HMS Progress - refit

[Dreamweb]

53d

I wish to show you the new version of a MOC I once posted here. This is the latest version of my HMS Progress.

Warning: Version with old sails, posted in this thread as the first one, before posting the above version, is here:

I built the 1st version around October 2004. It was my first MOC I thought deserved being shown publicly and in fact was my best MOC for a long time, until De Rode Draak I think. To be honest I built a lot of crap after HMS Progress and still can't believe how this could have happened - I mean, I still like this ship, but have destroyed many other ships built later. However with time I began to notice some flaws and made certain modifications to the vessel.

The 2nd version was ready in June 2005 - I added a sail at the stern and changed a few bricks here and there, especially on the bridge. This was the version I posted here at Eurobricks, however I didn't have a digital camera back then so the pictures I took were rather poor. The old thread is here, however those pictures are no longer public.

The 3rd version was completed last week - and the modifications were quite extensive. I rebuilt parts of the bow and, most important, rebuilt the whole sterncastle from scratch. I did it because those areas were too colourful and looked chaotic. And, last but not least, I changed the crew from redcoats to bluecoats, as I now consider both of them British and the bluecoats are my sailors, while the redcoats are ground troops.

Added on June 1, 2006:

Version 3.1 (the current one) uses different sails - I changed them shortly after posting version 3.0 on Eurobricks, inspired by other users' comments. Apart from that it's the same as 3.0.

Despite all those modifications there are still parts of the ship which haven't been changed since version 1.

Links:

Brickshelf folder

MOCpages page

[Norro]

I still don't particularly like the back, but the sides and front are wonderful! Keep up the great work and

God Bless,

Nathan

[Evil Willy]

It looks good but it looks a bit to square, I love your creations of course no doubt about it. But like previously mentioned I dont particularly love the 'Square' look. It is definantley your style and im sure many others shall love it. None the less it is a fantastic build, very well done. Good job, and keep the cat up!

I really do think though you should make custom sails, so they all look the same, it would really add to the ship a lot! And once you get used to my technique you could get all those sails done within and evening...Wait till morning for them to be dry. Hope you think about this. Because the red and white and then the imperial flagship sails look funny.

[Brick Miner]

the red and white and then the imperial flagship sails look funny.

ya, im having a hard time forming an opinion of the ship, because i can't get past the sails.

- BM

[Dreamweb]

I think it's just a matter of taste - IMO they fit together quite nicely. The horizontal red stripes of the upper sails and the vertical red stripes of the lower sails make a nice composition... And BTW these aren't Imperial Flaghip's sails, they are custom sails made to look like them. In fact these sails weren't a problem to me and are one of the things I didn't change since the 2004 version, so I'm quite surprised with your reaction. But I'm also grateful to you for it and glad you pointed it out - after all that's one of the reasons why we show our MOCs - so that people can tell what they think and sometimes point out things the creator doesn't even notice. From my point of view the sails were OK, however now that you've both mentioned it I've got a more objective view and I know I might try to change something... Actually I already have - I've come up with quite an original solution, I'll soon take new pictures... Thanks!

[Mister Phes]

I really do think though you should make custom sails, so they all look the same, it would really add to the ship a lot! And once you get used to my technique you could get all those sails done within and evening...Wait till morning for them to be dry. Hope you think about this. Because the red and white and then the imperial flagship sails look funny.

As soon as I saw the picture this is was the first thing I noticed... "Custom sails" just ran through my mind, but if you're content with them Mr Dreamweb I suppose that's all that can be said about that.

Mr Dreamweb, I'm wondering what has inspired you to revise this ship twice since creation? Is it your favourite ship or do you feel the need to get it right?

[Captain Ironhook]

I am wondering to dreamweb why he didn't use the sails from the same set for all the sails. I do not understand why he has used half from one set and half from another. Is it because he does not have enough sails from the one set?

[Dreamweb]

I am wondering to dreamweb why he didn't use the sails from the same set for all the sails. I do not understand why he has used half from one set and half from another. Is it because he does not have enough sails from the one set?

No, it's quite obvious, really. If you look closely you can see that one of the sails (the smallest one) is of a custom shape and size - Lego never released a sail like this, that's why I had to use at least one custom sail. So I used 3 which were inspired by Imperial Flagship's sails. During the time I was making the 1st version I didn't have enough original sails either, but despite having acquired them later I didn't change them anyway. I just liked them the way they were.

