The
rigging of period ship models is arguably the most complex and daunting
task for the modeler. An eighteenth-century man-of-war boasted mile
upon mile of rigging, over 1,000 blocks, and acres of canvas. To reduce
the rigging in scale and yet retain an accurate representation is a
formidable undertaking. This follow-up to Lennarth Petersson s highly
successful Rigging Period Ship Models does for fore-and-aft rig what his
earlier book did for square rig. Taking as examples a French
eighteenth-century lugger, an English cutter, and an American schooner,
Petersson demonstrated in beautifully drawn diagrams how each item of
both the standing and running rigging is fitted, led and belayed. A must
for all period modelers and all those with an interest in historic
sailing ships.
The
17th and 18th centuries witnessed the rise of fighting sailing navies,
which became instruments of worldwide strategic power. Spain, Holland,
France, and Britain were the leading protagonists; after the eclipse of
the first two, the struggle for domination at sea revolved chiefly into a
Franco-British conflict, culminating in Britain's maritime triumph in
the Napoleonic Wars. Lambert shows how Britain's naval dominance was
achieved, with detailed accounts of key conflicts that reveal both the
highest levels of strategy and the experience of the ordinary sailor.
The
turn of the 16th century saw the start of a revolution in sea
warfare--one long in the making but, once begun, remarkably swift. The
driving force: gunpowder. The principal agents: galleys (long, low boats
propelled principally by oars) and galleons (heavy, square rigged
sailing ships). Suddenly, Europe, formerly on a technological par with
India and China, dominated the waters. They crossed the Atlantic,
reached America, and became world powers. A beautifully written account
of the age conveys exactly how a country like Portugal could establish
outposts from South America to the Pacific, how Christian fleets wrested
control of the Mediterranean from the Ottoman Empire, and why the
"invincible" Spanish armada met with disaster in its attempt to invade
England. A vivid page-turner.
The recent publication by this Society, of Skip Models: How to
Build Them, written by Charles G. Davis, a naval architect of unusual
practical experience in the building of ships and also ship models, at
once resulted in a demand for additional information on this fascinating
subject. Not content with building a block model, a greater knowledge
of ships developed a desire for information on the framing of the
"built-up" model. Ship model builders in all parts of the country
required details on the deck furniture of various types of vessels at
different periods and also on the thousand and one things that the ship
builder and rigger must know in order to practice his craft.
A
step-by-step guide to the intricacies of the square rig. The author has
drawn 400 diagrams that clearly show how each separate item of rigging
is fitted to the masts, yards, and sails. Each drawing deals with only
one particular aspect and is accompanied by a logical and straight
forward narrative.
Following the pirate scourge of the early 18th
century, many sea captains took to privateering as a means of making
money. A form of nationally sponsored piracy, it reached its peak during
the American Revolution, when the fledgling American navy had to rely
on privateers to disrupt British shipping between England and the
rebellious colonies. Following peace in 1815, many former privateers
turned to piracy, spawning the last great piratical wave, which would
last for a decade. The world of these privateers and latter-day pirates
comes vividly to life in this detailed exploration of their ships,
crews, ports and battle tactics.
The swashbuckling English sea captains of the
Elizabethan era were a particular breed of adventurer, combining
maritime and military skill with a seemingly insatiable appetite for
Spanish treasure. Angus Konstam describes these characters, including
such well-known sea dogs as Francis Drake, Walter Raleigh, John Hawkins
and Martin Frobisher. For about 40 years they fought a private war with
the Spanish, and while their success in defeating the Spanish Armada is
well known, this book also covers their exploits in the New World.
This book gives an accurate picture of the
pirates who sailed in the waters of the Caribbean and off the American
coastline during the 'golden age' of piracy between 1660 and 1730. It
traces the origins of piratical activity in the 16th century and
examines the Boucaneer (Buccaneer) culture in Jamaica and Hispaniola. It
details what drove individuals to a life of piracy, how they dressed,
their weaponry, the ships they used and the codes by which they
operated. Whether viewed as villains or victims the Pirates were a major
threat to shipping and commerce in the western Atlantic for more than
70 years. Elite 67, 69 and 74 are also available in a single volume
special edition as ‘Pirates’.
By
the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 Britain was the undisputed
master of the seas, owing to the power and strength of the Royal Navy.
Its fleets, comprising ships of the line, frigates, and gunboats, had
doubled in size since the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in
1793, totalling almost a thousand capital vessels. This book examines
the commanders, men, and ships of the Royal Navy during the French
Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, and discusses the Navy's command
structure (from the Admiralty down to ship level) and its organization
at sea. The tactics employed in action by a fleet, squadron, and
individual ship, respectively are also discussed, as are the medical
services providing a fascinating insight into the navy that ruled the
waves.
