Research Note
Victory Copper Plates
Richard Wright - Technical Manager, JoTiKa Ltd
The following is in response to a a queston to
Caldercraft to question their
coppering on the Victory.
Regarding copper plates, there are large variations from one source to another
on their size, orientation and fixing techniques. The outline of rivets you
refer to is actually a representation of the nails, at this scale it is
impossible to commercially produce copper plates with a visible scale
indentation and our market research has shown that modellers prefer this
visible pattern. Unfortunately, it has come down to trying to satisfy as many
people as possible and while we are discussing, with our tool manufacturer, the
possibility of reducing the height of the nail detail it is yet to be seen if
this will be practical.
Size ~
While it is widely accepted that copper plates were of a length of 4ft (48in)
evidence of their width ranges from 1ft2in (14in) to 2ft (24in). Our research
into Victory using contemporary sources, Admiralty Plans & Records, and input
from H.M.S. Victory Keeper & Curator leads us to believe that the copper plates
used were approximately 4ft (48in) long by 1ft6in (18in) wide. At a scale of
1:72 this gives measurements of 16.93mm long by 6.35mm wide, the actual
measurements of our plates are 16.9mm long by 6.4mm wide.
By 1779 there were also three thickness' of copper plates available: 32oz, 28oz
and 22oz. All three thickness' were used around the ship according to the wear
they were likely to encounter. The 32oz plates were used around the bows, the
28oz used just behind the bows and the thinnest 22oz plates were used to cover
the rest of the ship, unfortunately at a scale of 1:72 it would be both
impractical and impossible to show this.
Orientation ~
The orientation of the plates was changed very quickly, as you state the plates
would overlap those below and astern, with some evidence that they would
overlap above and astern. However, in early tests of copper plating, the sheets
were placed directly above one another to form a grid work (although still
overlapping as above), this was soon changed so that the plates were staggered
as in brick work, as shown on our model (also still overlapping as above).
Although we have not overlapped the plates on our prototype this is due to time
constraints and photographic purposes. Not only is it important for us to build
the prototype quickly we decided that for the model to be lit and photographed
for the box art a smooth hull would be more easily viewed and appear more
sharply focused than if we had overlapped the plates. That said, our plates can
be easily overlapped, because there is a raised nail, the underside is indented
and when the plates are overlapped these indents fit over the raised nails and
lock the plates together. Also, the plating on British ships of this period
were plated from the keel upward and the plates roughly followed the line of
the planking, so that it curved downwards towards midships (and upwards at the
bows/stern) as demonstrated on the model. I'm not sure which book you have read
about Gore belts in but I would hazard a guess that it refers to ships of a
later period.
Fixing techniques ~
The early method of fixing copper plates was to use nails around the outer
edges of the plates only. One year after the 74-Gun ship Alfred damaged her
copper in an accidental collision with a frigate it was reported that the worm
had 'quite destroyed' the bows where the copper plating had been torn off.
Orders from the Navy Board were then given to ensure that the sheets of copper
were nailed on as securely as possible. The method of fixing nails only around
the edges of the plates was now changed and they were placed across the surface
as well, to guarantee a tight seal.
As Victory was one of the earliest ships to be plated (she was coppered in
1779), her plates would only have been secured around the outer edges.
{Richard Wright - Technical Manager, JoTiKa Ltd}
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