The Mary Rose

Graham,

I’ve worked my way through your build log for the second time. I’m absolutely fascinated by your build methods and explanations. I look forward to seeing more.

Jan
 
Thanks for your kind words, Maarten and Jan. I think it is important to detail some of the build process. I am not saying it is a tutorial or how people should do it, it is just how I do it. I think of myself as a quite experienced modeller, but I continue to learn and pick up some good tips from other build logs on this site.
 
Moving on to the deck. I used balsa sheet for the template (very easy to shape) and marked the plank breaks and hatch which the rear most mast must pass through -
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Now some side formers to support the bulwarks and cross braces to support the deck itself -

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At this point I realised that the further I go along with this additional deck it will be difficult to get to the areas where I need to delineate the hatches below it, so back to sticking on paint brush bristles -

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Because I slightly curved the bulwark supports inward before fitting them the deck will not now drop straight in, so I shall build it in two halves -

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Shaped, sanded, nails marked, dry fit before staining -

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Detailing completed on the front side of the bulkhead 20200321_155602.jpg

... and on the back side - easier to do now before the bulwark planking is fitted. Hatch edged and also the bulwark/deck edging fitted as I hope this will help the planking follow the curve of the deck -

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O.5mm planking pre-painted and fitted. Happy with the line of this, it looks a bit scabby on the outside, but this will be covered by clinker planking as on the lower hull -

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While this was drying, some work on the fwd castle deck bulkhead -

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. ..and Evie and Red dropped by to offer technical advice (and eat my biscuits) -

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Bulwarks fitted -

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..and painted. Same colour as the mid section which is Tudor Green, or as near to it as I can get -

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Framing added -

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...and the clinker planking --

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Just the panel lines to add later. I think it went okay with a bit of puzzling/swearing and my respect for the guys who scratch build has increased exponentially!
 
I love your build and what you have done with this kit. I much prefer the colorful high-castles version of the Anthony roll to the cut-down version depicted in the kit. I have several ships waiting their turn to enter the ways, but this build is tempting me. Though I'd never be able to match what you done, I find myself looking to see where this kit is available - just in case.
 
I am finishing my first build hms beagle (Darwin layout). I have purchased Mary Rose so this build is of great interest to me.
Thank you
 
The Mary rose trust has identified that the waterline gun ports were open when she made a turn during battle, watched by Henry Vlll, it was his flagship
 
Ohhhh no! You might read the book sometime. It's very interesting and it all boiled down to not getting a son and heir to the Crown. His women were far from harlots I think but the story is really interesting.
 
I was joking lol, I am aware of his reasons, he was also well known for putting it about a bit, he was focused on getting his own way with country and religion, however he loved his flagship and was shocked when it sank during the Solent battle. I used to have my own boat close to Solent and dived the area.
 
Graham,
Great work on your Mary Rose. I am fascinated by the Tudor warship style of the time. It is truly a great example of "form follows function" where the castle decks' height gave the offensive AND defensive advantage of the period's combat strategy of "range attack, then board". Although every time I look at the height profile of such ships, I get dizzy and they do look so top heavy, yet beautiful.

Super work, although I haven't seen a post in a while. Have you made any progress recently. Would love to see. Hope all is well. Stay safe!

Cheers,
Ken
 
Thank you all for your kind comments. As pointed out by Ken I have not been in the shipyard for a while. March saw the lockdown and variations of it, so we took more interest in the garden and have been growing lots of vegetables etc. This generated a number of woodworking projects like a new workbench, fencing, raised beds, compost bin and a number of other things like a lean-to greenhouse -
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Restoration of a barrel money box made by an uncle when he was an apprentice cooper in 1960 -
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Plus, She Who Must be Obeyed has started making wine and cider (and very good it is) so that necessitated a garage clear out and racking building.
Not to mention a new granddaughter and some projects for her older sister, too.
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To be honest I haven't stopped this year and could do with a holiday - but there is nowhere to go! No matter, the day will come. I hope to be back in the shipyard early September and will keep you posted, thanks for following and kept well.
 
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Was the mary Rose the ship that they kept adding stuff to the build and when it was launched it promptly rolled over as it was way out of balance?
Hi. There were a number of contributing factors -
1. The guns she sank with were not the ones she originally had at launch. As casting techniques of cannon improved heavier guns could be made in greater numbers and hence re-fitted to get the maximum firepower. Certainly heavier than the ones she was designed for.
2. The lower gunports are quite near the waterline. As she heeled over the ship took longer to recover to a vertical position and the water flooded in the open gun ports.
3. The design of the gun port lids indicates that in order for them to remain open a rope was tied to a higher point on the ship's exterior, maybe even to the inboard belaying rails. This being the case the gun crew could not close the ports themselves (like on, say, HMS Victory) even if they wanted to.
4. There is speculation that some of the crew were foreign and therefore may not have fully understood the orders being given when turning the ship.
Note that she did not sink when launched. Launched 1511, completed 1512, sank 1545, so she had quite a long life.
All sounds a bit like a disaster waiting to happen, doesn't it?!
Hope this helps.
 
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I’m finding it difficult to get information on gun emplacements and type for Mary Rose. I realise there was a mix but, placement and type seems pretty important
Does anyone have information please.
My build begins tomorrow
 
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