Felucca ...finished 2. boat!

[Frank]

After I had finished my river-steamer, I was looking for some nile boats (Felucca). In a local hobby shop I found two different sets, the Nina and the Pinta. Both were very cheap, only 15 euro each. Now I started to convert the Nina. The set is made by Zvezad and in 1/100 scale. First I had to cut down the hull, to get a waterline ship. I used only one of the masts and shifted the thing a little bit more to the front. Finally I had to chance the stern...here is the result:

[inkydave]

  WOW  You have done it again. Always an inspiration. Cant wait to see it painted.

[Mycenius]

Great stuff Frank - although I always thought they were called "Nuggars"! I did something similar with London War Room "Ship's Boats" - a friend made me some simple mast & sail inserts so they could double as Nuggars (i.e. I just swap out the rowers seat section for the mast & sail). I'm not familiar with Felucca (if they are a distinctly different vessel) but AFAIK Nuggars at least did not have decks 'per se' - so could be an excuse to follow your example for another type of boat?

P.S. You can see one of my rather simple Nuggars (& an original LWR Ship's Boat) here:
 


(P.S. there are more larger images in the photo gallery here for those interested: http://wargaming.info/2011/still-more-tsatf-at-battlecry-2011/ )

[Traveler Man]

A very neat conversion!  I'm looking forward to seeing it painted.

[Marine0846]

That's a neat idea.
I have that same boat.
Planned to use it for another project,
may have to rethink using it.
Am now in a Sudan campaign with friends,
a boat like that would come in handy.

[Furt]

Looks brilliant and at a great scale. 

How exactly did you cut her down and is that the actual sail that comes with the plastic kit?

Also did you have to do anything to the deck?

Very impressed with this!

[Frank]

Thanks for your comments!

@Mycenius: You are right; the common ship type used in the Sudan was the Nuggar, a sailing boat used to carry cargo on the Nile. The Felucca, a smaller sailing boat, was more common in Egypt, but not unknown in the Sudan. There are also other names and types of Nile-boats, for example Markab, Gharab, Dahabiya and Gyassa. I found pictures of all different kinds of boats…my reference for the conversion was this picture:



I’m not sure, but I think this photo shows a Nuggar (large boat) and a Felucca (small boat)



If there are better references or descriptions please let me know!

@Furt: I fixed the hull on a small board (with some modeling clay), then I use a pencil fixed to small cube to mark the waterline all around the hull. The next step was the cutting; here I used a micro-disk-saw (Dremel). At last I sanded the edges and finally glued a thin polystyrene-card on opening, which I trimmed with a cutter.

…and yes, the sail comes with the plastic kit.

[inkydave]

Sadly most of these pics dont have a description(pic 3 is a dahabeah), but they are from the period and may provide some useful details.
All from www.gallica.bnf.fr
There is also an photo album on the site of all the notable inhabitants of Khartoum taken in 1882 and 1884.

[Anderson Collection]

Great work Frank very good converson!

[Hammers]

That's a great use of a kit, Frank! I may one day copy it, but I think I would cut the hull even shorter to put the gunwale closer to the waterline.

[OSHIROmodels]

Considering the scale, that works very well indeed 

cheers

James

[chicklewis]

SERIOUSLY gorgeous project !!

[Kingscarbine]

Outstanding! Now I'll have to have one too. 

[Remington]

Hey Frank, that's a beautiful and definitely nicked idea! Very nice! Looking forward to the end result which I am certain will be spectacular.

[Frank]

It took some time, but I finally finished my first felucca.



And the second one is on its the way...