Issue 47 - Contains bulwark lining strips, wood pieces to make the 'bitts', grating strips, and has instruction for lining of the upper deck bulwarks and making the 'bitts'.

Lining the bulwarks - Use the thin strips of wood to create a double layer of planking between frames 16 and 21 on both sides of the model.

Ensure the inside of the planking is reasonably smooth and that there are no lumps of hardened glue, sand if necessary.
Cut a length of 1x5mm planking to fit between the first two frames, you will need to cut the planking so that it does not obscure the port and stops at the edge of the gun port lining. Continue the planking upwards until the bulwark has been lined, and repeat the process for all bulwarks between frames 16 and 21, and when the glue has dried sand the planks smooth.

If you are painting your model, the inside faces of the bulwarks need to be painted yellow ochre, which you should do now, as this area will become inaccessible once guns are put in place and the quarter deck is planked. Don't paint the deck support bracket of each frame where the next deck will be seated.
Those who have opted for a natural finish can varnish the bulwarks, but Do Not varnish the deck as other items need to be fixed to it.
you should carefully protect the deck between frames 16-21 with masking tape, paint the inside of the bulwarks continuing onto the ends of the dummy gun support beams, and 15mm or so along these beams.

Making the bitts - The bitts consist of three pieces of wood arranged in a broad 'H' shape, you need to cut joints in all three parts and also makes slots in the uprights, this is done by following the dimension's noted in the magazine, the process involves careful measurement and careful cutting - measure twice cut once!

If you are painting your model, paint the bitts black. If you have opted for a natural finish you can varnish or stain the bitts as you prefer.

That's it for this week.


Issue 48 - Contains two 12-pounder guns, plus tackle parts for making up the gun tackle of the upper deck; and has instruction for the assembly of the deck gratings supplied at issues 43, 46 and 47.

Issue 49 - Contains two 12-pounder guns, plus a set of parts for making up the gun tackle of the upper deck; and has instruction for the fitting of the deck gratings constructed in 48.

At this point you will need to have the first 10 gun kits assembled/painted in readiness for placement at issue 50.

Issue 50 - Contains wood for the dummy gun support rails along with belfry parts; and has instruction for the fitting of the dummy gun support pieces, the rigging of 10 guns on the upper deck, and the drilling of the dummy gun support rails.

Issue 51 - Contains the rudder, hinge parts and parts for the ships lantern, and has instruction for preparing the rudder, making the pintles and hanging the rudder.
For those who are copper tiling the hull, the rudder should not be hung until the hull and rudder have been coppered, for those having opted for the natural finish the rudder can be hung at this point, which is also the case for those having opted for a copper painted hull.

Issue 49 - Contains two 12-pounder guns, plus a set of parts for making up the gun tackle of the upper deck, and has instruction for the fitting of the deck gratings, adding the cannonballs and rigging the bulwarks - (you will need the gun tackle parts supplied at 48 and this issue and the cannonballs supplied at 43/46).

Assemble the two guns kits as before and finish as per your chosen guise.

Fitting the gratings of the upper deck - The medium and large gratings fit around the large and medium holes of the upper gun deck, the two small gratings are located onto the deck planking aft of the main mast. Ensure that the gratings have been sanded and any dust particles removed.

Using a razer saw, carefully remove the exposed gun deck beams that run across the large and medium grating holes in the gun deck.
Glue the first small grating centrally on top of the deck planking 60mm astern of the main mast hole, and glue the second small grating centrally on top of the deck planking 10mm astern of the main mast hole.

Glue the medium and large gratings in place over their respective deck holes, being careful to ensure that both are located the correct way round (the rectangular hole within each the grating facing towards the bow).

You can, if you wish, varnish the deck with a matt or satin varnish - Test the varnish in an inconspicuous area first, to make sure the varnish does not cause running of the deck caulking ink used.

Cannonballs - Paint a thick layer of varnish into the U channel of the large and medium gratings and then add the canon balls into the channels, once dry the varnish will set the balls in place.

