Even more brilliant ideas!

Between moving Mini-HORNET up to Richmond - no small endeavor let me tell you - and the growing list of projects around the Dockyard, this weekend was one of the most productive in some time.  Volunteers showed up around our operational area to help in a number of departments and I'm very proud to say our OpTempo is increasing.  Special thanks are well-deserved by the crew that set up Mini-HORNET in Richmond at the Virginia War Memorial on Saturday - an evolution that took just under six hours.

Now, we have even more projects started with notes and ideas flying back and forth with several construction projects moving right along.

Writer's block, meetings and a head scratch

Sorry for the long absence, but I've been absolutely mired in a number of items - most prominently the Association of Defense Communities Annual Conference here in Norfolk.  Our volunteers set up Mini-HORNET here on Sunday night and yesterday was the first full day of activities and networking - today I'm back for the second day.  And writing this from the business center at the conference, alas, I have no funny picture - surfing the net looking for them gets some really odd looks, so I gave it up.  But I digress...

Them aren't oars, they're me wife and me daughters!

This weekend at the Dockyard was particularly productive - we managed to turn out sixteen oars, completed two boats, made 18 sets of gun implements, nine doors, ran through nine pots of coffee and twelve jugs of sweet tea.  Working from Friday through Monday night, the only breaks were to do some grilling, tend the fires in the pagan altar and slurp down a few Eastern Shore oysters.  A great time was had by all who stopped out and volunteered in the efforts.

Holiday weekend means... WORK!

Independence Day weekend is here and I'm sure everyone is getting ready to enjoy some well needed time to kick back and relax.  I'll be doing that, in my own way, putting in some long hours at the Dockyard getting Mini-HORNET's detail parts finished up and ready to go.  That said, I'll still be kicking back a bit and recharging the batteries. 

Mini-HORNET improvements

This weekend work at the dockyard centered around work to improve Mini-HORNET, our 1:12 scale mock-up of the famous War of 1812 warship. She's an impressive display at more than 16 feet long at 12 feet tall.

So what were we making? Oh, just about everything, the biggest ticket items being boats and anchors.

Mini-HORNET on the move!

Yesterday we recieved confirmation of a new exhibition for Mini-HORNET - our promotional 1:12 scale mock-up of the historic sloop of war. She won't be travelling far - in fact she's staying in Norfolk, but I want to bring her back to the Dockyard for some upgrades. What are we going to do? Here's a possible work list (it's not final) -

So where does Mini-Hornet go now?

For the last two weeks, our 1:12 scale mock up of the Sloop of War HORNET, affectionately dubbed 'Mini-HORNET' has been on display at US Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk VA - where it has been much appreciated as the subject of much discussion. The question now is where is it going next? and when?

Good question. For starters, I had better send Jerry back his carronade pattern, first. Jeez, sorry Jerry.

I hadn't really planned out this far, considering the rapture was supposed to have claimed most of my volunteers by now. And when you can't count on top notch support and plenty of it, you shouldn't plan on moving Mini-HORNET - it's a chore and a half. But now, apparently, I have until October - and that I can work with.

In all seriousness, our plans for Mini-HORNET including using her as a backdrop for a webcast that we will be starting to film in the next few weeks, and her present location is very good for that purpose. Until we get that shooting schedule in place, she'll stay right where she is.

After the filming, she'll be moving to a public venue to wait until her fundraising debut. We have some ideas for this, but standby for a facebook poll or something (I don't know what those social media-types do with their time, it's PFM to me).

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Mini- HORNET arrives!

The giant model we've been working on, Mini-HORNET, is finally presentable. Note I said presentable - she's only about 90% done. Last night we spent about six hours setting her up at US Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk. Here's the run-down, from the sign I posted on the model itself:

Working from copies of original drawings and with materials purchased from local home improvement vendors, this 1:12 scale mock-up of USS HORNET was constructed by Naval Heritage Society volunteers, including several active-duty Sailors from US Fleet Forces Command, over a five month period starting in January 2011. It is built to be disassembled for transport, and weighs only 79 lbs (all-inclusive) – the hull is made of high-density foam and lightweight plaster. Every piece was made by hand, an investment of more than 1,700 man-hours for construction, assembly and finishing. It is still only about 90% complete, but work will continue to add the ship’s boats, anchors and nine additional sails in the coming weeks.

In the process of building “Mini-Hornet”, the volunteers got to know more about the construction of the ship and how it would have been operated. All of the rigging is fully functional and can be used to manipulate the sails just as on the real ship.

And here's another, right next to the model:

The original HORNET and her crew caused
more than 300 enemy casualties
and the complete destruction of two enemy warships.

We have no idea what Mini-HORNET can do.

Please do not touch. Thanks.

You can find plenty of pictures of Mini-HORNET and her construction posted on Facebook. No, you don't need to be a member to view them.

Busy day today - back to work!

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