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Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates Volume 2


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Might have to hold of and get Sherborne rather than Alert as the build looks more akin to your more recent kits? Looks great and thank you, your kits are so much better than anything this side of the pond I've seen. Can only think of one other I'd buy from much further away ;).

 

Simon.

 

Current build HM Cutter Trial - Vanguard Models

 

Previous: Saucy Jack - Vanguard Models Polaris - OcCre

 

In the stash:

 

HMS Speedy v2023 - Vanguard Models

Nisha - Vanguard Models

HM Gun Brig Adder - Vanguard Models

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You have come such a long way since Speedy and the decision to go at it full time. Well done!

Edited by glbarlow

Regards,

Glenn

 

Current Build: HMS Winchelsea
Completed Builds: HM Flirt (paused) HM Cutter CheerfulLady NelsonAmati HMS Vanguard,  
HMS Pegasus, Fair American, HM Granado, HM Pickle, AVS, Pride of Baltimore, Bluenose

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2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

You have such a long way since Speedy and the decision to go at it full time. Well done!

Thank you, Glenn.

 

It is strange, seems like only yesterday I decided on the name for the model range, yet also seems like forever ago!

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The prototypes and plan sheets of rigged Adder and Sherbourne look great! As for Sherbourne I repeat my Adder remarks: I guess Sherbourne will sell very well, too, and she will become very popular sooner or later because of your idea to attract newbies to the hobby. With your current range of smaller ships (kits) you certainly have set a new quality level in this market.

If I were to choose one of the two new family members I probably would select Adder just because of her somewhat unusual appearance.
But (UN-)fortunately I still have to complete my Speedy first, not to mention unboxed Nisha and Trial... 😉

Uwe

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Chris, 

Your 3d printed small boats look awesome, what software did you use?
I also like the Gunboat Adder, I hope you didn't upload the plans without altercations because these would otherwise be easy to use from a Chinese perspective.

 

Please, visit our Facebook page!

 

Respectfully

 

Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics 
593661798_Keepitreal-small.jpg.f8a2526a43b30479d4c1ffcf8b37175a.jpg

Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan

Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS

Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey

Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry

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2 minutes ago, Nirvana said:

Chris, 

Your 3d printed small boats look awesome, what software did you use?
I also like the Gunboat Adder, I hope you didn't upload the plans without altercations because these would otherwise be easy to use from a Chinese perspective.

The boats were done by a professional digital artist under a commission from me, so not sure about the software they used.

 

I am always looking for people who can do such projects for me - I will need someone to colour a set of frieze work for me at some point too, so I can print them or have decals. Anyone who is interested in this, let me know. (I can do it, but it would save me a lot of time...)

 

The plans are very low res - but am always mindful of people less scrupulous

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I have just completed the final job for Adder, the box label. Now onto Sherbourne.

 

Also now have final prices:

Adder - VM/15 - £246

Sherbourne - VM/16 - £149 (For first run of kits)

 

Adder Box Label.jpg

Edited by chris watton

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1 hour ago, chris watton said:

Also now have final prices:

Adder - VM/15 - £246

Sherbourne - VM/16 - £149 (For first run of kits)

 

Considering what you get, those are very reasonable prices.

Chris Coyle
Greer, South Carolina

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

Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix

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It is always a balancing act with prices. For these, I decided to subsidise them even more than I usually do, Sherbourne especially, in the hope they will attract newcomers and other modellers who haven't yet tried one of these VM kits and have no clue about the materials that make up the kits - hoping the dividend will be more people taking up the hobby, rather than being permanently put off.

 

Prices will have to be higher in the future, though, as pear and PE brass have just risen very sharply, but I had the materials and PE before the price hikes for both Adder and Sherbourne. The cost of PE brass especially has just gone through the roof.

 

Adder was almost abandoned last year, as I wasn’t sure how popular it would be (and the costs of producing these is great), so started to do Sherbourne instead. But as I kept looking at Adder, it grew on me, and ended up looking so much better than I had hoped.

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18 hours ago, chris watton said:

It is always a balancing act with prices. For these, I decided to subsidise them even more than I usually do, Sherbourne especially, in the hope they will attract newcomers and other modellers who haven't yet tried one of these VM kits and have no clue about the materials that make up the kits

 

More than reasonable. Kits I have couldn't be more different (positively) than others I've looked closely at. 

 

Is there a likely release date to try and avoid missing the first run?

 

Simon.

 

Current build HM Cutter Trial - Vanguard Models

 

Previous: Saucy Jack - Vanguard Models Polaris - OcCre

 

In the stash:

 

HMS Speedy v2023 - Vanguard Models

Nisha - Vanguard Models

HM Gun Brig Adder - Vanguard Models

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6 minutes ago, BrochBoating said:

 

More than reasonable. Kits I have couldn't be more different (positively) than others I've looked closely at. 

 

Is there a likely release date to try and avoid missing the first run?

