Flying Cloud

Howdy, I'm a newbie here with a question/situation I'm not sure where to post so I'll do it here and the webmaster can move it where it belongs and TIA.

Donald Gunn Ross III (1st cousin, 4 times removed to Donald McKay) wants to build a faithful modern day copy of his ancestor's great ship Flying Cloud. My aspirations are a bit more modest....I want to build a virtual model of the Flying Cloud in Architectural Desktop/3D Studio Max software. I understand the original plans are at MIT. My question is do you know of anyone who has done this before? Built a computer generated model of this great ship?
Any advice, direction would be appreciated.

(And after FC, lets do Seawitch, Red Jacket, Rainbow, etc. Anyone need a CG model?)

 

What type of model are you looking for...

100% completely accurate with internals or a minimal poly external only model with textures?

They are approached very differently.

 

Probably both, jehardiman. Clipper ships just fascinate me. I am reading Ross's Era of the Clipperships and find it absorbing to say the least. I have experience in ADT and in our small firm we have an excellent 3D max guy. But if the work is already done....hey I'd like to see it. This is for a personal project of mine.

 

Book on dutch clippers.

The book "Nederlandse clippers" (Dutch clippers) was recently published, it contains many images and lines plans of Dutch build clippers. These images were generated from accurate 3D models and took years to develop.


Most of these were smaller than Flying Cloud but one or two have somewhat similar lines and would be a good starting point.

(dutch) http://www.uitgeverijvanwijnen.nl/result-titel.asp?ISBN=9789051942675

Contact details:

http://www.uitgeverijvanwijnen.nl/index-contact.htm

 

SeaSpark is correct that another model is a good starting point.

To draw the entire structure 3d is a HUGE project as most clippers had no PMB to speak of. That means that a single frame would be composed of 20-30 elements, each unique and there would be 100 or so frames. And we haven't even started on the planks, floors, beams, knees, etc.

For a starting point, there are 3DS models of sailing ships at the TurboSquid site ( I recall the USS CONSTUTITION/French 44 from Master and Commander). Also check out the "Pirates of the Burning Sea" custom content site as they have a pretty good tutorial of how to get a ships hull into to 3d pretty quick from a set of scaned lines.

 

Translation

Funny automatic translation of the first link above:

(oops double post,first link from the second post from below

The pictures represent half models and line plans for as far as i can remember, only browsed through it once in a bookshop and put it on my wish list, no internal structures or rigging

 

Thanks, All. I am sending away for FC plans from MIT this week. Can you recomend a good book(s) on clipper ship construction? Preferably with lots of illustrations? I'm finding I have a lot to learn. (Ask me something about log homes 'tho...I'm something of an expert log dog... )

 

The absolute best book I can think of for the illustrations you want is China Tea Clippers by George Campbell; Adlard Coles Ltd 1974 and reprinted 1985. ISBN 0-229-11525-X

Also be aware that the plans will most likely have very little in way of construction details, especially in the deadwood, futtocks, and cantframes. These were mostly put in by the shipwright based upon available timbers; so I'd expect you won't have more than frame and space on the plans. So depending on your experience, you might need a copy of Wooden Ship-Building by Charles Desmond, Vestal Press; Reprint edition (January 25, 1998) ISBN 0-911-57237-6, to get the frames out correctly.