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  1. 1:22 Venetian Gondola Amati Catalogue # 571 Available from Amati for around €105 The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, in a sculling manner, and also acts as the rudder. Today's gondolas are up to 11 m long and 1.6 m wide, with a mass of around 350 kg. They are made of 280 hand-made pieces using eight types of wood (lime, oak, mahogany, walnut, cherry, fir, larch and elm). The process takes about two months; in 2013, the cost of a gondola was about 38,000 euros. The oar or rèmo, is held in an oarlock known as a fórcola. The fórcola is of a complicated shape, allowing several positions of the oar for slow forward rowing, powerful forward rowing, turning, slowing down, rowing backwards, and stopping. The ornament on the front of the boat is called the fèrro (meaning iron) and can be made from brass, stainless steel, or aluminium. It serves as decoration and as counterweight for the gondolier standing near the stern. The gondola has existed in Venice since the 11th century, being first mentioned by name in 1094. It is estimated that there were eight to ten thousand gondolas during the 17th and 18th century, but there are only around four hundred in active service today, with virtually all of them used for hire by tourists. The uniqueness of the gondola includes its being asymmetrical along the length, making the single-oar propulsion more efficient. For centuries, the gondola was a major means of transportation and the most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times, the boats still do have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (small ferries) over the Grand Canal operated by two oarsmen. The kit This is quite a new kit from Amati, and who better to realise a scale model of a Gondola, than an Italian company. This particular subject appears to represent a modern Gondola, which is still no bad thing as I’ve seen a lot of these myself and they are beautiful vessels. This isn’t the first Gondola released by Amati; they did a model of an 1882 vessel (#1600), with a covered passenger section, which was 1:20 scale and is now unavailable. Original Amati Gondola kit The new kit is a very different model. As is always the case, this kit is packaged into an attractive and high quality, glossy box, with a single photo of the finished Gondola on the lid, and a couple of other finished views on the sides. The vessel is finished in its famous satin black, and the artwork design reflects this. Despite the box’s depth, the actual components don’t occupy too much space, with a few packets of flat sheet parts included, plus a single, large plan, manual etc. We’ll look at these parts now. You could say that this model is very much a plank-on-frame (POF) build, with a series of ‘C’ frames which sit upon a flat, ply floor, sheathed initially with single-piece timber sides. It’s quite a simple approach to building but allows the model to be fitted out and furnished easily, whilst also displaying elements of the hollow hull. The model also needs to have its interior painted black during different phases of the build, due to those areas still being within eyesight when finished. Several thin ply sheets are provided which hold the parts for the frames, footboards, strakes etc. Here you see the frames sheet, with side elements. A little later, you can see a number of selected manual pages, so you’ll get a better idea of construction. Incidentally, the single plan sheet isn’t what you use for main construction guide. The model is mostly don’t via the manual photos, with the plan only really giving an idea of the finished model. This ply sheet contains parts for the oar, display stand, and some visible interior bulkheads. Also visible are the seats. These will be finished with a material which looks like crushed red velvet. On these two ply sheets, you can clearly see the asymmetrical floor of the gondola with engraved positions for the frames, and also side tabs which will key into the single-piece sides, ensuring that alignment is perfect. More turtle deck parts can be seen here, as long as the tabbed floor sections which slot into the frames. Here you can see the Gondola’s side panels with the tabs that correspond with the flat, ply vessel bottom. That was the last of the flat timber sheets, but included is a large sheet of steel photo-etch. This carries the prow and stern shapes, plus two ornamental strakes which lie down each side of the hull. A reasonably sized sheet of material is included which represents the crushed red velvet of the Gondola interior, as well as for the seat furnishings. Lastly, a single length of dowel is included which is for the oar construction, a cast metal lamp, and the oarlock in grey resin. Instructions As I’ve already stated, the model is mostly built using just the stages from the manual, and not the plan sheet. All photos and instructional text are nice and clear and describe in good detail, exactly what the modeller must do at each stage. Photography is excellent and every picture is perfect reference for your build. Conclusion When I came into the hobby around 22yrs ago, the original Amati Gondola was a kit I always coveted, having a copy of their catalogue. For whatever reason, I missed out on that kit and eventually forgot about. Being sent this new kit to review has more than made up for that as this look a beautiful and beautifully simple model to build, but one that’s very attractive. I love watching the Gondolas when I visit Venice, and this model very much captures the evocative appeal of this type of vessel. Something a little mysterious. Maybe I’ve been watching too many old films too! Amati’s Gondola is also a very affordable kit that offers plenty for the builder. As a modeller of primarily warships, this is the sort of side project that I very much enjoy, and as soon as the opportunity presents, I will open a build log for this. My sincere thanks to Amati for sending this kit for review here on Model Ship World. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article, or visit your local Amati dealer.
  2. 1:20 Grand Banks Model – Heritage 46 Amati Catalogue # 1607 Available from Amati for around €513 Grand Banks History The boatyard has its origins in Hong Kong, where it began building custom wooden sailing and motorboats in 1956, as American Marine. The Spray, a 36- foot -long displacement vessel, was designed and built in 1963 as a prototype trawler yacht. This new, robust, and visually pleasing type of boat was so successful that the company founders decided to put the vessel into production. Series production began in 1965, for the first time under the name Grand Banks, and the different models were each designated according to their length in feet. In 1968 the company moved to Singapore and since 1973, trawler yachts have been made of glass fibre reinforced plastic. The success of Grand Banks led to competing shipyards also beginning to mass-produce trawler yachts in the 1970s. Photo from boats.com The spacious living quarters aboard the Grand Banks 46 Classic provide ample room for comfortable long-range cruising. With top speed exceeding 20 knots, the 46CL is an ideal yacht to get you quickly to your favourite cruising destination. Safety and reliability are, of course, a built-in Grand Banks tradition. Wide walk-around decks, aft cockpit, and well-equipped steering and navigation stations both on the flybridge and in the salon are all part of the package. There are countless attributes of a Grand Banks that contribute to its reputation as one of the most reliable, high-quality yachts designed and built for cruising. The kit This Amati Grand Banks kit release is packaged into a highly attractive box with a glossy lid that depicts the completed model, including some scrap detail views. The scale of this one is a crumping 1:20! In real terms, that equates to a finished model which will be around This box appears to be the same size, or thereabouts, as the HS Vanguard and Orient Express kits, but possibly a little deeper. In fact, the kid itself doesn’t extend to the bottom of the box! One thing you’ll notice on the lid of this very heavy box is that the hull in this release is made from ‘resin’, or to be more accurate, glass-fibre resin. The large, single-piece hull is made from white resin and has a satin, slightly chalky but very smooth appearance. One thing I need to say here is that this model CAN be fitted out for RC and Amati sell an additional kit that can be used with this model. Ok, back to the contents. This is another of those kits where I don’t seem to be able to get everything back into the box once I’m done. Frustrating! The inner box has an integral lid which gives the box a load of rigidity as well as stopping anything easily piercing through the lid, into the contents. Lid off, and the first thing to be seen is an envelope with the manual and plans, with sheets of enveloped timber underneath. For the purpose of this article, I’ll tackle the contents in a different order. Many key constructional areas are laser-cut in a very nice quality birch ply. No parts numbers are shown on these sheets, and you need to cross match the sheet with the pictorial parts sheet that’s included. Of course, each sheet is numbered to identify it. Here you can see parts that will build up to create the entire superstructure. If you intend to make this RC, this whole area will lift out to provide access to the motor and servos/linkages below decks. Having looked through the instructions for quite a while, I do think that if you are capable, sheathing the entire superstructure in thin, white plasticard sheet, such as Evergreen, would produce a stunning finish. Anyway, that’s just me thinking out loud. Whilst the hull is glass-fibre, there are some thin ply strakes which fit below the gunwale. These can be seen in the two sheets at the top of this photo. There is some darker laser marking on some parts, but thankfully the parts aren’t degraded because of it, and some light sanding will remove it. Two sheets are cut from 1mm mahogany, and contain many cabin interior parts, plus window frames etc. The grain on these parts, in thinner areas, will be a little more fragile, so some kid gloves will be needed to handle them. It’s a case of not removing parts from sheets until they are needed. Of course, the exterior of the superstructure will need to be skinned, and these parts are for that purpose. Going back to possibly using styrene sheet to skin the model, you could in theory, use these as templates for doing just that. However, that’s not what’s intended here. Some parts are included on these two 3mm sheets, manufactured again in mahogany. These include more substantial parts, such as the multipart gunwales and ornamental scroll rails etc. The mahogany here is a little lighter and I think a staining varnish would be nice here to give the parts a deep, rich colour. A small cradle is supplied for the hull, and not the large stand shown on the box lid. This cradle is a simple MDF affair. Personally, if you are spending £500 on a kit like this, I’d look at buying/building a nicer mounting solution to this one. The smaller sheet contains parts for the dinghy/launch. There is a small amount of MDF in this kit. Here, the parts are for superstructure. A little area of familiarity is the inclusion of wood strip for various things, such as framing, deck planking etc. There is also a quantity of brass rod too. The two boxes supplied here are found at the bow and stern of the hull when packed. One of these supplies all the pre-shaped, chromed rails, and they are superb. These are quite complicated shapes and I don’t see any deformation etc. I really do suggest you remove this box to a safe place, right up until you need to fit them. Damaging these would be annoying. The other box contains a suite of various seating parts. The bases are cast in a matte white resin, and the seating is beige faux leather. All are very nicely made. A smaller box is included, containing the boat’s dinghy, cast in the same matte white resin. This of course will be fitted out with various mahogany parts etc. Residing in the boat’s hull are two packs of fittings. This first one contains two PE parts frets, some timber section, the boats props, wheel, rigging blocks, cleats etc. The second fittings box contains trim tape, brass ferrules, rigging cord, plastic grating, brass pins etc. An envelope contains a steel PE fret due to the nature of the parts on there, such as the grilles on the side of the superstructure. In this thickness, steel isn’t quite as flexible as brass, therefore not as easy to damage in key areas. There is also acetate in this package, for the various cabin windows. I think the cloth is perhaps for the cabin curtains. The last envelope contains a set of plans, full colour instruction manual, written notes and colour-printed sheets that have details for the parquet floor, flag, rugs, maps, charts, and even magazines for the cabin tables! Here a number of selected images from the manual. Conclusion On the box, Amati say that this is an ‘easy to build model’. Ok, everything is relative. Anything is as easy as you want to make it, but it’s the result which will define the effort you put in. This is by no means a beginner kit, but the construction of the kit, the beautiful fittings, chromed rails and small details, will make this an enormously enjoyable project to build, and if you’re like me, a very welcome change from regular masted, wooden ships. The plans and manual are also excellent and show all aspects of construction extremely well. It could be said that this isn’t a cheap kit, but I think it’s very reasonable for what you get, including that superb glass-fibre hull. There’s very little you can get wrong with this if you work objectively, and of course, it will make a really unique large shelf display model. If you’ve been thinking of taking the plunge with this, or in need of something a little different, I’d most definitely recommend Amati’s Grand Banks Heritage 46. My sincere thanks to Amati for sending out this kit for review on Model Ship World. To buy this kit direct, click the link at the top of the article, or head over to your local Amati distributor.
  3. SMS Scharfschütze 1/250 available from GPM Hi, Gang! This will be a sort of quick-and-dirty review, since the kit is not a new release. Whenever I order stuff from Poland, I like to order the most stuff I can get for a particular shipping cost -- if I'm going to get a few items, I might as well get the most for my shipping buck. My most recent order from the Polish firm of GPM arrived today, consisting mostly of after-market canopies and wheels, but I was able to squeeze in a new card model as well. This one is SMS Scharfschütze (Sharpshooter), one of twelve Huszar-class destroyers built for the pre-WW1 Austro-Hungarian navy. The kit has been out for roughly a decade (there is no release date on the cover sheet), so I'm a little lucky that one was still available all these years later. It is available in either 1/200 or 1/250 scale. I chose 1/250, since pretty much all of my other card ship kits are in that scale. At that scale, the finished model will be 26 cm long -- a little more than ten inches. The kit has a number of interesting features. One is that it doesn't come in the usual booklet form, but instead is printed on individual sheets. A second unusual feature is that the designer's name is not given anywhere. However, the kit and its diagrams look remarkably similar in style to the V108 kit which served as the basis for the tutorial I posted in the card models section. That makes me suspect that Digital Navy's Roman Deytna may have designed the kit. Perhaps one of our august members can confirm that for me. One bit of good news with this kit is that it doesn't just come with Polish instructions. The bad news is that the only other language is German. I read German, so that's great for me, but perhaps not so great for the rest of you. Fear not, though, since the kit does include a sufficient number of diagrams to guide the builder to a finished model. Also, the model is not overly complex -- I think that anyone who has built V108 or any similarly simple kit, such as the ones available from Paper Shipwright, will be able to build this kit without too much difficulty. There are only two pages of printed parts, so the total parts count is low. Optional parts allow for the model to be built in either a full-hull or waterline configuration. The print quality is good. Here's where it gets a little more interesting. The kit is a "limited edition" offering -- a kind of deluxe kit that includes both laser-cut details and a laser-cut frames set. It costs only US$13.64, so it's a pretty darn good deal. One of the two pages of parts is laser-cut, which will save a lot of fiddly cutting, even if the laser-cut parts give a sense of being very delicate. Whether they will prove to be delicate during construction remains to be seen. A separate key for the laser-cut parts is provided. There is a separate laser-cut fret containing railings. The frames are cut from the standard "beer mat" used in Poland. At one time, metal gun barrels were also available, but they have been out of stock for quite a while. So, that's it in a nutshell. I think this is an intriguing kit, design-wise, and it depicts a very interesting and infrequently seen subject. The price is definitely a plus. Given my fondness for small warship projects, I may have to make room in the queue for this one sooner rather than later.
