OcCre "Save The Date" Release?

[mtaylor]

5 hours ago, Canute said:

Why did they use a model railroad scale of 1:87? Run a train line onto the pier where the ship is moored?😕

You raise an interesting question and a good one.   I've heard in the past that some companies would scale the model such that parts would fit into a "standard" box they had on hand so they didn't need to pay "retooling costs" for special sized boxes.  And then there's the "standard" (so-called) size for hobby shop shelves.    These could all be urban myths but I do have to wonder.

[JeffT]

Still a quite large model although not a standard scale

[OllieS]

10 hours ago, mtaylor said:

 I've heard in the past that some companies would scale the model such that parts would fit into a "standard" box they had on hand so they didn't need to pay "retooling costs" for special sized boxes.  And then there's the "standard" (so-called) size for hobby shop shelves.    These could all be urban myths but I do have to wonder.

Also maybe standard wood sheets for laser cutting. You can just see someone setting the scale on the cutter to nicely fit the blank. 

Suddenly all those strange scales make sense: 1:46 Pilar; 1:54 Endeavour; 1:85 Revenge etc. Mamoli do the same thing. 

Given a choice I would prefer a standard scale to make a pleasing comparison between a collection of models like Vanguard's or Caldecraft's1:64

[Canute]

Revell did that a lot, back in the day. Their aircraft were pretty much all box scale. And look at the USS Arizona kit - 1:426 scale. Whazzat?

[ccoyle]

All I will say about this kit is that the hoopla leading up to its release was all out of proportion to the quality of the kit itself.

[GGibson]

18 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

All I will say about this kit is that the hoopla leading up to its release was all out of proportion to the quality of the kit itself.

As a relative "noobie" to this hobby, Chris, I'd have to totally agree with that assessment.  I was really expecting to be wow'd, to the point where I was fully prepared to be one of those first 999 purchasers before we got shut out.  I have a ton of respect for the OcCre brand, that hasn't diminished, but was expecting a "fall off my chair while reaching for my credit card" moment.

 

Happy for those that see an opportunity and new experience and I'm anxious to start seeing build logs for this, but... (maybe I was hoping for another USS Constitution release, after all, at maybe even a 1:64 scale) Haha.... <shrug>

Edited October 23, 2023 by GGibson

[OllieS]

9 hours ago, ccoyle said:

All I will say about this kit is that the hoopla leading up to its release was all out of proportion to the quality of the kit itself.

There has to be an interpretation of  Occre's motives that makes sense. These people know what they're doing.

The only thing I can come up with is that this kit is aimed at those who happily make an out of the box Occre kit and then move on to the next one.

For those people ie most people, this kit is the upgrade they want. 

....anyway back to my Occre build which is not out of the box  

[DonSangria]

For me it is a first step to PoF Kits, which is new.

Personally I would prefer a smaller ship in 1:64 scale, but historically more accurate.

[JeffT]

If anyone is interested here is an unboxing on the Occre Victory:

 

 

[GGibson]

An hour 52...?!?  Will definitely have to sit down when I can with a favorite libation (or three) and enjoy this open box premiere.  Thanks for sharing! 

[JeffT]

2 hours ago, GGibson said:

An hour 52...?!?  Will definitely have to sit down when I can with a favorite libation (or three) and enjoy this open box premiere.  Thanks for sharing! 

 Yeah, its a long one but you can skip by the fluff 😂

[DavidG]

on the Occre facebook page, people post pictures of their numbered Victory kits. Someone posted one with #249 on it. The kit must be a good seller, confirming they are on the top of the marketing game. 

[Chuck]

Ooofff!!!  $1700 for that.  I feel so much better now.  That is a really peculiar looking model on so many levels.  If you are gonna leave that much space between frames they should stick to POB.  
 

For that much $$$ and it looks so Kit-like…its doubtful any bashing can fix that.  Unless you fully plank it.  I hate to say it.  Bit then what can possibly be done to fix the rest.  Oh the headrails…I cant look it anymore, LoL

 

Good luck to those building it.  It will certainly be interesting to watch.

[scrubbyj427]

On 11/10/2023 at 8:08 PM, Chuck said:

Ooofff!!!  $1700 for that.  I feel so much better now.  That is a really peculiar looking model on so many levels.  If you are gonna leave that much space between frames they should stick to POB.  
 

For that much $$$ and it looks so Kit-like…its doubtful any bashing can fix that.  Unless you fully plank it.  I hate to say it.  Bit then what can possibly be done to fix the rest.  Oh the headrails…I cant look it anymore, LoL

 

Good luck to those building it.  It will certainly be interesting to watch.

That’s a lot for that model. Crazy. I feel much better now as well. Curious to see how the sales go.

[James H]

🤨🙄

[Gregory]

That " Solid Oak " stand base is a little anticlimactic..

[Chuck]

Yes ....I really wish they had chosen a much simpler and smaller ship for a venture into POF.  Then maybe they wouldnt have had to skimp on the kit-like details.   

 

Its shame but I give them an "A" for effort.

