HMS Sphinx - Vanguard Models 1:64 by Ronald-V

[Ronald-V]

Hello everyone!

Welcome to my build log of the HMS Sphinx 1775 by Vanguard Models (scale 1:64). I started this model in July 2023, so I have been working on it for a while now. I am not a fast builder, currently somewhere halfway through. I'm building it somewhat out of the box but also modify/improve where i can/feel comfortable with.

In my introduction post here:

Introduction post

there is a bit about myself and my history with the hobby. I had a build log on MSW which has obviously disappeared, and I will reconstruct the build log here (this will take a while). The first part will be more of a photo summary with a short piece of text than a detailed how-and-what. I will try to provide as much explanation as possible (what I can still remember).

I think it is a great kit and was surprised that there are so few (read: no) build logs of the Sphinx here on the forum. Anyway... I hope I can contribute something and that you enjoy looking at what I have made so far.

 

[Corsair]

I'm pulling up a chair so I can watch.

 

[Ronald-V]

I'm pulling up a chair so I can watch.

Your welcome sir!

We start with the construction of the frame, but first of all, the bow and stern pieces. What I found easier was filling the spaces between these pieces with balsa to create a solid structure. This gives a much better visual impression of the good flow of these crucial shapes. This is all laser-cut MDF and slides together like a construction kit. Everything fits very precisely, and I find it quite impressive how someone comes up with this!

 

[Ronald-V]

Lower deck being installed with hatches etc. I haven't paid much attention to this otherwise, because it won't really be practically visible.

 

[Ronald-V]

More pieces of the puzzle...personally, I find this very cool and the rigidness afterwards of the construction is impressive.

 

[Ronald-V]

Sanding of the inner bullwarks (took a long time!) and glueing the lasered bullwark patterns

 

[Ronald-V]

Some red ochre Caldercraft paint on the inner bullwark patterns

Here you can also see that I have installed the lasered deck, that the kit comes with it, but I eventually replaced this with boxwood planks (this will be shown later).

 

[Ronald-V]

Here is the checkered pattern for the captain's cabin. I eventually replaced this as well, as will become clear later, but I just wanted to show what comes with the kit. The only thing I regret not modifying is the small piece right at the rear, right against the inside of the stern. It feels a bit clunky and straightforward now and could be better. I saw that Chris Watton improved this later in newer generation kits. That being said... I won't see almost any of it anyway once everything is assembled.

 

[Ronald-V]

Fairing the outside of the hull. This took a long time to get it right, but it is also a satisfying job to get that nice flow in the lines

 

[Ronald-V]

Cutting/sanding the inside of the gunports to size. What struck me about this kit is how important the thickness of the bullwarks is to get the feel of a truly solid ship. In other kits, this often looks too thin, as if there is no real frame inside.

Installing the outer (false) gunport patterns here as well. I remember soaking this pattern twice to get all the beautiful lines right, horizontally and vertically.

 

[Ronald-V]

Here are the first few (whole) planks installed at the height of the wales. (the hull is being planked in 2 layers)

 

[Nearshore]

Hi Ronald,
Glad to see you are starting a new build log here. I have been a member here for some time but never kept up with a build log. Big mistake now that MSW has collapsed. I look forward to following your updates from where you left off on your MSW log. I am thinking of doing the same thing and starting a log on this forum following your method of summarizing the last 4 years I had into my MSW log and then picking up where I'm currently at in the build. First, I need to figure out how to start a build log on this forum and then try to remember what I did at the different stages of the build. Good luck to you and keep up the fantastic job you are doing on the Sphinx.
Cheers
Nearshore

 

[Ronald-V]

Because I wanted to pull out all the stops to make a truly beautiful and well-planked hull out of this, I started practicing with the first layer of linden planks so that I would begin to understand how measuring works and, especially, what the lines of this specific model are like. With the previous models, I was just winging it, but with the Sphinx, the real intention was to understand it, and if it was good enough... to leave the hull natural, meaning just with oil on it and not painted. Because personally, I think that is a very beautiful look.

So first starting with "lining off the hull". I used a narrow tape for this (which didn't stick to well, but it did his job somewhat).
I mainly looked at contemporary models to see how the lines should flow, and of course it's also a bit by feel... what looks/feels good.

 

[Ronald-V]

Hi Ronald,
Glad to see you are starting a new build log here. I have been a member here for some time but never kept up with a build log. Big mistake now that MSW has collapsed. I look forward to following your updates from where you left off on your MSW log. I am thinking of doing the same thing and starting a log on this forum following your method of summarizing the last 4 years I had into my MSW log and then picking up where I'm currently at in the build. First, I need to figure out how to start a build log on this forum and then try to remember what I did at the different stages of the build. Good luck to you and keep up the fantastic job you are doing on the Sphinx.
Cheers
Nearshore

Thanks Nearshore! And good to see you here!

Would be nice to see your work here also

 

[Ronald-V]

The hull was divided into sections, naturally spaced to the size of the planks. For this, I simply used the kit planks and not planks of different widths, which I did do for the second layer. My purpose here was purely for practice.

 

[dockattner]

You are showing us very nice work, Ronald. I'll also pull up a chair.

 

[Ronald-V]

It didn't all go smoothly, and I wasn't afraid to start a section over. I noticed that the lines/flow of the planks weren't right here, so I broke that piece away and sanded it again. I noticed in particular that the lines at the bow weren't correct. On the third picture you can see that the curve is much nicer

 

[Ronald-V]

At the stern post, I was left with a considerable gap between the first planking and the laser-cut stern post pattern. I read in other build logs that I wasn't the only one, and I personally think this was due to the sealant. The solution was quite simple: to glue a piece of filler wood to the stern post later on to close this gap. (You will see later in the build that this is a very good solution.)

 

[Ronald-V]

Once again, I realized that I hadn't sanded the lines properly when fairing the hull. I saw in many build logs that people had an angle that was too sharp here and no good flow. This was the case with me as well, and you only really notice it when you install the planks. At least, that's how it worked for me. So, I broke it away again and did a lot of sanding to get a good flow/line here. (A real learning experience!)

 

[Ronald-V]

From there, planking the hull went exactly according to plan, and I was satisfied with the first significant milestone. As you can see, for the last few planks towards the keel, I used some pearwood planks I had lying around, since I was short on planks from the kit (due to all the broken planks I had used up, haha). I do want to make it clear that there were plenty of planks in the kit, though; this was really my own fault.

Finally, I also used some filler to smooth things out here and there..

Such beautiful lines when she was sanded