My ship has finally come in...................

I haven't been around much lately, but with medical procedures, checkups, followups and honey do's, it's been a bit hectic here. Then I started a bucket list project that I have been wanting to do for a few years now and I figure I best get started on it if I want to finish it while I still can. This project will take a minimum of a year or more and about 2000 hours.

I'm building a model of the Her Majesty Service Victory wooden ship. It will be about 48 inches or 4 feet long. The model when completed will be donated to our local library here, who graciously excepted the donation. I will also build a display cabinet, which will house the ship model. I have also sent for and received a piece of wood from the real HMS Victory that I obtained from England. I will incorporate the wood into the model by making mast heads, anchor davits and such out of it.

My wife I think believes my mind is slipping a bit for even considering doing something like this, which will consume so much time and effort. But I have built numerous ship models over the years that wound up in corporate offices or private collection in homes that I just wanted to build one that everyone can enjoy who visits our community and our library.

I just hope I have the stamina to finish her

WOW! Incredible project and workmanship I can't wait to see it finished!

Thats an amazing talent you have there. Looking forward to seeing this done! I am sure library patrons will enjoy seeing this for many years to come, what a wonderful gift to your community

Holy smokes, Mike, that is QUITE the project. She's looking BEAUTIFUL!

And what do you mean "have the stamina to finish it?" OF COURSE you do!!!

Please post pictures as she develops, could you?

Wonderful project and such a generous way to share your talent! Can't wait to see progress photos. I love watching a work of art being created from conception to realization. Thank you for sharing. I know your library and community will be grateful for years to come.

WOW Mike, What a GREAT project, can't wait to see her built !!

Is that a scratch build from plans or a kit build? I fly RC planes and a lot of the guys do kit builds (I am scared of trying it LOL)

Congrats, You must be thrilled to be starting this build !!

Looking forward to progress reports !!

Joe

That is going to be AMAZING when it's complete. The detail is already gorgeous!

Wow! I remember a hundred years ago dating a guy who's family built ships for a living. I always thought it was the most beautiful art. I look forward to following your progress...

Wow!!! That's amazing!!! Beautiful work, mike! I hope you post progress pictures!!!

GW.Joe said:

WOW Mike, What a GREAT project, can't wait to see her built !!

Is that a scratch build from plans or a kit build? I fly RC planes and a lot of the guys do kit builds (I am scared of trying it LOL)

Congrats, You must be thrilled to be starting this build !!

Looking forward to progress reports !!

Joe

Click to expand...

Thanks Joe, actually both, I mainly kit bash hahahahahaha.

That's great Mike! Something to keep you "busy" for a while... I also love that it will be donated to your local library for all to see a bit of history!

Mike, that is going to be amazing! I also think it is wonderful that you are donating it to the library and I bet they are thrilled to be getting it! I can't wait to see more pictures

Glad to see you back, btw, missed you

Thanks Terry, they are going to put up a blog on the City webpage so that folks can stop in a check out the progress. This will be my last model that I will build. I have had several requests for ship models as well as RC airplanes, which I have also built over the years. But I have turned them all down. My eye sight isn't what it used to be nor my health so this will be the last one. It will be the Library's to do with what they wish once I'm long gone. So they can display it while they have the room, but down the road if something happens and room is a premium, they can always sell it and maybe buy a computer or two with the funds. I'm supplying all materials, the only thing I asked of them was a place to display it and a table to place it and the display case on, which will be huge unto itself.

Here is one of the many planes that I built over the years.

mtdoramike said:

Thanks Terry, they are going to put up a blog on the City webpage so that folks can stop in a check out the progress

Click to expand...

That is REALLY GREAT !! If it works out maybe you could post a link to the blog here

mtdoramike said:

Here is one of the many planes that I built over the years.

Click to expand...

WOW, you got me DROOLING over here is that a Stearman? Is it static or flighted?

NICE !!

hahahahahahaha, it's a PT17 Trainer. It's fully flighted, with brushless motor, ESC, all servos, the whole kit and kaboodle. I used to fly R/C a few years ago until my heart couldn't take the excitement anymore and the doctor said something has to go.

mtdoramike said:

hahahahahahaha, it's a PT17 Trainer. It's fully flighted, with brushless motor, ESC, all servos, the whole kit and kaboodle. I used to fly R/C a few years ago until my heart couldn't take the excitement anymore and the doctor said something has to go.

Click to expand...

VERY Nice !!, Flying is my other true LOVE
Two of my three kids are AMA, we belong to VFSS
(Valley Forge Signal Seekers) and fly out of Valley Forge National Park

My daughter is the only girl in the club that actually flies, 8 years ago she buddy boxed and trained on a 90 MPH "Stryker"

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssyNMC_TiJ8"]VFSS Stryker March 18th Clip 1 of 3 Rissa Joe Mike Keychain Camera - YouTube[/ame]

A few years ago we tried adding some LEDS to a "HyperFlea" to fly at night, the bottom ones were SO Bright they were lighting up the ground, some people that live near the park ended up calling in UFO to the police cause it looked so crazy LOL

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7sXnpqWqBo"]VFSS Joe 3 cell Upgraded HyperFlea Night Flight With LEDs - YouTube[/ame]

Where did you fly out of?

Joe

Southern Eagle Squadron out of Lady Lake Florida for a while and also vacant lots near where I live. WOW, buddy boxing on a Stryker is no easy task for the student as well as the instructor. I loved building R/C planes, but it was a tough nut when you spend a couple of hundred hours building a plane only to watch it crash shortly after the maiden voyage, which has happened a couple of times with me. Fortunately, I had a lot more good results than bad one's.

I'm also a member of RC groups RCGroups.com: The ABCs of Radio Control - Aircraft, Boats, and Cars!, which is an RC forum.

Eagle Squadron looks like a great club, always nice to just fly in vacant lots (no politics)

The Stryker is actually a great slow flying delta wing, Very low stall speed, once I realized it had such a wide flight envelope I told the club I was going to train my 15 year old daughter on the Stryker, they said no way LOL

I would just set the throttle to about 1/3 and let her go at it (the exponential had the throws set low), Very Very stable low speed flight, within a week she had 10 landings under her belt, by the next week she had 30 and the respect of all the "old timers" at the club LOL I was SO Proud

I can't even imagine watching a scratch build crash on maiden, CRINGE worthy, were they noobs? Don't think I could watch that more than once.....

Hey I'm over at RCGroups and RC Universe too

Small World huh?

Oh Mike! I've wanted to build the Victory since I was twelve years old and had just read the Hornblower novels for the first time! Can I come and be your apprentice???

I guess you're not building her from a kit, but from scratch (which would be entirely beyond my capabilities)? My husband builds model aircraft, but I've always had a thing for the tall ships: they're so graceful and have such a history behind them. I do hope you'll honour us with pictures of your Victory as she progresses? Can I ask what timber you use to cut your pieces from and what pattern do you use (or did you make your own)?

I hope the library is aware of the privilege it will have of owning this work of love and art?