 

Thank you :)

 

All being well, both will be released next month, and then that is it for a good while.

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1 hour ago, chris watton said:

All being well, both will be released next month, and then that is it for a good while.

 

Thanks. I bet!

Simon.

 

Current build HM Cutter Trial - Vanguard Models

 

Previous: Saucy Jack - Vanguard Models Polaris - OcCre

 

In the stash:

 

HMS Speedy v2023 - Vanguard Models

Nisha - Vanguard Models

HM Gun Brig Adder - Vanguard Models

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OK, Plans and manuals for both Adder and Sherbourne are now at the printers, and I have been told they will be delivered to me by the end of next week.

 

So now I can open for pre orders.

 

Adder:

HM Gun Brig Adder – 1797 – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Sherbourne:

HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne – 1763 – VANGUARD MODELS

 

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Posted (edited)
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Sorry for being a Besserwisser, but I just noted an anomaly on your webpage when checking out the latest releases.... instead of "HMS Flirt - 1782" it has been listed as "Order 1:64 HMS Flirt". And it also has a odd price range since you could order block through it.  
Order 1:64 HMS Flirt – VANGUARD MODELS
 
I know you are a perfectionist so I thought I would point it out  😛 

Current builds: HMS Victory (Corel 1:98), HMS Snake (Caldercraft 1:64), HMBV Granado (Caldercraft 1:64), HMS Diana (Caldercraft 1:64), HMS Speedy (Vanguard Models 1:64) 

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6 minutes ago, Vane said:

Sorry for being a Besserwisser, but I just noted an anomaly on your webpage when checking out the latest releases.... instead of "HMS Flirt - 1782" it has been listed as "Order 1:64 HMS Flirt". And it also has a odd price range since you could order block through it.  
Order 1:64 HMS Flirt – VANGUARD MODELS
 
I know you are a perfectionist so I thought I would point it out  😛 

This is because the product has more than one main kit variable (usually Master Shipwright kit editions). All variables can be ordered from one page instead of having multiple pages. 

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Yes, but in this case the price range goes from just buying separate blocks to the MS edition. If I understand correctly, there are also various of blocks available to other ships and they dont have it on the same page. My point was simply that Flirt seem to be listed abit differently than the other kits that seem to follow a certain style. 

    

Current builds: HMS Victory (Corel 1:98), HMS Snake (Caldercraft 1:64), HMBV Granado (Caldercraft 1:64), HMS Diana (Caldercraft 1:64), HMS Speedy (Vanguard Models 1:64) 

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It is. This was one of the first kits I added to the site, after the site was initially built. The guy who set it up initially, created a rat’s nest of illogical decisions. At that point I had to continue until the site was totally rebuilt. That is a legacy page now as MS kits aren’t offered now. One day, when I have time, it’ll be reworked. 

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The website will always be a work in progress, as it is constantly updated and more products added - it is quite the job to keep on top of it.

 

I would like a tick list for each kit on their product page, so you could tick the kit and however many extras are associated with that kit, but all of this takes time, and as James mentions, the site he inherited was a complete mess and has taken a lot of time to sort out from the ground up.

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Just an update on what I am doing right now, and what is planned for the next year.


I did mean to have a couple of weeks off after Sherbourne and Adder, but cannot help myself, so started designs for the 17th kit. The next two kits will be medium size. The one I am working on now, once designed and plans drawn, will be built by Jim, along photos and text for manual. This then frees me up to concentrate on the 18th medium kit – so after a very large kit like Indy, there will have been 3 mediums and 3 smaller kits done. After this, the 19th kit will be large, and hopefully, we will have moved to larger premises by then, as space is a major issue now – so another very large kit like Indy is out of the question until we have more space.

 

Also slowly building back up my stock of materials, pear sheet especially, and photo etched sheets for each of the kits.


Finally, I already mentioned this, I would like to commission someone to produce more 3-d printed boat files for me – if you feel you can/want do this, let me know.
 

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1 hour ago, chris watton said:

I did mean to have a couple of weeks off after Sherbourne and Adder, but cannot help myself, so started designs for the 17th kit. The next two kits will be medium size. The one I am working on now, once designed and plans drawn, will be built by Jim, along photos and text for manual. This then frees me up to concentrate on the 18th medium kit – so after a very large kit like Indy, there will have been 3 mediums and 3 smaller kits done. After this, the 19th kit will be large, and hopefully, we will have moved to larger premises by then, as space is a major issue now – so another very large kit like Indy is out of the question until we have more space.

 

 

Good to hear your plans. Hoping to order Sherborne and Adder at the end of the month :)

Simon.

 

Current build HM Cutter Trial - Vanguard Models

 

Previous: Saucy Jack - Vanguard Models Polaris - OcCre

 

In the stash:

 

HMS Speedy v2023 - Vanguard Models

Nisha - Vanguard Models

HM Gun Brig Adder - Vanguard Models

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