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.

 

[DocTom]

I think maybe it's more feasible to build a model based on a preliminary design, and iterate that, than it is to do the same with a real battleship. It's economics that dictate the decision, which is understandable. Kits could presumably be iterated after first release, based on feedback though. I know sometimes they are, but not as a rule. I think Watton iterates his kits and instructions with agility.

It's not a big deal as long as the kit is buildable with a reasonable amount of allowance for kit error by the builder. I know such things are considered "part of the hobby". But I'm probably not the only one curious why parts in kits that have been released for years are still substantially wrong. Recent example I've worked through is the beak on the lobster smack. This same issue is reported in build logs, so it's not just me. I didn't realize it was wrong until after painting.

Probably more than half of the "drawn to actual size" diagrams are not drawn to actual size.

An instructions errata insert seems easily feasible for established, well-reported kit errors.

All that said, I love Model Expo! The customer service is top notch, the products and prices are good, and the ads I get in email (every day) are actually usually pretty entertaining.

One issue I learned with the Model Shipways 3 boat intro series is that that the printed instructionsare not entirely to scale. They are about 2% smaller. If you print the instructions from their website they are to scale. Makes a difference with spars and the printed decoration on the side of the Smack bowsprit. You're right about the beak on the Smack. The one supplied with the kit is a sad and droopy thing. It's beyond me why they don't fix these obvious issues which multiple modelers have pointed out. I guess it all boils down to money and profits.

 

[DocTom]

Thank you for all comments -and the compliments!
About the emails... I'm guilty as charged

I am currently building your Harriet Lane kit. I am enjoying every minute of it, and learning a lot, despite what I call eruptions of Model Shipways-itis - things that don't match the instructions or pieces that don't exactly fit. I learned how to build wooden boat models from your Shipwright of Old series, and recommend them as often as I can. I owe my enjoyment of my new hobby to you. A question: your instruction manuals all seem to illustrate prototype kits. Do you ever have anyone build a production kit for the instructions? Your customer service is top notch in terms of replacing missing or damaged parts. Is there someone we could correspond with about issues with instructions (there are several in the Pram, Smack and Harriet Lane) or faulty laser cutting (I'm thinking about the cockpit seats in the Lobster Smack and bulkhead 3 in the Harriet Lane)?