HMS Implacable gets a "It's Rigging"

I had 'almost' finished drilling holes in the ship. One last one to do remained. Two thirds the way up the 'middle sail' a hole needed to be gently drilled to fix a rope to the top of the 'aft sail'. Instead of a quick clean turn I seemed to have to resort to more force than usual. As I was wondering why this should be so I felt a peculiar and unpleasant sensation in my forefinger :(

Warning: Small metal modelling drills can be more dangerous than you think! OK not quite a trip to A&E (aka a UK hospital) but a stinging reminder to keep drill points sharp so you can keep more control over the drilling process (see below the result of complacency):

Medic! Looks like I'll live!

But please note the small (nay tiny) diameter of the puncture wound, but I drilled it quite deep all because of the "gunked-up" super-glue on the end of the drill tip. Please don't try this at home (see below):

After a medicinal "cup of tea" I got back to the business of rigging, a slow and tedious affair which I am still trying to perfect (see below):

Steady as she goes, no need to rush this bit (see below):

Otherwise you will curse yourself as you see your beloved model tumble before your eyes and bounce off the carpet. Maybe it was down to the numb finger, or maybe I should have just taken a break, but I was almost finished before tragedy struck :(

Sigh, I twisted and straightened it but the bow-spit still looks a bit bent (see below):

I soldiered (or should that be sailor-ed) on and finally finished her to join the squadron of Royal Navy 74's ready to serve the crown (see below):  

Next (after a small healing interlude): Some opposition from the French Navy

HMS Implacable gets a "Lick of Paint"

My third Navwar 1/1200 Royal Navy "ship of the line" circa third rate (74), HMS Implacable, comes across the Painting Tray. The sails and deck and wooden walls get the standard three colour (shade, base and highlight) treatment and 'most' of the holes are already pre-drilled for the rigging stage (see below, sails to the foreground):

HMS Implacable is another example of a captured French warship (aka the ex-French Duguay-Trouin) that provided useful service to the Royal Navy. 

To distinguish her from the other captured Frenchman, aka HMS Canopus (previously the Le Franklin) I painted the top of her deck cabins red. Hence she can now be identified at a distance as the "red" ship so the base does not have to be picked up and annoyingly moved (never to be put back into quite the same place) from the wargames table (see below, hull now to the foreground):

While still in the painting phase I did a small trial run with the masts as a precursor to the fiddly rigging stage to see that all was well (see below):

Can you spot the difference?

I do tend to stare a lot at the 1/1200 Napoleonic Ships after I've finished the initial "painting stage" and before the treacherous "rigging stage". I think it is just a case of building up confidence before going on (see below):

Answer: The difference between the two shots being the consumption of a cup of tea by me. ;)

In Formation:

My squadron of Royal Navy 74's or 74'ish as HMS Canopus is technically an 80 gunner. I am also viewing basing sizes for the "card stock" sea I have to mount them on. There has been enough tumbling ships to date to fill my lifetime, so a more secure means of handling my Napoleonic ships is sought (see below, going left to right  HMS Thunderer, HMS Canopus and the "red" HMS Implacable):

Next: The Damned Rigging (Again)

I can see the sea!

From actions furious fought on The Brown Sea to sailing peacefully along in formation in The Blue Sea (see below):

A majestic display of Royal Navy might a 74 (HMS Thunderer), 80 (HMS Canopus) and another 74 (HMS Implacable).

The sailing formation is especially posed for the camera ;)

HMS Implacable Takes Shape (1/1200 Napoleonic Naval)

The third 'ship of the line' in the British Squadron, HMS Implacable, is on the stocks (see below):  

Early days yet, but the metal has been cleared of flash and the hull has been drilled for the rigging lines, the model under coated and given a base shade. All the sail bits go together nicely and it is now a case of painting her up, working her inside out and fitting the rigging (see below):

Despite being nominally "British" HMS Implacable is another example of a ship that fought on both sides in the Napoleonic Wars, starting life as the French Duguay-Trouin, but being captured in 1805 and then used by the British (notably in the 1808 Anglo-Russian War, when she captured a Russian 74).

Note: The capture took place post Trafalgar (which she fought in) at the subsequent The Battle of Cape Ortegal

This means on her completion the naval actions can move to a 2:1 ships against the (elite crews of the) Royal Navy.