Jaxboat Posted July 17, 2013 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) Well, here it is . Box is surprisingly heavy. Instruction book and plans are extremely well presented. They are the best executed of any I have ever seen from ME. The instruction book in particular is much better printed than Confederacy. Only glitch is the Label on the front of the box indicates the hull has been machine made which is an obvious mistake. Looking forward to building this gem. Congrats, Sam! Best Jaxboat Edited July 17, 2013 by Jaxboat st george, Anja, trippwj and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvesvidal Posted July 17, 2013 Share #2 Posted July 17, 2013 Ok, time for a kit review..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted July 17, 2013 Share #3 Posted July 17, 2013 Jax How's it look?.........LOL Sam augie 1 Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) It looks great. Did not have too much time to go through everything, Having a copy of the original plans is a very nice touch. I also like that your plans often reference the instruction book. ME has certainly added three wonderful kits between your's and Chuck's two. Great kits and excellent instructions. Congratulations! Best Jaxboat Edited July 17, 2013 by Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted July 17, 2013 Share #5 Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks Jax, Let me know about the castings. If the guns stayed round, level of detail maintained on the figure head and your opinion of the galleries (especially). I'm not fishing for compliments, I'm genuinely interested in how everything is received. The three piece gallery assembly was (and still is) a point of conversation between Charles and myself. In presenting them that way I was trying to achieve consistency of appearance for the builder. I felt they were too small to build in place and I didn't just want to layer on blocks of wood and have the builder(s) sand them out. Way to much margin for error. Sam Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted July 18, 2013 Understand Sam, I will have time on Friday to do a more comprehensive review. Also need to charge up my digital camera batteries. I-phone is not good enough. Best Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted July 20, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) OK, Had some time to take pictures of the kit and contents. There are some teething problems . For example, the parts list call for three feet of anchor cable and1 yard each of several diameter tan and black thread. Instead the kit contained three feet of the anchor cable but only 1 FOOT each of the smaller diameter threads . Sam calls out the thread by their metric diameter in the instructions but ME listed them by their english measure diameter on the parts list. All in all the manual is very good as are the drawings. But there are other minor discrepancies that speak of editing issues. There is at least one photo illustration missing except for its vacant framing box. Laser cutting looks excellent very clean and sharp The castings are very crude although better than Confederacy's. Still there are opportunities for someone making better resin after market versions (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, no what I mean!! ). The cannon are mostly ok although some are ovoid and some have off center bores . One of the two ship's wheels provided was missing most of a spoke apparently from a poor metal pour. Perversely the other wheel part was one of the crisper castings in the kit. Virtually all of the stanchions were warped to some degree. All in all nothing disastrous but their poor quality detract rather than add to the model. Bottom line:plans, instructions and anything wood seem ok. Castings are poor and not up to the prototype. Wrong thread size shows lack of detailed quality control and planning on the part of ME. Would I buy the kit again?: yes! most definitely. Despite the problems, It's a good buy at ME's sale price. I give Essex 4 stars for subject, instructions, kit design,drawings and value, 1 star for castings (that's generous), 1 star for new kit assembly attention to detail (especially the short sheeted thread lengths) and 3 plus stars for laser cutting. Best Jaxboat Edited July 20, 2013 by Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st george Posted July 21, 2013 Share #8 Posted July 21, 2013 Looking forward to seeing this one built. It's on my list of possible next build. Quote David Current Build : HMAV Bounty - Amati Next Build : 18th Century Longboat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnkershner Posted July 22, 2013 Share #9 Posted July 22, 2013 So Mike what do you think you will do now that you have a once over with the kit? Replace the cannons? make wooden galleries? How do you think you will modify it? Quote Current Builds - 18th Century Longboat, MS Syren Completed Builds - MS Bluenose, Panart BatteStation Cross section, Endevour J Boat Half Hull, Windego Half Hull, R/C T37 Breezing Along, R/C Victoria 32, SolCat 18 On the shelf - Panart San Felipe, Euromodel Ajax, C.Mamoli America, Its a sailor's Life for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted July 22, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted July 22, 2013 (edited) I will definitely replace the cannons if I can. The gallery pieces can be filled and used . I would really also like to get a better figure head too Mike Edited July 22, 2013 by Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted July 25, 2013 (edited) Now that other folks have received their kits I would be interested in other points of view on the kit Best Mike Edited July 25, 2013 by Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted July 25, 2013 Share #12 Posted July 25, 2013 As advised, I am reposting this here in this thread-- I'm still waiting for mine to ship. Has anyone else received notice of some more recent shipments? That said, I would love to hear what others think of the kit.Bill M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uss frolick Posted July 26, 2013 Share #13 Posted July 26, 2013 A real problem in having a model kit in such an odd scale, 5/32", is that you will have a hard time finding replacement twelve and six-pounder cannon in 1:76 scale if the kit guns are done poorly, which apparently they are. Had MS designed the Essex kit in the more common 1:64 scale, the same scale as Portia Takakjian's classic Essex plans and booklet, then you could use a commercial set of 1:64 Essex cannon already available. Chuck, yvesvidal, Jaxboat and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted July 26, 2013 Share #14 Posted July 26, 2013 USS Take a look at my posts from April 16th in Latest! new kits, tools and Ship Model Goodies. Clarifies (?) why we're in 5/32=1' Sam Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted July 30, 2013 Share #15 Posted July 30, 2013 Still waiting on my pre-ordered Essex kit. Has anyone received theirs in the last week or so?...Or received a shipping notice? Are they still shipping out the kits? Bill M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerdvr