Sailing ship models

[IanB]

Hi all,
 My Father's neighbour, a gent by the name of Charles Cook, now in his 80's, scratchbuilds sailing ships. I thought you might like to see what rigging is REALLY like! Prepare to be humbled.... These are all built from original plans in about 1:72 scale, and using similar methods - ie starting with laying the keel and working from there. The one in progress, HMS Nymphe, was originally a French ship, captured and pressed into service by the Royal Navy. There are over 2,500 individual copper plates making up the hull skin, all to scale! All the hulls and decks are planked individually, the deck planks having black card between them to simulate the tar sealant. All items are built by Mr Cook, including the guns and tackle....

HMS Agamemnon











HMS Bellerophon (The "Billy Ruffian")

















HMS Nymphe









I'll never complain about rigging again! Hope you enjoy this little modeling feast, the pics really don't do these works of art justice...

Ian

[gcn]

They are something else. It would take me 80 years to do one.

Thanks for sharing.

[Chris Johnson]

Thanks for posting these images. It's always been my dream to someday acquire the skill set to be able to build a wooden ship model but never in my wildest imagination would I ever think of accomplishing something like this.

Cheers,

Chris

[pepperman42]

...Im thinking I will carve songbirds. I cant get an airplane built and I cant see myself EVER completing a ship - specially as amazing as those!!

Steve

[WarrenD]

I have long admired these, but just don't have the knowledge or talent to pull it off.

Warren

[Rob Hart]

They are spectacular. How many has he built to date?

[AROTH]

Makes rigging a Fee look like a walk in the park

[lcarroll]

Makes rigging a Fee look like a walk in the park

My first thought as well (explains why I havn't mustered the courage to order a Fee!) Truly impressive and scratch building at it's best. Thanks for posting this.
Cheers,
Lance

[Whiteknuckles]

Wonderful work and craftmanship. That rigging is incredible!!
Thanks for the photo's Ian and please pass on my (our) appreciation to Mr Cook for his immaculate work.

Andrew

[IanB]

Rob - these are the only ones he's built but he only started about 10 years ago. The Nymphe wasn't even on the drawing board when I last visited 7 months ago, so it's got to that stage pretty quickly!

Ian

[NP]

Absolutely beautiful. Ive always loved models of this sort, thanks for the photos.  Mr Cook is to be congratulated.

[GAJouette]

 Ian,
Absolutely stunning and thanks so much for sharing these wonderful works.
Highest Regards,
Gregory Jouette