Time has come to add details to the hull.
I have always found the beakhead bows of man ‘o war extremely aesthetically pleasing, so that is where I started. It is also one of the most complex parts of the ship…
I started by adding the cheeks. The two main pieces on each side were cut, carved and sanded from plastic sheet. When glued in place, two grooves were cut. In these, twisted copper was glued. These were flanked by two lengths of stretched sprue. Finally, hawse holes were drilled in the hull, and slots for the head timbers were cut in the top of the cheeks.
Next, the head timbers and main rail were cut and carved from plastic sheet and installed. This was probably the most critical phase for getting all proportions and shapes to end up correct and symmetrical. The cross pieces were added in between the two main rails from stock square plastic rod.
Now the lower and middle rails could be added, completing the lower part of the beakhead. At the top, carlings were added in between the cross pieces.
Gratings were now added, cut from a generic PE sheet. Also the cathead and their supports were installed.
Finally, the last details were added: ladders, seats of ease, false rails (ridged pieces on top of main rails), knightheads, hinges on the doors and bowchase ports, …
And as a reminder of the scale of this model:
Of course, the figurehead still needs to be added, but I'll first detail the stern and get 'back into' sculpting on that area first.
Cheers,
Marijn