ccoyle

Two of the MK guys are members here, Dmitriy (DPK) and Evgeney (greenstone). Shoot them a PM if you run into any issues.

THE BIG REVEAL Okay, final thoughts on this project along with some nice photos. I bought this kit initially because I wanted something fast and relatively easy to build. The "fast" part didn't work out as planned, thanks to life getting in the way. The "easy" part, well ... ... the hull, for the most part was easy to build, and the folks at MK have been innovative in designing hull structures that go together well and lock up tight. I loved the laser-cut planking -- some guys dig spiling, and others just like to put things together. I'm in the latter category. 1/72 scale did prove to be a challenge in a few instances. It's remarkable how big a difference there can be in the ease or difficulty of making a particular assembly in 1/72 scale versus even 1/64. The finished model looks really sharp and looks good either painted or left in the natural. The wood and metal parts are top-shelf. Plans are good, and directions were mostly clear despite the few inevitable mysteries of translation. The rigging line, on the other hand, gave me fits, resulting in rigging tasks that took far longer than they should have. I understand the compromises that must be made in order to make a kit profitable, but the rigging line is definitely the fly in this kit's ointment. I hope that the MK boys will give some thought to looking at alternative sources for rigging line. The guys at MK are very responsive to a builder's needs -- they get an A+ for customer relations. Overall, I give this kit 4 out of five stars, only because of the rigging line, otherwise I can give the kit a hearty recommendation -- just replace the rigging line. 😉 I'm really looking forward to seeing what Evgeniy and his crew bring to market in the near future. And now for pictures! Thanks, Master Korabel, for bringing this little gem to market!

Nice unboxing! The quality of the parts looks good, as does the laser cutting. BTW, some of my ancestors were Dutch, from Harderwijk, Gelderland. They emigrated to some place called "Nieuw Amsterdam' in about 1650. 😉

Great review. The role of the cruiser in protecting trade in the colonial era is further developed in the Town-class cruiser book I recently reviewed. In the treaty era, Britain especially had to make compromises in naval construction based on tonnage limitations and the need to patrol a far-flung empire.

Sounds about like any DIY project! Well, for me at least.

Yes, time flies, doesn't it? A lot of card models between now and then, but not wood. Oh, I missed a few, but they're not as noticeable in 1/72 scale. 😉 Thanks, though!

Aaaaaand ... done. Will follow up soon with additional pics and final thoughts. Believe it or not, this is the first wooden kit I have completed in over a decade. 😮

The struggle is real -- got all rope coils done (not the best I have ever done) and finished port side oar gallows. It was a very tight fit trying to get rigging thread through the stanchions. I had to drill out some of the holes larger -- after they were already glued onto the model. Off to bed now!

We have one now. 😉

Sorry for the lack of progress, but I'm having an absolute booger of a time with rope coils -- a combination of tiny scale and bad line (as discussed earlier) with excessive memory. Every one is a titanic struggle; have six done so far. Bleh. 😟

Just a little pet joke of mine -- I grew up in Humboldt County, so San Francisco was pretty far south! 😉

Congratulations, Brian! That is an exceptional-looking model and display. EDIT: I didn't realize that Engage was built in Stockton. My grandfather was a watchman at Rough and Ready USNSD at the time, so he might have seen Engage out and about.

Welcome aboard, FWS!

Don't forget San Francisco and Sacramento!

You will!

Sails hung and yards trimmed. Moving right along! I plan to use the Russian name plaque in my display (why not? it's paid for) and picked out the letters with some white paint. I also ran short of the 0.4 mm thread thanks to having to re-do the sails; fortunately, I had some similar thread in my spare materials stash. I don't think the slight difference in color will be all that noticeable.

Sterile = scrupulously clean. My work area is the opposite of scrupulously clean, i.e. "functionally messy." 😉

A group project is simply a focus group built around the construction of a particular model. It's a mutual support kind of thing, and the back-and-forth between members is all located in a single subsection of the forum rather than being sprinkled throughout all of the build logs and other areas. There's no pressure or obligation to finish the project by a deadline.

No pictures for this post, but I've been making a little progress each day. Yards are now hoisted, and I'm preparing to set up sheets and tacks. The Big Reveal is not far off!

Welcome aboard, Devin! I'm a NorCal ex-pat living in South Carolina, but I did some time in SoCal as well: Echo Park, Pasadena, Montrose, Pomona, and Upland. Your longboat looks very nice. Cheers!

Looks very nice, David. You always do very pleasing work.

Ah, now I see. We have a number of completed Viking longboat builds in the kit build logs section, some quite recent. Try browsing them to see if those modelers made any suggestions.

I'm not allowed to show pictures of my workspace, as I am currently a fugitive from StERILE (the Society for the Enactment of Regulations for Immaculate Leisure Environs).

I would hardly expect the boys at MK to make such an admission! 😉

I'm not clear on what you are asking, and I don't know what is meant by "frame knockouts or strong back." What kit are you working on, and can you post a picture. BTW, I have completed four POB hulls and never used a keel clamp or building board -- have always just held the hull in my lap while I worked (and tempted to add "and I have the scars to prove it," but actually I've never really had much trouble).