HMS Victory Mantua 1:78 (first build) by Grant Tyler
- Thread starter GrantTyler
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I have started reading this threat from the beginning. I noticed that you kept saying that this kit was not accurate. Not being familiar with the details of the kit, what is not accurate about it?
Thanks!
Bill
Thanks!
Bill
Good evening Paul. Thanks. Cheers Grant
Good evening Bill. This is in no way a criticism of the kit. (And I never intended it to be so).This kit was designed in 1973 and the quality of the wood and fittings are very good. I think Mantua designed this to be a decorative model more than a replica of the Victory. ( unlike the Caldercraft kit which is pretty accurate).
So many aspects of the kit do not accurately represent the Victory e.g. - the stern cabins, the gunport frames and the decorations above the gunports, compass table, ships boats, masts(in almost every respect), figurehead and stern figures are way to big, ship entrance, the stern bulkwards, the marine walk and entire bow section, the wales are incorrectly positioned,
holes and rubbing planks, the bowsprit design and fitment, the gratings on lower deck, The ships wheel and quarter deck cabins, the belay pin racks don’t have enough pins, there are no sheaves, quarter Davits, Hammocks/covers etc etc.There are so many more but these are some of the things I modified to look a little more realistic. By no means is my ship accurate, far from it- it’s why I call it “ Grants Victory “ I made it just appear a little bit more like the real thing.
The Mantua rigging plan is so basic. I would say it encompasses 30% of the rigging and even then it is not correct. I tossed my Mantua plans a long time ago. I have bought more than trebled the number of blocks and rope than provided for in the kit.
Again Grants Victory rigging looks more authentic but is full of errors and deviations from the real ship back in 1803. (Battle of Trafalgar time)
Apologies for the waffle- in short the Mantua was never designed to be Historically accurate (I think 90% of kits are not) and is a kit bashers dream. It is also very reasonably priced and with research , resources and skill (I lacked in all three) one could turn this kit into a magnificent Victory replica.
Cheers Grant
Grant,Good evening Bill. This is in no way a criticism of the kit. (And I never intended it to be so).This kit was designed in 1973 and the quality of the wood and fittings are very good. I think Mantua designed this to be a decorative model more than a replica of the Victory. ( unlike the Caldercraft kit which is pretty accurate).
So many aspects of the kit do not accurately represent the Victory e.g. - the stern cabins, the gunport frames and the decorations above the gunports, compass table, ships boats, masts(in almost every respect), figurehead and stern figures are way to big, ship entrance, the stern bulkwards, the marine walk and entire bow section, the wales are incorrectly positioned,
There are so many more but these are some of the things I modified to look a little more realistic. By no means is my ship accurate, far from it- it’s why I call it “ Grants Victory “ I made it just appear a little bit more like the real thing.
The Mantua rigging plan is so basic. I would say it encompasses 30% of the rigging and even then it is not correct. I tossed my Mantua plans a long time ago. I have bought more than trebled the number of blocks and rope than provided for in the kit.
Again Grants Victory rigging looks more authentic but is full of errors and deviations from the real ship back in 1803. (Battle of Trafalgar time)
Apologies for the waffle- in short the Mantua was never designed to be Historically accurate (I think 90% of kits are not) and is a kit bashers dream. It is also very reasonably priced and with research , resources and skill (I lacked in all three) one could turn this kit into a magnificent Victory replica.
Cheers Grant
Thank you for your response. I always thought that she was also disproportioned, being a little squat. But, I could be wrong about that.
Bill
Hello Bill. You may be correct. Being a rookie to this hobby I never measured or looked at those dimensions. Even if I did I would never have been able to change that. I have had many hours of fun playing with my Victory tho. Cheers Grant
Good morning. The next step according to Grants logic would be to do the yard braces on the spritsail yards. I am Leaving the main yards Cluelines , sheets, tacks and braces etc until last. These would just get in the way when I tie off any other rope and my swear jar would be full fore sure.
