13-12-2016, 08:11 AM
British four-masted barque model. Completely hand-built by myself - NOT a kit! Hull - wood. Masts, spars and rigging, 100% metal. The masts and spars are a combination of brass rod and tube, copper rod and silver steel rod. The rigging is fine copper wire. There are no knots anywhere. Most of the rigging is just glued on. The ratlines (ladders) are soldered on! Model shipbuilders do not generally like building this type of model because it is a merchant ship (the "gunports" are only decoration, and painted on, they do not open, and do not conceal guns!). Sailing ships are far easier to build than steamships because they have fewer decks, rails, portholes and lifeboats. I do not have the money, space, time or patience to bother with kits! This one took 57 hours to build, spread over several weeks! It was a bit of a "flop" at a London maritime auction, and my profit per hour only amounted to £1.77!
Bob
Bob