Discussion Historical Accuracy vs. Creative Freedom: Where Do You Stand?

[RichardG]

I think I’m just the opposite. I look at my finished product and am reminded of all the mistakes I’ve made. They stand out like a sore thumb to me. So I give a lot of them away. The recipients will never notice. For me, it’s all about the process and the learning of skills that I am most interested in.

You should hold on to some of them as, in my experience, the feeling of failure subsides. Many moons ago I worked as a pipe organ builder. I spent a fair deal of time making metal pipes in the pipe shop. The pipes would be finished as much as two years before the actual organ, so were stored for that period. When I finally took them from storage at that later dater, they looked almost perfect. Mistakes, of which there were many obvious to me directly after construction, were forgotten!

 

[Pointer121]

I am working on Occre's Endurance and my goal is to improve many of the details to appear more historically accurate. I am not too concerned about absolute accuracy (I don't have that skill yet) but I can already see some areas that could use improvement due to Occre's details not being good enough. So, I am definitely not a purist but I do enjoy doing the research to see where improvements to accuracy can be made.

 

[KeithLyall]

I am working on Occre's Endurance and my goal is to improve many of the details to appear more historically accurate. I am not too concerned about absolute accuracy (I don't have that skill yet) but I can already see some areas that could use improvement due to Occre's details not being good enough. So, I am definitely not a purist but I do enjoy doing the research to see where improvements to accuracy can be made.

I am currently building Endurance and found research interesting to improve on the Occre kit and make the build more historically accurate but at the same time not getting overly concerned where that is not possible. Given the images of Frank Hurley as a start this has helped in my endeavours. However looking at the pictures I suspect the Endurance carpenters were busy as the ship definitely underwent change throughout its life I guess to meet changing circumstances so I don’t believe there is a definitively accurate model.

 

[11320 Titanic]

If you want historical accuracy, stay away from the USS Constitution! No one knows exactly what she presented!
Right now, I'm happy if someone can tell "it's a ship!"!

 

[Winova]

Just build your modeLand enjoy the time you are working on it, accuracy
is one thing enjoyment is another the latter I prefer.
I turn 93 in ten days time, thinking of starting a new model, a
Briganteen and I will not be fretting about accuracy
Cheers Winova , from Nova Scotia , Canada.

 

[Hotspur]

99% of the people who look at your models know what the anchor and what the wheel are, and that's about it.

I had a friend once who would get so bogged down on accuracy and details that he never completed anything.

If you look at one of my models and think I could have done a better job, let's just waltz over to your house so I can judge what you've built.

 

[11320 Titanic]

I'm with you Winova. I am 82, still trying to master this wooden ship model business. Right now trying to finish the Lobster Smack of the Shipwright series.
With emphasis on "trying". Things keep breaking, this leads to cussing and my wife gets a dollar per cuss word, so she's happy.
Starting to fair the bulkheads...ugh!!! But I love it. Happy winter to you!

 

[Dave @W]

My simple rule of thumb on building any model, ship, airplane or whatever floats my interest of the time is, !, if an actual and historical item, it will get as close to reality as possible. 2, if it's a model of a type of ship or whatever, I'll do whatever I think is something that MIGHT have been and whatever my creative talents (or lack of) can come up with but still staying within the time period. I have two model boats under way - Amati's Fifie and an old Dumas hydroplane. Both will be representative of the period but neither will be to the manufacturer's idea of what they were. The Fifie has some items that just don't look right and the Dumas model was poorly conceived and had some really poorly made items/wood and is now much different as well as very strongly put together. I also have a Tamiya P47 Razorback, a historical model just started - that will be near 100% as supplied.

 

[Thanasis]

Hi all. This interesting discussion was also been set among some Gr ship modelers, with parties of both opinions.
My opinion is based on what my "teacher" of the hobby (a 90 years old sailor) was used to say, while corecting me on a model.
He was saying me : "not what you think, but what actually was".
Thx

 

[11320 Titanic]

My simple rule of thumb on building any model, ship, airplane or whatever floats my interest of the time is, !, if an actual and historical item, it will get as close to reality as possible. 2, if it's a model of a type of ship or whatever, I'll do whatever I think is something that MIGHT have been and whatever my creative talents (or lack of) can come up with but still staying within the time period. I have two model boats under way - Amati's Fifie and an old Dumas hydroplane. Both will be representative of the period but neither will be to the manufacturer's idea of what they were. The Fifie has some items that just don't look right and the Dumas model was poorly conceived and had some really poorly made items/wood and is now much different as well as very strongly put together. I also have a Tamiya P47 Razorback, a historical model just started - that will be near 100% as supplied.

When I was doing Revelle's Constitution, after reading a few books, I came to the conclusion that the Captains had a bit if liberty as to how to make the ship theirs
so I became Commodore Don and decided to do what I wanted, as it was now MY ship. It came out well.