1:700 BAP Independencia

[MichelB]

Armed with Jim's valuable advice, I got a pair of plyers, some copper wire and went medieval on this. The result is below, not too shabby, if I say so myself. Next: the aft gun mount and the various deck hatches.

[Filipe Ramires]

Interesting technique. Note book where are you???
Good work, Michel.

[Peter Rathgeb]

That looks great, Michel!

I must start my Huascar now, would be a shame if I finished the kit after your scratchbuild!

Cheers,
Peter

[MichelB]

A sunday afternoon's progress. Aft gun rails installed. Starboard side hatches installed. Two out of three skylights installed. Three mast bases installed: a 2x2mm with a 1mm hole drilled in. The holes for the anchorchain have been added. (proper nautical term eludes me at the moment) I'll have to add one more skylight and the armoured conning tower, and then she'll be ready for the silicone rubber. With any luck, put her in tonight and tomorrow cast the first copies.

[MichelB]

Last details added, and a final coat of primer, ready to go into the rubber.

The fun thing about making a mold halfway through, it is like a "save" moment in a computer game. If I muck up later, I'll recast a new hull!

[mabmanu]

Hello .

Nice work .

[Quincy]

Stellar work Michel!!





Bob Pink.

[JIM BAUMANN]

looking good!


JIM B

[Peter Rathgeb]

Hey Michel!

Looks great! I started my Kombrig kit of the Huascar yesterday, Independencia will look interesting beside her!

Cheers,
Peter

[MichelB]

Images of the first catings. It's really tricky to get the details filled out. I don't have a pressure chamber, so I have to remove bubbles with a small plastic toothpick while the resin is slowly but surely setting. Difficult, but that's garage manufacturing for ya.

In the back is the Master, next a clear copy and in front a copy with a layer of primer.

[MichelB]

Just to let you know: this ship still has No1 priority for me. It's just that the new job has been quite exhausting for the past two weeks, and any real modelling has not been possible. Hopefully this will change in the coming days.

[Peter Rathgeb]

Just to let you know: this ship still has No1 priority for me. It's just that the new job has been quite exhausting for the past two weeks, and any real modelling has not been possible. Hopefully this will change in the coming days.

Don't worry, Michel - the ship looks great, and it's worth the wait.

Cheers,
Peter

[MichelB]

FINALLY! YES! I've gotten my groove back and am at it again. And further ado: here she is, together with the Japanese steam corvette Kongo from Seals Models. The painting is the first layer and will of course be finetuned. Hopefully more progress tomorrow.

[MichelB]

Few updates. It is turning out to be a particular hassle to figure out the armament. I first assumed that I could go with the armament as shown in the drawing supplied by the internet, which shows one big gun (a 250pdr Blakely rifle) at the bows, and a 150pdr Parrot rifle at the back. But the spanish WIkipedia says that not only did she carry these on the upper deck, there were also 2 Armstrong 150pdrs and 2 9pdrs installed, somewhere. Anyone have any idea on this?

Another issue which I hope people can help me with is the way the rolled up hammocks were stowed behind the bulwarks. THey were stowed in diffirent ways with different ships/fleets/customs: does anyone know how the Peruvians did this? Otherwise I'll have to go with how it was done on British ships of the era, I suppose that would be close enough.

Any ideas? This ship needs to float now!

[MichelB]

Then I find another site (Here) which says:
In the Pacific War of 1879 between Chile and Peru, the Peruvian ironclad frigate Independence was built in 1864 equipped with cannons lined muzzleloader hunting Armstrong of 203 mm (8 inches) forward and aft. (Google Translate)
Now what?

[Peter Rathgeb]

Hi Michel.

As announced in my PM, here the "profile" I found somewhere in the net.

I don't know if you know this.

Please go on, she's becoming a beauty!!!

Peter

[MichelB]

Update, from a rainy Saturday afternoon. Here's a test stand to figure out the dimensions of the rig on one of the miscast hulls. This is really done mainly with the Mark I Eyeball, figuring out how high something has to go, and trying to integrate it with the ratlines (from Atlantic Models). It seems that only the largest size ratline will do, so I'll have to order another set. Or can anyone spare them?

[maxim]

Is it possible to get a casting of a hull?

[MichelB]

Update! I've installed the foremast and added the ratlines. Was a bit difficult to cut them down, being steel and all, but I persevered. Now I have to wait for the next ratline set to arrive in the mail. In the mean time, I'll concentrate on the little details on the deck. Not much is known, however, and things like the hammock-splinter shielding, I still have to figure it out. Other things, such as the bridge, will be easier.

[Dave Rowe]

Nice work Michel Excellent level of detail for such a small subject, the paint brings it out nicely.