Cutty Sark Mantua 1:78 Build Log [COMPLETED BUILD]

[shota70]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sid

 

[El Capi]

Greetings Shipwrights,
I'm finished with the first hull planking of my second ship build, the aforementioned Cutty Sark.
This kit is older, probably made in the early 90s; differs from Mantua's current version in several aspects, as I've come to learn.
I'll begin with pictures and description up to the current stage of completion.
This was a fairly straightforward build, despite the very sparse instructions included. I would absolutely NOT recommend this model for first-time builders, even with my own limited experience. The written instructions are thin, and the plans do not include English translations (from Italian). I used an app on my phone to translate the notes on the drawings and wrote them in English next to the Italian ones. They do turn out to be fairly important!
So far, everything's gone together well.
Keel and bulkheads: all fit extremely tight. Laser cut, very accurate, but I had to sand every joint to enable them to be joined.
Hull planking: very good. The 1.5mm thick "Beech" first layer planking was very supple and bendable, even after decades of waiting to be put together.

View attachment 117949View attachment 117950View attachment 117951View attachment 117952View attachment 117953View attachment 117954View attachment 117955View attachment 117956View attachment 117957View attachment 117958View attachment 117959View attachment 117960View attachment 117961View attachment 117962View attachment 117963

Well, done. Planking is very Good .for one's space to the keel, sternpost and bow part too. I build it early seventy, after having build Termopyle..

 

[El Capi]

Greetings Shipwrights,
I'm finished with the first hull planking of my second ship build, the aforementioned Cutty Sark.
This kit is older, probably made in the early 90s; differs from Mantua's current version in several aspects, as I've come to learn.
I'll begin with pictures and description up to the current stage of completion.
This was a fairly straightforward build, despite the very sparse instructions included. I would absolutely NOT recommend this model for first-time builders, even with my own limited experience. The written instructions are thin, and the plans do not include English translations (from Italian). I used an app on my phone to translate the notes on the drawings and wrote them in English next to the Italian ones. They do turn out to be fairly important!
So far, everything's gone together well.
Keel and bulkheads: all fit extremely tight. Laser cut, very accurate, but I had to sand every joint to enable them to be joined.
Hull planking: very good. The 1.5mm thick "Beech" first layer planking was very supple and bendable, even after decades of waiting to be put together.

View attachment 117949View attachment 117950View attachment 117951View attachment 117952View attachment 117953View attachment 117954View attachment 117955View attachment 117956View attachment 117957View attachment 117958View attachment 117959View attachment 117960View attachment 117961View attachment 117962View attachment 117963

nothing to complain about. well build with some minor errors, but all in VERY GOOD

 

[El Capi]

Greetings shipwrights,
This is my third installment. I’ve just laid a coat of low sheen polyurethane upon the hull and main deck to protect it from scratches and dents from handling as construction moves forward.
The Cutty Sark has limited instructions, and what is there is Italian. However, Mantua should have been more clear. I had to remove the already glued-on fore and aft upper decks because I noticed that parts of the superstructure needed to be installed underneath them. I was able to do it without unrecoverable damage to the decks but it was to me, an unforgivable oversight, because instructions clearly showed the decks being installed.
the main deck installs with an apron of little tiny outward oriented planks that had to placed with tweezers.
I have not yet tackled the copper bulwarks that Ring the hull at the deck but I did purchase a pair of micro tin snips that were recommended here and I tried a sample cut and they may yet work.
oh almost forgot- it was mentioned somewhere on this forum to put a bit of graphite along the edges of the deck planks to simulate caulking. I found this too messy but I liked the idea so I used blank acrylic paint along the edges of the main deck planks to make it look like the caulking. View attachment 120329View attachment 120330View attachment 120331View attachment 120332View attachment 120333View attachment 120334View attachment 120335View attachment 120336View attachment 120337View attachment 120338View attachment 120339

I am not so happy -sorry - with your Deck planking. the space between plangs shoud be paralel. it can be seen very easily with your black colours