Kit Review French Longboat - 36 feet - Scale 1:24, Made by Unicorn Model

[Dubz Modelling World]

French Longboat - 36 feet - Scale 1:24, Made by Unicorn Model​

Company: Unicorn Model
Kit No: -
Retail Price: $199.-

Available here: https://drydockmodelsandparts.com/products/36ft-french-longboat-1-24-pearwood-version


Description


The French longboat was one of the most versatile and indispensable craft carried aboard a ship. It served a wide range of functions, including transporting supplies, moving anchors, fetching water during campaigns, landing troops in coastal operations, conveying officers and distinguished passengers, towing vessels in calm conditions, and performing numerous other duties. Because its design evolved very little, the longboat retained essentially the same structural characteristics from around 1680 to 1780.

This Kit is a 36-foot longboat. Such a length was typical of the master longboats carried by first-rate warships of the late 17th century and it remained common aboard 74-gun ships of the 18th century, even as the dimensions of those vessels gradually increased over time.


Technical data

• Scale: 1:24
• Length Overall: 590 mm
• Width: 128 mm
• Height: 388 mm
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Kit content

• Various pear wood sheets
• Various pear wood dovels
• The Jig
• Small Photo Etch Sheets
• Brass Wire for nailing
• Various small brass parts
• Brass swivel guns
• Sails
• Rope
• Blocks
• Two 1:1 Plans
• Instruction Manual in English

Gun Addition

• Various pear wood sheets
• Turned brass gun
• Blocks
• Brass wire
• Rope
• Small Photo Etch Sheet
• Various small brass parts

All parts of the kit came stored safely.

Pearwood Sheets

The kit contains a generous supply of pearwood sheets, and my overall impression of the material is very positive. Before discussing the quality of the wood itself, however, there are two points I would like to mention.

The first—and by far the most significant—concerns the yellow-orange adhesive tape used to bundle the smaller packages. Unfortunately, the adhesive appears to penetrate deeply into the wood, particularly on the thinner pearwood sheets used for planking. In some cases, the residue is clearly visible on the reverse side of the sheet and has penetrated so deeply that it cannot be completely removed. While this may be less problematic on thicker stock, it becomes a real issue on thin planking material where sanding is not an option. The affected areas are unlikely to absorb oil, stain, or other finishes evenly, which can negatively impact the final appearance of the model.

This issue can be seen in the following examples:

Given the otherwise excellent quality of the kit, this is somewhat disappointing. However, it should be a relatively straightforward issue for Unicorn Model to address by adopting a different packaging method in future releases.

As for the wood itself, I believe the overall selection and quality of the pearwood are very good. The sheets display attractive colour and grain characteristics, and the material appears well suited for a high-end project of this type. Only Sheets No. 9 and No. 21 stand out to me, as I personally would have selected different pieces for inclusion in the kit. Even so, they remain perfectly usable and represent only a minor criticism rather than a serious concern.

The laser cutting is equally impressive. The cuts are clean, precise, and sharply defined, with minimal scorching and excellent edge quality. Taken together, the quality of the pearwood and the standard of the laser work are among the strongest aspects of this kit.

The frames

More sheets

Here you might see why I am not 100% happy with sheet 21

More wood

The planks

And even more ...

The dovels

The parts for the Jig

The stand

 

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Photo Etch Parts & Others

The sails

The rope

The plans

The Instruction Manual

The parts list

The gun addition

Conclusion

After a thorough examination of the kit and its contents, I can confidently say that this is an exceptional offering that stands out in several respects. The design is clearly based on careful research and original primary sources, providing a level of historical authenticity that serious model builders will greatly appreciate. This attention to accuracy is reflected throughout the kit, from the overall concept down to the smallest details.

The quality of the materials is equally impressive. The pear wood components are beautifully manufactured, with crisp and precise laser-cut parts that require minimal cleanup. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that even the supplied round stock appears to be made from pear wood, a detail that is rarely encountered and demonstrates a commendable commitment to quality. The wood itself is uniform, attractive, and ideally suited to a project of this caliber.

Another major strength of the kit is its documentation. Unlike many kits from Chinese manufacturers, which can sometimes suffer from limited or poorly translated instructions, this package includes two complete full-scale (1:1) plans containing all the information needed for construction. The addition of English annotations further enhances usability, making the kit accessible to a much wider audience and significantly reducing the guesswork often associated with complex historical models.

No kit is entirely without flaws, and there are a few minor points worth mentioning. The adhesive tape used to secure some of the components leaves behind an unpleasant sticky residue. In some cases, this residue can be removed without too much difficulty, but on several sheets it appears to have penetrated the wood surface to such an extent that complete removal is virtually impossible. While this does not affect the structural integrity of the parts, it is nevertheless disappointing in a kit of this quality and could easily be avoided by using a more suitable packaging method.

The supplied rope is another area where the kit falls short of the otherwise excellent standard established by the remaining components. Although entirely usable, its appearance and quality do not quite match the level of refinement found elsewhere in the package. For my own build, I will be replacing it with rope of my own making.

A final, very minor observation concerns two of the sheets. The wood selected for these could have been chosen with a little more care in terms of grain and overall appearance. That said, the material remains perfectly serviceable and should present no practical difficulties during construction.

Taken as a whole, however, these criticisms are relatively minor and do little to diminish the overall impression. The combination of historical accuracy, outstanding materials, excellent manufacturing quality, and comprehensive plans results in a kit that offers exceptional value for money. Considering the quality of the components provided, the asking price is more than reasonable.

Whether you are an experienced ship modeler seeking a rewarding project or a builder with a particular interest in historically accurate naval craft, this kit deserves serious consideration. It earns my strongest recommendation and, in my opinion, ranks among the finest kits currently available in its category.


Pro

• Lots of Pear Wood
• Scale 1:24
• Jig
• Photo Etch parts
• High class blocks
• Good Image based Manual
• 1:1 Plans

Contra

• Adhesive residue from the tape
• Low quality rope