HMS Diana. Caldercraft 1:64

[Tony H]

Hi
When I first saw this kit it went to the top of my wish list, around 3 years ago I was able to purchase one at a reduced price.




From the manual.-
H.M.S. “Diana”, the second built in the “Artois class” was designed by Sir John Henslow. She was built by Randall & Brent of Rotherhithe.
“Diana” was launched on the 3rd of March 1794. She was then towed to the Royal Dockyard at Deptford where she was fitted out.
“Diana” had a very long and active career in which most of her time was spent in patrol, convoy and blockade duties.
On the 30th of May 1814 Britain and France signed a peace treaty. On the 7th of March 1815 after a large repair and re-coppering “Diana” was sold to the Dutch Navy.
On the 27th August 1816 “Diana” was one of 6 Frigates in the Dutch squadron that combined with the British fleet under Sir Edward Pellow (Lord Exmouth), and took part in the famous bombardment of Algiers.
On the 16th of January 1839, after an incredible 45 year service, “Diana” was accidentally destroyed by fire in dry-dock at Willemsoord.
The model kit of “Diana” is depicted after her first refit at Portsmouth in June 1796.
“Diana” measured 173ft from figurehead to stern, her breadth was 39ft. and was almost 1000 tons burthen.



Comprehensive instructions and part identification charts. There's 6 sheets of drawings .


Two boxes of fittings, I haven't opened the boxes yet but they very good quality.

 

[Tony H]

Part 2



No laser cut parts there are all cut by CNC router.


Lots of timber strips and to make matters worse all the rubber bands sorting out the different sizes have perished and all the strips are mixed.


Rigging thread is the best I've seen in a kit.

I'm surprised I'm the first to do a review of this kit as it's been on the market for a long time. I'll be pleased to answer any questions about this model.

Tony

 

[Chestcutter]

Hi Tony
Thanks for posting about the Diana by Caldercraft.
I have had this kit in my dockyard for 15 years. I returned to model shipbuilding in 2022 after a long break, and opened this kit to find that the keel was missing and one of the other sheets was duplicated. So I couldn’t start the build. I contacted Jotika and secured a replacement, but at cost.
In the meantime I decided to build the Vanguard by Victory Models, still building.
The Diana will be next on the slip.
I hope you post a build log. I will follow with great interest.
Michael

 

[Uwek]

Many Thanks for showing us the content of this Jotika kit - hope to see your building log

 

[rshousha]

CNC is so much better than laser! I wish I could get myself a CNC machine to do my cutting. It's so easy to use a laser but the precision is simply not the same.

 

[Tony H]

CNC is so much better than laser! I wish I could get myself a CNC machine to do my cutting. It's so easy to use a laser but the precision is simply not the same.

This is my first kit with CNC router cut parts they look much better than laser cut parts. The price of CNC machines is coming down all the time maybe one day I'll be able to afford one.

 

[rshousha]

I last visited Caldercraft in 2021 (I am the Canadian distributor for the brand) and we spent several hours discussing the kits, methods, and machines they use, and the future of the brand. We spoke at length about the superiority of CNC over laser-cutting. They sure are serious about what they are doing. I was particularly impressed by the notion that every single part in the kit is either made in their place, or in another UK company nearby. They sure are, in my opinion, the best model manufacturers out there.

And, I have to say, what a great business; the UK countryside; public transport a few minutes away; London a few hours by train. This is the way to run a business.