Finished

Ah, that clears it.
Now we're asking questions anyway, why are you banned (looking at your picture) en from where?
MSW will not allow comments referring to manufacturers which they banned on MSW on their forum or anyone else's. It's actually in their rules. Go here to see how that happened:

LINK


ARRRRrrrr!!!! Pirate FlagShip-1
 
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I read your story. You really are despicable Kurt!

Now that you mention it, shortly after I registered here at Shipsofscale I received a message from one of the MSW mods or someone comparable. Was I aware of the fact that those people supported pirated kits? Shouldn't I not, knowing about it, immediately end my membership here?
I wrote back that never in my life I bought any kit (except Polish paper airplane kits) and that I was not planning to, that I had become a member because I wanted to share my scratch work and meet interesting people and that I was not out to improve the world. The fact that a lot of people behave badly on the road does not mean I do no longer use means of transportation using roads. The knowledge only made me a careful driver. He regretted my attitude, but never came back to the matter.
 
I don't build much in the Summer, so I have not seen this thread. (I have an extensive flower and edible garden which requires all of my attention).
All of your Fluit models have helped me a great deal in building my Zeehaen. Furthermore, I learned a lot from your constructive criticism on Modelshipworld on how I incorrectly build the stern area of my fluit and how I should do it correctly. I plan on building 2 more fluits.

I find that all of your models are beautifully executed and the figures you add to the models make it more realistic.

Marcus
 
Thanx Hubac's Historian, but it is just paper, nothing special.

Herbert and me are still doing a lot of things together. He is working on a couple of nice dioramas. Really great. He came to me in the ninetees to get some information about fluits. And now look what he did with it. I guess you know his Texel diorama? https://artitec.nl/plattegrond-diorama/
 
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I do. I sought Herbert out in 2003, when I was working at Batavia Werf. I had noticed a small diorama he had made for the Werf and I wanted to see more, so I called him and he invited me to his shop in Amsterdam, where he was constructing the Texel diorama.

This experience really blew me away! I had never met anyone quite like Herbert, nor had I seen this kind of scratch-building in resin and plastic. He was so generous with his time, and explained and showed me exactly how he makes the ships. He gave me a challenge for the remaining month that I would be in Holland; to try and replicate his techniques on a small Botter boat. He gave me a prototype to copy, some sheet plastic, a pair of vaccu-formed hull shells, and asked me to return with the attempt before I went home.

This was a very busy time in my life. I was doing repair work on the Batavia. I had purchased a piece of pattern-grade mahogany for a relief carving that I was teaching myself how to make. Timon Pasterkamp had even allowed me to use all of the student gouges in the bieldsnijderij (not sure about spelling, there). And, then, I was attempting to make this model in the evenings.

I was having the time of my life! At the end of the month, I had managed a more than respectable facsimile of his techniques and had gotten the hull planked, caprail in place and had made a start on the deck housing.

Herbert was impressed enough that I was capable. He was trying to find someone, at the time, with a strong enough interest to develop a few ships from the French fleet. He was also in association with another builder, at the time - Max Lienarts, who was developing a lines plan for a French first-rate. Unfortunately, Mr. Lienarts passed before completing this project. A few years ago, I found this picture, and I believe this is the product of Max’s work:

199C382B-EDD3-443D-B408-A86047FAAE3B.jpeg

In my opinion, this is a very good interpretation of Album de Colbert.

Anyhow, that is what happened to Max and when I came home in ‘03, I got very busy with becoming a better woodworker. I didn’t return to ship modeling until 2017, when my kids were a little older.

The sheer magnitude of the Texel diorama and the prolific nature of the work that he (and you) has accomplished is difficult for an amateur builder, like myself, to wrap his head around. Where does one find the time to recreate all of the important ships of the Dutch navy, and a few of the English ships, as well?

To this day, Herbert remains a gracious source of information and advice on the few occasions that I have reached out to him. He’s a gem of a guy, for sure!
 
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Ha! Those were the days. Batavia wharf still alive and kicking....

By that time I was not a very welcome guest there any more. Vos was brilliant and competent, but he had problems with people with ideas of their own.
It was around 2002 or 3 that I was invited to the yard to help with a new design for de 7 Provinciën. Vos was removed and because of apparent mistakes the build came to a halt. Together with Herbert Tomesen and Cor Emke I redesigned the ship, which was consequently broken down to its keel. The new skeleton was well on its way when the management decided to stop the project. It was foreseeable from the start but it was the (mis)management who wanted the ship instead of a much smaller and more interesting one, like a fluit.

Well, it's all water under the bridge, but it's a pity the yard lost its (inter)national pride and reason to exist.
Everything of value is defenseless, as the poet says...
 
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Yeah, it was a sad thing about Willem Vos. I had the sense, back then, that he was being edged away from his own project. It is really unfortunate that the Provincien never came to completion. It was the most ambitious, authentic reconstruction of its time. The decision to redesign the “spiegel” was the correct one. For my part, though, I could never understand why they never constructed a shed roof over the project; a little weather is good for seasoning the timber. Ten years and more is much less good. Anyway, there were a lot of really amazing people there, and I am very glad to have been afforded that opportunity.
 
Actually, Paul, I was referring to the construction of the Provincien. The whole thing was left in the open air for so long that there must have been some rot to the floor timbers even before the project was shut down.

The Batavia is in a constant state of repair and maintenance.
 
Actually, Paul, I was referring to the construction of the Provincien. The whole thing was left in the open air for so long that there must have been some rot to the floor timbers even before the project was shut down.

The Batavia is in a constant state of repair and maintenance.
I seem to recall seeing a roof over the abandoned 7P (open air on the sides) - but maybe that is a late addition. The upper masts were off the Batavia (being worked on) - and the sprit topmast looked like it would have been easy to push into the sea.

P1030674.JPG

P1030686.JPG

Sorry to hijack your "Finished" log Ab...
 
Thanx Kurt, but it is just paper, nothing special.

Herbert and me are still doing a lot of things together. He is working on a couple of nice dioramas. Really great. He came to me in the ninetees to get some information about fluits. And now look what he did with it. I guess you know his Texel diorama? https://artitec.nl/plattegrond-diorama/
Dioramas like this are, for me, the most impressive of models. A snapshot out of history.
1659042427202.png
 
Definitely a late addition. For years after I left, it was still just open air. Maybe after the fire, they began to think a little more closely toward protecting the asset. I kind of wish they'd just sell the hull in-frame to some entity who might complete it. And, yes Ab, I also apologize for taking this conversation away from your brilliant model work.
 
Dear Ab

You have reached a milestone. Congratulations. I wish you a happy birthday and many fine years to come.
I hope your health will allow you to further enjoy modeling and share your knowledge with us.

Herman
 
Proficiat Ab, beetje laat maar evengoed gefeliciteerd. En zoals Herman ook zegt, nog vele jaren in goede gezondheid en veel modelbouw plezier
 
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