This will be my build log for AL's "Independence 1775". First let me say that this is an entirely fictional vessel, much like Al's Swift or Harvey. It is , however, representative of the colonial schooners built in America between 1763 and 1775. Harold Hahn covers these ships in his book "The Colonial Schooner - 1763 - 1775"
I was drawn to the vessel because of her lines, and especially the bluff bow. But what convinced me to build this model was the excellent build log of Clare Hess (logged here on this forum
Clare is building the model on commission and has seriously kit-bashed the build. The result is a beautiful , if fictional, colonial schooner circa 1775.
The first problem with the kit is the scale. The box cover lists the model as 1:35 scale. At that large scale, the model would be very small...smaller in fact than "Sultana", the smallest schooner known to have been built. A vessel that tiny would never be able to be armed with 4 carriage-mounted cannons. What to do?
Clare decided to build the model in 1:48 scale. I chose a different path. After researching both the "Halifax" and "Sultana" in Hahn's book, I discovered that if I built the kit in 5/16" scale, the model would be a little smaller than "Halifax" but larger than "Sultana". She should be able to carry 4 three-pounder cannons
The 5/16" scale is unusual, and it translates to 1:38.4! Convieniently this works out to 8 mm = 1 inch, a convenient ratio. So I'll be building "Independence" using metric measurements.
I completed the hull framing and reinforced the framing with blocks. Probably overkill, but the bulkheads are plywood and very hard. Fairing the hull would put a lot of stress on them so I decided better safe than sorry.
I plan to use the same wood scheme as Clare: boxwood decking, boxwood and swiss pear hull planking. I will used redheart for the inboard bulwark planking and the deck furniture ordinarily painted red. I plan to use the barest minimum of paint possible.
I was drawn to the vessel because of her lines, and especially the bluff bow. But what convinced me to build this model was the excellent build log of Clare Hess (logged here on this forum
Clare is building the model on commission and has seriously kit-bashed the build. The result is a beautiful , if fictional, colonial schooner circa 1775.
The first problem with the kit is the scale. The box cover lists the model as 1:35 scale. At that large scale, the model would be very small...smaller in fact than "Sultana", the smallest schooner known to have been built. A vessel that tiny would never be able to be armed with 4 carriage-mounted cannons. What to do?
Clare decided to build the model in 1:48 scale. I chose a different path. After researching both the "Halifax" and "Sultana" in Hahn's book, I discovered that if I built the kit in 5/16" scale, the model would be a little smaller than "Halifax" but larger than "Sultana". She should be able to carry 4 three-pounder cannons
The 5/16" scale is unusual, and it translates to 1:38.4! Convieniently this works out to 8 mm = 1 inch, a convenient ratio. So I'll be building "Independence" using metric measurements.
I completed the hull framing and reinforced the framing with blocks. Probably overkill, but the bulkheads are plywood and very hard. Fairing the hull would put a lot of stress on them so I decided better safe than sorry.
I plan to use the same wood scheme as Clare: boxwood decking, boxwood and swiss pear hull planking. I will used redheart for the inboard bulwark planking and the deck furniture ordinarily painted red. I plan to use the barest minimum of paint possible.