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What ship is this ?

My first impression: an 18th-century sailing frigate. The proportions are the biggest clue. She is long, relatively narrow, with a single principal gun deck, rather than the much deeper, taller hull you would expect from a ship of the line. A few things stand out:
  • Long, slender hull → very characteristic of a frigate.
  • Strong tumblehome toward the upper hull → typical of the period.
  • The black wale/band appears to run along the gun-deck level.
  • The repeated openings along the side look consistent with gunports.
  • The stern has a relatively elaborate rounded/transom structure, rather than the enormous square stern of a larger ship of the line.
  • The framing is exceptionally open, which makes me think this may be a POF framed/sectional construction model, rather than an ordinary plank-on-bulkhead kit.
1789414226441.png
 
It would be very difficult to say with certainty what type of wood the model was built with. However, judging by the color characteristics, I would guess - and this is only a guess- that some of the timber may be Swiss pear, given its characteristic pinkish tone. That said, judging solely from the photographs, I could very well be mistaken. Regardless, the model appears to be very nicely built and, as far as I can tell from the images, quite accurate.
 
AllanKP69 said:
This is not normal on British ships so maybe a French ship like Unité that was captured and renamed Surprise. The shape of the taffarel looks a lot like Unité and the number gun ports matches.
Allan
View attachment 636210
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Yes, I tend to agree with you, but don't forget, it is just the model, and the builder might have an artistic license. It could very well be a Belle Poule (1780), similar taffarel... ;)

1789439898794.png
 
Jimsky said:
the builder might have an artistic license. It could very well be a Belle Poule (1780), similar taffarel
Click to expand...
Agreed Jim. Thumbsup My reply was no more than a guess based on the sheer of the planking, shape of the stern, and number of gun ports. :) A bow-on photo and a stern-on photo might confirm the body plan shape which can be a telltale sign in picking out a French ship versus other nations. A good stern photo would confirm the number of stern lights that would be on the model as well. It is really hard to tell if she is framed for 8 lights like Unité or 9 like Belle Poule. Then again it might not be either of them regardless of the number of lights
Allan
1789466836905.jpeg
 
Fun discussion! And if we started by excluding possibilities? There is no trace of charred laser cuts. So it's scratch build. The hull probably represents a French 8- or 12-pounder frigate of about 30 guns, second half of 18th century. Not La Vestale/HMS Flora/La Flore (Rake of the stern galery doesn't fit and no detailed enough plans available). Nor La Belle Poule or La Renommée (tumblehome too extreme for this model). What's left of the known Ancre or AAMM monographies? L'Hermione? La Vénus (an 18-pounder with lots of information about)? Or is she an early American frigate?
Personaly, I'd go with L'Hermione.
 
Pepite 1/60 said:
L'Hermione.
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Hi Pepite,
There were several sailing ships with that name, 1 French and 2 British. (13 more after the age of sail) Which one are you going with? :) There are plans at RMG for at least one British version. The Musée National de la Marine in Paris may have plans of the French vessel. There were no American ships with that name that I could find.
Allan
 
AllanKP69 said:
Hi Pepite,
There were several sailing ships with that name, 1 French and 2 British. (13 more after the age of sail) Which one are you going with? :) There are plans at RMG for at least one British version. The Musée National de la Marine in Paris may have plans of the French vessel. There were no American ships with that name that I could find.
Allan
Click to expand...
For me too, that's only a wild guess, with not much to prove my point. The Hermione I was thinking about is the most known and best documented one, the replica.
 
OK, not the Hermione. The model has a light on the centreline of the stern. Didn't see that before. And from the stern vieuw, I'd say she has a more pronounced tumblehome than H.
 
And that brings us back to Unité/Surprise as the most likely candidate up to the moment. Or at least something very much like her. Nice riddle, anyways!
More photo's, please!
 
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