The artwork of Vadim Voitekhovitch inspired my Steampunk Airship product.  Some of his  art also features battleships with massive hulls (https://www.deviantart.com/voitv/gallery).  These images inspired me to look into real pre-dreadnaught battleships, resulting in this project: the 1890s French battleship Massena. Here are a couple of early images.

Adding the bigger guns.  All the turrets will rotate and the guns elevate separately.

All the big guns will rotate and elevate.  I haven't decided about those smaller than this 100-mm.

Lots of parts to build.

Forward tower nearly complete.

I'm working from one sheet of the original plans (these were once available on a French government web site, but no more), some very busy photos of varying resolutions, and photos of scratch-built models.  Like the model builders I'm taking some liberties.

Since my last post I found copies of the French plans available on the Dreadnought Project  web site.  These will be very helpful filling out the deck details, but there are some inconsistencies among the drawings.

Adding details, mostly per the French plans.  Lots more to do.  I think the anchors, boats. and small guns will be props.

The 80-20 rule applies.  Lots of effort on details that get swamped by older details.

This is a big, complex model so the only interior space included will be the bridge.  Even here I've taken some liberties.  The French plans show only a binnacle with compass, a "servomotor manipulator", and voicepipes in the bridge.  There is an armored "blockhouse" directly beneath it that contains another manipulator, three engine telegraphs, and many more voicepipes.  For familiarity I've included a wheel instead of the manipulator and three telegraphs on the bridge. 

The figure mesh is about finished, but needs some refinement and improved UV mapping.  After that rigging and construction of props (small guns, boats, anchors).

This may be the most complicated figure I've done with a lot of moving parts.  I've completed and assembled the the basic obj.  Now I need to decide just what parts don't need to be separate or movable.  I'd like to have some variability possible but I want to keep the cr2 as simple as I can - a difficult trade-off.

Rigging just about complete in Poser.  Ready for texturing.  Props still to do: boats, anchors, small guns.

First pass on textures in progress.

The 80-20 rule applies.  80% of the effort for 20% of the results.

Mostly set up now in Poser.  About ready for DAZ Studio testing.

Almost ready. 

Now in the Marketplace.

https://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/massena-pre-dreadnought-battleship/156059/