HMS Diana 1794

[Henslow]

This is a fun but really a painstaking work.Try to get the correct place for her in the corner,the problem is that in photos of the beautiful models in the national maritime museum showing a different form of the taffrail compared to the book by D White about the Diana.
If you looking from side on the quarter gallery’s her cape is almost together with the window frame.
If you looking in front of her you can see that the modelmaker in this time cut out a square to be a part of the stern.
Maybe I have to cut out some space but I really have to decide properly before start cutting,don’t want to ruin all work

 

[Henslow]

 

[AllanKP69]

the national maritime museum showing a different form of the taffrail compared to the book by D White about the Diana.

Can you point out what area you describing on the pictures below? The David White drawing seems very close to the contemporary model.


Note that the drawing by White leaves off the name of the ship just like the contemporary model as this practice was banned by the Admiralty in 1782, Then again, the painting on the back cover of his book shows the name for some reason.

When you get to the ship's boats just as an FYI, the pinnace drawing in the book can be confusing with the location of the tholes. Pinnaces were single banked with tholes alternating port, starboard, port, starboard, etc. His drawing shows only the port tholes. The comparison to a contemporary drawing below may be more clear than my words.

Allan

 

[Henslow]

You can clearly see the different between the book and the model? The shape of taffrail over the quarter gallery’s false lights and over the chasing ports.
About the name on the upper counter is no problem for me? The book shows that like you say.There is no special details at all about decorations more than figurehead and the chasing dogs between the upper and lower cheeks.
I think the name not on the models because they represent the Artois class frigates only not a specifik one? I haven’t seen any notes about the decorations everything is based on the models.
About the ship boats? That’s another story

 

[AllanKP69]

You can clearly see the different between the book and the model?

It could just be that since there are no contemporary drawings with details of the stern. RMG has the model built in 1794 so the model could likely be the most accurate rendition of what her entire stern looked like.

Regarding names on the stern, the Admiralty issued an order for lettering which began about 1771 and edited it in 1772 then the entire idea was rescinded in 1782. Were there exceptions?? There is little doubt some captains and/or admirals did as they pleased at times, but probably once out of port.

Allan

 

[Henslow]

Yes I think you nailed it
Have the book about the 50gun ship leopard and it’s the same there,I was a longtime build so maybe the rules about the name didn’t fell on the captains lips?
The continual navy didn’t have the same for sure happy new year anyway

 

[AllanKP69]

50gun ship leopard

You give a great example! The contemporary drawings of HMS Leopard 1790 clearly show the name on the stern. Maybe the ship had it or maybe it was only on the drawing. Oh to be able to travel back in time, the surprises we would see and the realization of how much we don't know.

 

[Henslow]

Yes the history is a lot of adoption we don’t understand? We just think we do?
But we do the best that we know and relay on the thing we know.
Have a splendid happy new year now.