HMS Beagle 1/60 scale Occre NCC ( Navy-Curtis Craft)

[BMT]

Three years ago, I bought the HMS Beagle from Model Shipways, but it sat in the box until this past April. In the meantime, I’ve kept busy building a few other kits: the Harriet Lane, the Nautic (Mighty Mite) steam-powered harbor tug, the Dikar Chinese Junk (I’m still finishing the sails on that one), the Midwest Chesapeake Bay Flattie, and the Dikar Navio Rayo, Puesto de Combate—a cross-section kit of a combat station deck from the 18th-century Spanish ship of the line, Rayo. I also managed to squeeze in a Medicine Wagon along the way.

It’s been a good three years of steady work, and apparently, I’ve built enough to need two more display cabinets.

On a side note, my nephews got me into Legos, something I never had as a kid. Growing up in lower Manhattan, I couldn’t afford toys like Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys. I had a few plastic army men, but mostly I played with a pink ball, playing stoopball and stickball in the streets.

I haven’t posted here in a while, not since some good conversations with Peter and Chuck last year. I also never started a build log for the Beagle when I opened the box in April.

So, here’s a quick progress report.

The hull, deck planking, and deck fittings are finished. All three lifeboats are in place, although only one is actually hanging from its davits so far. The bowsprit is set, and I’m now moving on to the foremast.

I’ll keep everyone posted as the build moves along.

 

[Steviedean]

Looks great!
I have one I purchased about 3 years from Model Shipways as well, still sitting...
How is the kit? Overly difficult?
When I was a kid, late 60's early 70's my brother and I had the original Lego blocks, just blocks not the kits the make today. But they were great on the imagination, learned a lot from those...
Enjoy finishing your Beagle!!
I have two snoring away on the bed next to me at this very minute....

 

[BMT]

Thanks. It’s not overly difficult.

I will say, typical of OcCre, the diagrams and instructions are terrible. They do have a good video tutorial that shows you how to build the ship from start to finish. John Aliprantis also has a very good video tutorial, which is something I’ve been using along with OcCre’s.

My nephews, who were into Legos when they were kids, have now been purchasing kits for me as gifts throughout the year. I understand now why everybody loves LEGO.

Keep me posted if you decide to start your Beagle.

I’ll post a couple more pictures of where I am with the masts/ysrds and booms as I move forward.

 

[Magic Mike]

Hi BMT, (I forgot your name), good to see you back on SoS and I hope you still have your Jag! Magic Mike

 

[BMT]

Mike, hope you’ve been well. Yes, I still have the Jags. Both are still purring like a “couple of cats".

Just took a little time off from posting. Hope to get back into the swing of things... chat soon....Barry aka BMT

 

[CarlosE]

I’ve already built two OcCre models and am currently working on my third. I agree that their manuals often lack enough detail to build the model without relying on videos or other modelers’ logs.

As I gain experience, it’s easier to work around these gaps, but I’m increasingly interested in models where quality extends beyond the wood and materials to the overall package and documentation. Perhaps OcCre hasn’t seen a sales impact from this, so they have little incentive to improve.

Guessing one you get a higher level of skills, the instructions will not matter once you get the kit you want, from the ship you want to build !!

By the way, the ship looks GREAT !!

 

[BMT]

This is my second Ocre, and I should have remembered how poor the manuals are. The tutorials are good, and there’s enough material out there from people who have built the ship to help with those little questionable segments.

I’m looking forward to the finished product.