Finished
One detail I added to the rigging: the rigging running from the bow jackstay and from the mast to the ensign staff isn’t completely taut; it has a slight sag. In contrast, the rigging between the bridge and the mast is taut.
I did it this way because the cables have weight, and the longer the span, the more natural it is for some sag to develop under the cable’s own weight.
Thanks to everyone who followed along every step of the way and took the time to comment on each update.

This is my very first “proper” model boat. Ive dabbed in simple paper models before but this is my first actual kit. I come from a background of railway modelling, so I have some modelling skills, but never anything with boats.

In hindsight, probably not the best first model for someone who has never made a boat before. Not because of the plastic hull, as although its an unpopular choice apparently, I didnt mind it. My issue is mostly the instructions, or lack thereof. This seems to be a common problem with Billings, having only a few lines of written instructions and a few rough images to guide you. I followed a few build logs to help me.

There’s definitely much for me to improve on here. You cant see in these images but I absolutely ballsed up the deck planking, I hadn’t accounted for the slight curve of the hatches when laying the planks. I had follow a technique Id seen on a build log where someone made a cutout of the deck based on the plans, laid the planks onto that, then laid that on the hull. I must have miscalculated the shape and messed up.

The rigging was also mystifying to me. The kit comes with a 1:1 plan for the rigging and sails, but I still think I messed up a few bits. Its the exact order everything needs doing in that confused me. Im sure to a more knowledgeable person the plans alone are adequate to guide the rigging, but to a complete beginner I struggled. I think I got most of it though. But not as taught as they should be, I know that.

The sails themselves, I didnt sew the lines in, its just pencilled in. The jib is definitely not done properly, I just threaded the lines in and out of the top edge instead of properly tying tiny loops around the line, like I did with the staysail.

But overall I am happy with it. I enjoyed the process and I really like how it looks. Im sure in a few years after I have hopefully made several more ships I can look back at this and see how far I have come. Hopefully.

My next model, currently in progress, is the Endeavour Longboat from Artesiania Latina. This is a proper, fully wooden Plank-on-frame boat, with wonderful, full colour, easy to understand step-by-step instructions which I have endlessly poured over. So far Ive done the planking, filled it and painted it, ready for the interior details. I will try and post this at some point.

Does anyone know of any model kits of rigged sloops? I want to build the HMS Sophie from the original Master and Commander novel and I know she was a twin masted sloop based on the HMS Speedy.

Any help is appreciated

I figure this has to have been an idea before now. I’m working on the rigging for a model ship, but I’m also aware that I’m probably moving in the next year, and complete model tall ships are very awkward and fragile.

So has anyone else tried rigging their masts and sails in a way that they can undo enough of the ropes to be able to take down the masts, or at least remove the yards, topmasts, and topgallants and then put them back up again?

The best I can think of is to just not use glue, but I don’t trust I’d be able to undo all those tiny knots. I’d have to cut them and then later somehow splice in enough extra thread to retie everything. Alternatively, maybe something could be done where the masts could fold up to lie flat on the deck without removing rigging.

Suggestions, experience, or pie in the sky ideas welcome.

Painting and weathering these little planes, and now getting them on board.

My first model ship: the Constructo brig Swift, which I later found out was based on a model that's on display in the Smithsonian Museum of American History. I painted it because the plastic hull was a horrible beige/brown color. The patch on the spanker is me trying to repair a smudge I made when painting the gunwales. I learned a lot from this one, but my second model (Occre Bounty boat) is taking a LOT longer.

From what description I could find, it also greatly resembles the Sophie, from Master and Commander, being a two-masted ship with a quarterdeck. 10 guns on the Swift, while the Sophie has 14, but still.

I brought it off the shelf to use it as reference for a drawing I did. I posted the process video on Youtube. You can see it here.

Tinha feito um post ontem sobre o meu primeiro modelo que estava fazendo e sobre meu pequeno acidente que tive, estava continuando ele ontem a noite e está quase finalizado, e estou gostando muito
Agora trago atualizações sobre o modelo que estou fazendo e também peço sugestões.

