"32 gun Frigate USS ESSEX - Building A Plank-On-Frame Model" - Planset + booklet by Portia Takakjian

not neccessary in all aspects but the framing yes, just my 5 cents. Don pS how long for development for this one, not asking because I am impatience( even tough I am) but at SOON TO BE 82 time is important
 
donfarr said:
not neccessary in all aspects but the framing yes, just my 5 cents. Don pS how long for development for this one, not asking because I am impatience( even tough I am) but at SOON TO BE 82 time is important
Click to expand...
2 years Don,just an estimate
 
I would suggest to correct as much as possible to historic correct details. It should be a new model of the ship Essex and not Portias ship....
 
HI ZOLY and all just a word I do not know if i am the oldest on this forum or not, Ii know MIKE41 is close healthwise not to good but ok thank the LORD this hobby is at this point in my life is more then a hobby to me it is what keeps me going and not in other peoples way, it is my thing and i do modeling work every day and YES EVEN AT MY AGE i am improving constantly, with many members help and advice from this forum, so yes i impatient sometimes just want to enjoy the new technolgy Don
 
Hello Everyone,

I had a few questions on Essex, I’m wondering where I’m missed something. Lots of smart knowledgeable people have scrutinized the appendices in “The Frigate Essex Papers” (FEP) over the years. I’m not one of them so this isn’t meant to criticize anyone, just had a few puzzles.

The William Baker deck layout plans seem to follow the primary source info given in the Fox papers 1809 dimensions (FEP, P.253+), as does Takakjian in her “Building a Plank on Frame, Essex” (POF) paperback. However, Takakjian dumps a lot of this primary source info for some reason when publishing her “Anatomy of the ship Essex” (AOS) and rearranges the deck layouts. Anybody know where she’s coming from on that?

Chapelle published his plans in 1949, American Sailing Navy (ASN) and John Stevens Model Shipways (MSW) plans were first published in 1952. Both of these predate FEP, which was published in 1974. That being said I’m following the William Baker plans for the most part and the original William Hackett drawing for a 1799 Essex, unless I’m missing something?

  • Chain pumps are listed as “probably two” (FEP, P.132), which seem to follow British practice (For example AOS Diana by David White). However, the Fox info indicates that the Spar deck scuttles are located abaft the main mast (FEP, P.255), which in order to pull the pump tubes would place the two pumps alongside each other abaft the mast. POF shows this arrangement, AOS does not, Chapelle places them athwartships. I’d be OK with the POF version but having only one brake seems to be insufficient? Any thoughts? Not sure where the two, double chain pumps, come from shown in AOS as I cannot find any references to them.
  • Baker does not indicate the location of the Elm Tree pumps. I suspect they are between the main mast and the Main Topsail Sheet bitts cross piece, in order to clear the breast Beam above if the tube has to be pulled. Athwartships they should be above the limber or at a slight angle to avoid uneven wear. But what do I know?
  • I can’t seem to find any references in the FEP appendices concerning Main Jeer Bitts on the gun deck. Perhaps by this time 1799, Jeers were unrove and slings were relied upon (Lees Masting and Rigging)? Or perhaps they were there and just not being replaced in the retrofit (FEP, P.249, P.261)?
  • Three bits are mentioned abaft the Fore and Main masts (FEP, P. 256) and Baker shows them. They are not referred to as Fore Jeer bits, Fore Topsail Brace Bitts, or Main Jeer Bitts, just bits. Chapelle indicates standards at all bits? Was this common? Cross timbers are not mentioned in FEP (except for riding bits) but maybe they weren’t being replaced? FEP does not seem to mention belaying pin rails, Breast rail, or belfry configuration but perhaps these were too common to mention (or the information lost, or no work was involved). I’ll probably adapt some common practice configurations from warships of the era (Naiad, Euryalus, Swan Class references plus museum models)
  • Finally, Top Tackle scuttles are not shown nor mentioned in FEP but they are so common as to be easy to figure out. I saw a book on Trincomalee that they are framed around and flush with the deck. This seems to make sense as there would be a good weather seal at the butt end of the deck planks that would not be disturbed very time the scuttle was opened. Also, in this case, the scuttle could be secured and opened from below, ring bolts would not be a trip hazard. (HMS Trincomalee by Wyn Davies and Max Mudie, Seaforth, Pages 89, 82, 81, 80.)
Thanks for your attention. I’m interested in seeing where I may be going wrong. My old Model Shipways model kit will never be more than a pleasant living room ornament but I’d like to avoid any obvious blunders if I can.

Bruce Bollenbach
Golden, Colorado
 
BDB said:
Hello Everyone,

I had a few questions on Essex, I’m wondering where I’m missed something. Lots of smart knowledgeable people have scrutinized the appendices in “The Frigate Essex Papers” (FEP) over the years. I’m not one of them so this isn’t meant to criticize anyone, just had a few puzzles.

The William Baker deck layout plans seem to follow the primary source info given in the Fox papers 1809 dimensions (FEP, P.253+), as does Takakjian in her “Building a Plank on Frame, Essex” (POF) paperback. However, Takakjian dumps a lot of this primary source info for some reason when publishing her “Anatomy of the ship Essex” (AOS) and rearranges the deck layouts. Anybody know where she’s coming from on that?

