French Ironclad Neptune 1:250 Scale

[birder]

Hi Mike, I'm trying to catch up with your model, it does look great and I think these ships with large tumblehome and jutting prow have a massive look to them.

[Michael Mash]

Originally Posted by birder

Hi Mike, I'm trying to catch up with your model, it does look great and I think these ships with large tumblehome and jutting prow have a massive look to them.

Thanks Glen. Glad you came aboard for a look.
Yes, almost all of the vintage images show the ship in the water.
But with a full-hull model, one can see how much hull there was below the waterline.

[romanmodels]

good progress Mike like the ventraters

[Don Boose]

I'm catching up, too, having been largely absent from the Forum for the past six weeks while Lil was is the hospital and rehab . She returned home yesterday, and I expect to pay more attention in the future.

The latest work looks great, especially that very charming canot à vapeur.

As always, I appreciate the historic images.

Don

[Michael Mash]

Originally Posted by Don Boose

I'm catching up, too, having been largely absent from the Forum for the past six weeks while Lil was is the hospital and rehab . She returned home yesterday, and I expect to pay more attention in the future.

The latest work looks great, especially that very charming canot à vapeur.

As always, I appreciate the historic images.

Don

Thank you David for your support.

Thanks Don. Please send my wishes for a speedy recover to Lil. I know everyone here hopes to see her handle rehab successfully. I hope you will keep us posted.
Best Regards,
Mike

[Michael Mash]

Greetings Builders,

Time to create two more (smaller) boats for the top deck (Image 185). This image also shows the device the boat rests on so it can be moved around the deck. As I understand it, they had wheels on the bottom to facilitate movement. The boats' oars are laser cut. Everything else in the boats is hand cut paper and card.

Image 186 shows the four forward davits with fittings and ladders. The davits were created on page 10 of this thread. To discuss the ladders further, see image 187. The ladders are laser cut. However, the mounting brackets were hand cut from paper.

Image 188 shows the installation of the newly created boats and a pair of ventilators.

The final image shows the jig I used to create the davit rigging. I cut thin strips of paper, then glue them together with paper discs (pulleys). Then I remove the lines I don’t need. After painting them with Testors Flat Black, they have the appearance of davit rigging.

The vintage photo is one that I am using to guide my work. One can clearly see the ladders mounted next to the davits.

Kind Regards,
Mike

[Don Boose]

Outstanding pulling boats and a very valuable historical image!

Don

[Michael Mash]

Thanks Don. Yes, I like the image too.
Renaud sent me so many photos, I'll never run short. (Thanks again Renaud!)

[Vermin_King]

Knowing how I can create a major disaster with wire hangers, I am sure they wouldn't want me anywhere near all that rigging hanging about.



Those historical photos definitely gives a better feel about how the ship operated.


Where did you acquire laser-cut ladders in the proper scale, length, etc.?

[Michael Mash]

Originally Posted by Vermin_King

Where did you acquire laser-cut ladders in the proper scale, length, etc.?

Hello V-King,
Regarding the laser cut ladders, I had different types of laser cut parts custom made for me by a company in this area, including: Ladders, Hooks, Steering Wheels, Brackets, Torpedo Net Platforms, Boat Oars and Gun Stocks. I had them all made at 1:250 scale, since that is where I do all my work. It was quite expensive. However it was a new experience working with them and exploring the possibilities. Some of the parts, like the ladders, were so finely cut I was not certain I could remove them from the sheet. But with a new Xacto blade, it worked out nicely.