SOS Build Log - page 6

HER ARTILLERY

The Sovereign of the Seas was the most powerful ship in the world in her time primarily because of the awesome firepower of 102 cannons she was armed with.

Sovereign of the Seas had 118 gun ports and only 102 guns. The shape of the bow meant that the foremost gun ports on the lower gun deck were blocked by the anchor cable. Consequently, the fore chase – the guns facing forward – occupied the next ports. 
By 1642, her armament had been reduced to 90 guns.^[1] Until 1655, she was also exceptionally large for an English vessel; no other ships of Charles were larger than Prince Royal.

 There were numerous sizes and functions among the 102 guns she carried when she was launched in 1637.

The larger guns represented on this model are seen mounted on the waist deck, each rigged with block and tackle. 

These cannon would have been about nine feet in length

Each of the larger cannons seen on the main weather deck (waist), are mounted with block and tackle rigging as seen here.  Also, mounted above each of the gun ports I have added the swab and ram used by the gun crews.

 
 
 
 
There are 23 of these smaller demi-cannons are used on the forecastle, half, and quarter decks.
Note the difference in their carriage design.  More like field artillery pieces, with only two trucks (wheels).
These are short range guns, and were generally loaded with bags of pellets that would scatter like buckshot.

Each of the carriage trucks are turned from a solid piece of walnut and then detailed by adding the axle hub and pin.

There are three types of cannons and carriages represented on this model as seen on the four weather decks.

I first intended to create the cannons by casting them in plastic from molds created from a wooden turning 

After painting the the plastic cannonswith metallic gold, I did not like the result, so I purchased real brass cannons seen in the above photos. 

SOS Build Log - page 7

THE DECKS AND BULKHEADS

This page shows the development of the ships five weather decks.
From forward to aft.... The decks are the forecastle, the waist (main weather deck), the half-deck, the quarter deck, and the poop deck.

Each deck is planked with 1/8" wide basswood strips with staggered butt-joints.
Each joint has four simulated tree nails.

Also....
The deck levels have these ornate bulkheads painted black and trimmed with gold carvings.

This is the early development of the main weather deck (waist).  The rectangular opening will have grating.  

The round hole is where the main mast will be fixed. 

 The bulkhead patterns before planking.

The planks have a black caulking separating each.

View of the forecastle deck with rails and belfry installed.

There are three of these little companionways located on the forecastle, half, and quarter decks.

The one on the forecastle does not have the railing and banisters around them, as seen here.

Deck planking and bulwarks completed and now she's ready for grating and companionways, and artillery to be installed.

SOS Build Log - page 8

CARVINGS

This entire page will be dedicated to the carving of all the tiny figures that decorate the ship.

Just guessing - I probably have at least a thousand hours of very tedious carving in this project. Seen here are the ones that survived the trash bucket.
I must have thrown dozens of efforts away.

Creating molds and casting duplicate pieces of the master carvings.

Some of the carved figures, such as these gun port wreaths, are used many times on the model.  In such cases, I created molds and then cast as many duplicate parts as needed.

Some of the figures are so tiny I simply used a scalpel to cut them from paper stock, then spray painted them gold.

(like these and the horse figures below)

Then there are many figures created from "Sculpy".... a special modeling clay which can be shaped into figures and heated in an oven until they are as hard as a piece of wood.

(like these figures and the two seen below)

Many of the wood carvings required that they are facing in opposite directions, like these little sea horses and the porous figures seen below. 

Here you see an example of how most of the carvings begin with a rough sketch on paper, then directly onto the piece of wood used for the carving.

Note that most of the time, the actual carving may turn out quite different from the original sketch.

More carvings....

Another example of creating a mold from a master carving....

Two more carvings....

Another carving....

These two carvings are extremely small.  They are seen on top of the center roof of the stern galleries on both sides of the ship.

Scales of justice....

I would say the remaining carvings seen below were the most difficult, in terms of detail, of all the carvings created for the ship.

Note, there are many more carvings not seen here on this page, as I did not always interrupt my work to take photos.

This final carving is the only fully 3 dimensional figure on the ship.

The figure of King Charles slaying a dragon is seen as the "Figurehead" on the ship's beak....

SOS Build log page 9

THE HULL

This page deals primarily with the development of the upper hull and the extremely ornate carvings.

Gun port lids being fitted.to the lower gun decks.  

Each lid has an eye bolt with rope used to open the lids for action.




The simulated hinges seen below are cut from sheets of black vinyl. 

Most of the carvings have now been added to the panels.

Also, note the decks and ornate bulkheads have been completed.


The port side carvings have been placed as seen in the above photos.  The photo of the starboard side is taken before the carvings have been installed.

Creating the stern galleries module seen above.

Adding the windows for the stern galleries.  This is the section of the ship where the captain and officers was quartered.

The port side before installing the carvings.

Planking completed, gun ports have been framed, and black panels are trimmed out.

This photo (below) shows the creation of the ornate bulkheads.