 

It pains me to say this...but the POF stuff coming out of Asia is about ten times better and about the same price points.  Yes most are are copies and outright thefts....BUT I can understand why folks actually buy them.   There arent many other options.   But the Victory as the first one!!!   Maybe a one decker or two decker might have been better.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:03 PM, mtaylor said:

You raise an interesting question and a good one.   I've heard in the past that some companies would scale the model such that parts would fit into a "standard" box they had on hand so they didn't need to pay "retooling costs" for special sized boxes.  And then there's the "standard" (so-called) size for hobby shop shelves.    These could all be urban myths but I do have to wonder.

  Back in the 60s, the 'standard box' theory may well have been true for Billings,  since the original box for their 'Wasa" @ 1:100 (now everyone uses Vasa - preferred by the Swedes) was the same size as the Vikingskibbe @ 1:20 (my father bought both kits ca. 1970).  He gifted me the Wasa in my teens, and I started the build back then (assuming that all was accurate ...) not realizing that the OAL was 3" too short for the stated scale.  I noted that the precut keel 'just fit in' the box.  To make the length appropriate for the scale would have either required a longer box, or a 2-piece keel.  

 

  I wish they'd done the latter (since many of their kits came in one size of box), since my recent efforts to actually make something resembling what is now known of the Vasa were severely hampered by having a hull that might have well been 'rear ended' in a collision.  The previously single-planked hull (a tribute for a teenager to do as good as that much turned out) could not have been correct for length (and, gosh, the OAL was KNOWN at the time the kit was marketed because the basic hull had been raised beforehand as documented in National Geographic ... I still have that issue somewhere) without removing the planking from amidships aft, extending the keel with new bulkheads added and all the rest modified for proper fairing - then re-planking.  I just wasn't prepared to do that, so 4 main deck cannon (2 on each side) that should be exposed are covered by aft decks.

 

  The Vikingskibbe (an interesting kit in its own right, but requiring a lot of jigsawing from flat stock) was re-designed as the Roar Ede in 1:25, to go with the now improved Oseberg of the same scale.  Obviously the box size has not been an issue for a long time - but 'once upon a time' it apparently was.  Another example of  'unibox'  practice were the Steingraber kits - all in the same size box, but with a different picture on the lid pasted on.

[glbarlow]

That’s an awful looking model. The framing looks toy like

[Gregory]

On 11/10/2023 at 7:08 PM, Chuck said:

Ooofff!!!  $1700 for that.

Just saw at ModelExpo the price is $1,199.

They are offering some other discounts that amount to free shipping for a total in my cart of  $1,148.

 

I still would not be interested at any price, but that might soften the blow for anyone who is interested.

[mtaylor]

Looks in many ways like a Harold Hahn style of framing without the inner works and details.   

[Jaager]

Re. the picture in post #43:

I don't see it as Hahn style so much as I see it as derisive parody of POF. 

It could be trying to be a kitsch decorator simulacrum of a ship model or a cynical attempt to destroy the reputation of all POF.

Whatever it is, that is not POF.

 

[RossR]

I find myself more and more often considering stopping posting on Model Ship World.  A few weeks ago I encourage a member to continue despite some pretty negative comments by another user.  The offending post has been removed, but not after I think it was actually "liked" by one of the moderators.  Yesterday I think less that constructive language was used to describe the Occre HMS Victory model kit.  This kit isn't for everyone, it is fair to point out historically inaccuracies, or to challenge whether it is truly a plank on frame model or some thing else.  As we have recently heard from Chuck, a true plank on frame kit can be very expensive.  If this is a something that gives someone a "taste" of plank on frame at a lower cost than full on plank on frame, maybe that is ok and maybe someone will be inspired to do a full plank on frame model after building this kit.   And if some of us are not able or interested in investing the time and sometimes money to do extensive research on a particular ship, that should be OK.  Please keep helping those that what more information about the ships they are building, but no need to mock those that are simply building a kit to impress their friends and neighbors.

 

45,000 members, but how many have a build log in the last year or two.  I am not sure I would give the same advice I gave a few weeks ago about continuing to post on the site if I was giving the advice today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Keith Black]

5 hours ago, RossR said:

I find myself more and more often considering stopping posting on Model Ship World

 Ross, MSW is far from perfect but of all the sites out there, IMHO, MSW is the best.

 

 I was recently disappointed by actions taken by the MSW leadership and considered stepping away but after a week of sleeping on it, I'm not leaving. MSW is my home, warts and all. We're not going to see eye to eye with all our fellow MSW members. Three or four years ago a situation arose where another member and myself, for whatever reason, we rubbed each other the wrong way. I stewed about it for a week and finally hit the ignore button to that member's post. It's made my MSW experience so much less stressful. 

 

 Step away for a week or two, if you miss being part of the MSW community come back dedicated to participating in that part of MSW which makes you the happiest. Wishing you the best.........Keith 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Keith Black

[James H]

35 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

Sorry if I came off as too aggressive but model ship building is my avocation, not my hobby.  My hobby is painting model soldiers.

 

Pointing out inaccuracies is one thing, but maybe counter with ways to improve a problem. 

 

No builder would be wrong to buy the OcCre kit. Any kit can be anything to any modeller, be it subject, style etc. I see the same folk who will lay into some kits with their all so superior attitude, despite them looking down their collective noses at those who do build kits. It gets real tiresome. Tiresome for me, tiresome for our staff, and more importantly, tiresome for those who come here for encouragement and an air of general positivity. 

 

AND...it's ALWAYS the same small cabal of folk who colour the generally friendly atmosphere here. You all know who you are and it needs to stop.