Book review Book Review: "BUILDING PLANK-ON-FRAME SHIP MODELS" by Ron McCarthy

Uwek

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Forum Moderator
Joined
Dec 25, 2017
Messages
30,718
Points
1,238

Location
Vienna, Austria
Building Plank-On-Frame Ship Models
by Ron McCarthy

IMG_23681.jpg IMG_23701.jpg
  • Paperback or HardCover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Conway Maritime Press Ltd; New edition edition (25 Nov. 2004) or Naval Institute Press (1994)
  • Language: English
  • Product Dimensions: 19 x 1.3 x 24.1 cm

Synopsis:

The plank-on-frame method is the pre-eminent ship modeling technique, and this practical manual is the foremost guide to its intricacies. Taking as his example the two-masted sloopCruiser of 1752, the author leads the shipwrights through every stage of building a model of the vessel, from preliminary research and taking off lines to the actual construction of the hull, fittings, masting, and rigging. Each step is illustrated with explanatory line drawings and photographs.

Though a single ship is employed as an example, the techniques can equally well be applied to any wooden sailing ship, and for this reason the book is an essential tool for model makers - beginners and the experienced alike.

IMG_23721.jpg IMG_23731.jpg


About the Author:

Ron McCarthy became a professional model maker after he left school at the age of 14. In the Second World War, he built 100-foot-to-the inch Admiralty recognition vessels and was a member of the team that built Mulberry Harbor.

IMG_23741.jpg IMG_23751.jpg


Contents:

Acknowledgements, Foreword
Chapter 1 - First Considerations (page 9 to 22)
Chapter 2 - Making the Draughts (page 23 to 45)
Chapter 3 - Frame Structure (page 46 to 56)
Chapter 4 - External Planking (page 57 to 67)
Chapter 5 - Internal Structure (page 68 to 84)
Chapter 6 - Detail - Above and Below (page 85 to 106)
Chapter 7 - Masts and Spars (page 107 to 119)
Chapter 8 - The Standing Rigging (page 120 to 142)
Chapter 9 - The Running Rigging (page 143 to 178)
Chapter 10 Some Basics on Sails (page 179 to 186)
Recommended Reading


IMG_23761.jpg IMG_23771.jpg

Review:
by John S.Reid from 2012 on amazon.com wich is describing the book, its content and qualities very well

Anyone considering this book is obviously experienced in, or interested in, building models of sailing ships. Those who are already experienced in building sailing ship models will likely have the necessary background to appreciate this well-written tome. It is clear and concise in describing a plank-on-frame build of a very modest scale (approx. 14 inch hull length) model of a 1752-era British frigate (the Cruiser). The author presents the build exercise in a very approachable (and not at all intimidating) manner.
However, for those who are not experienced model ship builders, this can still be a very good book, provide you have some background. To wit:
Models of sailing ships consist of essentially three different types: (i) solid hull, in which a solid block of wood is used for the hull; (ii) plank-on-bulkhead (POB), in which the hull is formed from solid wall bulkheads spaced apart along the length of the ship, and the planking is applied over the outer surface of the bulkheads (and most suppliers of wooden model kits provide this type of construction); and (iii) plank-on-frame (POF) construction, wherein the hull is formed from "U" and/or "V" shaped "frames" that are spaced apart along the length of the ship, and the planking is applied over both the outer and inner surfaces of the frames. POF construction is nearest to the "real thing". Pretty much POF construction of a ship model is for the purist, since a fully planked POF model is nearly indistinguishable in external appearance from a POB model. But if your goal is not just to build a ship model, but to replicate the original build experience (in scale), then POF building is the way to go. That said, this book is a "must read" for any ship modeler wanting to get into POF model ship building. HOWEVER: the author does assume some familiarity on the part of the reader with wooden sailing ship construction and ship terms. To that end, for the novice I highly recommend supplementing this book with the following books (as regards hull construction - rigging is a whole different subject): (i) Building the Wooden Fighting Ship (by James Moore); and (ii) A Sea Of Words (by Dean King). The former text is a description of how wooden sailing ships were actually built - an essential understanding for any model ship builder regardless of the type of model construction you wish to undertake. (And I would recommend reading this book first.) The latter text is a lexicon of ship terms you will need to know in order to appreciate Building Plank on Frame Ship Models, and indeed any model ship building exercise.
Regarding the author (Ron McCarthy), he built ship models professionally for 56 years, so he knows what he's talking about.
So, if you are an experienced model shipbuilder wanting to move from POB to POF construction, this is a great book by itself. But if you are a novice model shipbuilder wanting to gain a fuller understanding of the building of sailing ships (and models thereof), this book (while still a great read) will need to be supplemented with some additional reading in order for you to fully appreciate the book. In any event, for the dedicated builder of model sailing ships, this book is an essential tome to add to your library.


