L'Unité - 1:48 - French Frigate - 1794 - under build

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L'Unité - Designed by Pierre-Alexander Forfait and built in Le Havre ( Normandy ) in 1794.
Originally classified as a Corvette, with a 218 crew complement , it was armed with 32 - 8 pounder french gun, later rearmed with more powerful guns, and classified as Frigate.
It was a highly successful project, recognized for its excellent navigability and speed.
Captured by the English frigate HMS Inconstant ( 1796 ), she was renamed HMS Surprise in the Royal Navy, and sold in 1802.

I started my model, from the L'Unité original plans provided by the National Maritime Museum / Greenwich , some parts of the Artesania Latina kit / H.M.S. Surprise, a lot of research in the Musée National de la Marine ( Paris ) , and Jean Boudriot's book collection.

Photos : copper plates

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a very interesting project
I guess you are building her as the Unité and not refitted as Surprise?

Luckily there are several contemporary drawings at the NMM, when the english measured her in detail directly after her capture
inclusive f.e. the figurehead(s) (before and after refit), which was not often shown in such drawings
j6091.jpg


She is a beautiful ship !

I will follow your building log with big interest.

BTW: Maybe it would be possible for you to show some of the docs / drawings maybe in excerpts which you found in Musée National with the time ......
 
Thanks for the comments.

I guess you are building her as the Unité and not refitted as Surprise?

Luckily there are several contemporary drawings at the NMM, when the english measured her in detail directly after her capture
inclusive f.e. the figurehead(s) (before and after refit), which was not often shown in such drawings
[/QUOTE

Uwek,
Yes, I'm building L'Unité ( 1794 ) in the original, not the refitted HMS Surprise (1796 ). There is some confusion because the French Navy named another frigate ( 1796 ) also as L'Unité , larger than the first one ( shown in your NMM drawing ), and taken by Capt. Edward Pellew / HMS Indefatigable in 1797.
The researches in the Musée National de la Marine served, a lot , to add important details such as : coppering , colors, adornments, fits, pumps, rigging, etc, all based on the same period models. Unfortunately, I didn't find in Paris'Museum specific information about this particular ship.
I'm tying to be as faithful as possible to the style and details used by the the French Navy of the time, and the original NMM drawing hull.


NMM drawing for "HMS Surprise late L'Unité " :

IMG_1537.jpg

IMG_1538.jpg

IMG_1541 (1).jpg
 
Uwek,

There were two L'Unité ships in the French navy at that time. The first, launched in 1794, was taken and converted in HMS Surprise in 1796.
The second, larger than de the first, was a frigate launched in 1796 ( NMM drawing you posted ), was taken by Capt. Edward Pellew / Indefatigable , in 1797.
I'm working on the original first L'Unité, before the refit in "Surprise ", on NMM drawing's basis. In Paris, I didn't find any specific material to this ship, but the research help me a lot establishing comparisons with ships from the same period, e.g. : coppering, colors, rigging, fittings, ornaments, etc.
The work is progressing, I will send more photos.
Tks.
 
Uwek,

There were two L'Unité ships in the French navy at that time. The first, launched in 1794, was taken and converted in HMS Surprise in 1796.
The second, larger than de the first, was a frigate launched in 1796 ( NMM drawing you posted ), was taken by Capt. Edward Pellew / Indefatigable , in 1797.
I'm working on the original first L'Unité, before the refit in "Surprise ", on NMM drawing's basis. In Paris, I didn't find any specific material to this ship, but the research help me a lot establishing comparisons with ships from the same period, e.g. : coppering, colors, rigging, fittings, ornaments, etc.
The work is progressing, I will send more photos.
Tks.
Many Thanks for the clarifications - interesting to know
 
Thanks Frank ! Here goes the method and recipe :
This was developed "in door", on trial and error basis sistem. So, the measurements are approximate, I suggest some tests until you are satisfied.
It works very well for weathering copper and brass parts.

1 - White grape vinegar ( 150 ml ) and fine table salt
2 - Boil the vinegar in a small pan and add the salt , mixing , until the saturation point = until the salt no longer dissolves.
3 - Let it cool down to room temperature.
4 -Clean the parts with alcohol to remove dirt and grease
5 - Apply in small amounts, with a thick brush, directly on the parts to be weathered.
6 - Wait it to dry, for one or two hours , and the chemical attack effect will appear.

If the effect is too strong, you can brush with water, removing the excess of applied mixture , and repeat the process.

I would like to know your results , please send comments and photos.
 
amazing result - It is looking sooooo good :cool:
 
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