Vol. 63, No. 3 autumn 2018 198


simulate caulking, before I glue them down, I use a black Sharpie’s nib to color a single edge of the deck strips. At small scales, I have seen too many models where this particular detail has become much too prominent, too dark, in a word: overdone. I also do not subscribe to the “outbreak of measles” look of too highly detailed, out-of-scale exterior hull planking. I should mention that I typically do not scribe end- of-plank joints to my hull planking, nor do I try to simulate hull caulking; I think this level of detail can be distracting, especially at 1:64 scale or smaller.


7. A crew of 100 was considered adequate for a three-masted Swan- class sloop although they could be manned with fewer men. Even with these smaller ships, Britain still had to continue with its despised impressment actions of colonial citizens along the entire continent’s coastline.


Fake gunports, real scuppers


8. Swan’s captain’s stern quarters included “lights”—sash windows that allowed copious light and fresh air into a cramped, but private cabin. T e elaborately-carved, classic motif stern decorations were a status symbol—a job perk—for lucky post captains.


With the obvious exception of the open midship gunports, I chose to show them closed since I had decided the model was not being portrayed in a sea battle. Rather than fi ddle with a tedious process of staggering planks to create open holes, I simply scribed an accurate outline of each closed port into the pear planking using a sharp miniature chisel aſt er carefully measuring and marking each position in pencil from the plans. Once the lines were incised, I used the same technique of applying a darker wood stain to the square-shaped grooves. T is darkened the crevices so I was able to achieve the convincing appearance of precisely-fi tting closures. Hinge and rope hardware was subsequently added.


9. Swan-class sloops were pierced for sixteen long cannon, but the early ships carried only fourteen guns. T e cannon on these sloops were a constant threat to coastal colonial cities as well as a formidable force at sea.


For the ship’s scuppers (I chose six per side, this number does vary), I used small brass eyelets that I painted in a medium grey acrylic to simulate lead pipes. T ese were simply pushed into appropriately- sized drilled holes at the proper angle to meet the weather deck. I also painted the same acrylic grey color in the hawse holes forward; in practice, these openings also were lined with lead to prevent wear from the anchor cables. Midships photo-etched hammock cranes were blackened and then rigged with light brown tulle netting. Matte medium served as an extremely eff ective, invisible adhesive for this touchy detail work.


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