James H

@chris watton is best answering that.

This is such a fabulous build to follow through. It's what I aspire too. Some true craftsmanship right here...

If I've learned to do anything over the last decade, it's how to take photos 🤣 Thanks. I don't work in sequence. For example, I'm building the cannon now, and some deck fittings. I started those when I left the hull to one side to dry, so I just continued whilst I had dozens of parts cut on my bench. The black resin cannon are superb....don't need any real work to use them. I'll be spraying the carriages a little later.

Absolutely! I'd love to have weathered her a little but for the box, it was strictly a straight build.

Chris has just told me this kit is now available for pre-order. So a little earlier than I expected! https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/order-zulu-lady-isabella/

Afternoon! Ok, this one is going to take me a little longer than the prototypes of VM's Fifie and Zulu! I'll try to keep this updated as often as I can if there's some real interest. Flirt is based on the previous Speedy kit, but with some notable differences. The model itself won't have a launch as standard, and there are differences to the rig too, plus the deadeyes are replaced with pear wood heart blocks. She also won't be coppered below the waterline, instead being painted white. Before I kick off with the hull, I built the temporary cradle. This is only temporary as there's a clear acrylic one for the finished model, and I don't want to use that until I really need to. Onwards with the prototype! Again, these are photos that will eventually be in the instruction manual, and not regular bench build images. The regular kit will have 3mm MDF for the main hull components. I quite like this material. It's easy to sand and takes the nails and glue real well. There will be a Master Shipwright version where the MDF will be replaced with birch ply, but that will be very limited edition! There is actually a little birch ply in the standard kit, replacing the MDF stern frames. As you'd expect, everything just drops together, and those that are building the Speedy I'm sure would testify to. The bulkheads, minus the bevelled ones, are now glued in place. There are also two parts which support the lower deck ends. These are also now glued into place. One difference to Speedy is the replacement of the lower MDF deck with an engraved ply deck. This, as before, fits in four sections. With the deck in place, glue is brushed un the undersides. That'll give more strength, and some rigidity to the outer portions of the deck edges. That's it for the moment. I've been so busy that I've barely noticed I've been in isolation for over a month. It's one way to make the time fly! More soon.

Well, it's only my second update on this, but it's my last! She's all done. As it's for the instructions, I've had to work very quickly. The pear wood keel is now added to the hull. The things you see attached to it are some little MDF clamps that help keep everything in alignment whilst the parts set. The whole keel is then faced with more pear. This creates a rabbet into which you can lay the plank ends. Planking this hull in pear is very straightforward. I managed to lay 5 planks before any taper. With everything in situ, the rudder cable holes were opened up again and the hull sanded smooth. A sanding stick was used to level the top of the bulwarks prior to me adding the rubbing strakes. The top strake site at bulwark height. Onwards with the rudder! The wooden part has laser holes for the nails, and they fit perfectly with no need for drilling out. Amati's waterline tool is used to mark the model prior to the red oxide primer being applied. I've used Plastikote for this, with some filling prep work beforehand and rubbing down between coats. With the MDF bulkhead ears removed, the laser engraved deck is now installed and the pre-shaped timberheads fitted in place, followed by the bulwark rails. This is also supplied laser cut. This is a very prefabricated model, hence the reason I can build it in 2 weeks for the instruction manual (which will be far more descriptive than this!), plus edit the photos and write the thing! Now I can build the deck fittings, such as the wheel unit, fish hatches, steam winch, companionway etc. The Fifie has two masts, and the foremast is supplied as square section rod which needs rounding and tapering. The mast ring is used to make sure the top is the correct diameter. Rigging blocks and rig anchor points fitted the hull and bulwarks. And the model is finally completed with her sails. This is a very simple kit that still looks beautiful when finished. The rigging is dead simple and there's nothing in construction that anyone should find hard. In all, I think it's perfect for a newcomer, but if you just like fishing boats, then you'll like this! Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed building it. Right....on with HMS Flirt!

Looks real good. Will you include the barrels as part of the kit? Any other internal extra like those too?

That's looking so nice. Have you used cherry for the wood?

I've done a whole series of photos for the forthcoming HMS Flirt. There is some repetition on these sheets as parts such as lower mast trees are shown on ply, although the kit will have them in wood instead. You'll notice a few quirks here with some parts added and removed from sheets. There will be two editions of this kit, with a standard kit supplied with pear, and also a Master Shipwright release with boxwood. The latter also has 3mm birch ply bulkheads and false keel, plus a number of other differences. The standard release and MS release both now have laser engraved lower decks, with the standard in 2mm Ceiba, and the MS in birch ply. I'm sure Chris will answer any questions. I'm off to finish the Fifie so I can make a start on Flirt!