  4. SMS Sleipner 1900 1:250 HMV Catalogue # 3047 Available from Fentens Papermodels for €13.99. All images by the author except where noted. Image courtesy of Fentens Papermodels History From the publisher’s website: “The name Sleipner comes from the eight-legged horse Sleipnir of the Nordic god Odin. The name of this extraordinary horse describes gliding on land, water and in the air. How fitting for an elegant dispatch boat like the Sleipner. The torpedo boat's maximum speed was around 26.5 knots, which was impressive at the time, and with a length of 61 meters and a width of 7 meters, the Sleipner was quite impressive. Image from Wikimedia Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/SMS_S_97.jpg When commissioned, SMS Sleipner carried the designation S97. The torpedo boat destroyers S90 to S101 are sister ships of the Sleipner. All of these ships were built at the Schichau shipyard between 1898 and 1901. S97 Sleipner was launched in Elbing on December 16, 1899 and was put into service on May 28, 1900. Sleipner's two propellers were powered by two triple steam engines and Schichau-Thornycroft water-tube boilers were used. The maximum water displacement was 394t. The ship was supposed to have a crew of 49 men. The SMS Sleipner was intended from the start as an escort ship for the imperial yacht Hohenzollern. That's why we often talk about the imperial dispatch boat Sleipner. The usual accompaniment of the Hohenzollern when traveling consisted of at least one warship and a dispatch boat. This task was carried out from 1900 to 1914 by SMS Sleipner. Many pictures show Hohenzollern with Sleipner somewhere in the background. The Hohenzollern's journeys took Sleipner, among others, to Venice, to Alesund, and also to the Norwegian south coast. It happened that the emperor himself was on board SMS Sleipner and he used the ship for visits or events occasionally. During the Kieler Woche and similar sailing events the SMS Sleipner occasionally worked as a yacht tug for large sailing yachts such as Germania or Meteor. The dispatch boat also was applied to the service of science and on July 1, 1904, under the direction of the German meteorologist and geophysicist Hugo Hergesell and the French naval officer Sauerwein, it brought a kite probe to a height of 1,880 meters. The Sleipner's armament consisted of 2 rapid-fire cannons of caliber 5 cm, which were used as saluting guns. The torpedo boat sister ships had 3 of these rapid-fire cannons on board and were also equipped with 3 torpedo tubes. On September 4, 1914, the Sleipner was renamed T97 and used as a coastal defense ship. In 1917 and 1918 she also performed patrol duties and served as an escort ship. After the war, the former Sleipner served in the Reichsmarine for a short time. On March 22, 1921, T97 was struck from the register of the Reichsmarine and then sold to Düsseldorf for demolition on May 26, 1921.” The Kit HMV (Hamburger Modellbaubogen Verlag) have added another tempting kit to their lineup of high-quality card models in 1/250 scale. This time, the subject is one we don’t often see, if ever, in the card medium—a handsome dispatch boat from Europe’s Belle Époque. The cover of the kit (see above) features several digitally rendered views of SMS Sleipner. The ship’s sleek lines suggest that Sleipner was built for speed, as indeed she was, considering her torpedo boat heritage. But other visual cues hint at her more aristocratic and less-deadly purpose, such as her lack of armament, ornate railings, and awning-covered salon. The cover also informs us that the kit consists of 329 parts and has a difficulty rating of mittel (intermediate), suggesting that the kit is appropriate for anyone having a few card models already under their belt. At 252 mm in length, the finished model will not make huge demands on anyone’s limited display space. Let’s look inside the kit and see what you get! Instructions/Diagrams As is typical with HMV kits, there aren’t any written instructions other than a very brief overview consisting of a list of required tools, general tips for building card models, and a key for the various codes used in the diagrams. A circled letter ‘L’, for example, means that the indicated part can be replaced with a part from the optional laser-cut detail set. Fortunately for us, HMV’s diagrams are first-rate and cover all phases of construction. Parts Not all of HMV’s kits have full hulls, but this one does. The design gives the builder the choice of building either a full-hull or waterline model. The hull is designed with the usual HMV “egg crate” construction. Sleipner’s hull has noticeable turtle-back joints between the deck and hull sides, and this might be one of the trickier aspects of the model to pull off neatly. The printing is crisp, and the registration is flawless. Sleipner wears the white topsides and buff funnels of the peacetime German Imperial Navy. The design includes doubled elements (see part 27a below) that will make the proper location of superstructure features, such as the salon walls, much easier than was possible using the old folded-tabs method. Optional parts are included for adding depth to printed elements such as watertight doors. Nice additional touches include a stand and an optional sunshade. Laser-Cut Detail Set To help cope with some of the smaller and more delicate parts of the model, a set of laser-cut detail parts is available to purchase separately. The set consists of six frets in various colors, including metallicized card for the propellers. Particularly nice are the lattice-work railings. The part numbers for the set are laser-engraved on each fret, but—just in case—the set includes a list of all the parts in the set and a pictorial key. Conclusion For years now, card modelers have counted on HMV to publish new kits depicting attractive subjects that tend to be off the beaten path, with an emphasis on Germany’s rich maritime heritage. Sleipner slots into the HMV lineup very nicely. With high-quality graphics, clear construction diagrams, and the option to use laser-cut details, Sleipner should appeal to all fans of card model ships, from novice builders to seasoned veterans. Sincere thanks are due to Benjamin Fentens at Fentens Cardmodels (see link at top) for providing this example for review. Tell them you read about it at Model Ship World!
  5. 1:60 H.M.S. Beagle OcCre Catalogue # 12005 Available from Ages of Sail for $209.00USD HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy, one of more than 100 ships of this class. The vessel, constructed at a cost of £7,803 (£613,000 in today's currency), was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom, and for that occasion is said to have been the first ship to sail completely under the old London Bridge. There was no immediate need for Beagle so she "lay in ordinary", moored afloat but without masts or rigging. She was then adapted as a survey barque and took part in three survey expeditions. The second voyage of HMS Beagle is notable for carrying the recently graduated naturalist Charles Darwin around the world. While the survey work was carried out, Darwin travelled and researched geology, natural history and ethnology onshore. He gained fame by publishing his diary journal, best known as The Voyage of the Beagle, and his findings played a pivotal role in the formation of his scientific theories on evolution and natural selection. The kit Hot on the heels of their H.M.S. Terror kit, reviewed HERE, OcCre have hit the ground running with H.M.S. Beagle, of Charles Darwin fame. Both Terror and Beagle are of course well-known for very different reasons, and their familiarity shows OcCre not straying too much from that comfort zone. As with Terror, Beagle is packaged into a standard-type OcCre box with a cut out to display the nice fittings box that is a feature of these kits. A large, printed product label is affixed to the lid, and the kit itself is packaged in shrink film to protect it. For your information, the finished model’s dimensions are given as: Length: 720 mm Width: 230 mm Height: 480 mm Lifting the robust lid reveals a protective lower box through which you can see the instructions, and this box then splits open to access the contents. One half of the box holds three substantial bundles of very nicely cut timber, held together gently with elastic bands. The most obvious bundle is the lime, which is used for the first layer of hull planking. This creamy-looking material is super sharp with no fuzzy or split edges and is consistent in size. Our next bundle holds all of the remaining strip wood of all persuasions and sizes. There is more lime here of course, but also the Tanganyika for the second layer of hull planking. Colour is consistent too. Lime is provided for the deck planking. The last bundle contains both strip and dowel. All of the remaining timber parts have been packaged onto a wrap of heat shrunk and sealed clear plastic. I do think this approach actually aids warpage as the boards have a curve induced in them due to the wrapping. Once the plastic is cut away and removed, we get to look at the false keel and assess it. This ply part does indeed have a warp along its length, so this will need to be steamed and left flat on a sheet of glass or similar. \ There is no warp in the next sheet. This one contains the fo'c'sle deck, main deck, poop deck, transom, windlass mount and various interlocking structural elements. All laser cutting on this kit is excellent, with only minimal scorching. This sheet is also, thankfully. Warp free, and it contains all of the hull bulkheads and bow profile parts. Three inserts are also included which fit perpendicularly to the false keel and provide mounting points for the masts. We have a mixed bag with this sheet, with parts from all over the ship, plus elements to help build the four wooden launches/supply boats. Note parts here for the mast tops, trestletrees, cannon carriages, forward cannon rotating ring, channels etc. As an aid to the modeller, the upper outside of the hull sides are produced as shaped ply parts, with the grain running short-ways to allow them to bend properly around the hull. These are cut with the cannon ports in situ, so there’s no awkward fumbling to try and locate the positions of these. The second planking will of course lay directly over these ply faces. This sheet seems to deal solely with parts needed for those timber launches, and contains jigs, false keels and bulkheads. Our last timber sheet is walnut-stained ply. Many parts on this are for the display base, but you’ll also find keep, stem and stern parts, as well as mast steps. My sample does have a slight warp in this sheet. A single fret of bare brass photo-etch (PE) is included with this release, containing such parts as chainwales etc. Manufacturing quality is excellent with good parts definition and small tabs to remove the various elements. If you like your models to be fitted out with sails, then you’ll be happy to know there are a full set included in this release. These already look a little antique in appearance and are quite neat. A little fuzziness can be seen on the edges in some places, but that is easily fixed with some trimming and dilute PVA. You will need to attach your own bolt ropes though. There’s plenty of rigging cord included, in both natural and brown, of various sizes. All is neatly spooled with the diameters clearly given. Cord quality is also very good with no fuzziness being apparent. All OcCre kits come with these snazzy fittings boxes which are well worth keeping even when the model is complete. They are a great way of keeping organised. Eleven compartments contain all kit fittings, plus four more spools of rigging cord that have been placed there to stop the metal fittings rolling around. The metal parts are made from a zinc alloy (Zamak) which gives the parts are real nice definition, as can be seen from the gear teeth on the windlass. There are some slight seams to remove, and a jeweller’s file will do that nicely. Note that the anchor stocks are also cast in metal instead of made from wood and these just slip over the anchor stem. There are also davits here for the launches, and a whole rake of brass wire in different diameters. A set of printed flags is also included. All belaying pins, deadeyes and rigging blocks are manufactured from a pale wood (box?) and are not at all shabby. A few of the blocks may need a drill passing through them to make a totally clean exit hole. The brass pins are fine, sharp and with no deformation. Quite happy with those. Here you see the parrel beads, closed heart blocks etc. Here we can see the various pintles, gudgeons, chain, rigging pins, all made from brass. As well as more blocks (this time single hole) and deadeyes, and more metal fittings, such as the cleats, figurehead, wheel, and strangely enough….the quarter galleries. An odd choice of material for a couple of things here, but they are manufactured with good definition. The last items here are also zinc alloy. Thee cannon do look excellent. Just a few minor seams to tackle. There are two sets of sheets that involve construction of Beagle. With the first, you see a series of drawings that concern the masting of the model, and there is also a comprehensive parts list. For the second set of sheets, a series of clear, colour photos take you through the build. These are pretty self-explanatory and shouldn’t provide any problem. Some drawings are interspersed with the photos. Thee last pages are taken over by rigging and masting illustrations, and also a deck plan for reference. Conclusion You get quite a lot of kit for your money with H.M.S. Beagle, and most certainly a lot of good quality material. My only real gripe is the packing of the ply parts and the ply they are specifically made from as there is warpage present. I know some modellers aren’t keen on MDF for these parts, but it sure doesn’t warp. Maybe they’ll consider this in future. Apart from that, there’s nothing really to criticise for a kit of this level. It’s also good to see that instead of packing white metal launches into this, all are made as separate projects in their own right. The use of zinc-based metal parts also lends itself to a far sharper end result, although the very minor seams will just take a little more work with a jeweller’s file. OcCre continue with their tradition of providing colour-photo driven instructions with accompanying text sheets, and these seem very simple to follow. All in all, this is a kit which could well provide an in-road for a modeller who wants to try their hand at wooden ships, or even as a nice subject for a more seasoned modeller. Another very nice release from OcCre. My sincere thanks to OcCre for the kit reviewed here on Model Ship World. To buy this kit from Ages of Sail, click the link at the top of the article.
  6. As my interest in jigsaw puzzles and ship modeling is well know by my friends and family, I was presented at X-Mas with this 3D model kit of Queen Anne’s Revenge (Blackbeard’s ship) by my wife's nephew and family. It’s more or less, a combination of my two interests in one box weighing in at a substantial 3 lb. 7 oz. While it is certainly not an accurately detailed rendition of the vessel, it will be my first entry into card models and I look forward to it’s assembly, which judging by the 23 page illustrated step by step instruction manual, (in 7 languages no less) should not be too difficult to complete. There are a total of 391 pieces including the display stand. The vast majority is printed on 15 sheets of 11” x 16.5” pre-punched sheets of 1mm card stock printed in color, but the sails are on 3 sheets of textured paper and there are 22 plastic canons, a small sheet of double sided tape, a card hole puncher, and small sheet of prefinished Mylar to represent stained glass on the rear of the ship. Although glue is not required for construction, obviously if you would like to keep it for display you might like to use some. No tools are required, other than the hole puncher that is included with the kit. It claims to be rated as a 6 in complexity, but not sure if that is out of 10 or what. I tend to believe that according to its estimated construction time of 4 hours it can’t be all that complicated. This kit is designed and manufactured by CubicFun Toys Industrial Co. Ltd out of Guangdong, China and is referred to as an anniversary edition, but I’m not sure if the company has produced an earlier model or if it refers to something else. While there is no indication of scale, the completed size of the model is listed at 29.1” X 10” X 24.4” (or 74cm X 25.6cm X 62cm). As this was a gift, I have no clue about its cost or if it’s a pirated copy of some other company’s product, but from what I can see, it is well produced and nicely packaged. While the model is admittedly more toy like, it is not pretending to be anything other than a 3D puzzle. Overall, I think that it seems to be a good introduction to card models especially for modeling fans that are inexperienced or just want to get their feet wet, so to speak.
