*********************************************************************************************************************
As mentioned in the open box review, this kit was selected as the giveaway kit to the member who wins the draw. If you are interested in participating in the draw be sure to leave a comment (post reply). Details at the end of this review.
********************************************************************************************************************
"...I have always believed that the much vaunted "line of retreat" is only a trap for people trying to achieve their goal. Do as I dared: burn the ships behind you, destroy the bridges behind you. Only in this case will you and your companions have no other choice but to go forward. You will have to break through, otherwise you will perish."
Nansen's ambition was to explore the Arctic farther north than anyone else—to the North Pole, if possible. To do that, he would have to deal with a problem that many sailing on the polar ocean had encountered before him: the freezing ice could crush a ship. Nansen's idea was to build a ship that could survive the pressure, not by pure strength, but because it would be of a shape designed to let the ice push the ship up, so it would "float" on top of the ice. Fram is a three-masted schooner with a total length of 39 metres (127 ft 11 in) and width of 11 metres (36 ft 1 in). The ship is both unusually wide and unusually shallow to better withstand the forces of pressing ice. A disadvantage of this design is that it rolled more than most ships in heavy seas.
en.wikipedia.org
Expeditions: Nansen's 1893–1896 Arctic, Sverdrup's 1898–1902 Canadian Arctic islands, Amundsen's 1910–1912 South Pole expedition
The Kit
Width: 205 mm
Height: 441 mm
Length: 586 mm
Difficulty Level: Medium
Number of pieces: 1974
Approximate build time: 480 hours
Ref: 12011
The Fram, a model kit by OcCre offers the opportunity to recreate this iconic piece of polar exploration. The design of this model is close to the original, and the kit provides all the necessary elements, it includes the most specific naval details you can imagine along with the sails set and basic stand. As with most of OcCre's kits, the Fram is packaged into a standard-type OcCre box with a cut-out to display the nice fittings box that is a feature of these kits. A color-printed product label is affixed to the top of the kit's box cover, and the entire box itself is protected in a shrink film.
The wood
Lifting the top of the box reveals the packaging of the lower box where you can see the kit's contents through multiple cut-outs. The box then splits open to access the various kit's parts. One of the boxes half exposed the milling wood bundles held together gently with elastic bands. One of the bundles is used for the first layer of hull planking. Its creamy-looking timber, makes me think it is a lime wood. The wood looks without split edges and the strips are consistent in size.
The next bundle consists of strips of various shapes, sizes, and species. You can see some Tanganyika for the second layer of hull planking. There is more Lime wood supplied for the planking of the deck.
The last bundle consists of both dowels and strips, as well as brass wire.
Other timbers: Wood, MDF, and Plywood.
The remaining timber parts have been packaged using heat-shrink clear plastic to avoid moisture coming into the bundle. Once you have removed the plastic wrap, you can see the remaining timber including the MDF false keel, plywood bulkheads, and plywood false desk as well as the MDF lifeboat formers.
Being an MDF, the falskeel doesn't show any warp., it is perfectly straight. It is my observation, that all laser cuts. On all boards, are of excellent quality: very thin and no burns! Another MDF sheet deal with parts to assemble various small boats and contains jigs, false keels and bulkheads.
The plywood plates consist of the bulkheads, bow formers, masts stands, falsedeck pasrts, and parts for the basic stand. While the bulkheads show no warps, the falsedeck has indeed a warp. However, it is not a problem as it will be glued on top of the bulkheads (the hull formers).
the other side just show the nice lasercut line without burns.
The last three sheets are walnut keel and stem/stern parts, and some cream-like wood for boats and ships gunwales, No warps on either of the sheets.
Not too many kit manufacturers include the sails in their kits. However, OcCre included a full set of sewing sails for Fram. I can observe some fuzziness on the edges, however, once you attach your own bolt rope it should hide it.
will continue on the next post (25 images limit)
As mentioned in the open box review, this kit was selected as the giveaway kit to the member who wins the draw. If you are interested in participating in the draw be sure to leave a comment (post reply). Details at the end of this review.
