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A friend loaned me his copy of Mjelde's book. I'll get the copy of the Journal If I can't find it floating around the house somewhere.
"Flying Cloud " by Mamoli - kit bash
- Thread starter Peter Gutterman
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Peter,
Michael Mjelde is now author of three titles on Donald McKay's last Clipper. I found these listed today:
(1) Glory of the Seas, American Maritime Library, Glencannon Press, 1st print, 2nd ed, 2000, signed, Near Fine hard cover & dust jacket, Easton Books $24.95
(2) Clipper Ship Captain: Daniel McLaughlin and the Glory of the Seas, Pacific Maritime History Series, Glencannon Press 1997, signed 1st edition, very good hard cover & dust jacket $19.95 Abe Books
3) From Whaler to Clipper Ship, Henry Gillespie Down East Captain, Texas A&M University Press, 2023 1st edition hard cover in case $80.00 (Rob sent me a link from author Michael Mjelde for a 10% discount. I'll see if it can be shared if anyone's interested)
I have copies of all three books. The first two have much more historic photos. For modelers, there's more developed blueprints in the 2nd book.
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Peter,
Sweet! To answer your concern, lovely gold fancy work is gilding the lily but not how you think. It's magnificent. Look how the gold on black actually makes the contrasting white angel stand out. Nicely done! I know I keep harkening back to McKay's last clipper Glory of the Seas but that's because we actually have contemporary images of how these vessels really looked. The goldleaf scrollwork must have really glinted in the sunlight. With the jet black wood polished to a satin sheen Flying Cloud must have been a stunning sight to behold. Now it's official, your model's prow is the most authentic I've ever seen. Congratulations!
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The first is the one I have on loan. Now all I have to do is pick the darn thing up and peruse it!
I can't express how glad I am to be part of a happy collaboration!
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Peter,The first is the one I have on loan. Now all I have to do is pick the darn thing up and peruse it!
I can't express how glad I am to be part of a happy collaboration!
Everything Michael Mjelde shared with our group can still be found in Rob Wiederrich @rwiederrich scratch built Glory of the Seas build log as well as Vladimir Wairoa's build log too. Both are phenomenal modeling resources.
Other items of note: Flying Cloud 225 ft main deck measurement goes from the deck center at the forward stem continuously back to the deck center at the sternpost. For measurement accuracy, main deck is situated 6 ft 4 inches below her bulkhead top (5 ft up to main rail plus 16 inches for monkey rail on top of that). First measurement is inside center stem to foremast center, then from foremast center to mainmast center to mizzenmast center and finally to inside center of the sternpost. While my specifications are conjectural, they're as scientifically valid possible. Flying Cloud deck is only 10 ft longer than that of Stag Hound. Since all precise distances of Stag Hound are known, I simply calculated distance ratios and translated those to arrive at the corresponding spacing for Flying Cloud.
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I am enjoying this discussion very much and learning a tremendous amount along the way. Thanks for the reference to the books, I will be sure to add these to my library.
Bill
Bill
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I can't believe I never saw this thread line or Log before.
I'll be following it closely now.
Rob
I'll be following it closely now.
Rob
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Rich...I contacted my friend Robert Wilson of Merchant ships in Miniature, who builds miniature models of Commercial ships/ He built the Donald McKay some years ago. I asked where he got the deck plans...cuz, as you know I am building her in1/96 as well. He didn't have much info other than what I already had. I wonder...in your research, have you come across anything on the Donald McKay as far as deck furniture and the like? Crothers has a simple deck layout of her...but nothing definitive.
Rob
Rob
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@rwiederrich Rob
Welcome to the conversation! Ironically, I came across this site by looking at more gorgeous pictures of your finished 1:96th scale Glory of the Seas model. Peter Gutterman has created the nicest Flying Cloud prow I've ever seen and Bill plans to do more research before he begins his Mamoli model. Progress continues!
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I'm always looking for folks who are into clippers. One doesn't find a corroboration of like minded modelers who love the clipper design often.
Whenever a conversation begins...I enjoy being in the fray...... Thanks for everything Rich.