I hope so! The Fifie has such classic lines, and Amati's powered Fifie is a lovely design with nice materials.

This is also one of your kits? That's unusual. I presume those red walls are touching the planking all the way along?

Let's not use this review as a vehicle for who is right and who is wrong. Chris clearly stated that the kit was developed using James Pottinger's drawings, and other drawing material too. James is very au fait with these vessels. You are of course allowed to disagree with him, but this topic isn't the place to do it.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. As soon as Fifie is finished, I'll open a build log for Flirt.

Is this a kit you plan on buying? I'd love to see a build here. I'm too busy to do it at the moment.

I know what that kit will include and it's stunning! 🤩

This is coming along nicely (and quickly too). What is your development time on this, so far?

Nice to have you with us!

Hi all, Whilst in the last stages of building my Zulu from Vanguard Models, I took the opportunity to start the Fifie and get this finishing in good time so Chris can use my photos and text for the instruction book. I took a look at this kit last week, here. This will be another abridged build as I need to get the model done as quickly as I can, but you'll certainly get the gist from my photos. Whilst the Zulu was a nice simple model, this one is actually slightly simply, with a more regular hull with no sheer at the stern. The stern rake is quite shallow. Like Zulu, the Fifie comes with engraved bevel lines. These are only a rough guide, but definitely saves time later by getting rid of some waste material now. I used my Dremel on 9000rpm for this. The bulkheads are now slotted to the false keel and once the glue is set, the square insert that supports the end of the aft mast, is fitted, followed by the inner frame platform. The platform must be fitted with the 'TOP FORWARD' engraving at the top....and you guessed it, forward also! The fish hatch side walls are now installed. These have different length tabs and can only fit one way. Zero way to get this wrong! Before fitting the deck, I use a sanding stick to level the top of the bulkheads at bow and stern, so they are in line with the sheer. The deck is now popped into place without glue. The outer edges lock underneath the upper bulkhead tabs. I now use glue to brush into the joints from underneath. The hull on this is very easy and quick to fair, with the infilled blocks taking the brunt of the sanding rework. The pear bulwarks are 1mm thick with engravings to identify where they belong. No way you'll easily bend these around the bow without some assistance. Both front and rear of the bulwarks are soaked in hot water for about 15 to 20 mins and the excess moisture towelled off. These are then fitted to the hull with no glue, and clamps to secure them until they are completely dry. I could get away with a couple of lime planks that didn't need tapering, but after that, all planks working down from the bulwarks, were tapered. Working up from the garboard plank, I allowed the planks to more or less follow their natural flow, and then infilled with stealers. I always take my time with first sanding so I know the second layer will flow nicely. Back to the cave for more work!

That's coming along nicely. Remember that this kit has very tight tolerances when it comes to closing up those frames in the wing and also the fuselage shell sections. Triple check that underside of the fuselage so that it cleanly closes up along the panel line. I checked the various subassemblies inside the fuse/wing, as often as I could.

Bit of watered PVA should sort that.

Very much like the progress on this one. It looks like a labour of love.

Hi Romique, I would've perhaps faired that bulked from below providing the rest of the bulkhead was in alignment with rest of hull. Looking real nice so far. Beautiful, clean work.

That's just a regular pin-vice/vise. I have a couple from different manufacturers and they have interchangeable collet sizes. I've had them years so I can't remember where I got them 🤔

Please forgive me for how I jumped through the rig on this, but I needed to complete quickly, and finished she is! The Zulu is a two-masted vessel, and the forward mast is supplied in square section walnut. This needs to be rounded off a little above deck height and then tapered to the required dimensions. I just use a simple sanding block for this purpose, and good quality 120 grit paper. I also make sure the end dimension is correct by checking against the mast top ring. These aren't glued on until the yards are in place as I just knew I'd struggle getting the parrels over them! Yard lift and Burton stay tackle. All tapered masts and yards etc. are given a couple of coats of polyurethane varnish, lightly sanding between coats. I needed to dye the sails so opted for RIT dye. Several photos of such vessels showed different colour sails, so I opted for the closest I could. Dyeing was straightforward, and they were then rinsed until the water ran clear, and left to dry. The various rig lines were added, and the yards also secured to the mainsail and aft sail. No photos of rig for this, but from fitting the sails, it only took a few hours to fully rig. No standing rig at all, so all was done with natural coloured thread. Watch out for this kit being released soon!