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Model Space kits


Don Crouch

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I have experience with them but not their ship models. I built the brass Japanese WW2 locomotive. Coming in at almost 25 pounds with stand, it was a great build. But.........I decide I am not into a subscription model building environment. It makes you work at their pace instead of your own. This might not matter for a ship kit since it will probably take a year or more anyway.  I have a friend through another forum who works for DeAgostini here in the states as a marketing affiliate and he has built a few of their models including working on one of the ship kits currently.

 

I will say they have outstanding quality in materials, workmanship and customer support. You will NOT find all kits sold here in the states and they have quite a few. My friend has a friend of his in the UK take delivery for him and then forwards all monthly deliveries to my friend in the states.

 

The kits are pricey, at least from my perspective. But maybe not for the model ship kits. At approx. $1400 for the HMS Surprise and $1200 for the Victory. And you can buy these as complete kits instead of a monthly description even though the subscription is an option

 

All in all, they were great to work with and the kits are top notch.

 

Paul

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  • 1 month later...

I just found this thread.

FYI, I have two of the Model Space kit subscriptions. The HMS Victory and the Japanese WW2 1:250 scale Aircraft Carrier, Akagi.

I am at month 6 with the Victory and month 5 with the Akagi. Both kits are very good quality. The support of high quality construction videos and excellent construction manuals make the progression of each build very well explained with loads of full color photographs. The manuals also contain a lot of historical information and photos. 

I am very well pleased with both models. I do wish the Yamato was offered in the USA. Maybe one day soon?

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Are they original kits or do they simply repackage existing kits along with their detailed instruction materials?

For example, the HMS Surprise looks to be the AL kit.

Edited by DonInAZ

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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I can't say for sure, but from what I can see, it seems they repackage the original kit parts in their own bags with construction numbering sequence.

One thing about the De Agostini (Model Space) kits, they give beautifully illustrated manuals for each construction phase chock full of full color photographs and historical data/specifications. The collection of manuals will be a nice addition to my library when it's all done.

 

Also, they claim they will happily replace any lost or broken parts, but I have yet to need to challenge the offer. Their customer service line is always easy to reach and seem helpful. For someone like me, who is getting back into the hobby after a long hiatus, their detailed instructions are a plus.

 

Craig

 

PS: The 1:250 Akagi kit might be an exclusive item. I have not found reference to any other Mfg. of the kit anywhere on the net. The same may be true for the 1:250 Yamato, but it's not available in the USA as far as I know. If it comes available, just may pop for that one. The 1:200 plastic kit of the Yamato is in the same price range as the Model Space kit. 

Edited by daddyrabbit1954
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If anyone is interested in seeing how the whole Model-Space (D'Agostini) thing works, Bobby Waldron from Genesis Models is doing a video series on their YouTube channel where he is "vlogging" in great detail, his HMS Victory build by subscription. He's UK based and his videos are very well done. He actually builds on camera so you can watch him actually going through each step. I wish there was something similar for the Surprise. Anyway he also discusses how the subscrptions work and shows you what the booklets look like and what you get with each shipment.

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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I took a closer look at the instructions for the HMS Surprise and found them to be nowhere near as nice or as detailed as those for HMS Victory. That's unfortunate because the Model-Space instructions for HMS Victory are probably the finest intructions ever produced for a wood ship model.

Edited by DonInAZ

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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I took a closer look at the instructions for the HMS Surprise and found them to be nowhere near as nice or as detailed as those for HMS Victory. That's unfortunate because the Model-Space instructions for HMS Victory are probably the finest intructions ever produced for a wood ship model.

That's disappointing to hear. My Akagi instructions are also nowhere near as nice as the Victory instructions. However, the model seems to be unique and I can find no other production of it by another company name. It may be exclusive.

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can you post a few pictures of your Akagi please ? I have the complete partworks series of this Japanese aircraft carrier in my workshop for a future build. 

Brian

 

I haven't started any construction on it at all. Everything is still in the delivery packages. You're looking for construction progress photos I assume. Right?

 

Regards

Craig

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Hi.

I have built the cross section of the victory.

http://forum.model-space.co.uk/default.aspx?g=topics&f=93

The link to there forum on the cross section build is above.

