 36 canons.
1679-1702 : Vaisseau 40 canons.
1689-1696 : Vaisseau 46 canons.
1697-1699 : Frégate 24 canons.
1705-1713 : Vaisseau 64 canons.
1795-1798 : Canonnière.
1795-1798 : Lougre.
1799-1800 : Goélette.
1801-1905 : Transport.
1804-1808 : Vaisseau 80 canons.
1805-1814 : Demi-Chébec.
1811-1814 : Vaisseau 110 canons.
1839-1858 : Vaisseau 80 canons.
1892-1908 : Cuirassé.
1914-1919 : Dragueur Auxiliaire.
1945-…. : Remorqueur (ex Allemand).
(Certaines dates se chevauchent parce que le précédent avait alors déjà changé de nom).
Sources :
« Dictionnaire des bâtiments de la flotte de guerre française de Colbert à nos jours, Tome II », 1870-2006, CF Jean-Michel Roche

[Michael Mash]

Hello Didier,

Material about this ship is scarce. I have 5 or 6 photos, and some drawings provided by Renaud.
Thank you for the link to more photos. I have not had a chance to study them yet, but perhaps they will provide more information about this ship.
Mike