Rob
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Oh....I also missed this Log and its conversations....because I tend to stick to the scratch built forum logs.
Rob
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Rob,
It is you who deserve my thanks. Had it not been for your determined enthusiasm to scratch build the most authentic clipper Glory of the Seas replica, we probably wouldn't have made a connection. I wouldn't have had the chance to collaborate with author Michael Mjelde, world's foremost authority on this particular vessel and we might not have met Vladimir either. Add to that my now being an actual published author for the first time ever and the ultimate "pinch me am I dreaming" event, actually seeing "The Lady" Athene who once graced McKay's magnificent vessel... Followed up by even lightly touching her at the insistence of her new owner. I have so much to thank you for!
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Rob,
I feel like I'm on a one-man crusade to get accurate versions of Donald McKay's beautiful clippers finally produced. So I searched for Flying Cloud, Flying Fish even Stag Hound and Sovereign of the Seas. Each is available as a kit, so I've been sharing results of our research. It's pretty crazy when subjects are original Revell plastic models but it's enjoyable getting the word out.
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Check with Bill M. I sent him a BlueJacket pre-caved hull that I had, along with a set of BlueJacket plans. I wish I had started with that instead of Mamoli which turned into a nightmare of kit bashing, hence the current title of this thread. As far as I know Bill intends to start with the Bluejacket hull. But That is only an assumption. Best ask him. He seems to be enthusiastically on board, whatever his plans.
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I first remember when we crossed paths...oh...when was that 2008~2009ish...when I first began my first Glory of the Seas composite, using a Revell CS hull. That is when you first showed me your pencil sketch of your Atheana on a sticky note.
I also noticed you posted your signed copy of Glory of the Seas from Mike...THAT in of itself is worth it all. What times and what adventures. Both of our dreams found fruition. Mikes books spurred me to go to Glorys resting place and acquire artifacts.....and further still to find and meet the man..who in all respects brought us all together in the first place. through our love of Glory.
Rob
I also noticed you posted your signed copy of Glory of the Seas from Mike...THAT in of itself is worth it all. What times and what adventures. Both of our dreams found fruition. Mikes books spurred me to go to Glorys resting place and acquire artifacts.....and further still to find and meet the man..who in all respects brought us all together in the first place. through our love of Glory.
Rob
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Seems to me those plastic kits are a good source of information on details, some accurate and some not, and worth collecting to see what they offer in that respect without even having to build them. Along with their usually nicely produced plans and drawings. A good place to start to make comparison with the model builder's own ongoing research. They can be had cheaply enough. I suspect that many of the parts are useful as a resource of appearance in scratch fabricating one's own parts.
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Peter. Have you read the book on the Flying Cloud, and its young captain's wife? It's fascinating.
Rob
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I have both the Flying Cloud and Staghound kits. They, like their larger Revell Thermopylae are horrible representations. Some generic structures can be used as models...but overall, if you are a discerning model maker, bent on accuracy....much mods and scratch building will need to be employed to correct them.Seems to me those plastic kits are a good source of information on details, some accurate and some not, and worth collecting to see what they offer in that respect without even having to build them. Along with their usually nicely produced plans and drawings. A good place to start to make comparison with the model builder's own ongoing research. They can be had cheaply enough. I suspect that many of the parts are useful as a resource of appearance in scratch fabricating one's own parts.
Rob
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No, I have not. Title? I'd love to read it. I have the old Time Life book on the clipper ships that I keep re-reading. I was enthralled by the extensive portion devoted to the Flying Cloud's history and the compelling story of the captain and his young wife THE NAVIGATOR!
And how the terrified crew attempted to bore holes in the bow from the inside in order to force the captain to put into port, rather than continue the perilous passage around the horn! 
One of the many reasons I want to build her, along with the impression I had when I first saw a clipper ship model when I was four years old. Not just "I gotta HAVE one of THOSE!" But "I gotta BUILD one of those!By the way. Welcome aboard.
(By the way, you bear a striking resemblance to old Donald McKay himself!
)Pete