Chapelle published his plans in 1949, American Sailing Navy (ASN) and John Stevens Model Shipways (MSW) plans were first published in 1952. Both of these predate FEP, which was published in 1974. That being said I’m following the William Baker plans for the most part and the original William Hackett drawing for a 1799 Essex, unless I’m missing something?

  • Chain pumps are listed as “probably two” (FEP, P.132), which seem to follow British practice (For example AOS Diana by David White). However, the Fox info indicates that the Spar deck scuttles are located abaft the main mast (FEP, P.255), which in order to pull the pump tubes would place the two pumps alongside each other abaft the mast. POF shows this arrangement, AOS does not, Chapelle places them athwartships. I’d be OK with the POF version but having only one brake seems to be insufficient? Any thoughts? Not sure where the two, double chain pumps, come from shown in AOS as I cannot find any references to them.
  • Baker does not indicate the location of the Elm Tree pumps. I suspect they are between the main mast and the Main Topsail Sheet bitts cross piece, in order to clear the breast Beam above if the tube has to be pulled. Athwartships they should be above the limber or at a slight angle to avoid uneven wear. But what do I know?
  • I can’t seem to find any references in the FEP appendices concerning Main Jeer Bitts on the gun deck. Perhaps by this time 1799, Jeers were unrove and slings were relied upon (Lees Masting and Rigging)? Or perhaps they were there and just not being replaced in the retrofit (FEP, P.249, P.261)?
  • Three bits are mentioned abaft the Fore and Main masts (FEP, P. 256) and Baker shows them. They are not referred to as Fore Jeer bits, Fore Topsail Brace Bitts, or Main Jeer Bitts, just bits. Chapelle indicates standards at all bits? Was this common? Cross timbers are not mentioned in FEP (except for riding bits) but maybe they weren’t being replaced? FEP does not seem to mention belaying pin rails, Breast rail, or belfry configuration but perhaps these were too common to mention (or the information lost, or no work was involved). I’ll probably adapt some common practice configurations from warships of the era (Naiad, Euryalus, Swan Class references plus museum models)
  • Finally, Top Tackle scuttles are not shown nor mentioned in FEP but they are so common as to be easy to figure out. I saw a book on Trincomalee that they are framed around and flush with the deck. This seems to make sense as there would be a good weather seal at the butt end of the deck planks that would not be disturbed very time the scuttle was opened. Also, in this case, the scuttle could be secured and opened from below, ring bolts would not be a trip hazard. (HMS Trincomalee by Wyn Davies and Max Mudie, Seaforth, Pages 89, 82, 81, 80.)
Thanks for your attention. I’m interested in seeing where I may be going wrong. My old Model Shipways model kit will never be more than a pleasant living room ornament but I’d like to avoid any obvious blunders if I can.

Bruce Bollenbach
Golden, Colorado
Click to expand...
Hallo and welcome to our forum.....
As a know, and also shown in the older posts in this thread, Dave @Dave Stevens (Lumberyard) knows the plans very well, so maybe he is able to help in some of your questions.....
 
Does anybody here in the US have a set of the original plans? If so I would be interested in getting a copy. Would gladly pay for a copy and shipping. I found the booklet on Amazon, paid way to much, and sadly no plans included.

Thanks!

Jeff
 
Jeff F said:
Does anybody here in the US have a set of the original plans? If so I would be interested in getting a copy. Would gladly pay for a copy and shipping. I found the booklet on Amazon, paid way to much, and sadly no plans included.

Thanks!

Jeff
Click to expand...

the national archives have a drawing by William Hackett but it is not a set of drawings
i would say the best source of drawings would be the anatomy of the ship Essex by Portia Takakjian
 
or you can use Portia's drawings she did for her article in Model Ship Builder but those are not the correct framing you would have to redo the frame spacing.
 
Uwek said:
32 gun Frigate USS ESSEX - Building A Plank-On-Frame Model
Planset + booklet
by Portia Takakjian

View attachment 42288 View attachment 42289

Published by Phoenix Publications Inc. in 1985

It is not only a Planset, attached is also a paperback Booklet with appr. 80 pages of modeling techniques and a Building log which is also very interesting.
So this time it is a "Look Inside" of either the Book and the interesting planset

small Synopsis:

On the successful completion of the War of Independence, the American navy was disbanded, and it was not until the late 1790s that a regular naval force was reconstituted. Provoked by the need to protect American merchant shipping from the belligerent European nations and the piratical Barbary powers, Congress decided on a programme of frigate building, which included the 32-gun frigate Essex. Designed by William Hackett, Essex was a typical medium frigate of her time. Working from both US and British sources, the author has reconstructed many previously undetermined details of the ship and in passing has rehabilitated the reputation of the designer as one who was responsible for one of the best balanced of that generation's frigates.

The author Portia Takakjian is well known also with the following publications:
- The 32 gun Ship USS Essex - Anatomy of the Ships series
- Ship Modeling Techniques


Contents:

The Planset:
View attachment 42287


The Booklet:
View attachment 42286

The Plans:
Detail Sheet with masts, yards, armament etc
Longitudinal Sections - Frames
Inboard Profile
Outboard Profile
Deck Planking
Framin Plan
Spar and Gun deck
Standing and Running Rigging


First Impressions of the Book:

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View attachment 42300

Mor elook inside photos of the booklet and the plans you can find in the folklowing post
Click to expand...
Can this plan and book still be purchased?
 
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