Posted July 30, 2013 Share #16 Posted July 30, 2013 Can anyone do a comparison of this kit to the Syren brig kit? Thanks, Harley Quote Cheers, Harley<p Under Construction: USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 1/200 by ILoveKit Completed: F-35A 1/48 by Tamiya USS Atlanta CL-51 1/350 by Very Fire Liberty Ship John W. Brown 1/350 by Trumpeter HMS Spiraea K-08 1/350 USS Arizona BB-39 1/200 by Trumpeter/Mk1 Design HMS Sir Gareth 1/350 by Starling Models USS Missouri BB-63 1945 1/350 by Joy-Yard, 9/11/21 USS Indianapolis CA-35 1945 1/350 by Trumpeter USS Kidd DD-661, 1945, 1/350, on The Sullivans kit by Trumpeter USS Alaska CB-1, 1/350, Hobby Boss, Circa 2/1945 Brig Syren 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood Started,On Hold: Frigate Confederacy 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelExpoOnline Posted August 1, 2013 Share #17 Posted August 1, 2013 All, As with any newly released kit, we had a few missteps on this one that we're working through with Sam (e.g., misprint on label, few pages of instruction manual, etc.). As usual, if you have ANY issues with the contents of your kit, please do not hesitate to contact us - we'll ensure we make it right just like we've always done! Thanks and enjoy the kit! Eric fnkershner, Jaxboat, Ryland Craze and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted August 1, 2013 Share #18 Posted August 1, 2013 Eric, thanks for the update. Do you have any idea when you will ship the remaining preorders? Bill M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted August 4, 2013 Share #19 Posted August 4, 2013 To follow up on Eric's post and answer a few questions that I've been receiving. There are some mistakes and format issues that developed at the printers from my original manuscript of the ESSEX manual. Eric and Model Expo being the company that they are have asked me to immediately address these with the printer which I am doing currently. Eric has also asked me to work with the casting people to address some inconsistencies that are occurring with the castings. Be assured we'll get these cleared up ASAP. Sam Jaxboat and fnkershner 2 Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxboat Posted August 4, 2013 Author Share #20 Posted August 4, 2013 Sam Thanks for the update. I admire ME for supporting their product. Do you know if thet will be providing customers who already have received their kits with revised instructions/ castings, etc? Best Jaxboat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted August 5, 2013 Share #21 Posted August 5, 2013 Great news! I had a feeling ME and Sam would be fixing anything that needed fixing. It stands to make a great kit even better. Bill M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted August 5, 2013 Share #22 Posted August 5, 2013 Thanks Bill Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samueljr Posted August 6, 2013 Share #23 Posted August 6, 2013 Bill Have you gotten your ESSEX yet? Quote ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNDER DEVELOPMENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted August 6, 2013 Share #24 Posted August 6, 2013 No, not yet-- still waiting to hear if it has shipped but not a word so far. Bill M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrens Posted August 6, 2013 Share #25 Posted August 6, 2013 I haven't seen this kit advertised as available yet? Not even via the usual links for MS kits. I'd appreciate it if someone could let me know where I could get it from. Many thanks in anticipation! Quote Michael member of United States Naval Institute Royal United Services Institute Society for Nautical Research Navy Records Society author of The Art of Nautical lllustration - A Visual Tribute to the Classic Marine Painters, 1991, 2001 & 2002 United States Coast Guard barque Eagle, 2013 (Blurb Photobook) former assistant editor of the quarterly journal and annual Model Shipwright and Shipwright 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb466 Posted August 6, 2013 Share #26 Posted August 6, 2013 Torrens, Go to the Model Expo website and type "Essex" in the search box. It will come up and you can "preorder" it. There is no discount at present and full price is $499, so you might want to wait. I preordered mine in July 2012 when they advertised a preorder price of $299. It will be a great kit-- it looks like Sam and Model Expo did a bang-up job on it. Bill M. ModelExpoOnline 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrens Posted August 7, 2013 Share #27 Posted August 7, 2013 Thank you Bill. I'll try the Model Expo site again - it wasn't there the last time I checked! ModelExpoOnline 1 Quote Michael member of United States Naval Institute Royal United Services Institute Society for Nautical Research Navy Records Society author of The Art of Nautical lllustration - A Visual Tribute to the Classic Marine Painters, 1991, 2001 & 2002 United States Coast Guard barque Eagle, 2013 (Blurb Photobook) former assistant editor of the quarterly journal and annual Model Shipwright and Shipwright 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAd My Fingers Posted August 8, 2013 Share #28 Posted August 8, 2013 Michael, try this link if you still didn't get the Essex on ME's site: http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=MS2041 Jay ModelExpoOnline 1 Quote Current Build: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torrens Posted August 8, 2013 Share #29 Posted August 8, 2013 All's well! It now comes up on the Model Expo site. Thanks guys. Quote Michael member of United States Naval Institute Royal United Services Institute Society for Nautical Research Navy Records Society author of The Art of Nautical lllustration - A Visual Tribute to the Classic Marine Painters, 1991, 2001 & 2002 United States Coast Guard barque Eagle, 2013 (Blurb Photobook) former assistant editor of the quarterly journal and annual Model Shipwright and Shipwright 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelExpoOnline Posted September 25, 2013 Share #30 Posted September 25, 2013 All, Sam and I spoke regarding the Essex - trying to get it straightened out. With regards to corrective parts, as we have done in the past, we will make the parts available free of charge once ready however, folks will need to call in / email / submit a request. We do this because some folks will inevitably take care of the issue on their own. I will publish the item number here (and on other sites) once we're ready to begin taking "orders" on the updated laser cuts - need to let Sam do the review first prior to ensure there is, in fact, an issue. With regards to the manual, you can download the updated .pdf from our website under the documents tab: http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=MS2041 - that is most likely the easiest way to do it. Alternatively, you can call in for the new one once printed. Thank you all again for your feedback, we appreciate you! Eric mtaylor, BareHook and trippwj 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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