Another off-topic Showoff


Gary B

Gary B

The Fox Valley Railroad
Since response seemed positive to my last ship post, I thought I would show another that I just repaired and cleaned up. A type called a Chebec, at 1/80th scale it's close to HO but being an 18th century Mediterranean vessel, hard to place on a layout. I was surprised how good a shape it was in being never protected. I was also surprised to realize I built it 30 year ago!
 

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Gary:

Great detail; excellent work. Thanks for posting the pics.

Per your comment above, "hard to place on a layout" ..... YUP!

DougC
 
Why not call it a "re-creation" and offer those tour cruises on your layout? The kind I've seen advertised where you learn to work the sails along the New England coast line? Perhaps work up advertising for the sailing trips in your railroad's public passenger timetable to hand out to visitors to your layout? Have the vessel docked at a pier on the layout in a harbor scene?

I think it could work, since the model is so nicely done.
 
Great looking model!
Please keep posting these kinds of things, I find them fascinating and inspiring.

I am very curious now! The hull looks European, but the shape of the sails makes me think of north Africa. Do you have any literature about the prototype? Now I have some research to do. Gary that is a perfect example of why I get so little completed. I go from one topic to another, but its fun!

That looks too good not to put on a layout, I like Ken's idea.

Thanks for sharing it.
 
Ok, beside's train's, plane's & automobiles I love boats! I also love to model them, my latest kick is buying "Mantle models/ display's" at garage sales and reworking them to function as close to the prototype as possible, Just incase someone shrinks me to the size (1:87) of the world I want to live in! This way I'll already have all the col toys!!

Gary, great job!
 
Hey Gary,

I found this;

Origin of the chebecs
Chebecs were originally Arab constructions that were famous for their speed and maneuverability. They were primarily fast, light sailing warships, but in calms could also be rowed by means of oars through smaller ports in the bulwarks between each two adjacent guns. They are thought to have originated in Algeria, and were used by corsairs of the Maghreb from the beginning of the 17th century. The chebecs proved very useful as fast raiders, despatch boats and merchant ships.

The Barbary States of that time were to a large extent autonomous outposts of the Ottoman Empire and attacked the ships of the merchant fleets of those nations, which unlike England and France did not have strong navies. This was true for the young US navy in the 1790er years. After 1793 hardly a ship of the extensive US merchant fleet could be seen in the Mediterranean. From 1801 to 1805 the US navy was engaged in the fight with the Barbary Deys of Tripoli, Tunisia and Morocco. In 1803 the US lost the frigate Philadelphia, which ran aground before the port of Tripoli when pursuing a corsair and was taken as prize.

With their pronounced slim and hydrodynamically advantageous hulls the chebecs belonged to the fastest and most agile ships of the Mediterranean in 17. to 19. century. As crew were 300 - 400 men on board, the armament of 16 - 24 cannons.

Frederik Henrik af Chapman described a 50 m long Algerian chebec in his "Architectura Navalis Mercatoria", Plate LVIII, No. 17 (published in Stockholm in 1768, see literature list).


I thought maybe I was not the only history geek in the group.
 
Thanks for the kind comments guys. As interesting as your suggestions are to place it on the layout (like I have space anyway) I'm afraid my next project is to build a case for it. There it can be protected under Plexiglas for the next 30 or so years.

Louis, These were sailed close to shore much like their African counter parts. My understanding is the simple rig and low draft works well for following the coasts.
 
Well, the display case is not happening at $75 for the plexiglass. I guess I need another plan.
Louis - you do realize that what you wrote there is what's referred to in the Marine's hymn. '.. to the shore's of Tripoli'
Gator - Great idea, I'm always eying those for something I could upgrade and use on the layout.
 
Gary B said:
Louis - you do realize that what you wrote there is what's referred to in the Marine's hymn. '.. to the shore's of Tripoli'
Click to expand...

I sure do! They were not yet the "mean green killing machine", but they showed what was to come from the Marines and you don't need that many to bring a lot of pain.
So much for the Barbary Pirates and their joke of a fortress.

Forgive me, I guess my patriotism is running high after last night's Star Spangled Spectacular here across the harbor from me at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Blue Angels, my God they are loud! Fireworks and today Army airborne jumping into Paterson Park. USA USA USA
My daughter liked to think it was all for her birthday yesterday.

That is an incredible ship none the less, the shape of those sails allowed it to keep moving no matter the direction of the wind making it extremely agile. A real land mark of history design. Those features soon found their way to European ships and small boats especially.

I say bite the bullet buy the supplies and make a case only equaled by that beautiful historic ship! Somebody might pay hundreds, even thousands for it.
 
Really a fine looking model Gary. It needs to be preserve for centuries if at all possible- it's that good. Protecting it in a case is the best thing. Dust, sunlight and large temperature swings are the enemy. Perhaps with a few LEDs you could make a great display piece for use in the living quarters.

I had a few plexi-cases made from drawings and All I had to do was make the base and decorate it. The largest was a case for the USS Missouri from Tamiya.
 
A family heirloom there, if ever there was one. It now has what collectors call "patina". Definitely needs preserving and protecting.
 
Wow! You guys are really overly generous in your praise! I admit the ship came out good and am surprised by its condition after so long, but I never considered it all that special. It is a plastic kit, I don't know if that shows. (I certainly tried to make it look like wood.)
I think I'm going to enclose it in the TV opening of an old entertainment center to display for now. Plan is to use that for a larger ship I have planned.
Again thank you for your kind comments and praise. I hope you enjoyed the pictures.
 
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