  7. I once owned a rescue dog who needed a lot of behavioral work. So after some one-on-one sessions with a specialist we eventually graduated to attending obedience classes with others. I can’t say that we ever overcame all the issues (and I’m not sure who was training whom!) but I certainly learned the value of positive reinforcement. Consequently, since I have a tendency to be easily distracted and leave unfinished projects laying around, I wanted to reward myself for completing my first wooden ship model. While I enjoyed the wood model, my situation is perhaps not the best for them. Simply put, sanding wood makes too much dust for me to do in our living spaces and I really don’t have an interior space to do it. With the arrival of Winter sanding outside isn’t much of an option. So I’m putting off the next wood model until Spring and the return of good weather. So returning to my interest in card models I read up on the models produced by Tomasz Weremko, aka, Seahorse. Card models are certainly more apartment friendly than wood models and they are much more budget friendly. Level of detail, of course, is entirely in the hands of the builder and designer. While I’ve tinkered with designing and building my own card models, I’ve never actually built a commercially available kit. I still consider myself a novice builder and while I love the look of fully rigged ships I hesitate to commit to building one. I wanted something small, preferably in 1/72 scale to match my last model, and without too much rigging. I first decided that Searhorse’s Armed Virginia Sloop would fit the bill. However, its 1/100 scale means that some of the details are going to be quite challenging for my hand-eye coordination. I confirmed that by reading Clare Hess’ build log. (Mr. Hess’ log can be found here: https://shipmodeler.wordpress.com/2022/07/29/building-the-armed-virginia-sloop-paper-model-part-1/) But Seahorse also offers a US Revenue Cutter in 1/72 scale. In addition, according to Mr. Weremko’s complexity scale the cutter ranks as a ‘2’ as opposed to the sloop’s level of ‘3’. It ticks all the boxes! Did I mention the budget friendlyness of card models? I ordered both as full kits complete with laser cut parts, sails, dowels and (almost) all the necessary bits and bobs provided. Both kits and shipping from Poland came in at $72.00 USD. I ordered directly from the Seahorse web site on December 4th and eagerly awaited the arrival of the kits from Poland. After checking the tracking website daily (which stopped showing progress once the packages arrived in Los Angeles on the 9th) they arrived in my mailbox on December 16th. Mustering my dog-training discipline, I’ll save the sloop for later but I instantly opened the cutter package and reviewed the contents. As expected, there’s nothing disappointing about this kit. The basic model is presented as a saddle-stitched (e.g., stapled) booklet with full color photos of a finished model on front and rear covers. Ah, something to aspire to! There is, of course, a minimum of written text in both Polish and English comprising of a short history of the ship and ‘Basic Rules and Tools’ for construction. There are four pages of pictorial instructions, two pages of parts printed in black on white paper and two pages of parts printed in color on card. Now, in my set there was a second set of the card-printed parts inserted into the fold. I’m not sure if this was an oversight or if the second loose set was included because the printing of the first set (which is bound into the booklet) is a bit weak. Or, perhaps Seahorse can sense a ‘newbie’ and kindly included spares. Whatever the reason, intentional or not, it gives me a sense of security and a makes me think that Seahorse is a quality operation. (It’s also a bit unsettling that I joyfully anticipate looking at a centerfold of a model… ship!) There are a couple of hazards for neophytes. The first is that the required thickness of card for laminated parts is appended to the part number and is easily overlooked. The number is followed by ‘//’ or ‘*’ or ‘**’ to indicate 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 mm card thickness. However, I think I’ve shielded myself from this potential error by purchasing the laser cut parts sheets. I’m also puzzled by this sentence in the instructions: “To avoid too many symbols, uncommon thickness of some parts should be matched to the width of the stripes covering its edges.” I can only assume that this refers to the keel which is considerably thicker than 1.0 mm and has a piece that runs along the bottom edge of the keel. That ‘edge’ piece appears to be about 4 mm wide so, therefore the keel should be laminated to that thickness. Now that I’ve typed that up it makes sense to me. I also see a couple parts with ‘W’ numbers which are not part of the printed sheets. I believe these need to be created from wire (which is mentioned in the ‘Basic Rules’). The templates for these parts are on the fourth page of instructions along with the mast and spar diagrams. The most numerous of these appear to be the rail stanchions surrounding the deck to prevent crew from falling overboard. My last observation is in regard to the copper sheathing below the waterline. It’s interesting that Seahorse has provided a simple solution and a detailed solution to the sheathing. On one side of the copper colored sheet the sheathing is designed as strips to cut and apply much like the hull planking. But if you flip the sheet over you find that it has been printed to represent the individual sheets of copper. So, depending up on your sense of fanaticism, er, level of detail, you have options. I like that. All said and done, I’m quite happy with my purchase. I’m not certain when I’ll get started on the cutter and the Virginia sloop is certainly farther down the line. (Maybe the sloop will be next Winter’s project.) At this point I’m still mustering my canine-induced self-discipline and working on resizing my skipjack design. But once I’ve hit the ‘proof-of-concept’ stage in that project it’s ‘game on!’ on the cutter. Pictures (or it didn't happen!):
  8. 1/50 Hercules Tug boat by Occre product code 61002 Cornwall Model Boats retail at £247 from the Occre site Hercules Tugboat | Wooden Ship Model - OcCre Model Ship Hercules Tugboat Includes nameplate. Includes the basic wooden model display. Static model. With the possibility of making it RC -> it is shown in the instructions how to make it navigable. Hercules Tugboat model features Possibility of illuminating with the Led Light Kit Ref. 55010. Deck openings to access the RC and motorization mechanisms. Ultra-realistic casting. Step-by-step video tutorials. Instructions in 5 languages. HD photos step by step. Parts list with measurements and materials. IP sheet to identify the parts Scale plans. High-quality model. Lifetime warranty. Contains the following technical elements for Radio Control: Propeller / Prop shaft / Prop shaft horn with self-lubricating bearings / RC rudder blade with hull and servo anchoring mechanisms. Curiosities of the Hercules tug boat The Hercules is a steam tug built in 1907 for the San Francisco Shipowners and Merchants Tug Company, as part of its Red Stack Fleet. During the first part of her life, Hercules was an ocean tugboat. Due to the prevailing northwesterly winds, sailing ships often employed the Hercules on voyages north up the coast from San Francisco. On other occasions, the Hercules was used to tow barges to other West Coast ports and to Hawaii, and to transport equipment for the construction of the Panama Canal. In 1947, the Hercules and the tug Monarch were tasked with towing the hull of the battleship Oklahoma to San Francisco Bay for scrapping. However, 500 miles from Hawaii, she was hit by a powerful storm and the Oklahoma began to fill with water and sink. The Hercules was unable to break free until the last moment, narrowly avoiding being dragged to the bottom of the sea by the Oklahoma. In 1986 she was designated a National Historic Monument. She is now one of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park exhibits and is moored at the Hyde Street Pier. Technical sheet of the model Hercules Tugboat Scale: 1/50 Width: 163mm Height: 420mm Length: 915mm
  9. 1:84 Santisima Trinidad – Trafalgar 1805 Artesania Latina Catalogue #22901 Available from Artesania Latina for €749.99 The Santisima Trinidad (full name: Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad), was a Spanish first-rate ship of the line with 112 guns. This was increased in 1795–96 to 130 guns by closing in the spar deck between the quarterdeck and forecastle, and to 136 guns around 1802 (plus 4 small guns on the poop), thus creating what was in effect a continuous fourth gundeck although the extra guns added were actually relatively small. She was the heaviest-armed ship in the world when rebuilt and bore the most guns of any ship of the line outfitted in the Age of Sail. She was built at Havana, Cuba, to a design by Irish naval architect Matthew Mullan (domiciled in Spain under the name Mateo Mullán), originally intended as a ship of 112 guns. He died on 25 November 1767, and the construction of the ship was continued by his son, Ignacio Mullán. and the ship was launched in March 1769 and completed in August 1769 as a 116-gun three-decker. She was considerably larger than her British contemporary Victory and somewhat bigger than the French Bretagne. Commanded by Francisco Javier Uriarte and the flagship of Rear Admiral Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, she took part in the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805, as part of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet. Due to her great bulk, her helm was unresponsive in the light winds on the day, contributing to her ineffective service in the combined fleet's cause. Her great size and position immediately ahead of the fleet flagship Bucentaure made her a target for the British fleet, and she came under concentrated attack by several ships. She lost her mast and eventually surrendered to the Neptune; a 98-gun second rate commanded by Captain Thomas Fremantle. She was taken in tow by the 98-gun second rate Prince but was eventually scuttled by her British captors northwest of Cádiz. History abridged from Wikipedia. The kit Before I post my own information on this new release, I’ll give you the details of the kit, as per Artesania Latina’s own blurb. “In addition, the naval modeling kit of the Spanish vessel comes with several paper templates to make the building process of the model easier. Among other functions, they are used to arrange the elements on the decks and to place the embrasures and other objects on the sides of the hull. Speaking of the hull, its structure can be assembled as if it were a 3D puzzle. With this faithful 1:84 scale replica, you can represent correctly the appearance and artillery of the Santísima Trinidad in the battle of Trafalgar since it brings the howitzers that the ship carried in great detail -144 cannons-. Likewise, modelers who wish to line the hull of the magnificent model of the Spanish ship are in luck because the kit includes copper tape to be able to do it below the waterline. Once it is assembled, the model of Santísima Trinidad (22901), measures 46.88'' (1191 mm) length, 35.63'' (905 mm) height and 18.26'' (464 mm) width. Its design using a false keel and frames brings its assembly closer to the real ship. As a bonus, the kit of Santísima Trinidad comes with 5 die-cast figures.” This new generation of large Artesania kits certainly pack a whole load of contents for your money, and of course, the boxes are very large…and heavy. Definitely another kit where you need to try hard to fit everything back under the lid if you intend to repack for a later date. This new release comes with FOURTEEN sheets of laser cut and engraved ply sheet in a varying number of sizes and thicknesses. The material, in my sample kit, is perfectly flat, without warp or defect, and all of the cutting and engraving is clean with no laser blow-back. All parts are also laser numbered too. Included with the timber sheets is a set of three A4 parts plans which you can use to quickly locate the part you want without fumbling through the actual sheets. All of the timber parts in this kit are cellophane wrapped and not too tightly as to cause deformation. As you look through these sheets, you’ll see the unusual manner in which the parts are supplied. You won’t find a single-piece hull, or even a two-part solution. The hull is built up from three parts, and the bulkheads are multi-part creations that use dovetail joints to hold the parts under glue. The hull itself is built up in sections and expanded as you progress from bow to stern. This is a lot like the system used in the monthly magazine partwork builds. The various elements of construction should mean that the build proceeds with minimal risk of the keel being twisted (although I would always ensure this is the case, as you build). You will find a number of parts on these sheets that relate to things which aren’t frames or bulkheads etc. such as the deck grates. I’m not absolutely sure I like this aspect, as these aren’t engraved. To fix this, you would need to varnish, then score along the grates to show the main batons running bow to stern, and then apply a dark ‘wash’ to make the grate look like it’s made from individual parts. You also won’t see any deck sections in the parts sheets. There aren’t any. All decking is single planked, directly onto the top of the various frames/bulkheads. You will need to ensure that your plank joints are very tight together, and I would also think along each edge too, or the deck wouldn’t be solid. Another point that’s important to mention here is that the hull is single-planked. You will need to tread carefully here if you are used to double layer planking. You will need to ensure that your timber doesn’t sag anywhere as you won’t have the fallback of another layer. The good news is that the planking timber is superb quality and it’s 2mm x 5mm (300mm long). You also won’t see any bare timber in the finished build, so you have a little extra leeway too. The lower hull is coppered (5mm wide tape) and above the waterline, the colours are black, red, and white. Multiple packs of high quality strip timber are supplied in cellophaned bundles, and clearly labelled for size. I very much do like the quality of the timber elements in this kit. They are a world away from my first build…ironically, an Artesania kit! Another pack of timber is included. This time its dowel of various diameters. The material used is birch, with the small quantity of 2mm being bamboo. Thankfully, the latter does look fine, but I don’t go a bundle on bamboo for mast/yard material. There are FOUR fittings boxes with this kit. Here are the photographs to see for yourself. The rigging blocks are deadeyes are perfectly good as far as quality goes, with the metal parts being cast in a zinc alloy. This includes the cannon. Some seams are present on some of these parts, and you’ll need a rotary tool to remove these. Other zinc alloy metal parts include buckets, anchors, stern décor, ship’s wheels, lower quarter gallery sections, belaying pins, belfry roof, etc. The figurehead is also far nicer than many of those supplied in other contemporary releases, with this one being cast in multiple pieces to eliminate the problems with single-part casting techniques. There are some brass parts too, such as the lantern tops, bell, anchor rings etc. The fittings boxes also include brass wire, netting, eyelets, glass parral beads, brass nails, turned metal stanchion, capstan, brass chain, metal cannon balls etc. You will note that the lower decks have stub barrels and not whole guns. You won’t see them down there anyway, especially in 1:84. Love them or loathe them, Artesania has supplied a full set of sails. The material is quite thin, and the stitching is good, apart from that which edges the material. This is way too much and not nicely done. If you want to use these sails, I suggest picking out that stitching and redoing in yourself. However, I would simply leave the sails OFF a model of this type. A number of other items are packed within another clear sleeve. These include some very nice silk screen printed flags, a roll of 5mm copper tape, acetate sheets for glazing, and various paper templates that you lay onto the planked hull, in order to position gun ports, fenders etc. If you like photo-etch, then this kit has in in abundance. All of the SIX sheets of this is produced in brass, using multi-layer etching processes, and cellophaned to a thick card backing to protect it. You will see that a lot of the parts, certainly the larger ones, concern the stern fascias. While these are very nice, I would use them in conjunction with timber to enliven them further and produce something which looks more 3D. The same applies to the quarter galleries, but if you install the supplied materials properly, then you will still have a very nice result. Now…rigging cord. There is quite a lot of this, as you would imagine, and generally the quality is ‘ok’. There is a small degree of fuzz on the spools I looked at, although not as bad as that of a number of other manufacturers. I would consider either replacing the rig or using one of a number of techniques to reduce the fuzz. This kit supplies a few printed sheets, and what looks like a full-size colour side profile photo which will be very useful for reference. A full colour parts list and fittings sheet is also included. At this point, I have to tell you that there isn’t a printed manual. All of the instructions are available for download from the