HMS Victory and Le Redoutable at Trafalgar (1/300)

[MartinJQuinn]

People who see it in the flesh keep telling me that it is so much smaller than they imagined from the photographs (even people who are used to 1/300 � 1/350)

The close ups make it seem like this is a 1/72 scale model. The detail for 1/300 is mind blowing! So many little stories playing out...

[JIM BAUMANN]

That is a tremendous amount of top quality work !!

in a short 6.5 years though.... ( since 2018 ! )

What tenacity and perseverance you have
.......simply amazing .....

its your Magnum Opus

( though you may even trump that one day--don't know how...
but with you anything is possible !!

Did you ever anticipate it taking that Long ? ( ala EJ Foeth with his Hood !! )

There has been no compromise in sheer quality

Bravo

Best wishes for the masts, sails and rigging

JB

[Devin]

I like Dan's idea of photos. Macro shots of parts of the model to be displayed with the diorama.

And, as always, ridiculously well done. I showed these photos to Kristen and she said, "He's insane. In a good way, but still insane".

[marijn van gils]

Many thanks Dan, Martin, Jim and Devin!


Jim, when I started I thought it would be a 5 year project, maybe six.
But I also knew that both the subject and the challenges involved would keep me passioned from start to finish, and so far I was right about that one!
And all one needs to keep on putting ones best effort into something is passion, no?

Nevertheless, the next project will surely be a smaller one!


Thank Kristen for the compliment for me, Devin! I hope to see both of you again on october?

Dan does have a point. Many small scale models have the same problem (especially 1/700), but here the masts and spars will make it harder to get up close too. And at shows, it will unfortunately be impossible to display the model without a glass cover. The risks of damage and dust are too great...

I'm also leaning towards photos. I think I will have to make a 'brag book' for people to flip through?

[wefalck]

Perhaps you should get yourself one of those cameras that look like an electric toobrush and are used by dentists to take pictures from inside of the mouth. They are quite cheap, but don't have a phenomenal resolution. With this one could get some action shots from deck-level ...

[StevenVD]

He can't do that. When he has to judge a contest, they'd say " oh no, there is that guy with his internal camera"...

[Devin]

Thank Kristen for the compliment for me, Devin! I hope to see both of you again on October?

I'm also leaning towards photos. I think I will have to make a 'brag book' for people to flip through?

Yes, Marijn, we plan on making SMC again this year. Waiting 'patiently' for the hotel room announcement!

A "brag book" would probably work great. I was told by those that judged my B-Wing last year at SMC that a book detailing what I did on the build would have been most helpful. In your case, it'd be a great way to show the minute detail without putting the model at risk.

[Rui Matos]

Hi Marijn et al

Well... I'll second Jim Baumann's comment all the way!
A "brag book" would be a wonderful companion for those who have NOT being watching this wonderful project grow and evolve, like we have been here (and delighted to!!!)

For me, apart from being a marvel to watch and learn new tricks, this project is a drive for me to do better in my own (little in scale and dimension) projects!
Congrats Marijn and thank you for the update!
Cheers,
Rui

[marijn van gils]

Thank you Rui! That is probably the most wonderful compliment one could ever give!

Perhaps you should get yourself one of those cameras that look like an electric toobrush and are used by dentists to take pictures from inside of the mouth. They are quite cheap, but don't have a phenomenal resolution. With this one could get some action shots from deck-level ...

My brother works for a company that manufactures surgical visualization tools. Maybe he could hook me up?

Yes, Marijn, we plan on making SMC again this year. Waiting 'patiently' for the hotel room announcement!

Great! I'm already looking forward to it!
And yes, those rooms sell out veeery quickly...

[SG1]

Stunned to the point of being speechless. So Cool Marijn!

[marijn van gils]

Thank you SG!

[Martocticvs]

This is beyond phenomenal...

[pete wenman]

This just keeps getting better and better. Stunning work

P

[pascalemod]

Well this is Mount Everest of model making being summited without oxygen. What a fantastic feat.

[Dan K]

Well this is Mount Everest of model making being summited without oxygen.

And, that is an over-the-top analogy

[Joelle]

It's so incredible what kind of atmosphere you create here on this tiny gem.
It's amazing.

[marijn van gils]

Thank you very much for the nice words guys!
And sorry for the long silence.


I have been modelling though!
Next to twisting a lot of copper wire into scale �rope� of different diameters, I painted the masts and yards of both ships (but only got round to take photos of Victory, and without yards):




But I didn�t glue them in place yet, to make rigging a bit easier.
Work started on the bowsprit of Victory:


While the bowsprit was still detached from the model, I installed all the rigging possible. This includes collars and blocks for lines to be attached much later (like the collars and open hearts for the fore stay and preventer stay).


Then, the bowsprit was glued in place:


Now, all the details and rigging was added that I could attach before adding the spritsail yard. This included the woolding, marines walk, main stay and preventer stay collars, the boomkins, and the netting lining the beakhead.




Meanwhile, the spritsail yard also received all lines and blocks possible while still detached from the model.


After which it was attached to the bowsprit with its sling (and plenty of superglue). I failed to drill holes and install a pin in these before painting, but the sling and glue seems plenty firm.


And the remaining lines were added!


More lines will be added later, when the other masts are in place. Note for example the block �flying� from the starboard end of the yard. This is part of the yards braces and will attach to one of the stays. The port brace will be damaged and its block therefore hangs down. Some foresight is necessary for this kind of work!




With a white background, it is difficult to see that different ropes have different colours. But in these close-ups (very close ones!, because the previous shots were already magnified by x2 or x3 !), it is more visible:







Next would be the fore and main masts. But I think I will first do another batch of figures.

[johndon]

Stunning, I have to keep reminding myself just how small this actually is.

[Vladi]

Fantastic! This would be a real gem even in a 10times larger scale!

[Janssen]

Marijn,

This looks amazing! Any chance you can share some details on how you created those ropes in this scale?

Any idea how are you going to tackle the shrouds?