And have in mind, that half of the book McCarthy is describing techniques which can be easily used also for POB models......

There are plenty of used copies available f.e. on abebooks for arround 5 to 8 US$ to buy -> try to get one -> Recommended for the start in POF, but not for a beginner in ship modelling


IMG_23781.jpg IMG_23791.jpg

IMG_23801.jpg IMG_23811.jpg

IMG_23821.jpg IMG_23831.jpg

IMG_23841.jpg

more Look Inside photos you can find the next post of this topic
 
I have this book,I wonder where csn I get those plans from the book in full size.

Zoltan
 
Hi! Do you have scanned copy of this book? How can i get it?
Thanks beforehand.
 
We don’t have scanned copy of this book also we are scanning books ,you can buy it very cheap on amazon or abebooks,thanks for understanding.

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-sea...ank-on-frame-ship-models/author/ron-mccarthy/

Many thanks Zoltan for the remark.
Therefore we make also only photos and no scans showing in our Book reviews and Plan reviews. Especially important at plans.
The Book reviews are hints for the modelers to get a real overview of the content of the books (like you are in a book shop and flip through a book),
so that the modeler can decide, if the book is something interesting to buy (or not).
Some books shown here, like this one, are already older one´s, which can often be found very cheap (new and used) in abebooks, ebay, amazon and online book shops etc. This one f.e. you can already find sometimes for 5 to 10 US$ - this is already mentioned in my Book Review!
 
I think my purchase said the pull out plans were in the book Ill go back and look real quick. Scratch that I read the sellers description he uses on all book.
 
Last edited:
Yeah I misread the sellers info it sounds like the information for the ship is in the book however, is it not? I wish I had read some of these books long ago. I usually just figure things out on my own I am a man who tosses instructions for most things and just wings it lol it works out in the end I usually figure it out fairly quickly. the books I have read as of late would have pushed me to scratch build a POF model much sooner and by now I would have good experience in building them. so I learned a valuable lesson to not be pig headed about everything.
 
I searched for 4 hours to try and find the ship in this book I can find Nothing under the Name "The Cruiser" for the British Royal Navy I did fine a ship named Cruiser and Cruizer the best match was the HMS Cruizer launched in 1752 and burned in 1776 I searched it under 2 masted British Sloop cruisers. Below is a list of what I pulled up under sloop cruisers for that time frame. is it possible the name is incorrect and wasn't called "The Cruiser" but was of that sloope cruiser class some pictures to match what's in the book would help
Two-masted sloops (1749 to 1770)[edit]
  • Wasp group — 4 vessels, 1749–1750
    • Wasp (1749) – sold 1781.
    • Peggy (1749) – wrecked 1770.
    • Hazard (1749) – sold 1783.
    • Savage (1750) – wrecked 1776.
  • Fly class — 2 vessels, 1752
    • Ranger (1752) – sold 1783.
    • Fly (1752) – sold 1772.
  • Cruizer class — 4 vessels, 1752–1754
    • Speedwell (1752) – sold 1780.
    • Cruizer (1752) – burned 1776. <----- Sloope Cruiser or Cruizer no pictures of it or other information
    • Happy (1754) – wrecked 1766.
    • Wolf (1754) – sold 1781.
 
