USS Constitution

[Scouty]

27d

Here is another MOC in PDX BrickFest. Here

It certainly looks nice :capn:

EDIT Bonaparte: This MOC really deserved a separate thread, so I've split it from the Brickfest PDX 07 thread.

I'll do my best to get the creator here as soon as we have some more feedback on this beauty.

It has a brick-build hull, great color scheme and a modular design.

The official website with all the pictures!

[Frank Filz]

Here is another MOC in PDX BrickFest. Here

It certainly looks nice :capn:

That's Ben Fleskes's USS Constitution, and it is nice. We decided to leave it out of the pirate display because it just dwarfs the rest of the pirate stuff. On the other hand, it looked quite nice in front of Adran Egli's massive bridge (which is just ever so barely tall enough to clear the Constitution... Adrian and I checked it out...).

Frank

[Capn Frank]

That's Ben Fleskes's USS Constitution, and it is nice. We decided to leave it out of the pirate display because it just dwarfs the rest of the pirate stuff. On the other hand, it looked quite nice in front of Adran Egli's massive bridge (which is just ever so barely tall enough to clear the Constitution... Adrian and I checked it out...).

Frank

Hey Frank,

Do you know if Ben has more pics of this MOC online and where?

I'd be very interested to know, cause this summer (hopefully) i plan to start on my own USS Constitution *y*

P

[Frank Filz]

Hey Frank,

Do you know if Ben has more pics of this MOC online and where?

I'd be very interested to know, cause this summer (hopefully) i plan to start on my own USS Constitution *y*

http://www.bigbenbricks.com/ben/lego/ussco...tion/index.html

Frank

[oo7]

That's one beauty of a ship! *wub* I love the modules and the nicely detailed interior, ingenious hammocks!

ALL HANDS ON DECK! There be a Kraken rampagin' off the larboard!

[Hobbes]

ALL HANDS ON DECK! There be a Kraken rampagin' off the larboard!

:-D :-D :-D

I'm gonna call my sister-in-law's daughter a kraken now, I'm sure she'll love it X-D

[Starwars4J]

:-D :-D :-D

I'm gonna call my sister-in-law's daughter a kraken now, I'm sure she'll love it X-D

It'll be tough explaining that to her when she's older though :-P

As for the picture, I love the wonderfully bored expression on the child's face. It looks like she's just killing time, and trying to stretch :-D

[Capn Frank]

This is a great MOC *y*

I too love how it's got modularized construction. It really helps to have modularization on larger MOCs in case they need to be transported to your brother's house or to a show X-D

I'd be curious to know if the masts are removable too.

P

[Mister Phes]

Since the USS Constitution is based on a real ship of the same name I figured it would have a Wikipedia article.

(You got this in your index, Master Index Builder? :))

Here's the opening paragraph:

USS Constitution, known as "Old Ironsides," is a wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy. Named after the United States Constitution, she is the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the world, and is still in service in the US Navy. The Constitution was one of the six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and was launched in 1797. Joshua Humphreys designed them to be the Navy's capital ships and so Constitution and her sisters were larger and more heavily armed than the standard frigates of the period.

In 1917 she was renamed to Old Constitution, to free the name for a new Constitution, a Lexington class battle cruiser that was never completed. She resumed the name Constitution in 1925 after the new hull was cancelled. In early 1941, Constitution was assigned the hull classification symbol IX-21[1] (the "IX" hull code stands for "Unclassified Miscellaneous"), but was reclassified to "none" on 1 September 1975.[2]

[Bonaparte]

Since the USS Constitution is based on a real ship of the same name I figured it would have a Wikipedia article.

(You got this in your index, Master Index Builder? :))

Sure! It's been in the Wikipedia links for some time now (under the title: United States of America).

[Capn Frank]

...

(You got this in your index, Master Index Builder? :))

...

Of course the Master Index Builder has the USS Constitution in the Wiki index.

He has got super-powers after all :-D

The USS Constitution has rescantly become my favorite ship. The more i read about it, the more i like it :)

I'm hoping to build a lego version comparible to this someday.

P

[tedbeard]

Seeing the ship in person was great. The size is overwhelming when you get close up. The modularity allowed for access to the interiors along with some sections of removable decking. The interor details were almost more impressive than the overall design.

I did have one nit to pick however. The Admiral was hosting some officers to dinner in his cabin and they were all wearing their bicorne hats. This is not, I think accurate historical practice to wear tall hats at dinner (or indeed anywhere inside a warship.) *sweet*

[Mister Phes]

Of course the Master Index Builder has the USS Constitution in the Wiki index.

He has got super-powers after all :-D

Unlike some lazy sods who don't even bother to check the index. Oh wait! That's right I was busy working on something very important.

Seeing the ship in person was great. The size is overwhelming when you get close up. The modularity allowed for access to the interiors along with some sections of removable decking. The interor details were almost more impressive than the overall design.

So you've actually been on board? You're quite a lucky chappy! Do you live far from where she berths?

I did have one nit to pick however. The Admiral was hosting some officers to dinner in his cabin and they were all wearing their bicorne hats. This is not, I think accurate historical practice to wear tall hats at dinner (or indeed anywhere inside a warship.) *sweet*

Did they invite you to the dinner Mr Beard? Seems they like that could do with a historical adviser, afterall isn't to plain rude for a gentleman to wear any kind of hat to the dinner table?