Preparing the gun tackle - Ten complete guns are fitted on the visible area of the upper gun deck (five per side), you will need the tackle parts supplied 48 and 49.
Rigging shears are a useful tool
http://forum.model-space...aspx?g=posts&t=1946

Preparing the canon - You need to drill six holes in each canon carriage (3 holes on each side of each carriage) -
A....
0.7mm hole is drilled vertically downwards all the way through the side of the carriage - hole 'a'.
0.5mm hole is drilled vertically downwards just behind the axle - hole 'b'.
0.7mm hole drilled horizontally to a depth of about 3mm - hole 'c' - It does not matter if this hole goes right through the side of the carriage or into the base.

Take two eye bolts, cut the shanks to 3mm, and glue them into the two 'b' holes drilled, note the orientation of the yes which should be parallel to the thimble on the gun barrel.

Into the two 'a' holes test fit two pins (supplied with the canon kits - if lost use planking pins).

Two tackle block's are fitted to each side of each carriage at hole 'c', but first you will need to make up the blocks.
Tie a loop of the 0.15mm thread around a block so that it sits into the grooved slots and secure with a hitch, ensuring that the hole in the block is closer tot he end with the knot, pull the hitch tight, and tie another hitch to secure the knot -You need to keep the tails as short as possible, so as not to waste the thread.
Then seal the knot with a drop of diluted PVA glue and paint about 5mm of each tail end with diluted PVA and allow to dry. Then cut one tail to about 3mm and cut the other close to the knot.
Paint some neat PVA into the tail of the block and insert the tail into the c hole of the carriage and repeat at the opposite side - only glue the tail so that the block is free to move slightly, (you will need to make 20 such blocks - 2 per canon x10).

I've chosen not to do a step-by-step of the assembly of the breech and tackle ropes simply because the magazine steps cover the task very well, (though the step 9 photo on page 12 has an incorrect photo but step 10 show's what is required); In short, you will need to make up 10 breech rope and 10 tackle rope assemblies which completes the tackle for ten guns.
One thing to be mindful of is careful handling of the block wire, its gauge and rigidity makes the wire hypodermic needle like!

Rigging the bulwarks - Before fitting the guns, you will need to attach gun tackle to the bulwarks, the process is repeated alongside all ten gun ports (five each side) in the centre span of the upper gun deck.

Drill a 0.6mm diameter hole in the centre of the frame next to the gun port, at the height of the centre of the port (close to the bottom of the deck support bracket). this hole needs to be deep enough to take the shank of the full length eyebolts, repeat the process for all the frames where the 10 guns will be fitted.
Then drill a 0.6mm hole, 2mm deep in the bulwarks along side each of the gun ports, positioning it 6mm forward of the gun port, at the height of the centre of the port. - Be careful not to drill right through the hull planking!
Using superglue, glue the long eyebolts with the breech ropes attached into the holes in the frames, note that the ring with the breech rope goes to the top and ensure that the eyebolt is vertical.
Using superglue, glue the short eyebolts on the tackle without the breech rope) into the holes in the bulwarks, ensure that the eye is vertical.

That completes the build for this week!

You will need to have 10 guns ready for placement at issue 50.


Issue 50 - Contains wood for the dummy gun support rails along with belfry parts; and has instruction for the fitting of the dummy gun support pieces, the rigging and placement of 10 guns on the upper gun deck, and the drilling of the dummy gun support rails.

Issue 51 - Contains the rudder, hinge parts and parts for the ships lantern; and has instruction for preparing the rudder, making the pintles and hanging the rudder.
For those who are copper tiling the hull, the rudder should not be hung until the hull and rudder have been coppered, for those having opted for the natural finish the rudder can be hung at this point, which is also the case for those having opted for a copper painted hull.

Issue 52 - Contains parts for the second companionway ladder, grating hand rail parts, turned deck columns, wood strip for the deck rails and another 12-pounder gun kit; and has instruction for the making of both companionway ladders, the fitting of the grating hand rails and the fitting of the bitts, (the first ladder parts were supplied in 34).

Issue 53 - Contains wood strips for the quarterdeck deck support beams; and has instruction for the height adjustment of central span of deck supports, the start of the fitting of the forward deck support beams, and the construction of the ship's wheel.