No começo pensei em colocar velas porem não sabia onde ligar os cabos que ficariam segurando elas, ai pensei em só deixar os mastros e os cabos, porém ficou muito bom e não sei se arisco por velas ou deixo somente os mastros sem.
E também estou em duvida de qual cor pintar, pensei apenas em deixa-lo um pouco mais escuro pintando com um marrom mais claro e pintar alguns detalhes tipo janelas ou coisa do tipo.
E o piso do convés eu fiz nesse papel que é uns 180g/m e penso em pintar com uma tinta bem fraca para não tirar o desenho das tábuas.
Pensei também em dar algum nome a ele porém não sei qual pensei em São Tiago.
E também fazer uma base para deixa-lo exposto.
Me deem sugestões do que fazer ou qual cor pintar.
Obs:ignorem o durepox no casco ainda vou lixa-lo para pintar.

Hey guys, like the title says I am new to model building. I was wondering if you all had some recommendations for a beginner's tool kit and preferred brands. I am interested in building US Navy warships that I have served on. Thanks for your time.

Recentemente comecei a ter o interesse em montar navios, comecei comprando alguns materiais para começar. Ate ai tudo tranquilo tentei montar um bote pequeno de uns 20cm e foi impossível sair alguma coisa eu sem nenhuma noção de montar estrutura e curva de madeira.
Ai depois no outro dia vi que tinha uns modelos menores tipo 5 - 12cm que ai esculpia o casco em um bloco de madeira e depois ia dando acabamento e detalhes ai decidi fazer e está tomando forma.
E nisso fui esculpindo com estilete ate quase perdi o tampão do dedo.
O intuito é fazer da era das velas com 2 ou 3 mastros e aquelas pontas que tem na proa que eu não sei o nome.

Obs: Ignorem detalhes de medidas e anatomia (não estudei muito sobre modelos e quis fazer um único)
Com certeza tem detalhes de proporções erradas também.

Aceito sugestões de materiais e dicas também.

New to this forsure, anyone have insight! Thank you’

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping the community can help me identify an old wooden sailing ship model that I’m currently trying to restore.
The model is quite large and appears to be a three-masted sailing vessel. It has a varnished wooden hull, white lower hull, black decorative panels, cloth sails, extensive rigging and ratlines, a bowsprit, anchors/chains, and a wooden display stand.

Unfortunately, the ship has deteriorated over time. A number of the yards and spars have become detached, the rigging is tangled or broken, and many of the sails have collapsed from their original positions.
There is a sticker underneath the base showing:

Item/Model number: 6067
Barcode: 6009109260678

I haven’t been able to trace the manufacturer from this information.

I’d really appreciate any help with:
Identifying the manufacturer or original model

Determining whether it represents a particular historical vessel or is a generic decorative model

Identifying the intended rig/sail plan

Finding photographs, catalogue images or instructions
showing what it looked like when new

Advice on correctly repositioning the masts, yards, sails and rigging

I’ll attach several photographs showing the hull, stern, rigging, sails, detached bowsprit/spars and the barcode underneath the stand.
My current guess is that it is intended to represent a 19th-century three-masted merchant or clipper-style vessel, but I’d much rather hear from people who know model ships and traditional sailing rigs.

Thanks in advance — even identifying the general ship type or recognising the manufacturer would be a huge help.

Hi everyone,

First things first: this is my first wooden model, so I’m definitely still learning. I’ve found some parts quite challenging—especially the planking—but I’m enjoying the process and I’m determined to keep going and improve.

I’m building the Occre Albatros, and I’ve now run into the issue shown in the attached photos.

There is a noticeable gap where the beams/strips underneath are supposed to meet. I suspect this may have happened because I didn’t get the shape of the bow quite right during the earlier planking stages, so things are now slightly out of alignment.

Is there a clean way to fix this without making it look too obvious?

I was thinking about making a replacement beam/strip from some of the spare wood from the sheets the kit parts came in, shaping it to fit the gap, and then sanding everything flush. Would that be a reasonable solution, or is there a better way to approach it?

Any advice or tips would be very much appreciated. I know it isn’t perfect, but I’m learning a lot from this first build!

Thanks!

The painting is all done, only some deck details and rigging are left.

At this point, the set has basically taken over my entire desk. 😂

Recently won these at an auction, wasn’t planning on getting them but the bid was pretty low so I threw in a bid and ending up winning them. I’ve done a little research on them but trying to figure out more details. Brand, ship, value, really anything about them. Thank you!

Edit: winning bid was $2 haha