HMS PANDORA 1:72 - Modelship Dockyard

Wow, yes, she is maybe one of the most beautiful models I have ever seen. 5 1/2 feet long x 4 foot tall by US units. Looks like natural light gets down into those amazing interior rooms too.
I am glad you enjoyed the pictures, Daniel. I can just admire this kind of craftmanship.
 
I don’t think I can find the words that will do justice to that incredible model, it’s absolutely beautiful. The photos showing the talented work leaves the viewer drooling for more.
You have put it brilliantly, Roger. The selection I chose are just some of my favorites - but there is a lot more to see in the other pics as well. Just have a squizz here:

 
Oh WOW, what a great accomplishment. Those photos are mind blowing, I can't fathom the amount of time he spent on those intricate details, Just INCREDIBLE!!

Jan
According to the article it took approximately 20 000 hours of work.
 
Hi Ron. I can't comment on others, but it certainly puts my efforts in perspective! :) I am glad that you retained the shipyard and your tools - that allows the backdoor to be slightly ajar for some tinkering.
 
Dear Friends

There seems to be a clampdown on VPNs in China which also seems to affect my overall internet connection, irrespective of whether the VPN is switched on or not. So, if my postings become erratic, you know the reason.

While planking was underway (more about that later), I was anxious to get a feel of working with some of the resin parts and try out the CA glue which was very kindly provided by @Modelship Dockyard. I thought it would be nice break to start on the main cabin's posts and window frames during the time I was waiting for the glue to dry while planking.

instructions.png
This was all on the agenda for yesterday except the upper bow resin piece, which can be seen in the lower, right-hand corner.

Please note that I am only referring to the rear transom piece that will be installed above the deckline. The clean-up of the openings and finish were reasonable, but the upper window frames’ edges were frayed and quite uneven. It is not an issue to file it smooth, but the question is always by how much. I was afraid that I might make the openings too large in which case the precut frames, sills and posts would fit too loosely and create gaps. The accuracy of the precut wooden parts that make up the frames was also reasonable – some fitted without or with only minor adjustment, but others required a considerable bit of filing/sanding to fit nicely. As most of this won’t be visible afterwards (it is mostly covered by the rest of the transom assembly), I was not too bothered by this.

I was, however, mightily impressed by the way that the opening for the rudder is created. Two separate pieces fit into a cutout provided for in the resin part at horizontal and vertical angles respectively. When first installing it, it looks ugly and cumbersome, once filed and sanded to the correct shape and – more importantly, the correct angle – it provides for a seamless fit into the transom construction and provides for a very neat and accurate opening.

The first two photographs show different angles of the rear transom piece as well as the unfinished construction that will make up the opening for the rudder.

微信图片_20240309192145.jpg
Note that the beveling of the wooden strip underneath the rudder opening construction has only been partially beveled. I will review it when the planking which will cover the rudder opening, is done so as to ensure the best possible fit.

微信图片_20240309191337.jpg
You can see what I mean by "frayed" when you look at the top part of the transom resin piece as well as the line directly above the wooden strip.

微信图片_20240310121023.jpg
The completed rear transom resin piece with all window frames and posts installed, and the finished opening for the rudder.

微信图片_20240310121014.jpg
Interior shot. I am toying with the idea of painting all the frames and posts black to create the maximum contrast with the white windows, but the jury is still out on that. I love the color of the Pear wood as shown on the cabin posts. Once the char was removed, it is highly reminiscent of the wood that Unicorn Models use for their sampan, which may suggest it is steamed Pear wood. Steamed Pear is known by its "pinkish/reddish" color as opposed to European/Swiss Pear which is more "orangy". On the subject of char removal, it is very easy - by far the easiest that I have ever removed char from kit-supplied wood. This means @Modelship Dockyard really has the operating temperatures of their laser-cutting machines dialed in.

The final note goes out to everyone who has been reading, commenting, pressing the "Like" button and following along. To have 430 members follow or view this log at some point, is unbelievable and very heartwarming to me. At the same time, it is also a very humbling experience. I will try my best not to disappoint you.
 
