"GHQ 1:1200 Baltimore Privateer" Topic

Hello again folks. I've just finished my first GHQ kit, their Baltimore Privateer, and wanted to share pictures (jwhitegallery.blogspot.com)

This was definitely the most challenging rigging I've done, simply because of the relative flimsiness of the masts. I've used 'invisible' thread again, because I wanted to see how it would work, and to hopefully make it as strong as possible. (Also I haven't acquired any of the alternatives so far). It is certainly much sturdier, but it was a real challenge trying to keep the lines taught. And I sure do miss photo etched shrouds/ratlines. Not only is it more difficult and time consuming to add the shrouds one by one, the effect isn't quite as nice without the ratlines themselves. But I just wasn't willing to add those in piece by piece.

Incidentally, the instructions that come with the GHQ kits recommend drilling holes in the channels to receive the shrouds, and then threading them through, alternating sides. Has anyone ever done this? With what results?

[Edit – now that I am looking at this picture on here, I think I will need to go back and paint the yards black. It's looking too plain without that.]

A nice looking vessel. Thanks for sharing your pic.

I've heard of people doing the rigging, but have never tried it myself.

Another tip, apparently, is to stretch any thread you plan to use, by hanging it a day or two, with a small weight on the end.

I haven't tried that either, but seems to make sense.

James,

Buy the etched ratlines anyway and cut them to fit. I've done that with all my GHQ ships. AAMOF, many of my GHQ ships have had their native masts switched out for Langton masts. Makes for a much more non-uniform look for the fleet.

Kevin in Albuquerque

James,
Yes, I have done this. I have built more GHQ ships than Langtons. You have to rig them this way because the masts are so flimsy. You have to alternate side to side and back to front for each mast, one at a time.

I am still considering cutting the sails away from the flimsy masts and scratch building more sturdy replacements, then glue the sails back on.

As I have said before, I make my own shroud/ratlines, cut to size, from mesh I found at Hancock Fabrics. I think the photo etched ratlines look too large for the scale.

Vol

I think I'll definitely experiment with using some GHQ bodies and Langton mast and sail sets. I'm guessing that I will have to aim for mast/sails of smaller ships to get the right effect. Langton's hulls are noticeably bigger, so I think if I were doing a GHQ 74 gun ship, for example, I might purchase Langton masts and sails for a 64.

Vol, I think you're definitely right that the photo etched shrouds are out of scale, but personally I'm ok with them. I don't know why the effect there is pleasing to me, whereas other components being out of scale bothers me. I don't like the ship's boats that Langton models in to their hulls for example.

James,

You have mentioned a couple of times about boats being molded into the hulls (or decks?) of the Langton models. I have only built frigates and a 50 gun (the Glatton) and dodn't notice any boats. Are they on the bigger ships?

Vol

I think I'll definitely experiment with using some GHQ bodies and Langton mast and sail sets. I'm guessing that I will have to aim for mast/sails of smaller ships to get the right effect. Langton's hulls are noticeably bigger, so I think if I were doing a GHQ 74 gun ship, for example, I might purchase Langton masts and sails for a 64.

Sometimes it works the other way. I've read that the US "44" gun frigates carried an enormous set of sails, so I opted to use the APS and FS sails sets from the 64 range for the USS Constitution and United States. Must say the look is very striking. And I used the ratlines for the 64 also.

Vol, some of Langton's ships don't have any ship's boats molded on, some do. I think any of their ships that are modeled 'at quarters' don't have them, since when the ships were prepared for combat the boats would be lowered to the water and towed behind, to protect them from damage. But even some of their models that are not shown at quarters have no boats.

Of the model's I've got, so far I've seen molded on boats on a brig, a forty gun frigate and a 74. Here's a picture of my 40 gun frigate where the boats can be made out:

Ah, thanks James. I get it now. As yet I have only ordered "at quarters" ships from Langton.