(All assemblies [dry-fitted], sail ready for molding/casting, December, 2010)
Entering 2010 with momentum carrying over from late '09, the basic structural elements of the sail were all in place:
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Soon after this point, further detailing of the sail was heavily crippled by a lack of references - some of which had been lost in a key backup crash - thus prompting another pass at photo-research, especially on the sail, however by the time this was completed, momentum was lost. The sudden onset of a blistering-hot summer, heralded by an air conditioning failure and then personal health problems, then put paid to further work on the sail until late in the year (see below).
4/25/10
Before the ravages of the very unproductive summer, some progress on the hull and deck had been achieved, in the spring:
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A start was also made on the deck:
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I opted to depict coarser planking on the circular gun platform, whose reference pics indicated between about 40 to 50 planks across its central diameter. At this scale, "O"-guage car siding would provide 14 planks, 0.04" V-groove stock would provide 24 and 0.025" V-groove very near the minimum calculated - and certainly in the ballpark - at 39. Nevertheless, I judged the 0.04" V-groove looked closest to the desired texture - and the more accurate 0.025" V-groove simply too fine - but was chosen as again looking just right for the finer texture of the remaining planked deck areas.
Thus, it was in the following state that the (dry fitted) build went through the complete "power-down" of last summer:
Click on Image to Enlarge
12/5/10
In November and December work began slowly to resume on both the deck (not shown) and especially the sail:
Click on Image to Enlarge
At right (despite overexposed pics), stripping the silver paint back off reveals the compositional structure - now including brass PE, cut in-place from 350-scale, 2-rail bars, to simulate the wave-guide vanes (strakes?) lining the "top boat" of the sail. Note also the preparations to make an (optionally) open crew access hatchway.
Again, all the rough spots will be far easier smoothed out of the cast resin - and of course far less risky, as any botched casting(s) can simply be replaced, with another.
So, still not (near) completed - but with major progress, and firmaly on track for a build of very high quality - as 2010 draws towards a close.
Cheers,
-Matty
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