[Frank Filz]

Unlike some lazy sods who don't even bother to check the index. Oh wait! That's right I was busy working on something very important.

So you've actually been on board? You're quite a lucky chappy! Do you live far from where she berths?

Did they invite you to the dinner Mr Beard? Seems they like that could do with a historical adviser, afterall isn't to plain rude for a gentleman to wear any kind of hat to the dinner table?

I think he was saying he saw Ben's model in person...

I have both seen Ben's model in person, and been aboard the real ship. I grew up in Massachusetts, though I'm not sure I visited Old Ironsides until I was in college or later.

Frank

[Maedhros]

That is nice.. Ben Fleskes was the one who really drew me into FOLdom for the first time some eight years ago with his Millennium Falcon and it

[Scouty]

Wow, I'm making alot of threads I didn't intend to make X-D . This is truly a very good ship. I would like to see it in person, I bet it's much prettier in real life than pictures

[legopirate83]

ooooo

very nice indeed

i like the modular parts

[tedbeard]

Did they invite you to the dinner Mr Beard? Seems they like that could do with a historical adviser, afterall isn't to plain rude for a gentleman to wear any kind of hat to the dinner table?

What a cool idea! I should have brought my pirate sig-fig (which I think I have it ready to be photographed now thanks to the cool tutorial) and asked if "I" could tour the ship. Maybe even get myself invited to dinner.

I think this will be a great pirate project for cons like the CC Photoshoot at BrickFest. I will host something @ NWBrickCon in October but that will be another post once I have worked out some details.

That is nice.. Ben Fleskes was the one who really drew me into FOLdom for the first time some eight years ago with his Millennium Falcon and it

[Bonaparte]

Time to invite Ben Fleskes. I dropped him an email a minute ago.

Let's wait and see if he will join our discussion.

[Mister Phes]

What a cool idea! I should have brought my pirate sig-fig (which I think I have it ready to be photographed now thanks to the cool tutorial) and asked if "I" could tour the ship. Maybe even get myself invited to dinner.

I'll be on the look out for that sigfig!

Time to invite Ben Fleskes. I dropped him an email a minute ago.Let's wait and see if he will join our discussion.

Excellent work Mr Bonaparte. Mr Fleskes seems to be an all round MOCer so it would be good to have him on board!

[benfleskes]

Time to invite Ben Fleskes. I dropped him an email a minute ago.

Let's wait and see if he will join our discussion.

Thanks for the invite, I sometime lurk on the eurobrick forums, but never posted before.

I'm flattered that you like my model of the USS Constitution.

A couple of comments on the model.

The masts are removable - simply pull off the rat lines and they fall down :) I'm very pleased with the two tier ratline design (using two small ratlines and one large ratline per side of each mast) - it provided a remarkable amount of stability - both fore/aft and laterally. Visually, the 2x4 plate used to splice the ratlines together pretty much dissappears in al the rigging.

Typically, pretty much everything I build now, I build modular. I find it a lot easier to build that way and as a bonus, it's that much easier to take to a conference to display - especially when it comes to packing it in a small car.

My favorite feature is the hammocks. http://www.bigbenbricks.com/ben/lego/ussco...osssect_fwd.jpg I would of put in more, but that was all the white plates with ball joints that I had. It's fun to give them a little push and watch them swing back and forth.

My second favorite feature is the flag. http://www.bigbenbricks.com/ben/lego/ussco...tution/flag.jpg I first built the flag using 1x1 squar eplates for the stars and didn't like the amount of white. Then I tried the 1x1 round plates and found that that looked a lot better. Later on, I was to learn that the USS Constitution originally sailed with a 13 star flag.

Oh yes, and I really like the chair designs I came up with. http://www.bigbenbricks.com/ben/lego/ussco...tion/chairs.jpg Notice the pistol muskets used to support one of the arm rests.

Biggest nit pick with the model: the side of the hull is entirely vertical. If I were to do it over again I would slope in the top and bottom for a more realistic curve.

If people have further questions, please post and I'll respond when I can.

Cheers.

Ben Fleskes

[Mister Phes]

Greetings Benfleskes!

Thank you for taking the time to post here and share your knowledge. Not only are you a talented builder, you've even constructively critiqued your own creation!

There are several skilled ship builders here who may be inspired by your MOC and vice versa.

[Pirate Maniac]

It even inspires unskilled ship builders X-D

The ship looks great, I really love it and it is an inspiration for me as I am now building my first ship. It's only a small frigate built with a limited amount of parts but she's going to be nice, apart from the cannons which are absalutely terrible.

[Capn Frank]

It even inspires unskilled ship builders X-D

The ship looks great, I really love it and it is an inspiration for me as I am now building my first ship. It's only a small frigate built with a limited amount of parts but she's going to be nice, apart from the cannons which are absalutely terrible.

Mr. Maniac,

You could put a progress thread on your ship and keep us updated on it ;-)

We'd love to see what ppl are building/have built

so that we can give our compliments and suggestions for improvements.

P

[Captain Zuloo]

I was just browsing the net and I found this model of the Uss Constitution which I think was one of the American Navy's first 44-gun frigates but don't quote me on it.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has seen it and I'm interested to find out what you other sea dogs think.

Here is the link

.Uss Constitution