Hms Cruizer 1752.jpg

Scale: 1:48. Plan showing a partially completed inboard profile illustration the mast dispositions for Cruizer (1752), an 8-gun, snow-rigged Sloop. A mizzen mast was added at Sheerness Dockyard per Navy Board Warrant dated 29 November 1753, which meant that the Cruizer was now a ship-rigged sloop.
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/84759.html#5KTDCVbLylEeZ4W9.99

Hms Cruizer 1752  b.jpg

Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines with inboard detail, longitudinal half-breadth, and partially drawn section for Cruizer (1752), an 8-gun, snow-rigged Sloop. It also shows alterations to the foremast position. Signed Joseph Allin [Surveyor of the Navy, 1749-1755].
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/84758.html#FpbEfw9gQGUJfKpR.99
 
I should have the book tomorrow of Tuesday at the latest. I just thought I'd see what I could find out about the vessel ahead of time and maybe search for some plans. I did find these drawings, but at the time I was Looking for "The Cruiser" as the book calls it so I passed over them. I'll have a look at the links you Provided Thanks Brother. also Is this for sure the vessel the Book is written for? I assume it is and why you posted it to me.
 
The book have all the drawings and info to build the ship ,but they are not in scale ,we need full size drawings

Chapman made drawings too of the ship,the Cruiser hull actually exactly the same as the Royal Caroline’s


581652D1-6463-421D-BC2B-AF588AB08B0E.jpeg3EDFA9C5-193A-4ED0-AE08-0C5B4C159B7F.jpeg
 
I should have the book tomorrow of Tuesday at the latest. I just thought I'd see what I could find out about the vessel ahead of time and maybe search for some plans. I did find these drawings, but at the time I was Looking for "The Cruiser" as the book calls it so I passed over them. I'll have a look at the links you Provided Thanks Brother. also Is this for sure the vessel the Book is written for? I assume it is and why you posted it to me.

Yes that is exactly the same vessel, the book has all the history info too.
 
Just looked into my copy - Zoltan gave already the main information out of the book.
Maybe to add:
The sail and rigging plans were based on the Royal Caroline sail plan Used also by Belabarba and also on the Chapman drawings Fig 7 and 8 of his Architektura Navalis Mercatoria

https://digitaltmuseum.se/011024827516/ritning/media?slide=0

One additional drawing is available at the NMM

large.jpg
Scale: 1:48. A plan showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines with inboard detail, and the longitudinal half-breadth for 'Cruiser' (1752) and 'Speedwell' (1752), both 8-gun early two-masted Sloops, as built at Deptford and Chatham (respectively).
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/383985.html#ZvCfIqlqGY5wvl10.99

Here also the data from Three-decks about the Cruizer 1752:
https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_ship&id=3757

and of the Cruizer-class:
https://threedecks.org/index.php?display_type=show_class&id=255

seems, that there were three sisterships built:
Cruizer (8), Speedwell (8), Wolf (8), Happy (8)

a beautiful model of the Speedwell also from NMM:

large (1).jpg
Scale: 1:48. A contemporary full hull model of a British 12-gun sloop-of-war (circa 1752), built in 'bread and butter' fashion and finished in the Georgian style. The model is partially decked, rigged and mounted on its original baseboard. Measuring 76 feet along the upper deck by 21 feet in the beam and a tonnage of 142 burden, the dimensions fit the three ketches of the 'Speedwell’ class, the others being 'Fly’ and 'Happy’. The 18th-century sloops were usually rigged as ships, brigs, or brigantines. However, a few were ketch-rigged which enabled them to sail closer to the wind and had the added advantage of providing more space on the upper deck, particularly useful in the bomb vessels were heavy mortars had to be placed along the centre line.
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66296.html#PFdlj8AGJO5Y4jgX.99

large (2).jpg large (3).jpg large (4).jpg

and a drawing of the Speedwell

large (5).jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan with stern board outline, sheer lines, and longitudinal half-breadth for Speedwell (1752), an 8-gun two-masted Sloop. The alterations on the plan were to be conformed to by Chatham Dockyard. Signed by Joseph Allin [Surveyor of the Navy, 1749-1755].
Read more at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/84633.html#4boadu8U4Z6m8eU2.99
 
Back
Top