product page on Artesania’s website. There over FIFTEEN downloads too, so you’ll see why this isn’t included in print. Ideally, you could do with a laptop or tablet in the workshop and access the instructions from there. The instructions are graphically driven, and the sheer number of photos is astounding. Around 8000 photos are included, over 800 pages. I know Chris would kill me if I submitted that number for his kits! Everything looks extremely easy to understand with just about every angle of the build covered, multiple times. I’ve included a few photos from the various instruction downloads. If you head to Artesania’s YouTube page, you will also find a number of tutorial videos for this specific kit. Conclusion While I’ve seen numerous unboxings of some of Artesania’s recent large kit releases, this is the first time I’ve seen one for myself. Construction is generally quite different to what you’d expect with regards to bulkheads and hull skeleton construction. I’m not at all averse to this methodology at all. In some respects, it seems almost modular, and highly unconventional. It does appear to work well for the builder, having researched a number of online builds. I still have to get my head around a single-planked hull. It’s something I need to try and align with as I do intend to build this in the future. The hull is fully painted/coppered, so there is a lot of flexibility with the underlying timber if you need to fill and cut back…albeit carefully. You most certainly will need to be more careful than you perhaps would normally be on your lime planking. I know I’ve certainly improved in that area over the years, and you’re best employing a good method of tapering, such as the one that many use here…Chuck’s method. Another unusual element here is that ‘missing’ manual I mentioned. There is a QR code that you can scan which will take you to the product page on the AL website. Here you can download the manual directly. If you like a printed manual, you’re going to need some serious ink to print this. I know this aspect can be difficult for those that like a manual supplied, as is traditional. In all, this is a kit I actually quite like, and I know Artesania are proud of their products. I’ve been discussing their products with them over the years, and this is one they are excited about. As far as price point is concerned, I think this is pitched correctly, considering the size of the overall model and the quality of materials supplied. Another contemporary manufacturer has released a limited-edition kit which is twice this price, and around the same scale, and slightly smaller. In comparison to that, minus the other kit’s gimmicks, this kit still stands head and shoulders above that with regards to quality and value for money. I’ve often said that I have a fondness for AL kits as that is how I started in the hobby, but I wouldn’t steer you wrong. This is a very nice kit; with the caveats and things I’ve mentioned. If you have the skills to build an intermediate to advanced kit, this is definitely one to consider. My sincere thanks to Artesania Latina for the kit you see reviewed here on Model Ship World. To buy directly, click the link at the top of the article. Related Products Before I mention these, Artesania have also designed this model so that the grand cabin can be illuminated. Installation of the specific AL set is shown within the many photographs for this kit. The lighting set can be bought from AL for €24.99, here. Ok, I have been sent two additional sets that are designed to be used with this kit. These are a figure set (to add to the small number included within the kit) and a paint set. The paint set, which is available here for €31.99, includes TWELVE 20ml bottles of acrylic paint. These paints can be applied with a brush or thinned for use in an airbrush. The website says they can be thinned with alcohol or thinner. From this, I presume you can use either isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, or possibly something like Tamiya X20A. For the latter, do a small test to make sure the paint doesn’t congeal. The paints in this set are: · Off White x 2 · Off Black x 2 · Bright Red x 1 · Red x 2 · Ice Yellow x 1 · Buff x 1 · Cocoa Brown x 1 · Dark Red Leather x 1 · Gold x 1 The Figure set I have for this release, can be bought here for €29.99. This set consists of SIXTEEN figures and accessories which are period-correct. The figures appear to be cast in zinc alloy and look quite nice for this scale. Included in this kit are: · Captain x 1 · Officers x 4 · Surgeon x 1 · Marines x 2 · Grenadiers x 2 · Gun Crew x 5 · Sailor x 1 Also included are accessories, such as sabres, gun crew tools, ammunition etc.
  10. 1:48 San Bartolome Catalogue # GSB005 Ships of Pavel Nikitin Available directly for €564.68 This San Bartolome was supposedly a part of the ‘invincible’ Spanish Armada led by Alonso Perez de Guzman, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia, from May to September of 1588. The Armada was battered in multiple skirmishes with the Anglo-Dutch naval fleet, composed of light and manoeuvrable ships led by Charles Howard. This clash is known as the Battle of Gravelines. Elizabethan Pirates excelled in that battle, especially the notorious Francis Drake. The confrontation between Spanish and Anglo-Dutch fleets lasted for two weeks. The Armada could not regroup and, refusing to invade England, headed North. The English fleet followed the Armada along the East coast of the British Islands. The Armada’s return was very challenging, having to go through the north side of the Atlantic Ocean, along the West coast of Ireland. Due to strong storms, the Armada’s ships were taken to the far North and West shores of Ireland. During this expedition, the Armada lost more than 60 ships, of which only 7 of them were lost in battle. The kit When this one landed on my doorstep, I certainly wasn’t expecting the sheer weight of the package! San Bartolome is spread over not one, but THREE heavy boxes which weigh 14kg in total. What made this more immense were the extra associated sets that were also included, pushing the package to a back-breaking 19kg. The whole lot was encased in a shipping box built from sheets of MDF, then heavily wrapped in cellophane and black plastic sheet. The package arrived safely and intact from Ukraine in a little over 10 days, with a small hold up in Kiev due to the war. First of all, you need to understand something about the style of San Bartolome. Despite many modern design innovations, the finished model is designed to look like an old, antiqued ship, built in years gone by. Pavel Nikitin describes the finish as ‘retro’, Now, let’s take a look. To give you an idea about the finished size of this galleon, here are the dimensions: Length: 980mm Width: 540mm Height: 1030mm The box lids of all three San Bartolome packs, are adorned with a large, shiny label which depict the ship from the stern quarter, with the lighting highlighting the intentional retro style of the vessel. The label also states that the whole kit has a total of 3876 wooden parts. That should keep you occupied for a while. Box 1 Opening the lid shows that the first box, like the others, is crammed full of parts. In fact, it took me a long time to actually get everything back in the box after I’d done the photos. All sheets inside are grouped and wrapped, with a slip of paper to identify which group they belong to, making it easier to locate the said part. That’s quite handy when you consider that there are around SIXTY sheets of parts in this kit. Instead of shelf-standard plastic containers for fittings, a series of custom-made MDF boxes are included, with a Perspex lid that has engraved numbers to identify what’s in each compartment. The kit comprises of parts sheets that are cut from walnut, cherry, alder and beech. All of them are very neatly laser cut with parts that include bevel lines, where appropriate. The parts you see here with bevel lines, will form composite blocks which fill the bow area, creating almost solid area onto which to plank. You’ll also see that these sheets are in two different wood types, with the cheaper timber forming the parts what create the underlying structure that will be covered over. These unusual parts are actually to build up the various ports and openings for the side of the hull. Many sheets are as yet unidentified. The instruction booklet supplied with the kit is Part 1 & 2, and these may be from the forthcoming Parts 3 & 4. The cutting is very nice and lots of scarph joints to be seen. These sheets contain parts for various planked deck sections and panels which fit into the hull sides prior to hull planks. These define the positions for the gun ports etc. Various decorative elements are seen here, such as those for the bow. We are now onto some very large ply sheets. The bulkheads for this model are quite large and are also engraved with bevel lines. You can see cut outs for various stringers and the aforementioned built-up port that fit into the cut-out position parts you can see in a previous photo. Also here is a section of the false keel. The hull comprises a fore and aft half, and is actually make up from three laminates of ply. Pegs help to align the parts. Also present in the bulkheads are positions for bulkhead spacers to fit, keeping the bulkheads equally spaced from each other. More ply, this time to create various structures either within the hull design, or for building skeletons on deck structures. This kit is the ‘V2’ of San Bartolome, with the original having laser-engraved carvings. This version has 3D-printed parts for various external ornamentation. It’s quite difficult to see the quality in these pictures, but to my eye they look perfectly good and smooth. You may need to paint these to replicate the antiqued colour of the wood that the designers set out to be used. These parts are presented in another MDF box, covered in cellophane. These are the boxes of standalone components, with shaped timberheads, brass cannon, pillar, belaying pins, cleats, rigging blocks and multipart closed heart blocks etc. .....continued.
  11. 1:25 Drakkar ‘Oseberg’ Ships of Pavel Nikitin Catalogue # DROS002 Available direct for approximately £160 (7400 ₴) at time of writing History It is believed that the word “drakkar” originates from the Old Norse words “dreki” and “kar,” which mean “dragon” and “ship,” respectively. The warship acquired this name because the head of a dragon or another mythical creature (like Jormungandr) usually adorned the ship’s bow. The shape of the ship was also long and narrow, resembling a sea serpent. The Vikings constructed drakkars out of pine, oak, or ash wood. They used a special technique for splitting trees along the grain. They then watered the planks and held them above a fire to make them more flexible. The shipbuilders put the parts of the ship together with iron rivets and nails and bound them with cords and ropes. After that, they tarred the whole structure and caulked it by plugging holes and gaps and making the seams watertight. The sail was rectangular or square. It was made of sheep’s wool and covered with grease so that it didn’t get drenched. If there wasn’t a fair wind, the Vikings used oars – 20 to 35 pairs of them. In the Viking age, few ships could compete with a drakkar in terms of sheer speed, but drakkars were also very nimble. Thanks to the drakkar’s shallow draft, the Northmen could easily sail along rivers and fjords. They could land in places that were very difficult to access and attack their enemies unexpectedly. These warships were also barely visible between the waves because of their low sides. This helped the Vikings catch their enemies unawares, even in the open sea. Drakkars were created for more than just war, however. They were solid and capacious, so the Vikings sometimes used them for trade and to transport goods, but more often these ships were used for sailing long distances. How far did the Vikings travel? They reached the shores of Iceland, Greenland, and North America, to name but a few destinations. (Abridged from Vikings: War of Clans) The kit We’ve not exactly been awash with good kits of what we would call a typical Viking drakkar, or ‘longship’ as it’s more commonly known, despite the actual ancient translation. The Amati and Dusek are the kits which most come to mind. Pavel Nikitin’s new kit is also the largest in scale of this iconic vessel, weighing in at a whopping 1:25 scale! That equates to the following sizes: Length: 865mm Width: 430mm Height: 480mm Like the San Bartolome kit I recently looked at, the Drakkar is a second reworking, bringing a number of improvements over the original release, such as laser engraved ‘carved’ details on the bow and stern, including the ‘curls’ at each of those points. On other kits, this is where you would normally see such things as a dragon’s head, but this ship does not carry them, as per the actual recovered ship. I think in some respects, this was perhaps not as per a normal drakkar, but I could be wrong. The kit itself is packed into a slender but heavy corrugated box with a flap-opening lid depicting the finished model in all her glory, fitted with striped sail and 28 shields of varying décor. Inside the box, the various sheets are grouped into packages that are wrapped in cellophane, or ‘clingfilm’ as we know it in the UK. This keeps the sheets very tightly together. There are around 40 sheets of materials to build the drakkar. But that’s not all. Included with the ship is a very sturdy MDF jig which will most certainly aid those tasks that would otherwise be difficult, such as adding those clinker planks. As with other Pavel kits, this one also includes a homemade MDF and acrylic parts box, with the part numbers clearly engraved on the sliding lid. This box includes different sizes of high-quality rope in differing sizes (no fuzz!), 3d-printed boss heads for the many shields, cleats etc. The first task for the builder is to assemble the jig before then embarking on building the bulkheads. The bulkheads consist of a lower half into which a dovetailed upper half is fitted. The most outboard parts of each bulkhead are also separate parts. On the sheet, these are shown adjacent to their position on the uppers, with arrows depicting the location. This will add a little strength to the outer bulkheads, plus that change in grain direction at that point, will also help. There are also engravings on the completed bulkheads which denote where you need to pre-bevel the bulkheads prior to installation on the keel. The keel itself is a multipart assembly, with dovetail connection points. The bulkheads will be installed to the keel, inverted upon the building jig, and here is where the hull will sit until fully planked. A drakkar has a single mast and spar. These are provided as laser-cut/tapered parts that you will need to round off. Looking at the shape of these parts, then this is a welcome touch. Strips of dowel are also provided for the numerous oars. The paddles for these are pre-cut. For display purposes, a stand is also included, as is an engraved plate with a serial number. The kit is 00009. I am informed that the timber for this kit is a combination of walnut, cherry, alder, and beech. The instruction book is 28-page spiralbound A4 production with a protective plastic cover. The first part of the manual is text which relates to the numerous stages. Those stages are presented in drawing form in the second half of the manual. The drawings do appear to be nice and clear, and construction takes place over 68 stages. Inside the sleeve of the manual is a piece of laser-cut paper which contains three profiles which are designed to lay against the laminates that form the ‘fish’ or mast base. These are laid on at various stages and shaped to them. One plastic sleeve contains three nicely printed plan sheets which show the drakkar in various profiles, and in rig etc. The second wallet contains a single printed piece of material for the sail. You will obviously need to cut and stitch this yourself. The photos show this brightly painted, but I’d read that these were usually quite dark as protected with tar due to the expense of the sails back in days of yore. I do admit that the painted sail looks beautiful, and I’d probably go with that. The size of the sail is really quite an indicator at the size of this model in a large 1:25. Conclusion From both appearance and materials, this kit stands head and shoulders above other contemporary kits of Viking drakkar, by a very wide margin. Being based on the Oseberg remains, she also appears to be the most accurate of all of them too. The timbers used in the kit are stated as imitating those of the real vessel, which may have been the case, but the ships themselves were coated in tar and would’ve been quite dark. I suppose the final choice would be for the modeller. I would probably go for the tarred look. In all, I’m seriously impressed with this kit and Pavel’s determination to improve what already looked like the best kit available for this subject. All the small touches like the 3D shield bosses and the highly detailed laser carvings instead of the usual white metal fayre, really sets this apart. If you’ve ever had a thing about Viking ships or just want to build something a little different, then I really recommend this new release. *It was found that the kit had planks which were slightly too narrow to overlap properly. Pavel is now sending over replacement plank sets so I can eventually have a shot at building this lovely model kit. My sincere thanks to Pavel Nikitin for sending this kit out for review on MSW. To buy directly, click the link at the top of this article.
