Steam corvette BAP Union (1865)

[MichelB]

After a long wait, I've caught the scratchbuilding bug again. Once again it's a Peruvian vessel from the 19th century; the steam corvette BAP Uni�n, ordered originally for the Confederate States of America from a french shipbuilder in St.Nazaire, abandonded then the slipways, optioned by Prussia and ultimatly picked up by the Peruvians. Plans were provided by a MW.com comrade (thanks!) and so I set off. I've decided to build this one first, followed by the USS Kearsarge.

Here's the hull, already well advanced. I have ordered thin nickel silver wire to recreate the gun carriage rails on deck, which should give a more in-scale appearance than the thicker brass wire I used on the Independencia. This is clearly a corvette, with sleek lines and a nice gracious bow. A lot of the deck details will be conjecture, based on period photographs of comparable french vessels.

[Stefano Salesi]

bookmarked this topic. will follow with interest!

[moomoon]

Very nice hull and subject.
Hull is made of several horizontal layers of plastic sheets, right?

[LE BOSCO]

Hello Michel

me too will follow with interest beautiful hull
cheers
Nicolas

[Ziga]

Michel, it's great to see that you used Dean' drawing. The Union was a real beauty. I will surely follow this thread with interest. Are you going to put the torpedo boat Alianaza on her deck (she carried her to Arica during the famous double breaking of Chilean blockade of that harbour)?

All the best,
Kaz

[Quincy]

Looking forward of your progress too!




Bob Pink.

[FlowerPower]

wat een gepriegel!

Rough translation: amazing job with tiny stuff

[Ronald47]

Daar ben ik het mee eens!

Translation: I agree to that!

Nice work Mitch. You've got my attention.

[MichelB]

Here's some progress. I noticed that the Union did have a slight tumblehome, as did many frigates of the day, and this was completely absent. I proceeded to glue a 0,5mm layer of evergreen against the sides, after have blackened the original side with a sharpie. After drying and bonding for a night, I started carefully sanding down this added layer to create the slight tumblehome effect, using the sharpie markings beneath the evergreen to gauge depth. I have also bought silver nickel wire to use to create the carriage tracks on the deck.

[mabmanu]

Hello .
Beau travail .

[maxim]

Could you make resin copies of that hull?

This corvette is really an elegant example!

Lars

[MichelB]

The past two weeks I've refound some of my old building mojo, so there is progress once more. I've started on the armament of this beauty, working on the 12 40pdr guns on the classical gun carriage. The thing is 5mm long, with a barrel at 4mm. They are made from 1:700 152mm british AA guns (KGV), cut off at 4mm and then giving a step with Tamiya masking tape (the yellow bits). They do the job admirably in this scale. Still somewhat experimental, I will have to make several and keep the best ones.

Lars, no, unfortunatly, I will probably not make a mold of this one.

[maxim]

Do you consider it to be easier to cut the parts for the carriage to the correct size after glueing them together? I have not yet tried that, but I have always cut the parts to size before assembling them.

In regard of the hull: Spijtig! (hope I have chosen the correct word) Or: Jammer! (that appears to fit, at least it would be somehow possible to use the same word in German).

Is it possible to get the drawings?

[Neptune]

Well actually "Spijtig" would be Flemish rather than Dutch (Yeah, we wasted that language pretty badly). "Jammer" would be used by the Dutch.

As for your building mojo, I can see why you lost it. Perhaps you can build something larger than a flea next time??? I think most people won't even see those guns without a huge magnifier! Terrific job, I admire your patience!

[MichelB]

Do you consider it to be easier to cut the parts for the carriage to the correct size after glueing them together? I have not yet tried that, but I have always cut the parts to size before assembling them.

In regard of the hull: Spijtig! (hope I have chosen the correct word) Or: Jammer! (that appears to fit, at least it would be somehow possible to use the same word in German).

Is it possible to get the drawings?

Your comment got me thinking. I might actually make a mold of her. I'll need a little more tlc on the hull before I commit.

As for the carriages: I cut the things after glueing. Things like the protruding wheels are thin that I can't measure them to a ruler i can just place the knife at the correct distance using the Mk I Eyeball when the carriage is already together.

Neptune? you, wasting our language? It's the Flemish who keep scoring highest in language tests and the old Tien voor Taal show. Hey, I sort of miss that one. It's the Flemish who can add the varnish of French tonality to the brick-and-potatoes grunts we call Dutch. Except English loanwords. Those you waste. Those you guys waste epically. Sorry, had to say it. Cheers, mate!

[Stefano Salesi]

great scratchbuilding skills!

love the guns and the hull of your corvette! i was waiting for updates, hope that the mojo will be strong in you!!

[Peter Rathgeb]

Michel,

she's coming along great! And what a beauty of a ship!
Good idea for the guns!

Cheers,
Peter

[MichelB]

Here's some progress. I've given the deck and the hull the first layer of paint. I added the 'line' just below the gunports by masking.
The masts and the ratlines are for show, just to give an impression. I think the ratlines mounted inboard, except the mizzen's, they are mounted on the poop. On the model, that means that the pulleys (?) will end up lower and hidden behind the bullwarks. Maybe this would be a good time to make a mold?

[Neptune]

Except English loanwords. Those you waste. Those you guys waste epically. Sorry, had to say it. Cheers, mate!

My my, since Flanders is part of the USA, we're allowed to waste the English language. Now that's my dose of political incorrectnes for the day. On with your build. Great work once again! Love the lines of that hull!

[MichelB]

I've found this image of a contemporary french vessel giving a good glimpse of the various deck details and rigging. It's l'Armide, an armoured frigate from 1867. The image comes from a tome called Histore de la Marine from the 1930's, a large scale image-strewn book by l'Illustriation, a well-known prewar french periodical, which I got in a lot auction of maritime books once.