Een Hollandse Tweedekker - Dutch Two-decker 1:100 (scratch build)

[RdK]

Hi,

This is my new project I am really eager to do. It is a Dutch twin-decker war ship from the 17th century, based on the unfortunately destroyed contemporary Hohenzollern model. The original model was some 2.7m long and maybe given as a gift to the Prince of Orange in 1665. Nothing can be said with certainty, but the model has been dated to somewhere between 1660/1670, however some might speculate it was made even earlier or later.

Somehow this model has found its way to Germany but was unfortunately destroyed during WWII. Thankfully, to the efficiency and orderliness of the Germans ( ) the model has been well documented and described and photographed by the German historian Heinrich Winter, published in his book: "Der holländische Zweidecker von 1660/1670. Nach dem zeitgenössischen Modell im ehemaligen Schloß Monbijou zu Berlin."

Ab gave me graciously his Dutch version of the book containing the plans for the model. They are thankfully in a scale 1:100, which happens to be my favorite scale to make models in (due to the lack of space in our small appartment).

The plans and documentation also describe the interior of the ship, however, I will not attempt to make it, I am also not sure if I will do the rigging on this model, but I want to make the hull as accurately as possible. Any input of you professional Dutch ship modeler here is very much appreciated! Thank you in advance!

This build will be slow, as I am doing simultaneously the "Neptune"... But let's see how this journey will go.

The first steps are done, namely copying the plans so as to preserve the original. Currently I am redrawing the bulkheads to print them out individually.

Rgds,
Radek

[Michael Mash]

Hello Radek,
You have some excellent drawings in those photos.
Very interesting project, with a fascinating history.
Of course, I'll follow along, wishing you success with your "Tweedekker"!
Mike

[Tapcho]

Good for you Radek! This will be intresting to follow. Beautifull looking model ship you are going to replicate. Veel succes met dit juweeltje!

Tappi

[Viator]

Good luck!
Maybe you can cooperate on the last stage with some lover of thread knotting to recreate the rigging as well?

[RdK]

Hi,

Thanks Tappi and Viator!

I have to wait and see with the rigging.... At least I will use most of the rigging information from this build in my Neptune build.

I encountered some difficulty with the frames. I am tracing the lines in an illustrator software and then mirror them to get the bulkheads as symmetrical as possible. When I mirrored Frame 17 I noticed that the frame 17 that is drawn on the other side in the diagram is not the same. So I am currently tracing the frames 13, 15, 19 and 17 to see where exactly frame 17 should be in this diagram.

It seems Frame 17 is all over the place, part of it on the right and part of it on the left side of the diagram!

But I think I figured it out now, so I am continuing drawing my frames, then I will print them out and glue them together.

I could not find any information on this mistake in any other Duch two-decker build log on any other ship building forum or in any publication (as of yet). I guess no one bothered to document it in their logs but just corrected the mistake and continued building.

More to come soon!

Rgds,
Radek

[Tapcho]

Shouldn't there be number 18 somewhere? ;-)

Tappi

[RdK]

Haha Tappi! ...No space for Frame18

I made a little mistake in my own notes in the previous image regarding the bow frame numbering, but it all got sorted out and I finished the frames. Now still the horizontal frame parts and in the next days I will print them out and start assembling the frame.

Rgds,
Radek

[abhovi]

I did this model several times and I don't remember any problems with the numbering of frames. Problems you solve while underway...

[RdK]

Hi there,

The work on the model continues - A small update:

I made the bulkeads from 2mm card and the main frame from several parts of about 1mm thickness. This ship has a keel that is tapered towards the stem and stern, so I tried to imitate this by adding two small pieces of card into the middle of the structure. So the width of the keel is now about 7mm (not 6mm as mentioned in the picture) at its thickest and about 5mm at the stern. The stem is tapered down to 4mm for now, but the forepeak will be later still tapered down to 2mm.

Also, the keel seems to be bent upwards toward the stem. Interesting construction.

During dry-fitting another frame problem occured with the fame #1 at the stern, as you can see in the picture. The drawings in the plans do not correspond to the photograph of the original model. I had to add some correction pieces to it. As you say Ab, problems you solve while underway...

Frames are now all in place and the ship starts to slowly show its shape...
Next will be adding some glue here and there and start with the decks.

So much for now.

Rgds,
Radek

[abhovi]

Looking good Radek!
I don't understand your problem with that one frame that has a wrong shape (picture 4). I built this model several times and don't remember anything of this mistake. I even once made a dockyard model of it. In wood, so it does not belong on this forum, but still.
Your framework looks good and any problems will be solved underway, as I said.