  12. After ordering the 'Slavic' Longboat from MSW supporter The Crafty Sailor on Sunday, September 10th, I received it on Friday, September 15th. I retrieved the package from the mailbox on my way home from work, walked into the house and declared, 'Honey, we can retire! My ship's come in!' 'That's nice, dear,' she mumbled as she went back to work. Nevertheless, I'm excited. This is my first wood ship kit and my first kit review. This Russian kit by Falconet is packed in a sturdy corrugated cardboard box. The text is in Russian but on one end of the box there is some consideration of English speakers where the model is described as a 'Viking ship of IX - XI century.' Slightly different from the Crafty Sailor description as a '9th Century Slavic Longship.' I mention this only in case someone is confused. I don't believe Vikings would be historically considered a Slavic people but since they were quite active exploring the rivers of and trading throughout eastern Europe I have no doubt that Viking vessels were common in Slavic lands. Upon opening the box one finds two sets of drawings on A4 paper. One set focuses on hull construction, the other on rigging. There is a very brief explanation in Russian and English and from that point on all instructions are simply illustrations with call-outs indicating the part numbers in each step. The wood and MDF parts themselves are securely wrapped in plastic cling film and appear--to my untrained eye--to be of high quality. The two exceptions to this is a piece of light weight fabric for the sail and a heavy paper sheet with cut out stencils for the shield painting. I believe the stencil also provides a guide for assembling the last four hull strakes out of three separate components each. (This is more implied rather than described in the instructions.) The sail cloth is entirely unfinished and there are absolutely no instructions on how to prepare it. When it first appears in the instructions it has a bolt rope around the edges. Lastly, there is a small zip lock bag containing extra-small pieces such as the mast cleat, shield bosses and rigging thread. The mast step is also in here and it is quite rough--it will need delicate sanding to finish it. Overall, the instructions leave a little to be desired but I believe I'll be able to figure them out--even as a total land-lubber in the world of wooden ship model construction. The parts themselves are on 8 sheets of laser cut wood of various thicknesses and 1 sheet of MDF. Note that the sheets are referred to as plates in the instructions. And while there is a diagram of parts per 'plate' in the instructions, there are very few identifiers on the sheets themselves. Nevertheless, in the instructions each sheet is illustrated and each part is numbered and prefixed with the sheet number so finding particular parts should not be an issue. Unless the part has become detached from its sheet. I will certainly take care not to detach parts from their sheets until needed! That may be more difficult than it seems. The laser cutting is very fine. The sheets containing the strakes (G, left and right) are quite thin and fragile and the parts need only the gentlist persuation to separate from the sheet. The final last two bits of the model are the mast and the spar. These are supplied square so they will need some sanding to round them off. I do have some concerns here as the parts are quite thin and vigorous sanding would be detrimental. Care, care, care, is called for. I do wish oars had been included with the kit, though. Maybe I should consider that an opportunity for a little scratch building. So upon final inspection I believe this is a good first model (for me). The greatest challenge, I think, is the delicate nature of the model. The entire model is less than eight inches in length, assembled. Luckily, however, I am used to hobby time spent wearing a magnifying visor while working at fine scales--being a painter of war-gaming figures. I think I have all the tools I'll need for this model which may not have been the case for something more complex (though I may have to shop around for some suitably delicate clamps.) I did have difficulty choosing a well suited beginner's model. This model looks like it can be accomplished in weeks, not months. I know myself well enough to know that once I have figured out how to do something, I often lose interest in actually doing it--especially if it is a time consuming task. I really wanted to avoid a more expensive, time consuming project, particularly if I had little interest in the actual vessel. For me, hobby time is tightly related to learning the history of whatever I'm modelling. Consequently, the purchase of the viking ship model has inspired me to re-acquaint myself with the history of Alfred the Great of Wessex. One of my favorite childhood history interests. I do intend to start a build log once I start knocking together the longship.
  13. 1:48 La Renommée section - CAF Model Available for $79.00 from CAF Model This one was quite a surprise when it came with the Postie on Monday. Not a full kit, but this time a small deck section in 1:48. The kit comes in a narrow, slender box with a product label on the lid. It's also another of those kits that when you take everything out, it's not very easy to get it all back in again...especially when you remove the stapes that are used to clip the many fittings bags together. Although in 1:48, the finished project is still quite small too, measuring 140mm x 100mm on the base, and less than 100mm tall, with figure stood aloft. The kit itself depicts a single gun section of La Renommée, complete with full gun crew and someone I can only presume is an officer. I'm sure those with better knowledge of French naval ranks. There isn't too much strip wood in this kit with the majority of the timber here being the moulded wooden edges to the plinth you will make. You will need a mitre tool for this too. Two short lengths of brass wire are also included. The timber sheets are quite small too with parts laser-cut in both pear and ply. The pear of course, is for making the exposed frames that you'll see on the open ends of the section as well as the regular hidden frames, the cannon carriage, and the ply for the core of the base. You will also see a part (3a) than is used as a template/gauge to ensure that the internal frames and angles of the bulwarks are set correctly. Note also the deck planks (pale strips) that you may well be able to use 'as is', with the laser cutting simulating the deck caulking. A big feature of this kit are the numerous gun crew figures that you will need to clean up and paint. These are provided as 3D-printed parts and you will need to carefully and cleanly remove the support structures from the printing process. These need to be cut back to just before the figure and then carefully trimmed/sanded flush to the part. With 3D-prints, never snap those supports off at the part as it can leave a small divot in the part. All figure types are individually packaged and numbered for reference. There are a LOT of small packs of fittings which include all the hardware for the gun, eyelets, stanchions etc. and again, these are all individually bagged and the part depicted on the seal, plus the part quantity. Some parts are cast onto brass blocks and you will need a small jeweller's saw or similar, to release the parts, and some fine files to clean them up. Also included is rigging cord in various sizes for the gun, rigging blocks, etc. The cannon is either cast in brass or bronze. I'm not too sure, but the detail definition is very good indeed and supplies quite a bit of weight to finished model. One thing of note here is the tiny lantern. CAF say this can be lit with an LED, but you will need to source those parts yourself. Instructions These are a simple affair, spreading out over 6 pages, in full colour with parts annotation being clear and overall, the whole model looks simple to build up. Also included at the rear of the instructions are two pages showing the part sheets and corresponding part numbers. CAD and finished model images Conclusion This has to be a nice little 'between projects' project! It's very simple to build, the materials are very nice, albeit some char will need to be removed from part faces in some areas, and there's plenty of parts to keep you occupied. One thing I'd like to have seen is the inclusion of a 'grain of rice' LED and some wire and battery clip for illuminating the model as shown, or even a requirements list and illustration as to how the prototype was tackled. That' not even a gripe though...more just me thinking it would've been a nice touch. This is quite an inexpensive model for what you get, when you look at all those 3D-print figures etc. I don't really see too many new kits like this these days, so this should perhaps be something to consider if you fancy a small diversion. My sincere thanks to CAF Model for sending this kit over for review on MSW.
  14. Hi, Just made a short video of "unboxing" the card kit 1:250 HMV SMS UNDIN. Included in the and of the video also, the Lasercut set from the same company. A quick look in the kit and it seems very detailed. https://youtu.be/tPKftt8peZs
  15. 1:64 HM Britannic Majesty's Cutter Trial 1790 - Vanguard Models This is the latest kit from Vanguard Models. I don't feel I can review this as I would with any other product, per se, as I already have a well known connection to the company. I don't want to be accused of having an agenda or bias. This will be an overview/in-box look at this release which is VM's 14th kit since the company began. It's also, for me, the first release in around 3½yrs that I haven't had any involvement with. The aim of this kit is to bring a relatively low cost naval vessel to market which is at a level where novices can try their hand. It's set at a skill level 2. We do go to great pains to make sure that these levels reflect the build as much as possible, and that they are benchmarks that can be trusted when you shop at VM. For more info on these skill levels, check out this page: https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/understanding-our-skill-levels-ratings/ The box for this kit is quite compact and there's very little room left inside it, so I had to be careful in repacking this afterwards. A lining of bubblewrap lied within the box and inside that, all timber and acrylic parts are also wrapped in the same. There's no chance of stuff getting bashed about during transit. As with the rest of the range, the model is built around a laser-grade MDF skeleton and then lime planking is set for the first layer. Above water, the inner core bulwarks are from laser engraved and cut ply, which is then later doubled with an exterior pear later, complementing the second layer of plank that are also from pear. Although I have included some images from the manual, you will be able to look at the entire manual online on the kit's product page too, for more clarity. You can see from those images that the MDF frame is another slot and lock affair, which is designed so the modeller may actually do a reasonable amount of construction before any glue is applied. This will ensure that the model is properly assembled and aligned to the modeller's satisfaction, before any of the more traditional work is undertaken. There are seven sheets of pear, in varying thicknesses. Nigh on everything is pre-cut for the modeller, such as the inner and outer bulwarks (no planking needed), wales, gunwales, keel facings, rudder, etc. The keel facings fit the central keel core before second planking. This allows a rebate to be naturally created, that then lets the modeller neatly plank within and up to it for the second pear layer. You will also see the gun carriages, stairways, and various deck structures on these sheets. I am perhaps at a point where I automatically recognise everything that's visible here. The details supplied are, in my experience, higher than those in contemporary kits, with parts that aren't generic, but created specifically for the release. The quality of the pear is also high. Great pains have been made with this over the last years, believe me! Here you can see the ply sheet which contains the initial deck. Also seen are the inner bulwark cores. These are engraved so the lowest, horizontal engraved lines sit along the lines of the ply deck. This ensures that the bulwark elevation and position are correct. On the ply sheet is also the innermost lower counter part. As standard, laser-engraved lime decks are supplied, complete with treenail details. These are very easy to fit and have no tendency to curl when installing. Three bundles of timber are supplied for inner and outer planking, plus materials for the mast, yards and bowsprit etc. This kit contains two frets of photo-etch parts in two thicknesses of material. You will see easily identifiable parts in these sheets, such as the depth markings, fishtail/horseshoe keel parts, eyelets, pump handles belaying pins, and chainplates. The latter are made from single pieces so there's no awkward assembly to be had. The kit supplies an MDF cradle for construction, but the display stand itself is made from a lower section of mirror acrylic, with two clear and parts that clip into it. The reason for the mirror is to emphasise the vessel's drop keel much better and make it a feature. There are two boxes of fittings. The first one contains rigging rope of various sizes, whilst the second has a wealth of other things, such as brass pins, cannon and carronade barrels, winch, rigging blocks, anchors, carronade wheels, glass parral beads, black card, and also a nicely made name plate for the mirrored display base. For those unfamiliar with VM kits, the manuals are typically printed in an A4 format, as here, with some of the larger vessels having A3 manuals. All manuals are full colour and spiral bound. This kit also has eleven plan sheets which detail everything from parts maps, through construction and then onto rigging. So, that is a look under the hood of VM's latest kit. I'm not here to pass my own comments as I am too close to VM to do so. The quality of this release is commensurate with the whole range and nothing has had any corners cut to bring it to market. I also feel the price is fairly pitched for such a kit, especially with pear being included. If you fancy trying your hand at this unusual little kit, then head over to the VM page and grab yourself a copy! https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/trialcutter/
