What Brands Make Higher End Limited Edition/"Museum Quality" Model Kits and How Different Are They from a Standard Kit?

[John Mitchell]

Hi all,

New to the forum and ship modeling (but not woodworking and modeling more broadly).

I was wondering if anyone had any insights or experience with some of the higher end model kits, the difference in quality, and who makes them. Specifically, I am thinking of Occre's Limited Editions (Victory/Soleil Royal) and Agora (Constitution/Cutty Sark).

For those of you who have completed these models, is there a significant difference in quality and difficulty for these kits in the roughly $2,000 price point? Are there any other brands that offer these so-called "Museum Quality" model kits?

Thanks!
Sam

I was a member of "Ships Company" in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They were the oldest model ship builders club in the world at the time. There senior member actually built a model for the Smithsonian. It was not from a kit.
I learned a lot about building ship models in the 4 short years I was with them. I have built three very high quality Model Shipway kits. But I learned you have to "upgrade" your kit in order to make it worthy of putting in a museum.
My last kit was the Prince De'Neufchatel. I had a machine shop fabricate more accurate carronades, but later learned I could have purchased them much cheaper from a supplier in the UK. I spent over a year researching the proper rigging sizes and blocks for this vessel. I manufactured my own ropes to the right diameter. Most kits will only include a few thread sizes and they will be right hand wound. But standing rigging was always left hand, or cable laid. I purchased the proper size high quality blocks from Dry Dock Models and Parts in Canada. They have the highest quality blocks I could find.

To make a "museum quality" ship you will have to put more time into research than actually building the model. But it is worth it.

I hope to soon make the USS Constitution in 1:64 scale, even though no kit is available in that scale. So I have already purchased the Model Shipways 1:72 scale and will use it to go by. I recommend buying a kit even if you want to scratch build because it gives you a base to work from .

 

[Norgale]

I'll never forget when my parents moved. It took me more than 6 months to find them!

I hope you gave them heck about that. That's just not nice.