the Orlop Deck
In this group I will be working on the orlop deck and the figures that will be on it and the rest of the model. The inspiration for this model began when I came across a set of figures depicting Admiral Horatio Nelson dying at the battle of Trafalgar. I bought this set made by W. Britain. I was initially thinking of building just a shadow box of the cockpit area with Nelson dying, but decided to make a cutaway from top to bottom when I came across another set of W. Britain's figures showing a surgeon. Just about all of the purchased figures had to be modified somewhat, some of the figures I purchased were duplicated like the powder monkey boy and the wounded marine down below. I also found torsos, legs, arms, feet and hands that I duplicated by making two piece molds for and casting them in resin. I made these parts in order to modify some wrestlers that I found that would become crew members for the gun decks. More on these "wrestlers" later when I get to the gun decks. I also discovered that when I placed the roof over the orlop deck, that it was too dark to see the Nelson scene, so I decided to add 10 LED lights. They are battery operated, with the battery to be hidden in the mast/pump well.
   
   
  
 
In this group of photos I added the roof of the orlop which was also the floor of the lower gun deck. The elm tree and chain pumps have been added and the wires for the lights stored in the well compartment. I made the side so it can be removed in order to replace the batteries.
   
Down below one can see the soft light effect that the LED lights made. My camera can not capture the entire visual effect that the lights make, but I hope these photos can convey somewhat what ones sees when seeing the model in the flesh. The LED lights are supposed to last between 50,000 to 70,000 hours, so I figure they will outlast me, since they will only be on for short periods of time when I am displaying the model at art shows, at model contests and to visitors in my home gallery room.My
  
  
Here is the last set of photos dealing with the orlop deck. The orlop is just about complete, I have yet to make and add a ladder that will go from the lower gun deck to the orlop and perhaps another figure or two will be added sometime in the future. The orlop has 18 figures on it already and in the hold there are 2 others. The last of these photos show just a hair under 240 hours of work. I have been working on this project for 67 days at the time of this writing.
  
  
|
the Lower Gun Deck
I am now up to the lower gun deck. I needed to make the three 32 pounder cannons for this section of the deck. I turned a master out of wood and proceeded to make a box, lined the bottom with clay and made a two part mold. I took the mold and poured resin into it to make my cannons. I was able to take the resin cannons and mount them on the lathe to clean and refine them. Necessary components to the cannons were made, painted and added. I made the ceiling for the lower gun deck trying to place the carlings and ledges in their proper place. The two part capstan I turned and mounted the lower half.
   
   
   
Now came for the real test, to make the figures, hopefully showing some action. I used various sources for the figures. Most of them started as Micro Aggression wrestlers. They are very near 1/32 scale. I did file some of their muscles off and in many instances only used from the waist up. I duplicated many pants/trousers from other 1/32 scale figures I had and used them in junction with many wrestlers. Arms had to be cut off and re-adjusted to show the action I wanted them to portray. There are 17 figures on the lower gun deck. The marine (in red) I made from a Preiser Prussians 1756 set. The Prussian was modified with filing, cutting and epoxy putty. For many of the wrestlers I changed heads using the Preiser model figure Adam set.
   
  
  
Now for some photos with the ceiling of the lower gun deck (floor of the middle gun deck) in place. The cannon on the far left is being readied to load. The one in the middle is being pulled up and adjusted to fire it and the one on the right is set for firing. These photos hopefully will show how confine the space was on the lower gun deck of the HMS Victory. At this point in the build (I'm about half way) I have over 421 hours of work into this project. Now on to the middle gun deck.
   
  
  
the Middle Gun Deck
I am now going to the middle gun deck. Below are some samples of the figures I am using. Many of my figures started out as Micro Aggression wrestlers that I purchased (they are on the right). My modied figure is on the left. In many instances, I discarded their bottom torso and replaced them with torsos I casted from other 1/32 scale figures. I modified their upper bodies trying to make them less muscular. In some cases I added "body fat." In the 6th and 7th photos down below are the scratch built figures I made from a W. Britians figure set I purchased (they are on the right). For these I made a two piece mold and casted in resin my figures. The marine I casted had a fancy "feather" on his hat like the original, but I cut it off since the gun deck was too low. In addition to the group seen in the last photo, I later added another sailor who was injured. He can be seen in some of the other middle gun deck photos.
   
   
Now some photos of the figures in place on the middle gun deck without the roof on. This is the fun part, placing the figures in place. They have been secured with a pin place through the foot and ankle and epoxied in place. The cannons here are 24 pounders. The cannon barrels were casted in resin from a master I turned and the carriages are made from yellow heart wood. Figures were modified (mostly in arms and hands) to show some type of activity.
   
   
Here are more photos of the middle gun deck, most with the roof (floor of the upper gun deck) in place. The gun port lids will not be put in place until the model is nearly finished. I think they could easily be knocked off if in place now. On the outside of the hull in yellow is yellow heart wood and the black is ebony.
   
  
  
Now on to the upper gun deck.
|
d 
u 
r 
oj
ec 
t 