  16. An Introduction to Seahorse Kits (photos Courtesy of Seahorse and the author) Regular visitors to MSW may recall having seen some delightful, scratch-built card models made by a member who goes by the username “0Seahorse.” The real name of the man behind the username is Tomasz “Tomek” Weremko, a resident of the small town of Ulanów in southeastern Poland. Happily for us card modeling types (and those who are intrigued by the medium), Tomek not only designs and builds card models – he publishes them, too. At first his designs, mostly coasting craft but which also included the brig HMS Badger, were published by WAK, a well-known Polish publishing house, but like some designers, Tomek got the itch to publish his own work. His first effort, the Dutch exploration ship Duyfken, came out in 2019, and that first effort has now been followed by four additional offerings. Tomek’s earlier designs are still available both at his own website and at WAK. Ever eager to get enterprising card model designers some time in the MSW spotlight, I asked Tomek if he would be interested in having his latest kits reviewed. He agreed to the idea and said he would be sending “sets of models with accessories.” Expecting these to consist of one kit or perhaps two at the most, I was very surprised when the package arrived from Poland containing four Seahorse kits along with their laser-cut accessories. As I have found to be pleasantly normative for packages coming from Poland, everything survived the three week journey in fine shape. Because the Seahorse stable of designs are the products of a single designer, they have similar attributes. As for the earlier review I did of Paper Shipwright, I will treat the Seahorse kits as a collective. The kits we will look at are : · Nr. 1 DUYFKEN 1606 (1:100) · Nr. 2 SAO GABRIEL 1497 (1:100) · Nr. 3 LEUDO VINACCIERE (1:72) · Nr. 4 ARMED VIRGINIA SLOOP 1776 (1:100) The first thing you’ll notice is that there are no steel warships in Tomek’s stable of designs. Tomek says he enjoys older ships, both military and civilian. You’ll also notice there’s no example of Wasa, Sovereign of the Sea, etc. Says Tomek, “I rather focus on smaller ships, so that they are within the reach not only of top modelers, but also to encourage those who do not have a cardboard sailing ship in their collection yet.” Once you get a peek at Tomek’s work, I think you’ll agree that the temptation to try out a card model sailing ship can be great indeed. You might also notice that most of Tomek’s designs are in 1:100 scale. This might cause you to panic a bit, but have no fear. 1:100 scale is considered small for wooden models, but it is actually on the large end for card models, which are most often rendered in 1:200, 1:250, or 1:400. Still, because these are sailing ship models, the finished items will in fact end up being small models. None exceeds 41 cm in length. Another thing worth pointing out is the cost of these kits. This is a strong selling point for card models in general, which I have pointed out elsewhere. The basic Duyfken kit, for example, is only € 6.67, which is pretty darn cheap. Compare that to the same subject offered in a wood kit from another manufacturer at € 209, and you quickly see what I mean. Of course, card model kits usually cry out for after market accessories, which I’ll describe later, but even with those goodies added in the Seahorse Duyfken still only comes in at € 31.51—a real bargain for modelers on tight budgets. And if one has a really tight budget and a lot of time available, the aftermarket accessories are of course only optional, and the kits can be built without them. So, what do you get when you crack open a Seahorse kit? Let’s flip through some pages and have a look. As is typical for card models, each kit comes as a bound, A4 size booklet (American builders will need to keep this in mind if they want to scan any parts pages before building). Covers feature fore and aft views of the prototype models. As much as I appreciate artwork on kit covers, I like to see what the model actually looks like when it is built (assuming of course that I’m half as talented as the prototype builder). Flipping to the first page, one finds the instructions in both Polish and English. Again, card model instructions are usually not very detailed, mainly because there are only so many ways one can say “stick part 1 to part 2,” etc., etc. But where instructions are needed, it is certainly helpful when they are legible. English-speaking modelers will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the English instructions. Tomek has a much superior grasp of English than the average English-speaker has of Polish, and this shows. You will not need someone to translate the English instructions into real English, as sometimes seems warranted with the instructions in Italian kits. There are plenty of diagrams—the key element in card model instructions—to cover every phase of construction. Some of the construction stages even include photo illustrations. One very nice touch in the rigging diagrams is that the various lines are printed in different colors, which makes it easier to visually untangle multiple lines where they cross each other in a two-dimensional representation. Turning to the parts pages, we see that everything is printed on good quality stock, either regular bond or card as appropriate. Colors are sharp and registration is excellent. Decks and other unpainted parts are shaded to imitate natural variations in wood tone and texture. Each kit includes extra color swatches so that any gaps can be filled in with matching card. Hull construction begins with internal formers, covered with three layers of skins. The first layer produces the basic shape and provides an underlayment for the additional layers (Fig. 3 in the image below). The second layer finishes the hull shape in sturdy laminated card (Fig, 5). The seams of the first and second layers are at roughly right angles to each other to strengthen the hull structure. The third layer (Fig. 10) is a veneer consisting of the outer planks. Of course, any sailing ship model done in card stock has a lot of cutting to do as well as a multitude of small, repetitive structures, such as blocks and gun carriages. An ideal and inexpensive way to deal with these issues is to purchase aftermarket laser-cut sets. The Seahorse sets include structural pieces such as hull formers, the second set of hull skinning, and other pieces that otherwise require lamination onto thicker stock before cutting out. The laser-cutting is superb, and parts are laser-engraved with their parts numbers, either directly on the parts or, in the case of small parts, adjacent to them. Hull formers also have laser-engraved lines to indicate the proper locations of joints between mated parts, e.g. between longitudinal profile and bulkheads. Additional laser-cut sets produce blocks, hearts, deadeyes, gun carriages, and other small items. The blocks are made from layers, which when glued together eliminate any need to drill holes into the finished items. Having used similar laser-cut blocks for my build of Wütender Hund, I can attest that these are not as difficult to assemble as they might appear at first glance. They can, of course, be replaced with wooden blocks, but the card blocks are a perfectly viable option. Also available are printed sets of sails. These are single-side printed on fine linen and show panel lines and seams. Each sail set also includes a set of flags. For modelers who want to save a bit of money, each printed kit includes full-size sail patterns. In addition to sails, sets of dowels for spars are also available. These are made of either linden or beech, are cut slightly longer that the spars to be turned from them, and must be tapered to the desired dimensions. Tomek did not send any of the dowel sets for review, since as he pointed out they are “just dowels” (you have to love candor!), can easily be locally sourced, and would have added unnecessarily to the shipping costs. Nevertheless, they are available if one wishes to purchase them. There are a few non-kit-specific items that builders will need to source for themselves, such as rigging cordage and chain. Tomek does sell some of the former at the Seahorse website. At this time, there are also no aftermarket cannon available as kit-specific sets. One can find cannon in 1/100 scale if one searches around a bit, though finding the correct patterns for the older kit subjects, i.e. galleons, might be a challenge. All in all, I find the Seahorse kits to be delightful additions to the card modeling side of our hobby. The quality of the materials and design at their price points make these outstanding values. It is also apparent from reading through the instructions and diagrams that Tomek has indeed put much thought and effort into making these kits manageable projects for intermediate-level modelers. Each kit will produce a finished model that is comparable in appearance and detail to any wooden kit and moreover will not take up a huge amount of space to display. Not one to rest on his laurels, Tomek has already released a new kit for 2021, the galleon Meermann 1627, a participant in the defeat of a Swedish flotilla at the Battle of Oliwa. As mentioned earlier, Tomek confesses a love for older ships, particularly Dutch vessels, so it is likely that we will see additional offerings of these attractive subjects in the not-too-distant future. Meermann, now available in 1/100 scale from Seahorse Thanks again to Tomek for sending out these examples for review. If you would like to purchase a Seahorse kit, you may do so at the Seahorse website. Be sure to tell Tomek that you heard about Seahorse at Model Ship World! MSRPs: Duyfken: € 6.67 Sao Gabriel: € 10.58 Leudo Vinaccieri: € 7.82 Armed Virginia Sloop: € 7.13 Meermann: € 10.12 CDC
  17. 1:8 Ferrari Timossi Racer ‘Arno XI’ (Special Edition) Amati Model Catalogue # 1610 Available from Amati for €319.67, excluding tax The Arno XI is a hydroplane inspired by Achille Castoldi in the early 1950s and built by the Cantiere Timossi boatyard, located in Azzano (a frazione of Mezzegra) on the Lake Como. Castoldi wanted to establish a world water speed record so he persuaded then Ferrari racing drivers Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi to influence Enzo Ferrari to supply him with a 4.5-litre, V12 Ferrari engine; the same engine that gave Ferrari his first Grand Prix victory with the Ferrari 375 F1 at Silverstone Circuit in 1951. The engine was installed in a Timossi three-point racing hydroplane hull. Castoldi managed to further increase horsepower by attaching two superchargers. The result was a 502 bhp speedboat, which he used to hit a 150.19 mph top speed in October 1953 on Lake Iseo. This world speed record for an 800 kg boat still stands today. Arno XI was later sold and raced in numerous competitions, finally retiring in 1960. It has since been restored and as of December 2019, is expected to go for up for sale by RM Auctions for up to €1.5m. Information and photo taken from Wikipedia The kit The Arno XI is far from a new release, with the original kit first seen around the 1990s. That specific release is still available and has a traditional built-up hull that the modeller must plank with the supplied strip wood. I have seen one of these built up in a model shop in Manchester, UK, a good number of years ago, and it was outstanding! When Amati asked if I would like to take a look at the newer version of this kit, in Special Edition format, I really couldn’t refuse. What makes this kit different to the original is that the entire hull is pre-built in glass fibre. If that’s not enough, then it’s also pre-planked in mahogany and polished too! With the cockpit superstructure already being a fibreglass composite component, then this model is as close as you can get to the hard stuff being done for you. It’s also suitable for Radio Control (RC), and measures in at an impressive 79cm. Now, this box is large and reasonably heavy too. A glossy sleeve envelopes the box, with a large image of a completed and mounted model, resplendent in the famous Ferrari red. The box sides show images of the box contents, and most impressively, that pre-built hull. But, what does it actually look like? OK….here goes. Removing that sleeve is amazingly difficult as the fit is so tight. It took both myself and my wife to extract it without causing it damage. With that carefully removed, the tabbed box lid was opened to reveal the contents. Of course, I knew what I was going to see, but actually seeing it was something else! The pre-built hull is absolutely stunning. Amati has carefully packed this so that the other elements such as boxed components and manual, cause no damage to the beautiful finish of the main model. The cockpit/engine superstructure, is also sat in situ, giving a real impression of how this model will look once complete. With all of the packing components removed, the hull is now lifted from the box. There’s quite some weight in this, but probably not much different to how the traditional construction hull would weigh. In fact, this could be a tad lighter, dependent on the thickness of the glass fibre moulding. A quick check around the exterior showed that there were no real causes for concern regarding the finished quality of this and the safe shipping of it to get to me in the UK. Hull planking is extremely high quality, with nice, tight grained mahogany creating that famous finish. The whole surface is also very smooth. In fact, the only thing that you might do to finish that aspect is to give it a final coat of high-gloss varnish instead of the satin/low-gloss finish the model comes with. There will be some smaller details to add to the timber finish such as metal edging and brass nails. We’ll look at those soon. For the moment, I now remove the superstructure and look within the hull. The is secured by two nuts which fit to bolts that are secured into the bottom of the hull. One quick note here is that the hull interior or quite dusty from the manufacturing process, and I suggest the use of a mini keyboard hoover and a damp cloth to totally clean out the interior before you continue with any sort of paint or varnish work. That extremely nice mahogany planking extends to the undersides, despite the fact that some of this will of course be sheathed by large pieces of photo etch metal. The superstructure is also comprised of glass fibre sections which have been carefully assembled and have a very smooth external finish. The external details include nicely even engraving for panel lines. The bare cockpit will be fully fitted out in some superbly sumptuous fittings, as we’ll shortly see. Here, you can clearly see the fibreglass box which forms the bottom of the cockpit. The superstructure itself is also quite weighty. Some very minor clean-up will be required before work commences. Here, you can see the interior of the basic cockpit, with the holes/washers that fasten the superstructure to the lower hull. The box units that are built into the walls, will support the upholstered chair. You will need to make the seat removable, should you every wish to be able to remove the superstructure for the RC model version. For static, it isn’t necessary. Also of note here is that this release doesn’t detail how you would fit this model out for RC, but for an enthusiast, I can’t see it being too much of a problem as the interior of the superstructure and hull are quite easy to work within, being very accessible. An instrument panel is also fitted into the cockpit as a base for the detailed unit which will sit atop this. You’ll see that the vents just in front of the cockpit will also need to be cleaned up before you start to paint the superstructure. Now, if you know someone who works in an automotive garag and can persuade them to give a perfect Ferrari red finish to this unit, then that would be even better than using hobby paints, as a good two-part epoxy paint finish would really set this model off. Lying underneath the tail of the hydroplane hull is a touch cellophane sleeve that contains three sheets of material (MDF and mahogany veneer). This first sheet contains a couple of cores and frames for some cockpit detail work, but also has a number of parts for what will form a cradle for holding the completed model. These will need to be secured to a long wooden plinth, set 300mm apart, but this plinth is not included in this release, so you’ll have to check out your favourite hobby outlet. Laser cutting is very good, within fine cuts and minimal scorch. This next sheet contains parts that will be fitted within the hull, around the box area for the cockpit. The idea here is to provide mid-hull rigidity and stop the modeller from over-tightening the superstructure mounting nuts and compressing the fibreglass/timber hull too much. The last sheet of timber is this mahogany veneer. These parts are for the lower cockpit side walls, cockpit floor and also the rear of the pilot’s pedals. Laser cutting is excellent and provides to cause for scorch concern on these decorative parts. Tucked away in the main packaging jigsaw is this box of components. Whilst not actual leather, the seat, headrest and upper cockpit sidewalls are comprised of cores that are hand-stitched with faux-leather and actually look superb! After all, this is a Ferrari! There are standards to maintain… A good number of metal trim parts are supplied, with their chrome finish. The twisted part you see here is actually for the spine of the superstructure, also running down the back end of the tail. You are advised to check these against the unpainted unit and adjust if necessary. You really do need these to be fit-perfect when it comes to the painted model. A length of brass rod is also supplied. Another bag of parts contains a number of chrome plated metal elements. Here you see the steering wheel and parts for mounting the long propeller shaft on the underside of the hull. All parts are superbly made and have perfect plating. No extra work is needed with these. And here is the propeller shaft with integral prop. These will look stunning against the mahogany of the lower hull. In another bag we have a whole series of parts which will be dispersed around the model. Here, you can see blisters