The Ship Model Forum

Wecome back Michel B

problem is that life can interfere with our modelmaking

alas with me too...

regards

JB

Hallo Michel,

Beautiful model! Very precise scratchbuilding!
May I ask what scale it is? And which masts and ratlines are you using?

Beste groeten,

Marijn

Thanks! The scale is 1:700, the ratlines are PE from Atlantic Models.

Bedankt Michel!

After a long time and some friendly, patient reminders by the Client, I've returned to the Union. Here she is with the masts redone, the spars up, sails made from white glue and the boats attached.

I'm thinking of giving her a matte coating of sorts to even out paint and glue blemishes. Preferably something in a spray. What would you guys suggest for a complex mixed-media build like this? Paint is enamel (Humbrol or Revell) thoughout.

Hi Michel

Welcome back!

What a beauty she is!!!!!!!

All the best,
Peter

love it! finally you are again at work on her! love every bit of the Union!

Nice to see you working on the corvette again.
About a final matt coat, you should do it I think but after rigging (including flags) is completed. I always used Testors Dullcoat which seems to have disappeared from the shelves in The Netherlands. It did gave nice results initially but I have noticed that my Hokoku Maru which I finished 4 years ago started yellowing after a year or two. Victorious was matted with the new Vallejo matt spray can which looks nice after two years. As you're doing a 19th century vessel some yellowing should not be a problem as stable white paints are very much a 20th century invention. You sails should have a faint grey tone for the same reason, BAP Union did not have modern dacron/polyester sails yet.

the safest varnish that I know of - absolutely NO yellowing
( artist quality )

is Windsor and Newton Galeria varnish

it is totally DEAD matt and I thin it approx 50/50 with distilled water ( car battery top-up water ) and spray at around 15 psi or less if rigging involved

I have yet to be more satisfied with any other product !


simply the best yet!

Cheers

JB

Thanks for the advice, guys. Without my own airbrush, I'll have to go for the spraycan, and I know where to get one here in my own city.
The only things left to do are:
add a basic rigging and flags, just as I did with the Independencia.
add the name, (printing on clear decal film in muted yellow)
add the anchors
add some deck clutter (fife rails, belaying pins)
paint touch-ups
add matt coat
ship her out!

So, I decided to paint the masts and spars buff, to be more in line with the Independencia. Almost all models of Peruvian sailing warships of the era seem to have it. But, this lead to the topmasts becoming clotted with paint. So I took them off, took them apart and started cleaning them; removing the paint, leaving the sails and starting over, trying to restore the pointy looks of the original turned brass.

Did not find the Vallejo, but found Testors Dullcoat, will try out on some armour models first. Of course I cant wait two years to see if those yellow.

Re-added the refurbished topmasts, added the anchors and anchor davits, re-attached the dolphin striker (had to look that one up, but want to use it in every sentence now dolphin striker).

This afternoon, I shipped the Union out. There have been little or no additions since the last images, just some minor repairs. Even then, I feel she's a fine model and will take her rightful place alongside the Independencia. This therefore is the end of the Union Build Log. Thanks for your interest, your encouragements and Peter, thanks for the patience.

It is really a nice model of this elegant corvette!

Great modelling, Mitchell!

MichelB wrote: I get very little from the drawings or the scant photographs. Would there have been a sort of bulwark? Would there have been a railing of sorts? I have no idea, leaving it all bare would seem strange/not OSHA safe .

Even with the dearth of information, awesome work Michel.

I went looking for photos and could only find this (which appears to be a mistake, since as I understand it the Peruvian AMERICA was actually the CSS Georgia's sister ship, CSS Texas) https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Online ... merica.htm