Any recommendations for kits of....

[jdavis41759]

Hi Everyone - I'm new to the board, so please forgive me if my question is "worn out" from previous postings.  I am looking for recommendations for plastic kits (any scale) of sailing ships from circa 1450-1800 which are worth building.  I'd prefer recommendations of models currently in production, but will be happy to also receive recommendations for kits I might have to hunt for.  Many thanks!

[Cathead]

The Revell Bounty was my second plastic ship kit, and I thought it a nice model. I didn't have trouble with any of the parts, and it's large enough to be easy to work with; I also chose to add more detailed rigging, which was quite possible at its scale. It let me practice a few "custom" additions while being a straightforward kit to assemble.

 

It still looks nice on the bookshelf, with its weathered sails and homemade stand.

[Ulises Victoria]

I think Heller's 1/100 Soleil Royal will fill your need, and with 2,600 parts, will keep you busy for a while.

Also, Heller's 1/100 Victory (which I already built) and has been regarded as The Best Plastic Ship Kit.

 

May be out of production now, but IMAI/ERTL Golden Hind was a real pleasure to build.

 

There is also a 1/150 model of Vasa by Revell and another by Airfix, but looks like the Revell version is better.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Ulises Victoria

[skipper1947]

I think Heller's 1/100 Soleil Royal will fill your need, and with 2,600 parts, will keep you busy for a while.

 

Check out this ad on Amazon, it says it has 26 parts. I can imagine somebody getting this for a small child thinking it will be simple.

http://www.amazon.com/Heller-Soleil-Royal-Model-Building/dp/B0002HZZ4M

 

Nice looking model though.

 

Skip

Edited November 17, 2015 by skipper1947

[Ulises Victoria]

I saw that mistake on Amazon. Someone missed a couple of zeroes there.

[jbshan]

Perhaps the rigging counts as two spools of thread?

I've seen the 1:100 Victory.  It's not too bad as far as detailing.  About on a par with the Revell Constitution.

[mtaylor]

Get Dafi's photo-etch it takes the Vic to a whole different level....  

[Ulises Victoria]

Get Dafi's photo-etch it takes the Vic to a whole different level....  

Mark. When I built the Heller's Vic in 1/100 I used many of the parts of a 1/98 Corel I started many years before and that I abandoned after giving up that build. (That's another story) Being the scales so close I thought it wouldn't matter too much and indeed, using metal cannons, fabric flags, wood and metal anchors, etc. took the plastic kit to a whole different level, as you said.

[ScottRC]

Current line of Revell's 1/196 (or in that general scale) age good started kits.  These are the Constitution, Mayflower, Bounty/Beagle (both are pretty much the same kit), Charles Morgan.

 

Airfix also has line of good ships.  The Warsaw and CuttySark.

[docidle]

J,

 

You can also pick up the Santa Maria and Cutty Sark by Revell, as well as all three of Columbus' ships by Heller. There are also a number of other Heller plastic sailing ships, real and otherwise that can be found on evilBay.

 

I can also give you a piece of advice that Professor Tilley gave me when I came back to modeling. Purchase something fairly simple in terms of rigging and fairly large scale. That way you can finish it and have a sense of accomplishment instead of getting bogged down on one of the larger Revell or Heller kits that tend never to get finished..... i.e., The 1/96 Constitution and Cutty Sark or the Victory and Soleil Royal.

 

My first model after a 40 year hiatus was the Revell 1/70 Viking Ship, I know it is out of your time period request but it is a great little model. I also built the Zvezda/Revell Hanse Kogge after that and it is another nice kit to cut your teeth on.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Steve

Edited November 19, 2015 by docidle