for the upper engine cowls, mounting stirrups for the long exhaust units, pump/syphon unit, and also a small number of cockpit parts. There are a lot of screws supplied with this kit, for various tasks, such as fitting the chrome trims etc. Not only do you get the screws, but there are numerous drill bits supplied to do the job too, ensuring you don’t drill anything with too large a diameter. This nifty little unit is the rudder and mounting unit. Constructed from various components, this ready-assembled unit does actually move with a nice, smooth motion. It looks like it’s been made in a Swiss watch factory! All chrome trims have been pre-shaped. All you need to do is to check them against the hull and superstructure, and tweak if necessary. They are also pre-drilled to accept the fastening screws. These are the exhaust units, and they are both long and heavy, made from brass and chrome-plated, these units screw to the superstructure engine cowls and also rest on the stirrups that are mounted to the top of the hull. The ends are also hollow for realism. More trim and décor here! Yes, there’s another box of parts with a relatively small part’s count. A photo-etch instrument panel is included, complete with the authentic, vintage finish that’s been pre-etch. Onto this will fit the metal bezels, and acetate/printed instruments will fit from behind. The mahogany hull will need to be drilled and fitted out with brass pins. These are scattered everywhere along the various planks on all sides of the timber unit. Whilst this is immensely tedious, the finish that it will provide will look amazingly authentic. If you want an RC model, I suggest you can the pins short, so they don’t protrude too far within the hull. When inserted, you really need to give the hull a delicate, overall sanding to ensure nothing stands proud of the surface. You can also see the cowl latch tensioning springs here and some fastenings for the model mounting brackets. This packet contains printed instruments, a roll of rigging cord for which its inclusion still eludes me (!!) and also a few more brass parts that I still need to identify. In another packet we have some dowel for constructing the foot pedal tube, and other material which would be used for syphon tubes etc. I think this part represents the rear of the fuel tank, possibly. It protrudes into the cockpit and is located behind the pilot’s seat. This is a vac-form part that needs trimming and painting in aluminium before installation. A sheet of decals is included for the superstructure exterior, with the race number, pilot name and also the iconic Ferrari logo and badges. Again, not too sure about some stuff here, but I’m sure the acetate is included for the instruments. This LARGE photo-etch sheet is finished in nickel-silver and contains parts for the sides/undersides of the hydroplane wings, as well as for the cockpit floor. Another, smaller PE sheet contains finishing plates, latches, foot pedal plates, instrument bezels etc. The instruction book for this kit is superb, being printed in colour photograph format, and with clear annotation. The only problem for uncultured types like me is that it’s in Italian. Things are pretty self-explanatory, but should you need a translation, then it isn’t too difficult with stuff like Google Translate etc. There are twenty pages in this manual, and I’ve photographed numerous here for you to get a feeling about the manual and the kit itself. Two large plan sheets are included, one with several views of the actual vessel, and one with images of parts sheets etc. Conclusion This is quite an extraordinary kit, not just in subject choice, but also in the quality of the prefabricated parts. This is very much designed for someone who wants to either sail under RC or display in their cabinet/office, without too much of the fuss of spending countless hours in building, planking, sealing and polishing. The whole package is quite sumptuous, including the numerous fittings, photo-etch and of course that hand-stitched upholstery on the pilot’s seat. I do also think that the price of this kit, for what is offered, is very good value indeed, and yet still presents the modeller with a reasonable amount of work to do to create that famous Italian hydroplane. Amati’s instruction manual, albeit in Italian, is still straightforward to follow with its clear photographs and annotation. If this subject has ever tickled your fancy, get some Christmas money spent on one and create a truly iconic vintage vessel. My sincere thanks to Amati for the kit reviewed here on Model Ship World. To purchase, click the link at the top of this article, or contact your local Amati importer/distributor.
  18. This is the Orel kit of the Battleship Orel of 1904. Orel is alternately spelled Oryol and literally translates to Eagle. Having built an Orel kit before, I can attest that their kits are excellent. I bought mine off Amazon. This kit has optional laser cut and photo-etch sets available. Like the Solferino, the instructions come in Russian (I think), Polish, German and English. There are construction diagrams at the beginning of the book this time. Construction is a modified Plank On Bulkhead. The quality of the parts sheets are excellent and printed on A3 paper or card. Most parts are printed on paper for laminating onto card. Some are printed on card and ready to use. If you are interested in card models, Orel, a Ukrainian company, makes excellent ship models, in addition to a full range of other card models. They have a pretty decent selection of ironclads and pre-Dreadnoughts from around the world in 1/200 scale. Most have optional laser cut and photo-etch sets available. I liked the first model that I got from them well enough that I ordered three more. When I get the other two I’ll review them too. The price for this particular model was $46.99 with free shipping.
  19. 1:32 Fifie – The Scottish Motor Fishing Vessel Amati Catalogue # 1300/09 Available from Amati for €220.00 The Fifie is a design of sailing boat developed on the east coast of Scotland. It was a traditional fishing boat used by Scottish fishermen from the 1850s until well into the 20th century. These boats were mainly used to fish for herring using drift nets, and along with other designs of boat were known as herring drifters. While the boats varied in design, they can be categorised by their vertical stem and stern, their long straight keel and wide beam. These attributes made the Fifies very stable in the water and allowed them to carry a very large set of sails. The long keel, however, made them difficult to manoeuvre in small harbours. Sailing Fifies had two masts with the standard rig consisting of a main dipping lug sail and a mizzen standing lug sail. The masts were positioned far forward and aft on the boat to give the maximum clear working space amidships. A large Fifie could reach just over 20 metres in length. Because of their large sail area, they were very fast sailing boats. Fifies built after 1860 were all decked and from the 1870s onwards the bigger boats were built with carvel planking, i.e. the planks were laid edge to edge instead of the overlapping clinker style of previous boats. The introduction of steam powered capstans in the 1890s, to help raising the lugs sails, allowed the size of these vessels to increase from 30 foot to over 70 foot in length. From about 1905 onwards sailing Fifies were gradually fitted with engines and converted to motorised vessels. There are few surviving examples of this type of fishing boat still in existence. The Scottish Fisheries Museum based in Anstruther, Fife, has restored and still sails a classic example of this type of vessel named the Reaper. The Swan Trust in Lerwick, Shetland have restored and maintain another Fifie, The Swan, as a sail training vessel. She now takes over 1000 trainees each year and has taken trainees to participate in the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races to ports in France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland as well as around the UK. Extract from Wikipedia The kit Fifie is packed into a large, heavy box that certainly hints that there’s a good quantity of material included to build this historic fishing vessel in all its glorious 1:32 scale. I do admit to particularly liking this scale, having built plastic models for many years and indeed for magazine publication. It’s definitely something I can relate to when eyeing up the various dimensions and features. Amati’s presentation is flawless and certainly stands out, with its large, glossy lid that captures an attractive view of the Fifie. It has to be noted here that the hull is usually fully painted, with green being common above the waterline, but this model was finished to show off the beauty of the walnut timber supplied in the kit. And why not! For those that don’t know, this kit, under the Victory Models label, was designed by Chris Watton. Many of you should be familiar with that name and his design pedigree. At 1:32, this kit is no shrinking violet in terms of size. Fifie is 700mm long, 470mm wide and with a height of 230mm (sans masts). Lifting the lid does indeed show a box crammed with materials. Inside, we have several bundles of timber, plus a packet of timber dowel/strip/metal rod/tube, a thick packet containing numerous laser-cut sheets, another packet with plans and photo etch, and underneath the main timber, we have sail cloth and fittings packs. Thick foam is included to stop the main materials from banging around in the box. Strip wood Fifie has a double-planked hull, with the first layer being constructed from 1.5mm x 7mm lime strips. These, like many of the other bundles, are 600mm long, and very cleanly cut with no fuzzy edges Sixty-five of these are supplied. The same quality goes for the second planking layer, which is supplied as 90 strips of 1mm x 6mm walnut which is some of the best I’ve seen in a kit. There is little colour variation in these, and they look pleasantly uniform. I’ve always found Amati’s timber quality to be exceptional and this is no different. As well as elastic to hold the bundles some labels are also included to help identity the material. Other strip wood is included (beech and walnut) for such things as deck planking, caulking (yes, caulk plank!), lining the various deck hatches, sheathing the deckhouse structures, rubbing strakes etc. These bundles are both taped and bound with elastic, with the deck planking having an identifying label also. Cutting is clean and precise. Dowel and tube/rod Various lengths of dowel is included for masting, false keel strengthening pins etc. and thicker strip wood for the timberheads. All is supplied in a nice uniform walnut colour….no nasty walnut dyes/stains in this kit! These latter lengths are also packaged into a thick clear sleeve, unlike the others. Note also various lengths of brass and copper wire, as timberheads well as some copper tube. Some mounting parts are included for RC conversion, but you will need to purchase other items to complete the model for radio. MDF sheet items Again, Amati has made extensive use of 4mm MDF for the hull false keel and bulkheads, and all are laser-cut, as are all individual wooden items in this kit. Cutting looks very precise with very little in the way of scorching, apart from very localised discolouration. I know many don’t like MDF as a material for our models, but MDF sands easily and is also warp-free, lending itself to a nice, true hull. You won’t see any of this when you start to lay planks. There are FOUR sheets of this material, and you’ll notice that there aren’t any parts numbers engraved on here. You will need to refer to the first two sheets of plans which contain the parts references. A single sheet of 2mm MDF contains parts such as the four-piece deck, cleats, and the bulkheads and keel for Fifie’s single launch vessel. There is also a single 6mm sheet of MDF (sheet 2698-B) which contains the four parts needed for the cradle. I’ve seen numerous sites which now sell this model claim that no stand is included with this model. Well, this sort of proves that statement incorrect. This is the same cradle shown on the box lid images. Of course, you’ll need a suitable MDF primer for this, and some nice coats of gloss lacquer to get the best from this. Ply sheet parts SIX sheets of thin ply are included for just about every other timber construction elements of Fifie, including the deckhouse, deck superstructures, keel sheathing, and bulwark capping strip. Again, all parts are laser-cut and will require minimal effort to remove any edge char. Fittings Two boxes of fittings are included in the very bottom of the Fifie kit box. Some of the weight bearing down has caused a small crack in the two vac-form fittings boxes, as you can see, but all parts within are absolutely fine. The first box contains the cast metal propeller, deck buckets, ship’s wheel, rigging blocks, life preserver rings and a whole load of beautifully smooth wooden balls for making the many buoys which sit on Fifie’s deck. These are perfectly circular, yet the ones on the box image are slightly shaped. Instructions show these as the balls, and you could perhaps opt to use a little putty to add some shape to these. The second fitting box contains seven spools of rigging cord in both black and natural colours, nails, various cast fittings such as bollards, plus rudder pintles, anchors etc. Copper eyelets, chain and ferrules etc. make up the set. Sail cloth Should you wish to add sails, then enough material is supplied for you, in bleached white cloth. Photo-etch Very few kits come without photo-etch parts these days, and this is no exception, with TWO sheets of 0.7mm brass with a very high number of included parts. A quick scan around the sheets will easily identify parts for the mast bases, steam winch, engine skylight, capstan, deck hand pump, wheel assembly, herring shovel, tabernacle, mast rings, etc. Acetate and card I have to say I’m not entirely sure what the card/cartridge paper is for except for maybe general use, but the thin acetate is obviously for the cabin windows. Instructions and plans Without a doubt, Amati produce some of the very best instruction manuals to come with any model kit. For reference, check out my Orient Express Sleeping Car review and that of Revenge. Fifie is no different with a luxurious and fully-pictorial, 64-page publication. Whilst this isn’t perfect-bound as with the previous reviews, it is in full colour and produced to a standard that’s still far higher than many contemporary manufacturers, with each stage being shown under construction so you get a perfect idea about what is required at that point in construction. Text is also in English, or at least in the sample I have been sent. The rear of the manual contains a complete components list. Backing up this publication is a set of seven plan sheets. The first two of these are for identifying the various timber and PE parts. The others show general profile and detail imagery, as well as masting and rig drawings. Remember that the hull itself is built entirely from the photographic sequences so everything you see on these drawings is for external details. Conclusion I have to say that you get a lot of kit for your money with Fifie, and when I first asked Amati what they envisaged the RRP to be, I was quite surprised at this. Everything about Fifie is quality, from the packaging and presentation, to the beautiful, photographic manual, fittings, sheet and strip timber, all the way to the superbly drawn plans. I’m very surprised that the gestation period has taken so long for them to bring this excellent kit to market. It’s also a Chris Watton thoroughbred. If you’ve seen his previous designs, then you’ll be familiar with the format of Fifie, which was quite the different vessel for Chris to tackle, when everyone seemed to think he would only design fighting vessels, armed to the teeth with cannon. I must admit that Fifie did take me quite by surprise too. The very shape of this iconic and historic vessel is so homely and welcoming and for me, invokes images of those times when fishing communities were happy and thriving. Whether you’re a fan of Chris’s work or not, Fifie is most certainly a kit that you should consider dropping into your virtual shopping cart next time you visit your favourite online model ship/boat retailer, and of course, if RC is your thing, then this kit will also suit your genre! VERY highly recommended! My sincere thanks to Amati for sending out the sample kit you see reviewed here. To purchase directly click the link at the top of the article to take you to Amati’s online shop or check out your country’s local distributor. Plans are also available from Amati, for €21.00
