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1/72 Cannon Jolle - Master Korabel - Baltic Sea Gunboat


ccoyle

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Why this kit?

 

Hey, friends! Welcome to my review of the 1/72 scale Cannon Jolle kit from Master Korabel. As near as I can tell, "jolle" is a Swedish word for a small boat, and this particular type of gunboat was designed for operation in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea. I prefer to use the term "gunboat", since "jolle" strikes us English-speakers as kind of funny-sounding -- at least to me, anyway.

 

I chose this kit because, believe it or not, I am in the midst of a very long modeling drought. I have not finished a model in four years, though I have started several. I decided I needed to get myself something relatively simple to work on, just so I can actually finish something. This kit looked like a good candidate, since all of its parts are pre-cut -- no cutting, spiling, etc. I ordered the kit off eBay from an outfit called V-Hobby in Moscow. Yeah, that Moscow, not the one in Idaho. Between my $5 coupon code from eBay and the $15 shipping charge, the kit and a set of pre-sewn sails set me back $83. The folks at V-Hobby kindly combined shipping for the two items, and I'm sure they'd do the same for any other interested buyers.

 

10 Long Days Later ...

 

... my kit finally arrived from the Rodina, securely wrapped in bubble wrap and tape. The box inside had not suffered any damage during the arduous trip from Moscow to Greenville. As you can see, the box art is very nicely done.

 

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The kit contents were packed loosely, but the more delicate parts were wrapped in cling wrap or sealed in bags, so everything arrived in good shape.

 

Kit Contents

 

Wood

I knew when I ordered the kit that the model it produces is on the small side (finished length is 215 mm), but I didn't fully realize just how small until I started unpacking the parts. It's little -- but I digress. All of the kit's wooden parts are laser cut. Some of the wooden sheets have some charring on the back side, but the fronts are flawless.

 

Hull formers and other structural components are cut from 2.5 mm plywood. Section lines for fairing the hull are laser-engraved onto the formers.

 

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The false decks are cut from 2.5 mm MDF board. Other parts are cut from various shades and thicknesses of what appears to be walnut (2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 0.7 mm, and 0.2 mm). Plank seams and treenails are laser-engraved into the decks in very fine detail.

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It took me a moment or two to notice that the kit doesn't have any strip wood or dowels -- all of the parts are pre-cut, and any that are supposed to be round in their final cross-section will need to be sanded into that shape.

 

Other Materials

The remaining parts consist of:

* 3 spools of rigging line (0.4, 0.3, and 0.2 mm)

* pre-blackened metal cannon with period-appropriate imperial crest

* 2 small PE brass frets containing anchors, oarlocks, pintles, gudgeons, strops, and other small parts

* a bag of wooden blocks

* sail cloth

* a length of brass wire

* a laser-engraved nameplate (in Russian).

 

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The blocks are a cut above the usual kit-grade blocks, not Syren Ship Model quality, but definitely something that other manufacturers could stand to take a cue from (I'm looking at you, Corel).

 

Plans and Instructions

The kit includes step-by-step instructions in both Russian and English, a full-color illustrated construction guide, and a single two-sided , full-sized plan sheet that shows an outboard profile, deck plan, sail plan, spar dimensions, construction details, and options for either stayed or unstayed masts. A key to all the parts sheets and an itemized parts list are also included. This is truly a wealth of documentation, and it's hard to imagine what else the designers could possibly have included.

 

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A set of optional pre-sewn sails is available for $6. I'm normally not a fan of pre-sewn sails, since I feel that I can do them better from scratch, but I wanted a simple project, so I splurged for them. They're about what I expected in terms of quality, that is, not as good as mine, but better (especially in terms of the fine-woven cloth used) than I have seen in some other kits.

 

sails.JPG

 

Overall Impressions

 

If you've had a chance to see some of the other Master-Korabel kits being built by our members, then you know that MK has created a little bit of a buzz with their designs. For folks who do not care so much for the tedium of spiling and planking or having to fabricate everything from scratch (some people just enjoy putting things together), then these kits are worth a look. MK seem to have taken pains to ensure that their design will improve the success rate for modelers with a modicum of skill. So far, I'm favorably impressed with the quality of the components, the documentation, and the innovative construction technique. I think the pricing is competitive as well. I'm looking forward to seeing how well this little gem goes together.