This kit is unique to model space.

Very nice instruction in the book that comes with the parts.

The wood is not so good and they use a lot of very hard bamboo. I replaced this timber.

The plywood cutting was Exelent and the best I have seen to date.

 

I have also built the Amarti victory cross section ( Very poor quality ) Not a patch on part works .

And I have another compleat set of books and parts for the victory cross section in the loft ready to build. Ex EBay and a quater of the price.

 

Regards Antony.

Best advice ever given to me."If you don't know ..Just ask.

Completed Mayflower

Completed Fun build Tail boat Tailboat

Completed Build Chinese Junk Chinese Pirate Junk

Completed scratch built Korean Turtle ship 1/32 Turtle ship

Completed Santa Lucia Sicilian Cargo Boat 1/30 scale Santa Lucia

On hold. Bounty Occre 1/45

Completed HMS Victory by DeAgostini modelspace. DeAgostini Victory Cross Section

Completed H.M.S. Victory X section by Coral. HMS Victory cross section

Completed The Black Pearl fun build Black Queen

Completed A large scale Victory cross section 1/36 Victory Cross Section

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  • 7 months later...

Sorry to resurect an old thread but I finally spoke at length with a Model-Space rep and resolved the following questions:

1. The kits are NOT upgraded and/or supplemented.

2. The only thing you get for DOUBLE the price in most cases are the detailed assembly instructions.

3. The instructions are NOT available for purchase on their own.

 

So what it comes down to is a $600 practicum.

 

Hope this helps to answer any questions people still had re Di Agostini / Model-Space.

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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I guess my post came off like I was knocking the Model-Space line and I think that was mostly due to my disappointment that there were not upgraded materials involved for that much additional investment. But value is always subjective and if the ONLY path you have to completion is the Di Agostini approach then I would say that is better than not building at all.

 

I also should have noted that they do GUARENTEE the product they sell and if there is missing or defective material, they replace it at no cost and with minimal hassle.

I was very interested in the HMS Surprise kit and I still haven't made a final decision but I'm leaning toward buying the kit and building it myself with the help of more experienced modelers in my local club.

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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For anyone interested in building the AL 1:48 HMS Surprise:

 

In an above post I stated that the Model-Space rep said that their detailed instructions are not available for sale seperately. OK, technically that is true... but they ARE available for FREE! Not on the US Model Space website but on the "GB" or Great Britain website. Here is the link:

 

http://www.model-space.com/gb/build-the-hms-surprise.html

 

Scroll down and click on the tab labled "The Build" and it will take you to a page where you can download all 28 pdf files (2 for each of the 14 monthly packets). I'm not sure if they intended to make these available publically or if this was an oversight but on the US website you can only see the first month's packet (as a sample). So for now at least you can get a detailed set of illustrated instructions for building the AL 1:48 scale HMS Surprise at no cost.

 

I checked to see if the HMS Victory instructions were also available and only the first 5 packets were listed, so I'm guessing not but maybe they will add more later.

Edited by DonInAZ

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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  • 1 year later...

I agree with  almost everyone about model space kits and their service and forum but Alan from Model space who 

   did the whole session of the Victory and did a great job is a much better person to go to for help as well as every one else on the model space forum instead of bobby of Genesis, because Alan will reply back Bobby will not 

                                   Ronald 

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  • 1 year later...
On 7/14/2018 at 4:28 PM, ronald305 said:

Don model space also has a US company just google them  their webs site should come up 

                               Ronald 

Yes, I'm aware that Model Space has a US company.  The whole point of my post at the time was that the Model Space HMS Surprise is basically the AL kit (which could be a had by itself for around $600 online when it was in stock).  The only other thing they are offering beyond the AL kit for $1500 is what amounts to a VERY expensive practicum that you can download for free from the UK site.

I inquired by phone to Model Space whether the kit included upgraded components or some other features that would justify the cost and they would not even confirm that it was the AL kit (which it obviously is)... so I chose to purchase the AL kit and download the free pdf files (which are all still available on the UK site).

Edited by DonInAZ

Current Build: Chesapeake Bay Flattie by Midwest Products

Completed Builds:  Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Skiff by Midwest Products

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