  20. 1:70 Hannah Ship Model Okumoto Catalogue # Available from Ship Model Okumoto for ¥ 33,000 (approx. $290) The schooner Hannah was the first armed American naval vessel of the American Revolution and is claimed to be the founding vessel of the United States Navy. She was a fishing schooner owned by John Glover of Marblehead, Massachusetts and was named for his daughter, Hannah Glover. The crew was drawn largely from the town of Marblehead, with much of the ships ammunition being stored in Glover's warehouse now located at Glover's Square in Marblehead before being relocated to Beverly, Massachusetts. The schooner was hired into the service of the American Continental Army by General George Washington. Washington commissioned Nicholson Broughton to command the Hannah on 2 September 1775 and ordered the vessel to, "...cruize against such vessels as may be found . . . bound inward and outward to and from Boston, in the service of the [British] army, and to take and seize all such vessels, laden with soldiers, arms, ammunition, or provisions . . . which you shall have good reason to suspect are in such service." Hannah set sail from the harbour of Beverly, Massachusetts on 5 September 1775, but fled to the protection of the harbour of Gloucester, Massachusetts two days later under the pursuit of HMS Livelyand a second British vessel. Leaving Gloucester Harbour, Hannah captured HMS Unity. Hannah's brief naval career ended on 10 October 1775, when she was run aground under the guns of a small American fort near Beverly by the British sloop Nautilus. After a 4-hour engagement between the British ship and Beverly and Salem militias on the shore, Hannah was saved from destruction and capture. According to legend, soon after Hannah's decommissioning, the schooner was towed to Lee's Wharf in Manchester, where its name was changed to Lynch. There, the vessel was restored to working condition by 7 carpenters over the course of 3 weeks. In March of 1777, Lynch was sent to France with congressional correspondence for Benjamin Franklin, who was there as U.S. Ambassador. Upon embarking on their journey back to the U.S., Lynch and its crew were captured by British ship HMS Foudroyant. Lynch was sold as a prize by the British and documentation indicates that the schooner was used as a merchant vessel thereafter. Edit courtesy of Wikipedia The kit Hannah is the fourth release from Ship Model Okumoto and has only been on sale for a week or two, so my thanks to those guys for getting this out to me from Japan so quickly. According to their website, this is the kit specification: Scale: 1/70 Total length: 335mm Height: 90mm Width: 100mm Wood: Agathis Build time: 100 hours Parts count: 310 laser-cut parts, dowel As with my previous reviews for La Couronne, Endeavour and Santa Maria, this kit is packaged into a transparent, lockable box. However, this one is smaller, and our postie actually managed to pop it through our letterbox! As well as being smaller in general size, it’s about half of the depth of the previous releases and has some separate green plastic locking clips to hold it together. Inside, we have eight sheets of laser-cut Agathis wood, a small bundle of dowel, plans, instructions and a parts list. A hallmark of Okumoto’s kits is the very low scorch that results from cutting via laser. You can see that very little heat has crept into the area adjacent to the cut, and there is no discolouration of the parts. A simple clean-up of the edges is all that’s needed, so remember to do this to each inner frame edge and component before assembly. All parts are also nigh-on cut through in their entirety, so lengths of tape have been attached to the rear of the sheets, holding each part securely in place. Removal of the parts shows that no sticky residues are left behind either. As with the other kits, there is no part nomenclature on the sheets, and you need to refer to the paper plan sheets to identify each component. There is a little laser etching on each sheet which indicates the sheet number, for reference, and also the sheet thickness. Timber quality is excellent, with the Agathis being very fine grained. This should be nice and easy to work with, and you shouldn’t get any splitting etc. The slightly golden colour is also very attractive. Note that whilst these kits are POF, there are some simplifications in their construction. For example, these models don’t have cant frames. However, each frame is constructed from a number of individual components that would be similar to the way the actual ship frames were constructed. A small bundle of short dowel lengths concludes the timber items in this kit. Underneath the colour image of the completed Hannah, lies a profile plan that’s roughly A3 in size. This contains a port elevation as well as a partial upper and lower plan. Annotation is in English. We next have three sheets that contain the parts maps for the eight sheets of timber supplied. These are exact duplicates of the timber planks with regard to layout. Now, unlike the previous Okumoto releases, this one has a far more comprehensive instruction manual, again making this an ideal introduction to POF. Twelve sheets of paper are printed double-sided and stapled, creating a 24-page manual. Whilst this is still in Japanese, the photos are very good at explaining the steps. You can also use a smartphone app, such as Google Translate, so scan the text and convert it in real time. Lastly, a series of sheets are included which show the frame and detail assemblies. For the frames, you simply put these together over the top of the printed paper, after applying a little wax, maybe, to prevent the timber from sticking to your plans. Conclusion Out of all the Okumoto kits now on sale, Hannah has to take the place of Santa Maria as the first one that a newcomer to POF should tackle. Whilst Santa Maria is a beautiful and relatively uncomplicated in comparison to La Couronne and Endeavour, I feel that Hannah is well-pitched in complexity and price, to possible be the first POF from Okumoto that you consider due to its straightforward design. It’s worth noting that despite being an easier build subject, it still has almost twice the number of parts, according to their website, than Santa Maria. It’s also a little gem with its length of just over one imperial foot (13 inch, 335mm). A superb project that will look perfect on the mantlepiece and one that also won’t break the bank. Estimated building time is around 100hrs too. Please let Ship Model Okumoto know that you saw this review on Model Ship World. My sincere thanks to Ship Model Okumoto for sending this sample out for review on Model Ship World. To purchase directly, click the link at the top of the article.
  21. Imai is no longer producing kits. But you can luck up and find now and again. Here is one such kit. Imai of Japan 1/80 scale. That works out to a hull over 51" long. The kit is made up of wood, plastic, brass and white metal. The instructions are in Japanese but the drawings are easy to follow and one can spend the time to translate. This is the largest wood kit Imai produced in this series of kits.
  22. I have come back to model-building after a 40-year hiatus, and was looking for a kit for my first model ship. After some research, including good advice in the Model Ship World forums, I picked the Model Shipways “Become a Shipwright of Old” kit. Initially, I was going to get the Lowell Dory kit, but decided to get the 3-boat kit to develop my skills progressively. This kit seems to have a few advantages for a beginner: 1. It is a progressive series of builds. 2. The instructions are geared to a beginner. (Model Shipways has the instructions posted online, and I downloaded them before I purchased.) 3. It’s relatively inexpensive ($169 for three boats, less on one of Model Expo’s frequent sales). Others have reviewed this kit, so I am giving the impressions of a newbie, rather than a practiced eye. The three-boat kit comes with most of the tools needed to build the first boat. It also includes paint for all three boats. This is not clear in their advertising, which initially made me think I only got paint for the first boat. If you buy the kits separately, paint for the last two is not included. There is a lower-priced kit for the first boat, which does not include tools or paint. I ordered late on a Saturday night, and the kit was delivered from Florida to Georgia on Friday, quicker than I expected. My initial impression of the kit is that it was well-packed in a sturdy box, and the box for the kit itself is sturdy too. Opening the box, the individual boat parts are well-packaged. Not being familiar with boat kits, I was surprised to find so much material in one box. Somehow, I imagined that a kit took up more space. I found no missing or damaged parts when I checked each of the three sets of parts for damage, and against the parts lists for completeness. The individual wood-sheets are well-labeled and it should be easy to find parts as they’re needed. One of the paints had leaked slightly, but the paints are well-packaged in a sealed bag and didn’t damage anything else. The wood sheets all seem to be well-cut. The tools seem reasonable, although some of the blades don’t fit the provided knife. Looks like a good excuse to buy another tool! The printed instructions seem reasonably detailed, and there is a nice section at the end of the book for each ship, listing and describing the tools needed. They include a metric-imperial conversion sheet. All instructions seem to be in imperial units, so I assume this is for the benefit of non-American users. The pictures show the entire contents of the box immediately after I opened the box. I am happy with this kit, and consider it a good choice for someone such as myself. I have started building the first boat. I’ve taken pictures, and will start a build log soon.
  23. The Orel kit of the Solferino looks very nice, and very detailed, especially considering the scale. I got mine off Amazon, and it got slightly roughed up in transit, but nothing major. It came in a bound magazine style booklet. There is a laser-cut set, a sail set and a dowel set that you can buy as an option. The construction appears to be a modified version of plank on bulkhead: The hull covering is similar to the method used by Ab Hoving in his tutorial, with vertical planking pieces, attaching directly to the frame. There is a nice description of the ship in the beginning of the booklet, but it is in Russian (at least I think it is Russian), which I do not know. The instructions are pretty good. They come in Russian (I think), English and German. The diagrams are very useful and detailed, but scattered throughout the booklet. The parts are printed on good quality paper. Most are printed on normal paper, with the intent to layer them on card, some are printed on cardstock and ready for use. On the whole, I am impressed with the quality of the kit. Orel makes a large line of steamers, including the Great Western and multiple Pre-Dreadnoughts. One of the things that I like about their kits is that they can be built full-hull (I do not particularly like waterline models). One thing I do not like is the scale of this particular kit. However, even considering the scale, I am impressed with the level of detail in this kit. Also, for the larger warships in this series, 1/200 is perfect.
  24. This is a new kit from the Dutch company Kolderstok, and it's a significant addition to their growing line of 17th century Dutch ship models. I'm certainly thrilled to have my kit since I've been wanting to build a fluyt since 1970. Fluyts were cargo ships; designed to be cheap to purchase and cheap to operate. And, for the whole 17th century and beyond, they were very successful at it. The best modern references I know of to learn more are two companion publications from Seawatch Books: 17th century Dutch Merchant Ships, and 17th century Dutch Merchant Ships Plans Set for modelers, both by A.J. Hoving, C. A. Emke, et al. And there's my original source, The Great Age of Sail, Joseph Jobe, ed. The Kolderstok kit gives its ship's date as 1636, which suits me well. There is not much information in the kit's introductory writeup to say how the details were arrived at, though any involvement by Ab Hoving gives me confidence that it's on good foundations. It says: There is an active build log of a late prototype kit on a Dutch forum at https://www.modelbouwforum.nl/threads/het-fluitschip-uit-de-gouden-eeuw-hans-groenenberg.278397/. The builder there, Hans, is obviously in close contact with Hans van Nieuwkoop of Kolderstok. I expect that log to be enormously valuable (with the help of Google's transations) when I start on my own build. The kit has parts and instructions to construct either a lumber carrier or a whaler, though in the latter case you might want more boats (6-8 according to Hans) and of a different design than the two in the kit. I intend mine to build mine for lumber (I was trained as a forester many years ago) so the kit-supplied boats are going to be fine. The kit currently lists for 369 euros at https://kolderstok.com/en/products/fluytschip. There is a paint set available at 19 euros, which I also got. It comes with a full set of sails, but you have to stitch them yourself, which is a stopper for me. The kit includes flags, too, plus Kolderstok offers the possibility of printing a flag of your own design (prices aren't quoted for that service). There are a few nice resin castings for the transom including three choices for the central carving. Below are photos of just about everything that came in the box. It was very well packed and all the materials seem to be of high quality. I'm certain that I will upgrade the blocks that I use; the kit blocks are typical but I can't settle for them now that I've seen what can be gotten from, for example, Syren. And I hope to include sails in my build but, since I cannot sew, I'll probably make mine of silkspan (if I can). I like the 1:72 scale of the kit; it will be a nice size to work on at my bench and won't require adding a new room to the house when I'm done. The terrifying part of this kit, of course, will be planking the hull. To try and make this easier the planking starts upside down, from the keel, with the frames inserted into MDF forms. Most, if not all, of the hull planks are pre-spiled on laser cut sheets. Once the lower hull is complete the MDF is all removed, so the modeler could choose to outfit the lower decks. I haven't fully absorbed how the planking is going to go for me but I'm game to try it. The blocks, deadeyes, etc. come in a nice plastic box. And here's the paint set for the fluyt (an extra I added): Next are some photos from the manual, parts list, etc. There are two large one-sided plan sheets and 8 more smaller sheets, printed double-sided. The quality of the plans looks quite good to me. They're sharp and attractive and on nice heavy paper. I'd probably prefer that all sheets were one-sided, but when I actually get to doing the work I may find that these are just fine as they are. In the photos below the two big sheets are at the end. There are three sheets of sails with good instructions on how to deal with them. Finally are pictures of the spars and all the laser-cut sheets. The two sheets of MDF frames are at the top, followed by the laser-cut oak sheets which includes keel, stem, frames, etc. Below are the laser-cut basswood planks. The last four small laser-cut sheets are for the two boats, the tops, and some deck furniture. There's strip wood of various species. The walnut looks to me like black walnut (one of my favorite woods), and the cherry has a nice color, too. What the heck "abachi" is, I don't know, but I'm sure I will learn in the fullness of time. And that's it. I expect that it will be a difficult build for me and I have some learning to do before I start. But Hans is very responsive, the manual is clearly written and well illustrated, and the online build I mentioned at the beginning has very good photos. Bob
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