The Flickr Dutchship Image Generatr

Yellow Sea (Bohai Sea), Gele Zee. Sailing from China (Tianjin) to Japan (Nagasaki)

This ship was wrecked off the coast of Western Australia at Houtman Albrolhos in June 1629 and led to the infamous Batavia Mutiny where some of the crimes of the mutiny were:
- The murder of many of Batavia's survivors,
- The rape of women,
- The looting of VOC property and private valuables belonging to passengers and crew, and
- Various other acts of treason and treachery.
The remains of the vessel are kept at the Shipwreck Museum , Fremantle.

In everything we do, we learn as we go -and this is no exception. I must have destroyed a dozen quality models using a high-powered drill; but overtime, the results were favorable.
Instead of discarding those models, I set them aside to and used as 'practice' models before applying the technique to the actual modification. Here, I work the topsides -removing all the raised moldings so that I can replace them with miniature reliefs.

Description in English and Dutch:

Engels

Oil spills are a major problem in the world of rivers and seas. The Netherlands is a top country in all areas of the ship industry. Dutch recovery companies are among the very best in the world. Holland is also a top player when it comes to cleaning up leaked oil after oil spills. The Hebo-Cat 9 is an innovative boat built at the impressive De Groot shipyard in Moerdijk. It has an advanced crane on board. The yellow ship is owned by Hebo Maritiem Service and is specialized in cleaning up wasted or discharged oil in ports or on rivers. Yesterday the boat was active in Maashaven in South Rotterdam near the metro station of the same name.

Nederlands

Olieverspillingen zijn een groot probleem in de wereld van rivieren en zeeen. Nederland is een topland op alle gebieden van de scheepvaart. Nederlandse bergingsbedrijven behoren tot de allerbeste van de wereld. Bij het opruimen van gelekte olie na olierampen is Holland ook een topspeler. De Hebo-Cat 9 is een op de scheepswerf De Groot in Moerdijk grbouwde innovatieve boot met een geavanceerde kraan aan boord. Het gele schip is eigendom van Hebo Maritiem Service en is gespecialiseerd in het opruimen van verspilde of geloosde olie in bijvoorbeeld havens of op rivieren. Gisteren was de boot actief in Maashaven te Rotterdam-Zuid vlakbij het gelijknamige metrostation

To the best of my ability, I studied various VASA Models to get some perspective on the rigging aspects of the build. Some carried a good amount of detail, but little by way of the actual lines falling to the belay pins, knightheads and bitts. And in as much each nation varied their style of rig; the basic principles applied to functionality.

In other words, the larger the ship, the more complex the rigging and working of those lines. Bitts took on the strenuous task of easing tension when yards were being hoisted -with the support of those tackle blocks that assisted. In my model, these are featured. Furthermore, it establishes an authentic look to the ship.

VASA is shown as she would have appeared (under full sail) had she not encountered her misfortune and sank in Stockholm Harbor in 1628. However, she was raised and benefited the world relative to actual 17th century ship design.

With the assistance of 16th-17th century rigging tables/notes left behind on these vessels, along with paintings/drawings of the period; I was able to unearth a more reliable rigging method that made sense over 'speculation'. During my maritime tenure of the 1980s, so many 'egos' surfaced and tried to suppress my work(s)...But now, I finally get to expose it to the world for what it is.

We ALL can enjoy this God-given beauty. It was not meant for one culture or entity. It was meant for those who dared to explore freely and, at will. So now, I've proven my call as both historian, artist, and craftsman.

This is 'my take' on VASA... I can only hope others will follow their purpose and draw from this ship the good which is the period of which a culture came together and produced a vessel that not only was designated to protect them; but a vessel that took the skill of many men/women to plan and design accordingly. This is the real history behind the 'tragedy'...and I am not one to leave a stone unturned in my creations. My works have always been complete.

I raise, again, my glass to Airfix and to the late Bjorn Landstrom.

This project was an exciting adventure -(and build)... i could have easily scratch-built this, but decided to challenge my skill by modifying an existing plastic kit which was manufactured by Airfix circa 1980s.

The challenge was to keep only the hull and carve away some of the plastic features. Those features included many of the gunports and ornate carvings at both bow and stern. As a reference, I followed the illustrations of author Bjorn Landstrom to conclude the build by scratchbuilding and enhancing details with wood substitutes made of bass and birch woods. This included all the guns which were custom-made of birch.

Decking I penciled and hand-scribed in bass. Deck furniture, doors, belay pins and rail enhancements were done in birch. Anchor stock, masts and yards were a combination of both birch and bass. The sails were custom made of treated bond paper which gives a realistic 'feel' in both settings whether it be a calm breeze or windswept motion. In this case I chose the latter.

Rigging was very tedious and took much time in this build. There are no shortcuts for accuracy -especially when detail invites scrutiny. As a professional I've been around this bend so many times.

I've heard so many complaints regarding this kit relative to warping, alignment, etc. But I personally feel anyone can bring correction to flaws and make good on the effort...such as seen in these images. I raise my glass to Airfix!

Flags have been one of my signatures which make those pieces I've created in my 40 year tenure easily identifiable. I paint and bend them in such a way that it's difficult to copy. In my early years I made them out of soft foil and had to support them with wire; but as I matured in the field I went opposite my contemporaries whom used tissue and; instead, experimented with bond paper.

After trial and error, I finally found a solution to treat the paper after I painted the decorations. This helped in receiving commissions and exposure at notable venues in and around New York and New England. Finally, the world.

The beauty of this paper was that the flags flew naturally with thread as opposed to wire. These threads come in the form of silk, antique, Irish linen, and cotton...all which place these particular models in the 'one of a kind' category.

Making these tiny rigging blocks seemed like 'eternity'...Approximately 465 blocks were used to complete this build.

People assume that I build these unique models for my own pleasure; and I say to that....No. I build them as an exercise to further my knowledge on sailing ships of the period -document and then sell them. As with SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS (the model I build prior to this), I find this one quite exceptional.

Now, if I can only locate the Airfix SAINT LOUIS c.1626...

In traditional fashion, I like creating my sails and flags from treated bond paper. I know, factually, that this material will last for years and the effect is worthy of it.

I try to match the movement of the flags to the symmetrical movement of the sails. Having both in unison gives a form of poetry to the viewer.

Undoubtedly she was a beautiful ship with fine lines. However, had she not sanked, history would have been able to record her firepower and speed.

From an artist-craftsman perspective the build continues...

Much anticipated detail in the sails and rigging...having the sails featured under a moderate breeze. And having the main course partially clewed for realism.

In my opinion Airfix is one of the better quality manufacturers of sailing ship models. There is no limit to what can be done to them -as I have built (to date) four, re: MAYFLOWER, SAINT LOUIS, ROYAL SOVEREIGN -and now, WASA...titled by the company.

I didn't discriminate with any of them. All have the same detail quality -using the same materials.

No words to describe the progress of this build. Much of that can be seen and read in the blogs at classicshipmodelminiatures.blogspot.com

To get the right sail proportions for the model I scaled down a profile plan.

Over the years I have studied 17th century rigging methods and was not satisfied with the various philosophies.

In truth, there were no clear-cut answers to this. Only basics...

To make my findings 'user-friendly' I researched what was most likely carried on the traditional ships of the period (based on class) and followed the 20-year rule relative to change and/or alterations.

As a result, the process became easier to identify and manage in my models. Not just the rigging lines but the various furniture on the deck, rails and bulwarks that supported them (the lines).

Billowed sails rigged in classic fashion on Airfix 1:144 scale model.