initial Soleil royal using the heller 1/100 scale kit (post prepared in advance)

[aurélien wolff]

Don't be sorry, for the decks dimension, I'll simply add styrene to the heller part.

 

[aurélien wolff]

I knew I took milliput some years ago, I found it and it still seem to work, the rods are flexible (I haven't even opened their bags yet). Here's why I think i can use it for the moldings and the figure head:

 

[GuyM]

Have you ever sculpted from this media before? or rather, have you ever designed and sculpted on a small scale before?

 

[aurélien wolff]

No, but I intend to train before doing it on the model

 

[GuyM]

well, good luck Because those youtube videos make things look simpler than they really are))

 

[Uwek]

Hello, I don't have the kit (or material to modify it) yet, but since it's confirmed, I'm preparing the thread. My plan is to do my interpretation of the initial SR using the heller kit by modifying it quite a bit. The modification are based on the multiple thread/document I found while doing research on the ship, both in english and in french. They include adding 2 canon on the stern post, windows on the stern facade (3 on each side with a space between as royal louis description from gallica), ornaments like fleurs de lys on the stern, beakhead bulkhead and lid, replacement of the figurehead by another corresponding with description of the time (will be done partly in milliput and bits from the kit sculpture reproduce in resin), enlarging the rear to fit the windows, opening the quarter galleries (keeping the heller one since it's fine for a initial SR too).

For the colors, I'm planning on doing the hull white as a whole with blue on the stern and forecastle (I intend to have the beakhead bulkhead in white and blue to have continuity with the hull colors, what do you think?). Black will be used for the waterline and the ornaments/sculpture will be a mix of ocre and gold using what Guy M said in his 104 pages document. I'll add touches of red too.
This one will take quite some time, I'm a slow builder but I still intend to ahve a (at least) decent result with this kit. When I'll got it, I'll do Hubac drawing approach (on paper) and use paint to schelatize my modification and colors.

Edit: I forgot to add thanks to everyone who answered my questions in other soleil royal related threads, the answers will help me do mine.

Hallo @aurélien wolff
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY

 

[Hubac’s Historian]

Happy Birthday, Aurelien! I suppose this means that your build will soon be starting.

 

[aurélien wolff]

Thanks, sorry for the lack of answers, but I still have to wait a bit to get the kit, my parents haven't ordered it yet (tho they're still fine getting it). I'm working on other models while waiting forit.

 

[aurélien wolff]

So my parents reserved a kit tonight, not sure when it'll arrive. It's a edition without the upgraded notice

The box is from before 2010' it seem. On the blue and gold scenario from Guy M 104 pages doc, I wonder why this scheme would exclude other colors.

 

[GuyM]

Hi Good now you'll have a look at the challenge))) What do you mean by ''this scheme would exclude other colors?

 

[aurélien wolff]

I don't have the box yet, but it's reserved. Being honest I don't mind challenge and will take more pleasure modifying the soleil royal than building a unicraft resin kit. Since it count as a what if with all the speculation (for version of the ship), I'll have fun doing my own interpretation too. I'm refering to page 23 who present 2 schemes for the modeller. The 1st one is on a gold and blue soleil royal, it says everything designated as blue will be french blue and all the sculpture/mouldings/ornaments will be gold. I wonder if I won't go for something somewhat simillar to what the person who drew the royal louis in the description from gallica did for the rear windows (I know the drawing has issues). I'll play with their sizes and it's interesting he added mouldings to the stern chase guns.
(note: I still have somewhat of hard time dealing with the dropped image, I don't know how I can make it work with the text yet).

 

[GuyM]

This drawing is from the Desclouseau document of the royal Louis; it had been done by an unknown person and isn't a decent reference for making conclusions on the decor. the windows are not there because the drawing must have been made while they were still finshing the ship. The decor which is drawn is probably made with the document's description, not a visual scene.....

 

[aurélien wolff]

As said, I know about the drawing issues and that it's not a perfect representation of the real thing. I still think I'll play with the windows shape and size on my SR.

 

[GuyM]

Oh, you can do all kinds of things, it depends how close to the ''real'' ship you wish to get...
There are many ways of working this ship kit and make an absolutely beautiful piece; it just takes A LOT OF TIME))))))))))))

 

[aurélien wolff]

since we don't a 100% know what the ship looked like at first, I can take some liberties and speculate. I(m hesitating a bit for the beakhead bulkhead moulding and color.

 

[GuyM]

Then do what you feel is the right decor for your ship; I certainly can't tell you what or what not to do)))

 

[aurélien wolff]

I got a question on the 1669 soleil royal flag. How different were they from what heller provide? Can I still use the kit decals for them?
This is a 1st royal louis drawing, noticed the flags don't have fleur-de-lys or other symbols on them.

If you know a good and simple way to make flag without fabric (? not sure wich one to use for "tissu"), I'll use it both for the SR and my "what if a T14 armata was captured by ukraine" (zveda 1/72 scale kit).
Thanks for the previous answers and those who'll fellow!

 

[GuyM]

Hi; there are a lot of pre- printed flages on the market, especially on ebay. They are cloth flag and the tissu is thin enough to make a good show.
There were different flags used for the royal ships depending which squadron they had been assigned to in a confrontation; the blue squadron, the red squadron and the center which would have a white flag and if it was one of the two biggest ships, The Royal Louis or the Soleil Royal, the flag would be printed with the king's royal symbol, sort of a baroque figure at the center; if in the front blue squadron, the flag would have been blue with gold ''fleur de lys'' printings all over it; if it was the rear squadron, the flag would be red with the same pattern as the blue flag...

 

[aurélien wolff]

There are some on ebay, tho they're not cheap. Can I use the kit decals fleur-de-lys (if the decals aren't yellow) and ask someone to make a custom for the king's royal symbol? I'm adding the flags in the modification list.
While scrolling through ebay, I found this not so accurate representation of the SR (the windows per example), tho it's interesting to see the colors the author chosed to use for the stern. No fleur de lys on the flag either. What do you guys think of this one?

source: https://www.ebay.fr/itm/33408025497...YPYvt30I/wylddvGZX+WP80tFn9q|tkp:BFBMjNibkZ9h

 

[GuyM]

You cannot repy on paintings of the ship since they do not provide the period.....Flags also changed in time.....The white flag without symbols would have been used if the commanding ship ofthe squadron was not one of the 4 royal ships.....