Was able to get all the shrouds on, all the braces, and have made a start on the rigging, mostly from bowsprit to the fore mast.
Once the rigging is done. I will need to touch paint a fair few areas of black to cover the glue deposits, but it should all blend in
Going to carry on with the black cotton on most of it, but will add some normal rope coloured lengths to add a bit of contrast.
More rigging tomorrow 
Ok, I am happy (and relieved) to say that the venerable and oldest still commissioned ship, HMS Victory is finished …
Just finished off the rigging, well as much as I could face doing… I could of probably spent another 2 days just on that, and fitted the anchors.
Will try to get it outside tomorrow to do some natural light photos but here’s a few to crack on with.
Apologies for the makeshift green background, I wanted the rigging to be a bit more visible.
Thanks to everyone for the support, kind words and all the encouragement during the build. Also thank you Tim @timmyp & Danie @Danie for the info on all things nautical and everyone else for info supplied…
And most importantly… I have earned huge brownie points as SWMBO loves it
Magnificent job, bravo John it looks superb! 
Is there a perspex/glass case on order? Some flags/pennants to come?…including Nelson’s famous signal? 
Well done John. She looks great. Well worth the pain I think…
Thanks both to Peter @petbat & Tim @Dioramartin …
I decided not to have any flags/ensigns or pennants flown. Just wanted the basic ship , plus the Airfix ones are hideous lol…
We have a cabinet that SWMBO has said she will put it in, so it won’t be one a full on dust magnet thankfully haha
Tim @Dioramartin … Have you been in touch with my SWMBO???
She just said, wouldn’t it look nice with a colourful flag …
Custom decal making for a Union Flag when I get to work on Monday lol
Looks wonderful, John! And yes, you have to add a flag or two - a spot of color will look splendid. You must have been working at “ramming speed” to get this ship finished so quickly! Congrats!
The flag will be done lol…flown from the main mast…
Yeah I was burning through it last night as I really wanted to get it cracked.
I did straight 4.5 hrs last night to get the rigging done and the final paint tidy up…
It was worth the work and effort though and for all its faults, I really enjoyed the build and the new aspects I had to battle through
Definitiv a fine job done, I was following silently in the background.
The flag will be a very nice addition!
Congratulations to (almost) commissioning your HMS Victory, she looks splendid and would do Admiral Nelson honor!
Cheers
Jan
Thanks Jan, glad you were watching and liked it, and coming from a serving naval officer, very much appreciated Sir 
Oops…er no, pure coincidence m’lud. So, RN ensign or Union Jack? I’ve no idea, but the “England expects…” 32-flag signal was probably not what SWMBO had in mind…
Great build John, you’ve done the ol’ gal proud, 
. Now I think you should buy a second one and build it with all sails unfurled, 
.
G, 
Cheers G, appreciated mate… And ref your 2nd point … Not a chance lol… I have now officially done enough rigging to last me a life time lol
John, your determination and persistence along with some fine model ship wright skills have come together to create a stunning show piece. 
Photographing her on a green screen is reminiscent of the technology used in cinematic special effects-maybe someone with Photoshop skills could help you place her in a seascape?
Adding flags will be the icing on the cake. It’s always wise to let SWMBO have some inputs on the build as it helps to overcome the hurdle of displaying your latest build in “her” loungeroom 
Once again: Congratulations on completion!
Thanks Russ, appreciated mate, it was certainly a steep learning curve at times compared to the armour I usually get on with. Lots of new things to do which I found pretty rewarding once they had been done.
Staying out of my comfort zone, my next 2 will be the F4 wildcat going into the Guadalcanal group build, and then the 1/48 F16 for the IDF build … Hope I can bring them both up to the same sort of par as Victory
Seconded. I haven’t been aboard her for nearly half-a-century and I don’t think she has been all in one piece between then and now… Now all you need is one of her neighbours (HMS Warrior, HMS M33, Mary Rose, MGB 81, HSL 102, and others) to make a set.
I picked up this kit cheap in a Charity Shop a few years ago, took a good look at it and gave it to a friend; I’m not sure whether he still counts me as a friend…
Cheers,
M
Cheers Tom. I haven’t been on her since about 7 years ago, a long time. I had organised a section bonding day and one of the lads knew the Station senior warrant officer of the dockyards and he got us a few hours tour on one of the 3 or possibly 4 type 45s that were along side, then we all piled into the historic dockyard after on our ID cards … It’s always good to look around there.
On the Mary Rose, my uncle was invited over from Australia when they first found her to assist in the recording and gather data about as he was an oceanic reseacher/diver… Spent months diving on her.
Just the finishing touches I said I’d get round to.
A Union flag on the bowsprit flag pole, the cross of St George on the main mast, and the Navy Ensign on the rear flag pole.
Did my normal flag trick, got the various flag types from online, did a copy on normal paper first to check the size etc, then onto decal paper.
Cut slightly oversized pieces of kitchen foil, then micro set then sol those, do one side of the flag then repeat the process and then finely trim off the excess foil and gently scrunch up to try and give the flags a bit of movement.
A wonderful build John, and one that was a pleasure to follow from start to finish, …or should that be stem to stern, 
.
One to show off and be proud of my friend, .
G,
Thanks G. It was probably one of the most demanding jobs and time consuming ones I have done after my Striker that I did. Namely just through kit issues like warping, not aligned, soft detailing through to painting, repainting, mast issues, not to mention the rigging, so it threw a lot of curve balls all through the build. Saying all that, I really enjoyed the build and all the routes it took to get to the final flag being hoisted.
Would I do another or similar tall ship ? probably not, but I am glad I did it and made it look half decent, and thanks to all your support during the process.
