1/130 Lindberg - La Flore / La Vestale

Hi Gerin C!

I think a model of your "La Flore" is in the Musée de la Marine in Paris, model number on the stern, keel, is 17MG10.

Another model of "La Flore" (La Vestale) is in the Musée de la Marine in Rochefort, model number 21MG 18.
A few pictures from Rochefort show the "La Vestale" (La Flore).

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Enjoy the pictures
Thomas
 
Hi Gerin C!

I think a model of your "La Flore" is in the Musée de la Marine in Paris, model number on the stern, keel, is 17MG10.

Another model of "La Flore" (La Vestale) is in the Musée de la Marine in Rochefort, model number 21MG 18.
A few pictures from Rochefort show the "La Vestale" (La Flore).

View attachment 231418

View attachment 231419

View attachment 231420

Enjoy the pictures
Thomas
Hallo Thomas,

good that you mentioned the model in Rochefort - forgot about it.

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I made also several photos of this model during my visit in Rochefort, so feel free to check this topic
 
Hi Gerin C!

I think a model of your "La Flore" is in the Musée de la Marine in Paris, model number on the stern, keel, is 17MG10.

Another model of "La Flore" (La Vestale) is in the Musée de la Marine in Rochefort, model number 21MG 18.
A few pictures from Rochefort show the "La Vestale" (La Flore).

View attachment 231418

View attachment 231419

View attachment 231420

Enjoy the pictures
Thomas
Just decided last night to give myself some evening relaxation by tackling a model, and pulled the old Lindberg 1:133 Jolly Roger down aa the first thing that caught my eye. Imagine my surprise at finding this thread while looking up info on that odd 1:133 scale! (The instructions say 1" = 11' 1" ....what??) I am so happy to have so much info and to know that the model is based on a real ship! I plan to also sculpt a full deck crew for her. 0.50" +-0.06" gives a crew height range from about 4'10" to 6'2"
 
I built that same exact model and as a matter of fact, it was the FIRST model as a grown adult to build getting back into the ship building hobby. However, yours came out much better than mine as at the time, I knew nothing about ship nautical terms. I still do not know all the nautical terms, but back then, it was zero - Ha.
Then after that build, I did the Captain Kidd (which resembles the Wappen Von Hamburg) - still not knowing anything about ships and still using all the plastic parts. I did not understand the nature of the shrouds or ratlines and did not even know the name(s) of such. I was just following step by step.
It wasn't until I purchased the Model Shipways Sultana Colonial Schooner that I actually had my first experience in real rigging and learning more details of nautical terms. That was back around ca 2006-2007 or thereabouts.
 
Hi Donnie!

And look today - your shipbuilding has developed exceptionally well and produces wonderful results. Most of us don't know all the nautical terms without reading up. You are in the best company!

Best regards
Thomas
 
A curiosity!

During my visit to the museum in Toulon 2018 I found this model of a "La Flore".

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In the book "The history of the french frigate 1605-1850", Ancre, by Jean Boudriot she is listed on page 404 under her birth name "Hortense", but not under "La Flore".

Best regards
Thomas
 
Interesting - so, there have to be plans somewhere to scratch build this.
 
Hello everyone! I apologize for my absence from the forum. I am, indeed, home from sea (but about to go back!). For some reason, I find it challenging to document as I go.

In the meantime, I've nearly finished the build and I managed to get hold of a copy of the article mentioned before about the history of this "La Flore" or "Flore American" which may have begun life in the 1750's as La Vestale. A complicated history, to be sure. The name plaque I made to go with it names it as "La Vestale, Fregate de 8, ca. 1756-1798"

I will post some photos of the build tomorrow.
 
I put together a PDF that goes over the first part of rigging. Hopefully the PDF helps keep the file size down so it will post properly.

So the history of this vessel is fairly complicated, as she supposedly began her life in France as the 8pdr Frigate Vestale in the 1750s. Captured by the British and commissioned into the RN as HMS Flora, scuttled in Newport during the American War for Independence, and returned to service by the rebels as Flore Americaine. Ultimately, returned to France and brought back into the Navy, then sold out of the navy to private hands, and finally in service as a privateer before once again being captured and broken up. Lots to unpack there. When it comes to rigging, there are documented national styles, but with this ship changing hands so much I figured she probably bore the marks of all of these. So there are some things rigged in a french style, some in english, etc. Sometimes because I had more information for one type over another, and sometimes I went with the best lead for a line or tackle. Ultimately on a sailing ship, the fairest lead takes priority, as a poor lead means chafe, and chafe means heavy things falling on your head.

The PDF covers setting up the bowsprit and lower standing rigging on fore, main, and mizzen, including the my errors that I am aware of.... also, I made the photos small so that I can upload from my ship (but also because photos are unforgiving, yikes!).
There are actually three frigates called La Flore very close to one another.
This one would be the one called "Américaine", subject of the Musée de la Marine monograph.
For a list of them all (Please pardon my French, literally in this case):
And a picture of her standing at pride of place as "Flying Dutchman" in my lobby.
 

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Hello all,

herewith an update! They ship is very nearly done. I am adding coils of line to the pinrails, etc, and I think I will use a handful of the crew figures that Lindberg provides since the ship is built “sailing”… however, the figures aren’t good…. we’ll see if I end up using them.

I have also made a name plate for the ship. Since this Flore Americaine began her life as La Vestale, that’s the name I’ve chosen to use. So I suppose now the title of the thread is misleading! Sorry.

I was able to get my hands on a copy of the article that Jean Boudriot had published about the Frigates La Flore, which was mentioned in an earlier post above. It was a very enlightening read.

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Hallo @Gerin C
many thanks for these beautiful photos showing your amazing model (in such a small scale)
Bravo and my Congratulations for finishing her - She is looking very realistic with sails in the wind.

BTW: I resized your photos - your model is worth to see in full size and also edited your topic-title
 
Hallo @Gerin C
many thanks for these beautiful photos showing your amazing model (in such a small scale)
Bravo and my Congratulations for finishing her - She is looking very realistic with sails in the wind.

BTW: I resized your photos - your model is worth to see in full size and also edited your topic-title
Hello Uwe! Thanks for your kind words and also for fixing the post. I posted from my iPad last night and guess I ticked the thumbnail only!
 
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