Hi,
Ever since I felt the need do to another ship model, at the beginning of this year I started looking around for model kit and brands. My first thought was to build the HMS Victory, but although this is not my first model kit (I have the HMS Endeavour and São João Baptista, I did them log ago in what seems a different life) I thought that the HMS Victory could be too much skill and money. So I started to look at other ship that participated in the battle of Trafalgar and narrow it down to two: the Santissima Trinidad and the Santa Anna. In the end I went to the Santissima Trinidad. After that first decision I started my research of the ship. My knowledge of the ST could by resumed to she being the ship with more guns, that it was the flag ship of the Spaniards and it was taken during the battle and later sunk in the storm that follow it so suffice to say I needed to do my home work.
At the time the kit arrived my idea was to build the ship following the model with two differences: the stern and the forecastle. for these alteration I was going to follow the model of the Real Carlos from the Madrid's Naval Museum. My problem now is that I feel I have enough information to build her as she left Cuba but I'm afraid this would require more skill then the one I have.
Did anyone went through the same predicament? I would really like to hear your opinions as them might shed some light and help me decide the best way to go.
Now to the build itself. The problem started as soon as I open the box. as I was going though the different elements of the kit I notice that the front half of the false keel was bended.
I tried to put it back to the original position, soaked it in hot water and left it pressed for two days. on the second day, in the morning before work I looked at it and it was dry and perfectly flat I was a happy man. Wend I came back from work in the end of the day it was back in its original bended position...
Since I couldn´t get it right and the solution of the man at the store was: buy a new one (they had one for sale) or do what I did I decided to go a different way. do a few holes in the frames and use some wedges to force the false keel in to the right position.
Because I would never get a perfect square alignment of the frames I didn't glue the frames to the false keel so I will have some freedom of movement when placing the deck planks.
As you can see from the last photo the first frame is no aligned (none of the frames in the first half of the false keel are) but I can ajust it because they are not glued...
Ever since I felt the need do to another ship model, at the beginning of this year I started looking around for model kit and brands. My first thought was to build the HMS Victory, but although this is not my first model kit (I have the HMS Endeavour and São João Baptista, I did them log ago in what seems a different life) I thought that the HMS Victory could be too much skill and money. So I started to look at other ship that participated in the battle of Trafalgar and narrow it down to two: the Santissima Trinidad and the Santa Anna. In the end I went to the Santissima Trinidad. After that first decision I started my research of the ship. My knowledge of the ST could by resumed to she being the ship with more guns, that it was the flag ship of the Spaniards and it was taken during the battle and later sunk in the storm that follow it so suffice to say I needed to do my home work.
At the time the kit arrived my idea was to build the ship following the model with two differences: the stern and the forecastle. for these alteration I was going to follow the model of the Real Carlos from the Madrid's Naval Museum. My problem now is that I feel I have enough information to build her as she left Cuba but I'm afraid this would require more skill then the one I have.
Did anyone went through the same predicament? I would really like to hear your opinions as them might shed some light and help me decide the best way to go.
Now to the build itself. The problem started as soon as I open the box. as I was going though the different elements of the kit I notice that the front half of the false keel was bended.
I tried to put it back to the original position, soaked it in hot water and left it pressed for two days. on the second day, in the morning before work I looked at it and it was dry and perfectly flat I was a happy man. Wend I came back from work in the end of the day it was back in its original bended position...
Since I couldn´t get it right and the solution of the man at the store was: buy a new one (they had one for sale) or do what I did I decided to go a different way. do a few holes in the frames and use some wedges to force the false keel in to the right position.
Because I would never get a perfect square alignment of the frames I didn't glue the frames to the false keel so I will have some freedom of movement when placing the deck planks.
As you can see from the last photo the first frame is no aligned (none of the frames in the first half of the false keel are) but I can ajust it because they are not glued...