Just recently started this kit after finally finishing Heller 1/100 Victory. What a change from 18th century rig and cannons. Long narrow all iron hull with midship bridge. Five iron masts. The decks are crammed with machinery such as manual brace & halyard winches and several capstans..
Kit Summary: Hull halves were crammed across the kit box diagonal; I think they must have wanted to use the same box size as the Passat kit. The stem and lowermost rudder mount were bent because the diagonal really is slightly too small. Kit includes thermoplastic sails. Kit does not include blocks, or any representation of turnbuckles for shrouds and backstays. Aside from sprues holding the 5 decks (foc'sle deck, fwd well deck, bridge deck, aft well deck, poop deck) and some hatch covers, there are only six parts sprues four of which are identical - a very tiny pile compared to the ~21 unique sprues for Victory. The instructions are good for assembly, with many fine diagrams showing what goes where, but rigging details are sparse. The good news is that Heller did not scatter the rigging instructions all through the assembly drawings but instead devote several drawings at the end to rigging: stays; shrouds and backstays; lifts and braces; buntlines and halyards. The bad news is that belaying points are in Heller's patented microprint. Also the proper connection of Jarvis brace winches is not shown i.e. leading blocks.
At this point I must mention that Heller's engravers depicted the steel hull plates nicely, but they mysteriously disappear below the waterline. It bothered me enough that I bought Evergreen 0.005" sheet and cut it into plates which I glued on individually, in a double layer every 2nd row to simulate the riveting overlaps. It looked like hell at first, but after some caulking (acrylic painter's caulk squeezed out of the tube via a very small hole drilled in the cap end to provide a very small bead) and painting it actually turned out pretty well.
I have joined the hull halves and painted the black/white/red colour scheme. I have painted and washed and varnished the decks and I am busy painting various bits of deck machinery and steel bulkheads. I need to attach it to a stand before gluing in the decks, though.
One question for anyone who may have built this kit: there is a little auxiliary bridge on the after storm gangway with a second binnacle. Around two sides of this bridge there are rows of something similar to plant pots (?!) outside the railings. They are hollowed out. They do not appear to be for something to glue into as far as I can see in the instructions. Anyone know what they might be? The only thing I can think of is, possibly, fire buckets?
I will try to figure out how to attach some pictures later; it's late now.
If, dear reader, you are trying to decide between this kit and "Passat", be aware that the "Passat" kit provides both blocks and plastic shroud/backstay turnbuckles but no sails i.e. the exact opposite of this kit. Further, the yard trusses are much more detailed (and fragile) on "Passat" than the simple trapezoidal blobs provided on "Preussen". But there was only one ship like "Preussen". You can read about the "Passat" kit here: https://modelingmadness.com/review/misc/ships/ger/komapassat.htm If you elect to build "Preussen" then surf on over to the site below for very detailed rigging inventory and an extremely helpful and detailed belaying diagram you can download: http://jans-sajt.se/contents/Navigation/Modelling/R_Preussen.htm I highly recommend Harold A. Underhill's book "Masting and Rigging: the Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier" to aid in rigging "Preussen" (or "Passat" for that matter). One last note: I just returned from a week's cruise on "Royal Clipper" which is a 440ft five-masted square rigger inspired by "Preussen" which carries 226 passengers and 106 crew. It's an awesome ship to sail on; I've never had any interest in a trip on one of those "excessively excessive" cruise ships but THIS is a different world. I never got tired of watching them make sail, or of coming up on deck in the middle watch to see the stars and the sails drawing. Here is the ship: And here I am steering all 5000 tons of her (still in my bathing suit from snorkelling just before we set sail again). The fore lower topsail was damaged in a strong wind and was sewn by the bosun on deck the next day. Sorry, no front views for reasons of internet privacy: If you are interested in sail, and I guess you are if you're on this site, consider a cruise in Med or Caribbean, or better yet a transatlantic crossing on this ship (disclaimer: I have no connection to the ship or company). You can read about "Royal Clipper" and the company's other sailing ships here: https://www.starclippers.com/en/