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

Chris Coyle
Greer, South Carolina

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.
- Tuco

Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, Hawker Hurricane

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Does indeed look like a simple model to build and with clear assembly instructions.

Also with enough extra detail. 

Maybe a good model as a first build ?

 

A pleasant awakening for me when I read this. At half past six in the morning (in this part of world)  😪💤

Regards, Patrick

 

Finished :  Soleil Royal Heller 1/100   Wasa Billing Boats   Bounty Revell 1/110 plastic (semi scratch)   Pelican / Golden Hind  1/45 scratch

Current build :  Mary Rose 1/50 scratch

Gallery Revell Bounty  Pelican/Golden hind 1/45 scratch

To do Prins Willem Corel, Le Tonnant Corel, Yacht d'Oro Corel, Thermopylae Sergal 

 

Shore leave,  non ship models build logs :  

ADGZ M35 funkwagen 1/72    Einhets Pkw. Kfz.2 and 4 1/72   Autoblinda AB40 1/72   122mm A-19 & 152mm ML-20 & 12.8cm Pak.44 {K8 1/2} 1/72   10.5cm Howitzer 16 on Mark. VI(e)  Centurion Mk.1 conversion   M29 Weasel 1/72     SAM6 1/72    T26 Finland  T26 TN 1/72  Autoprotetto S37 1/72     Opel Blitz buses 1/72  Boxer and MAN trucks 1/72   Hetzer38(t) Starr 1/72    

 

Si vis pacem, para bellum

 
 
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Hey, Jim. I'm thinking of leaving this one in the natural, both to simplify the job and because I feel the wood is of sufficient quality to look good with a clear satin finish.

 

Cheers!

Chris Coyle
Greer, South Carolina

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.
- Tuco

Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, Hawker Hurricane

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On 7/4/2018 at 2:36 AM, Viggen said:

Hi guys,

and Jim, what a great build, a true little gem!

 

As you have concluded already, this is the way the boat is designed. Its purpose was to fight for control over the vast archipelagos of Sweden and Finland (then one country) in the Baltic. Cheap and quick to build, and easy to man, it was intended to fight in line abreast (or in this case abaft 😉 in significant numbers, thereby blocking and hinder movement and manuvers of the enemy. Ideally they would try to flank the enemy fleet once it was comitted to battle. There were many variants of the concepts, I have seen plans and museum models with the main gun aft, fore, or both. With the gun aft, the rudder was designed to be shiped/unshipped fast and simple.

 

This type of boat was the smallest component in Swedens "Archipelago navy" a fleet of special boats and ships up to frigate size, especially designed for archipelago warfare, a concept that evolved from the 1720s onwards. The fleet was independent from the rest of the Navy, being under control of the Army, indicating its role and imortance as an amphibious force. Russia was the main enemy and, of course, countered with similar forces.

 

Design and deployment peaked in the late 18th century during wars with Russia. In the very (well in Sweden anyways) famous 2nd battle of Svensksund in 1790 the Archipelago navy gained real fame, when it turned the battle from certain destruction by the russians into what many regards to be Swedens greatest naval victory. 

 

The victory, perhaps a little too boosted in memory by the Swedish King Gustav III, made him overconfident, and during another war with Russia in 1808-1809, known as the "Finnish War", the armed forces were ill prepared, and the war was a disaster for the aggressor Sweden, ending up loosing Finland to Russia (Finland then gained independence in 1918, in the shockwaves of the communist revolution i Russia). What remained of the Archipelago navy in the earliest 19th century took a very defensive role, and was soon a thing of the past, due to technological progress, economic constraints and a new political landscape in the Baltic. 

 

Enough rambling from me, I just took the chance to honor your build with a bit of context, I suspect info about the Archipelago navy might not be in every bookshelf around the world!  :-) 

 

Here's a painting showing the battle at Svensksund 1790, lower right shows a contigent of gunboats trying to edge around the russian line of larger vessels:

Johan_Tietrich_Schoultz_m%C3%A5lning_Sla

And a museum model with a close resemblance to your model:

Decked_kanonjolle1.jpg

//Markus

Chris here is some history and pictures left on my build log by Viggen I thought you might find interesting.

Regards,

Jim Rogers

 

Damn the Torpedoes , Full speed ahead.   Adm David Farragut.

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