The braces are used to rotate the yard around the mast horizontally. On the Victory preventer braces were also there in case the main brace was shot away. I will not include the preventer braces.
I did the spritsail yard brace. It is attached to the main forestay just below the mouse. Runs down through a block on the yard, back up to the blocks below the top and belays to the bits next to the belfry.
Some pics :
Cheers Grant
The braces are used to rotate the yard around the mast horizontally. On the Victory preventer braces were also there in case the main brace was shot away. I will not include the preventer braces.
I did the spritsail yard brace. It is attached to the main forestay just below the mouse. Runs down through a block on the yard, back up to the blocks below the top and belays to the bits next to the belfry.
Some pics :
Cheers Grant
By the way, the phrase "to splice the mainbrace" meant "to serve an extra ration of rum or grog" amongst members of crew, especially after a hard work.
Good morning Vladimir. Nice to know. I cannot believe this year has flown by so quickly. I took my staff away (Thursday and Friday) for our year end party for two days and I certainly “spliced the main race” for them
. Cheers Grant
Blunder!! The spritsail brace has been rigged incorrectly. It is supposed to reeve through the blocks on the end of the yard not the ones near the bowsprit. Redo coin……Cheers Grant
“Mainbrace” ….autocorrectGood morning Vladimir. Nice to know. I cannot believe this year has flown by so quickly. I took my staff away (Thursday and Friday) for our year end party for two days and I certainly “spliced the main race” for them
.
After a few 'Mainbrace' you could be forgiven for the 'race'“Mainbrace” ….autocorrect
Jack let out a sigh, and when Pullings reported 'Main-topmast swayed up, sir,' he smiled. 'Very good, Mr Pullings,' he said. 'Let the laniards be well greased and bowsed taut, and then pipe to supper. The people have worked well, and I believe we may splice the mainbrace.'
"Post Captain" by Patrick O'Brian.
"Post Captain" by Patrick O'Brian.
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I took my staff away (Thursday and Friday) for our year end party for two days and I certainly “spliced the mainbrace” for them
Apparently you didn't splice the mainbrace for your staff only...
Bottoms up!
Haha, I am glad I did not give your post with the pictures a ‘like’ ……….
But I am glad you had the guts to let us known.Chances are great I wouldn't have recognized it …….
Regards, Peter
Good evening.
Spritsail braces rectified to the correct blocks - see arrows.
Cheers Grant
Spritsail braces rectified to the correct blocks - see arrows.
Cheers Grant
Good morning
The fore topsail yard brace (blue arrows)and fore course yard brace (red arrows).
I struggled with “tying” the blocks to to the stay and getting the tension right so not to change the shape of the main stay. These are relatively loose.
The fore topsail yard brace is attached to the mainstay collar runs through the yard block on the topsail yard back to a block on the collar, along the stay to a block and down to the skid beam.
The fore course yard brace is similar but reeves down to the main sheet bits at the main mast.
Difficult to explain- anyway hope not too much confusion.
Cheers Grant
The fore topsail yard brace (blue arrows)and fore course yard brace (red arrows).
I struggled with “tying” the blocks to to the stay and getting the tension right so not to change the shape of the main stay. These are relatively loose.
The fore topsail yard brace is attached to the mainstay collar runs through the yard block on the topsail yard back to a block on the collar, along the stay to a block and down to the skid beam.
The fore course yard brace is similar but reeves down to the main sheet bits at the main mast.
Difficult to explain- anyway hope not too much confusion.
Cheers Grant
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You lost me a long time ago, not being familiar with the nomenclature of all the bits and pieces of your rigging, but impressive it sure is!
Getting and maintain the right amount of tension is an issue, getting worse when adding more and more lines to the equation and requires a lot of patience. I have not yet developed a method to make it fool-proof, other than trial and error. Maybe others have found a workaround...