********************************************************************************************************************
The Fram
The history"...I have always believed that the much vaunted "line of retreat" is only a trap for people trying to achieve their goal. Do as I dared: burn the ships behind you, destroy the bridges behind you. Only in this case will you and your companions have no other choice but to go forward. You will have to break through, otherwise you will perish."
Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen
Nansen's ambition was to explore the Arctic farther north than anyone else—to the North Pole, if possible. To do that, he would have to deal with a problem that many sailing on the polar ocean had encountered before him: the freezing ice could crush a ship. Nansen's idea was to build a ship that could survive the pressure, not by pure strength, but because it would be of a shape designed to let the ice push the ship up, so it would "float" on top of the ice. Fram is a three-masted schooner with a total length of 39 metres (127 ft 11 in) and width of 11 metres (36 ft 1 in). The ship is both unusually wide and unusually shallow to better withstand the forces of pressing ice. A disadvantage of this design is that it rolled more than most ships in heavy seas.
Fram (ship) - Wikipedia
Expeditions: Nansen's 1893–1896 Arctic, Sverdrup's 1898–1902 Canadian Arctic islands, Amundsen's 1910–1912 South Pole expedition
The model of Fram built by Colin Archer 1893- 1896
The Kit
Model Technical Sheet:
Scale: 1/85Width: 205 mm
Height: 441 mm
Length: 586 mm
Difficulty Level: Medium
Number of pieces: 1974
Approximate build time: 480 hours
Ref: 12011
The Fram, a model kit by OcCre offers the opportunity to recreate this iconic piece of polar exploration. The design of this model is close to the original, and the kit provides all the necessary elements, it includes the most specific naval details you can imagine along with the sails set and basic stand. As with most of OcCre's kits, the Fram is packaged into a standard-type OcCre box with a cut-out to display the nice fittings box that is a feature of these kits. A color-printed product label is affixed to the top of the kit's box cover, and the entire box itself is protected in a shrink film.
The wood
Lifting the top of the box reveals the packaging of the lower box where you can see the kit's contents through multiple cut-outs. The box then splits open to access the various kit's parts. One of the boxes half exposed the milling wood bundles held together gently with elastic bands. One of the bundles is used for the first layer of hull planking. Its creamy-looking timber, makes me think it is a lime wood. The wood looks without split edges and the strips are consistent in size.
The next bundle consists of strips of various shapes, sizes, and species. You can see some Tanganyika for the second layer of hull planking. There is more Lime wood supplied for the planking of the deck.
The last bundle consists of both dowels and strips, as well as brass wire.
Other timbers: Wood, MDF, and Plywood.
The remaining timber parts have been packaged using heat-shrink clear plastic to avoid moisture coming into the bundle. Once you have removed the plastic wrap, you can see the remaining timber including the MDF false keel, plywood bulkheads, and plywood false desk as well as the MDF lifeboat formers.
Being an MDF, the falskeel doesn't show any warp., it is perfectly straight. It is my observation, that all laser cuts. On all boards, are of excellent quality: very thin and no burns! Another MDF sheet deal with parts to assemble various small boats and contains jigs, false keels and bulkheads.
The plywood plates consist of the bulkheads, bow formers, masts stands, falsedeck pasrts, and parts for the basic stand. While the bulkheads show no warps, the falsedeck has indeed a warp. However, it is not a problem as it will be glued on top of the bulkheads (the hull formers).
the other side just show the nice lasercut line without burns.The last three sheets are walnut keel and stem/stern parts, and some cream-like wood for boats and ships gunwales, No warps on either of the sheets.
Not too many kit manufacturers include the sails in their kits. However, OcCre included a full set of sewing sails for Fram. I can observe some fuzziness on the edges, however, once you attach your own bolt rope it should hide it.
will continue on the next post (25 images limit)
Good luck!!! 
).