Mantua models vs Artesania Latina

[Sid Barras]

Ahoy shipwrwrights,
Just getting to the final stages of bulkheads and false deck construction on my second build, the Mantua ‘Curry Sark’ 1:78 scale.
First build was Artesania’s clipper ‘Harvey.’
Much less impressed with Mantua’s instructions and drawings.
instructions were sparse, and although the drawings are excellent, the plans did not include translation from Italian. I painstakingly used an app to write the English translation below the Italian notes. And the notes are rather important to the build.
Artesania had very detailed instructions plus an intuitive numbering and reference list of every item so that any confusion or vagueness in the instructions could be cleared up combining the plans plus materials list
no such help with this Mantua kit. Many parts can only be identified by sight.
based on my experience, Mantua might not be suitable for first timers. One caveat, however; this Mantua kit is a mid 80s to mid 90s product I suspect, based on dates on the plans. Perhaps they’ve improved the paperwork in their kits since.

 

[mrshanks]

I also like Artesania Latina and have several of their kits. Unfortunately, I heard they recently have gone out of business. Kit makers that don't release new kits seem to be getting left behind as fabrication technology leaps ahead. I'm not sure about Mantua.. perhaps others can chime in.

 

[NMBROOK]

Yes the Mantua group drawings are questionable in some respects.They have changed the design of many of their kits but the drawings have never been updated.If you bought a new kit now,it's drawings will still have the old date on.They have increased the size of their instructions to try and compensate but these don't tie in with the plans.

Kind Regards

Nigel

 

[Sulaire]

I agree, Mantua instructions are terrible! I've just finished the Dutch Gunboat and although there were English instructions they were minimal to say the least! I found the plans were adequate but trying to identify parts from the check list involved a lot of measuring and detective work. Like others here there were also either bits missing or not enough of them - pins, blocks etc. I found a Dutch forum much like this one where someone had posted a build log and that was invaluable for me.

 

[Thomas]

I never liked either, but agree that Mantua is worse. I'm working on one of their kits now and the plans actually disagree from sheet to sheet! I also think the quality of thieir materials isn't worth what you pay. Too bad when they acquired Panart.

 

[Neophyte Shipwright]

AL does produce some good kits. But their material can be lacking. Muntua is just over priced spin offs. As I read and agree w/a statement above, Muntua plans can be very miss-leading, but hey at least they include a set. And yes, sad day when Muntua purchased Panart. Now I am going to go out on a limb here with this observation. Some frown on them, but the Chinese mfg's are fast surpassing the standard ship kit makers. I know there are those who cry foul, copy cats and kit pirates. But not all are copies or pirated. Look at the carved materials/fittings some of these come with. To be honest, I have no favorite kit mfg, all the ones I really liked are no longer around.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Rick