Alain

Welcome to the forum.

That looks a very nice build so far and also a very involved one.

I hope your build continues well and look forward to more of your updates as the Surprise is a favourite of mind and on my shopping list.

Welcome to the forum

Looking forward to more of this build, it`s looking good so far.



Regards
delboy271155
(Derek)

Very neat work on the planking indeed.

The original being L'Unite which bares little resemblance to A/Ls Surprise. There are so many variations of this ship it is hard to find any true likeness. But every model built of her is correct in many ways and is truly a work of art. Loving the way you are changing yours Alain.
Thanks for sharing...

One pointer though please could you post slightly smaller/lower res pictures. As it plays havoc with viewing the posts correctly.
Many Thanks
Chris

Thanks for your kind comments.

There is no information on L'Unité and her 5 sister-ships. The plans draught by Pierre-Alexandre Forfait, one of the best French naval architect of that time are lost.

The Surprise was refitted according to the specs of Perseverance Class frigates revived at the very end of 18th century. There's no doubt. I compared John Marshall's plan with the NMM's model illustrated in The Sailing Frigate by Robert Gardiner.

My model is the Surprise in 1800. Wounded at Puerto Cabello during the cutting out of the mutinied frigate Hermione, Capt. Edward Hamilton is back to England. The Surprise is rearmed with 9 pounders on the gun deck, 4 pounders and carronades on the forecastle and quarterdeck.

The flag is the British Red Ensign (1707-1800). I'll hoist the commissionning pennant at the top of main mast.

And now, a few other pics at reduced size as requested.







Forecastle. Rectangular ports for carronades, square port for the 4 pounder chaser.



Decorative rails.

Top work on her

Very impressive work Alain, looks fabulous.....

Regards

Alan

Here is my figurehead.

Material:

Historex figure (Historex is distributed in UK)

Two-components epoxy putty

Tin foil

Acrylic paint.

The Surprise had no anthropomorphic figurehead but a poor escutcheon. I do prefer the Athena of the replica.

I chose Lady Godiva figure for two reasons. She is naked and, as she rides, with the legs apart.

I adjusted the position of the legs to the shape of the stem.

The Historex figure at the very beginning of my work.



Athena's short war tunic and greek helmet are made in epoxy putty. As you know, after polymerisation, it can be carved, sanded, drilled and sculpted.

Her glaive is a shortened straight dragoon sabre and her shield the round bottom of a Napoleonic drum. It is carved with Medusa's face with snakes instead of hair, an attribute of Athena.

Sandals soles in epoxy putty, straps in tin.

Then I applied an overall coat of white paint and when dry a topcoat of boxwood colour paint.

URL=http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=317125S156.jpg][/URL]









The last two pics. My Surprise was exhibited at Château de Versailles during the European Heritage Days last september, as part of the temporary exhibition Navies and the War of Independence of America.

Make-up (or faking ): Hull painted in white to hide ebony sanding dust spots, stem held by two nails, figurehead glued with a drop of Loctite, shortened masts and bowsprit...Fortunately the visitors were not specialists.

Awesome stuff Alain I think the figurehead gives everyone a headache....nice work on it though, got to admit reading your last post had me reaching for the dictionary...