However, it's all in the past. Please recheck the first post of this thread and check the new Brickshelf gallery, as soon as it's public!

[vahkimetru]

Well, I love Imperials, and I love good ships, and this one is beautifully done! Very detailed, my favorite parts being the tavern(Yes tavern, not saloon, Phes) and the gunbay. Those just seem the most detaailed parts to me, but then again, the whole thing is great. I do have only one complaint. The ship looks a bit short, maty be making it a little longer.

[Dreamweb]

I've just added the link to the new MOCpages page, it's in the first post, and if you're lazy - it's also here.

[Brick Miner]

hmmm.... i figure i should follow up on my comments here...

well... mast, mast rigging, and overall shape of the sails configuration reminds me all too much of the BSB... the ship hull and colors too. certainly, there must be another color combination that works well with the red and white striped pattern sails.

when i look at this ship i see a pirate ship, BLACK SEAS BARRACUDE, not an imperial ship. and though there are obvious differences, overall shape and color override them.

i loved your "valour" though X-D

- BrickMiner

[Jipay]

much better than the old version ! still i do think like the other that sails in blue and white would change everything. I guess that's just plain dumb, but the red and white ones are definitly associated with the pirates now :/

[SuvieD]

This ship looks to be the imperial ship that was stolen and stripped down to make the BSB. Pirates of course don't build ships but steal them. This is the more bulky version that was refitted to be faster by pirates.

Actually, the detail in this is well beyond what LEGO includes in their models. A knowledge of ships and a spare BSB has really helped this shipped become a great MOC.

MOC on!

[Dreamweb]

much better than the old version ! still i do think like the other that sails in blue and white would change everything. I guess that's just plain dumb, but the red and white ones are definitly associated with the pirates now :/

You've just rejected what is by many MOCers (and Lego fans in general) considered one of the greatest virtues of BSB - the neutrality of her sails. They lack Jolly Rogers so they can be used in any ship. And yet you say they look like pirate sails anyway :-)

Personally, I think red and white sails fit the soldiers. The Imperial Guards wear red uniforms, their flags (which I used here) have red and white stripes as well... The Imperial Flagship had red stripes, though with a tan background... I really coudn't have used blue and white sails. If you look at the top sail on the main mast (the taller mast), you will see it's not an original BSB sail. It's a smaller sail cut from BSB sail. Normally I wouldn't have done that, but that sail was fatigued and incomplete anyway (it had been damaged by its previous owner from whom I bought one of my BSBs). I don't have Carribean Clipper's sails damaged in the same fashion and I certainly don't want to destroy them on purpose.

This ship looks to be the imperial ship that was stolen and stripped down to make the BSB. Pirates of course don't build ships but steal them. This is the more bulky version that was refitted to be faster by pirates.

I like this interpretation very much. I never thought of it, however once, when I had a Spanish BSB, I made up a similar story - that BSB was a Spanish ship stolen by the pirates.

[Brick Miner]

You've just rejected what is by many MOCers (and Lego fans in general) considered one of the greatest virtues of BSB - the neutrality of her sails.

i happen to not agree with this... the iconography of the red and white sails is FAR TOO STRONG. i mean, the BSB is a legend (and i don't just mean that its been re-released). its a true GEM in the lego system universe. when i see the red and white sails... like jipay, i immediately think PIRATE !!! especially when they are represented in the general configuration of the BSB.

i do, however, like that third custom sail !!!

great job on being inventive with damaged LEGO pieces !!!

- brickminer

[Mister Phes]

You've just rejected what is by many MOCers (and Lego fans in general) considered one of the greatest virtues of BSB - the neutrality of her sails. They lack Jolly Rogers so they can be used in any ship. And yet you say they look like pirate sails anyway :-)

I don't really like the sails on the Black Seas Barracuda or Caribbean Clipper for that matter! For some reason I think they look too dorky, it must be the width of their stripes, but could you imagine a real life pirate ship with bright red stripes on its sail? It would make the ship stand out too much which is never good for those surprise attacks!

EDIT: I wrote that without realising what was in this thread! I just saw the last post and wrote my opinion then hit "submit", it was only after I scrolled back up to the top of the thread to remind myself exactly what this thread was all about. Then I see Mr Dreamweb's MOC and think my comments about the sails might seem a bit harsh! But we must remember I was referring to Pirate ships and not Imperial Ships.