Moomin

Hey - sorry for the late post. You mentioned the vessel on a recent response to a post, so just taking a look now. I really like it! Great cabin details and storage, and love the cannons with the rounded end. Best way to go , custom cannons, with the smaller vessels IMO. Did have a long hard thought about tumblehomes and experimented: they were present on most vessels of around this size but pretty minimal in some cases. In my opinion, adding tumblehomes to vessels of this sort of size isn't necessary: in fact, when I tried, it made my brig look odd - almost like an ironclad or the hull started looking like something out of WW1! Just didn't fit. Really think if going up to corvette/frigate size (prefabs or no) it does look better with a tumblehome however if building fun but reasonably realistic ships. All the best! Great build!

Thanks Plaid Beard . Was pleased with it overall. I'm not on here much - just tend to browse once in a while. I've cleaned up the ratlines now and added better mountings for them on the hull using technics pieces. I agree - it is a mission trying to source parts from ebay and the like - I ended up with quite a few surplus parts: amongst numerous chests and barrels I now have maybe a dozen of the official cannons (too big for my project), and several jolly boats in my stores! Last time I checked the official store, no hull pieces were available - I searched for them looking under spare parts for the 'Imperial Flagship model. All the best!

Hey! Seems you may be in a similar position to that which I was a couple of years ago - wanting a larger, slightly more realistic ship but still on the old hull - I built 'The Parrot' from parts of the old Carribean Cipper' set - had a few other pieces too, but mostly I sourced hull and masts etc from ebay, bricks from the official lego store - about £125 all up, not including the original model of course. The flush decking was most expensive! so many tiles needed! Still upgrading, working on this now - should really get some new pics up... http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=98226&hl=parrot All the best!

Hi - off to a good start, and like it that you have considered features such as the tumblehome, and given thought to the sail plan too. The masts look well spaced - I am certainly no expert on these maters though! Kurigan is of course correct to state that this is not a frigate but a brig - frigates have three masts. Only my opinion, but I would work her up as a brig, rather than trying to cram an extra mast on - did consider doing that with my brig, and really didn't work. All in all, think you have made a great start, and look forward to seeing more! The guys here are really helpful, and can offer excellent advice. All the best! M.

Taken with my phone this morning... ...nothing particularly innovative with this bunch, but like the idea of showing the crew separately - AND I wanted to proove I do have a crew (the last pics of Parrot several months ago showed her totally abandoned! - just need to get the vessel in order and put them on board now....:-/). Anyway, here is the crew of The Parrot (a 14 gun brig, originally built for naval service, but now in the hands of several privateers) Preparing stores and equipment before the first voyage: The co-owners, from left to right: Marcus 'Moomin' Moorhen, an explorer and journalist chronicling the adventures of The Parrot; Olivier Owl, physician; Roderick Redfeather, Captain; Ruby Wren, first mate; Leonard Lark, Quartermaster The Head Gunner, Purser, Armourer, Bosun, Carpenter, Cook, Sailors and pets

Oh thanks Zeev - that is it, for sure - 'tis a fine blade;-).

Hi! Great idea posting minifig crews! Will get my privateers of The Parrot up here soon;-). Love those already posted - was just wondering: where is the sword of the type carried by the Cardinal's Guard from? (Think Capt Braunsfeld also has such a weapon).

Looks great! Super build so far - my gut says more galleon than frigate, given the fairly high stern, but I'm a novice!

It is awesome, for sure! It will be one fast ship, I think! I really like the 'glasswork' above the captain's quarters, and think the whole look is very clean. She is well defended from every angle with the quarterdeck stern cannons, also.

Thanks Behemoth. Yes! needs crew, and have a few officers, marines and sailors - I simply forgot to add them in any shots! will rectify that later;-). Re the helm: I think you are right for vessels with a proper quarterdeck - the helm would be there, but the stern superstructure is not a quarterdeck with the parrot: just a covered area a bit like seen on (few) smallish brigs (google HMS Badger - Nelson's first command, for example). I think more commonly on a brig of the Parrot's size, there would be no stern cabin - just an entirely open deck, with the helm positioned on that deck. I added the rear cabin more for fun than historical accuracy, though as noted above, they were not unheard of. I believe that more often than not, on smaller brigs at least, the Captain - who would probably be only the rank of commander in the British Navy, but still referred to as 'Captain' when in control of the brig - would most likely be housed below decks! On the Parrot, he is lucky!;-). Sorry for the essay!;-).