Hi heinrich,
I see that you are producing HMS PANDORA. :D
I have seen it from the beginning.
I am looking forward to seeing this craft. I will continue to look forward to seeing more of your work.;)
 
Hi heinrich, must your start on this one, but Heinrich building an Englishman is that a reason for concern?

Looking forward to it.
I know, Maarten - it is a culture shock, right? ROTF The real answer is easy: for once, I decided to build a well-researched vessel of which there are actual plans and where the naval "historians" are not playing guessing games.
 
Hi heinrich,
I see that you are producing HMS PANDORA. :D
I have seen it from the beginning.
I am looking forward to seeing this craft. I will continue to look forward to seeing more of your work.;)
My dear friend, it is wonderful to see you here. I will try my best to make it worth your while - your Silent Mary is an amazing build and the creativity that you are demonstrating in that build is mind-blowing!

To anyone who has not seen @mellpapa build of the Silent Mary, please do yourself a favor and have a look! To my mind it is one of the best builds I have ever seen (and to think there are no plans; just a movie)!

 
Thank you for the answer, Johan. The effect on the composite materials which was only visible in certain light conditions, is most interesting and the fact that there was no dimensional difference, makes it even more odd. I wonder if this effect would also be visible in the hull construction of the GRP/Kevlar race boats.
The better parts or components are tooled, the better the appearance. Also, when using pre-formed parts, make darn sure they match the engineering definitions.
 
I like the kit, but a mix of wood and resin is a bit weird thing for me. Dear Herinrich, I wish you a successful build. I'll see how you do and maybe I'll buy the kit too.
Hi Vladimir. In all honesty, I am also unsure of the combination, but that is exactly why I wanted to try. I think you will enjoy the kit, because there is a lot of detail and at a scale of 1:72, the size is more or the less the same as the bigger Master Korabel kits like the Polotsk and the Phoenix.
 
I like the kit, but a mix of wood and resin is a bit weird thing for me. Dear Herinrich, I wish you a successful build. I'll see how you do and maybe I'll buy the kit too.
I concur with your first statement and would like to word it a bit stronger. I have seen some examples where pre-printed plastics have been put to good use. Especially for those having difficulty with correctly chamfering the frames to match the desired shape, it's a heaven send solution. To me it feels a little bit like cheating, those stem- and stern areas are the locations where one really learns how to plank a ship. (And yes, I am aware of the second layer planking.) From previous blogs from our dear friend we know he's capable of planking both POB- or POF hulls, but still.
 
I concur with your first statement and would like to word it a bit stronger. I have seen some examples where pre-printed plastics have been put to good use. Especially for those having difficulty with correctly chamfering the frames to match the desired shape, it's a heaven send solution. To me it feels a little bit like cheating, those stem- and stern areas are the locations where one really learns how to plank a ship. (And yes, I am aware of the second layer planking.) From previous blogs from our dear friend we know he's capable of planking both POB- or POF hulls, but still.
Johan, I think it is important to know that I do not view this build as my "pièce de résistance" so to speak. If I am building a ship on which I am happy to spend 3-5 years, I would probably not opt for one with resin parts. I also said earlier that if a modeler wants to learn how to plank a model, resin parts is not the correct option - it is a bit like driving a car with a manual or automatic gearbox. I have, however, done my fair bit of shaping bow and filler pieces (in fact you will remember that I boxed and shaped the whole hull of WB2) whilst all my planking has been single layered.

As far as "cheating" goes, the answer is simple. Cheat who - and secondly, why does that matter? As far as the difficulty of the build goes, I can tell you one thing. I have once built a model with pre-shaped and pre-cut planks and that was one of my most difficult builds - simply because there is zero room for error.

A last thing to consider is the availability of that model that you really want to build, and which has always been a dream to you. We so much like to categorize ourselves as POF or POB, scratch, plastic or cardstock builders, but what to do if I do not have the ability to build a scratch model and the model that I really want to is only available in a non-preferred medium? I can tell you one thing - the moment that a kit becomes available of the Brederode, I will buy it and build it, irrespective of the medium or means of construction.

I maintain - build what you love and love what you build!
 
Back
Top