Thanks! Really hope so, Capt Braunsfeld! Would love to see it, for sure - have enjoyed looking over your builds :-) Thanks! Really nice to get comments from such great builders :-) Thanks! Loving the way your brig is coming along, Captain Genaro - is going to be a lot more technically accurate than The Parrot, for sure - wanted the custom cannons as this is a pretty small vessel, and agree with you (as noted in your thread) that whilst carronades are probably more historically apt for vessels this size, cannons not by any means unheard of, and, well, just kinda prefer them;-). Only realised she was having many sails up with no crew after the rater rushed photo shoot, so will have to sort that out, along with a bit of a tidy up and some better quality pics. Overall, fairly happy with the build; was aiming for a slightly more historically accurate vessel than the official ones, without becoming too technical - amazing to see the vessels that have really focussed on technical features though - I'm really impressed with these. Anyway, will most likely do some tweaking over the next weeks, then post some more pics;-). Thanks again for all the support/comments here. M.

Oh - if anyone who hasn't looked already but that is interested, here is the link to the WIP thread - http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=90091&hl=parrot Kind regards, M.

Thanks for the comments - glad you like it! Whilst it is now complete, of course I may make a few alterations, and neaten things up a bit - any suggestions still welcome! My aim was to build a reasonably simple square rigged vessel on prefabs - this is not intended to be as historically accurate or as detailed as some of the great builds on here, but for me I felt a prefab brig is a good place to start as a first project;-). I just realised no crew at all in any pics! A bit Mary Celeste!;-). Sounds a bit funny, but one of my favourite things is that she has front facing chaser ports - was eager to include these, though did take time getting it to work! Think the cannons should be 9-pounders - considerably smaller than the regular Lego cannon. Too small and lightly built for any big fights, so think she will be used for delivering dispatches and the odd dignitary;-). Thanks again for all the support on here!

165A Hello all, Finally got around to putting some sails on the parrot, so now it is pretty much complete - has had a few modifications, notably I have scaled down the broadside to 7 guns - thanks to Mr Townsend for the recommendation here - did decide it neatened the look up a bit . Thanks also to Sebeus I and all others who have commented/offered advice on this, and to all the other shipbuilders who have given me much inspiration. I may try to take some better photos, and even make some more modifications, but for now, this is the completed brig. Thanks

Hey! Looking great - do really like these waterline models, and if I were to start the Parrot again, would consider going that way too (will post completed pic of that ship in next week or two - just finishing off the sails having soaked my linen pillow case in tea and PVA glue!;-). It seems that you are going for a much more technically accurate and more detailed ship than I with my project. Been away for months now, and my first look back to see these excellent ships under construction! Very impressed! Have 2 issues with the cannons - I love the designs, but: 1. I note that you are using two different ones - I think the main battery would normally be of just one type, so as to mean that they (an the crews trained to fire them) were interchangeable . 2. Would also say that 18 pounder guns were a little on the heavy side for a brig cut to (what looks to be) a 7 gun broadside. Pretty new to all this, and could be wrong here, but think 12 pounder must be a maximum? My (now 14 gun) brig is nothing like as detailed as yours will be, of course, and slightly smaller, but was going to deem the guns 6 or 9 pounders - incidentally, think I read somewhere that the 12s and long 9s have the best range of any guns on ships of this period. Sorry - I know the above sounds a bit pedantic, but understand you are looking to build a very historically accurate brig. Please do correct me (anyone) if you disagree with my comments. Really would be interested on know more on this. Will be looking forward to the progress on your build. Cheers! Oh Woops! just re-read he comments, and realise that you have addressed my first point already! - Sorry!;-).