For model making enthusiasts, sheets of pressed and glued wood veneer have always been one of the most sought after materials. They are easy to cut, perfectly processed, drawings of ships made of plywood are easy to find on the Internet, and therefore it is with plywood patterns that many craftsmen begin their acquaintance with modeling various ships.

Making models with your own hands is a very difficult task, requiring a significant amount of knowledge and a certain skill. In this article we will only talk about the most basic techniques, and you will hone further skills yourself.

Materials for work

If you want to make a small model of a ship, then you will need the following materials:

• Wood - cedar, linden, walnut or other wood, preferably soft and non-fibrous. Wood blanks must be smooth, without knots or damage. Wood can be used both as a material for the main elements of the model (hull, deck) and for fine detailing.
• Plywood is perhaps the most popular material. For ship modeling, either balsa or birch is used, since these are the types of wood that provide the minimum number of chips when sawing. Model ship plywood, as a rule, has a thickness of 0.8 to 2 mm.

Note! Sheets of beech veneer of thin thickness are sometimes used as an alternative to birch: although they are inferior in strength, they bend much easier.

• Veneer – thin plates of natural wood of expensive species. As a rule, it is used for veneering, i.e. pasting surfaces from inexpensive material.
• Fastening elements - thin chains, laces, threads, brass and copper nails.

In addition, we will definitely need wood glue, cardboard and tracing paper for transferring templates, etc. The fine detailing is made from metal casting. As an alternative to metal, you can use colored polymer clay.

Making a souvenir boat

Preparing for work

Any work begins with preparation, and modeling will by no means be an exception.

• First we need to decide what we will build. If you have not previously dealt with shipbuilding art, we recommend downloading drawings of a ship made from plywood online: as a rule, they contain all the necessary information and are understandable even to a beginner.

Note! Kits are available for sale that allow you to assemble a ship from ready-made parts. Beginners will be interested in such kits (although the price of most of them is quite significant), but it is still better to master the technology from the basics.

• After analyzing the drawing, we check whether everything necessary is available. In principle, if something is missing, you can buy more a little later, because building a ship (even a miniature one) is not a quick task!

• After printing the drawing, we make templates for the main parts.
• We transfer the templates to .

Cutting out and assembling parts

You can cut blanks using either a manual or an electric jigsaw.

The latter costs more, but with it you will have less trouble cutting out small parts:

• We make a starting hole in the plywood sheet into which we insert a file or jigsaw blade.
• We cut out the part, trying to move exactly along the marked contour.
• We process the sawn workpiece with a file, removing small chamfers along the edges and removing the inevitable chips and burrs.

Advice! Working on one element (deck, sides, keel, etc.), we immediately cut out all the parts necessary for assembly. This way we will spend significantly less time, and the work will move faster.

When everything is ready, we begin assembling our ship.

• First, we put transverse frames on the longitudinal beam - the keel. At the bottom of each frame there is usually a groove for fastening to the plywood keel.
• For joining, you can use standard glue, or you can use special adhesive mixtures intended for ship modeling.
• We attach the upper parts of the frames to the deck. For simple models, the deck is a single sheet of plywood, while for complex ones it can be multi-level.
• After the glue on the frames has dried, we begin to sheathe the sides with thin strips of plywood. The thickness of the material should be no more than 1.5 mm, since only in this case we will be able to bend the skin without the risk of damaging it.
• For bending, you can heat and humidify. After this, the material will bend without difficulty, and over time it will acquire a stable shape.

Note! The body can be covered with a continuous sheet for painting. But to imitate plank cladding, it is better to use strips up to 10 mm wide (depending on the scale).

• We fix the glued plywood with clamps and clamps and leave it to dry.

Final finishing

By and large, this is where carpentry ends and art begins.

When the body is assembled and dried, we need:

• Make from thin plywood and secure deck superstructures.

• Extend the sides so that they protrude above the plane of the deck.
• Cover the surface of the deck with wooden veneer or outline it with an awl, imitating plank cladding.
• Make and install all the small parts like the steering wheel and steering blade.
• Secure the masts with all additional devices (the so-called spar), install the sails and stretch this entire structure using rigging threads.

Finally, all plywood parts must be treated with stain and varnished. This will provide our souvenir with at least a couple of decades of preservation.

Conclusion

Almost anyone can make a simple plywood boat with their own hands - just patience and minimal skills in working with a jigsaw (read also the article). But if you want to implement a complex drawing with many small details, then you will have to work hard. That's why we recommend starting with the simplest models and gradually increasing your skill!

In the video presented in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

Similar materials

With the development of the scale model industry, some generally accepted scale standards have emerged for each type of model. In this article we will try to tell you in detail about the scale used in bench modeling.

Let's start with a short excursion into the history of the origin of “inch” scales. In England, starting around the 17th century, in preparation for the construction of new ships, a very accurate model of the ship's hull was initially made. Subsequently, this model was used as a plaza and a general drawing for the construction of a real ship. All models were taken from it, and even the displacement of the ship was approximately determined from it. At the same time, for the convenience of converting dimensions, the model was initially built according to the rule “foot per inch”, “two feet per inch” or in other multiple scales. Many of these models have survived to this day. Since there are 12 inches in a foot (1 inch = 2.54 cm), the corresponding scales were 1:12, 1:24 and multiples of them. This is where the “inch” tradition of scale ratios comes from: 1:6, 1:12, 1:18, 1:24, 1:32, 1:48, 1:72, 1:96, 1:144.

Now let’s take a closer look at the scales that manufacturing companies use for various types of models.

Aviation
The most widely known and at the same time the most common scale in the world is 1:72.
Models of heavy multi-engine aircraft, for example, long-range bombers of the Second World War or modern passenger aircraft, are usually produced in the West at a scale of 1:144. The exception is the REVELL company, which also produces fighter aircraft in this scale.

Recently, the 1:48 scale has become increasingly widespread. Such well-known companies as AIRFIX, HASEGAWA, ITALERI, MONOGRAM and others produce aircraft models in this scale. The 1:32 scale is much less common. Sometimes you can find completely “non-standard” scales, such as 1:20, 1:28, 1:40, 1:96, 1:100. But there are only a few aircraft models in these scales.

Armored vehicles and artillery
As for models of armored vehicles, the most popular scales are 1:35 and 1:76. They produce the vast majority of models. 1:48 and 1:25 are much less common. A number of Western companies have recently developed a tendency to produce models of armored vehicles in 1:72 scale. Only a few companies work in the smallest scale for armored vehicles, 1:87, although we note that among them are such well-known companies as ROSO and TRIDENT.

Cars
The range of “car” scales is much larger: 1:12, 1:18, 1:20, 1:24, 1:25, 1:32, 1:87. It should be noted that we are talking here about the scale of assembled car models (except 1:87). Our well-known scale 1:43 is a collector's item; In this scale, prefabricated replica models are practically never produced. The number of scales for motorcycle models is limited to two: 1:8 and 1:12.

Navy
The most common “ship” scales are 1:1200, 1:700, 1:600, 1:400, 1:350. However, as for ships, it is most difficult to talk about any kind of system here. A lot depends on the size of the prototype ship and on the manufacturer itself. For example, the REVELL company produces the Columbus squadron in 1:90 scale, the Cutty Sark clipper in 1:96 scale, H.M.S. Bounty" - 1:110, a German submarine from the Second World War - 1:144, and the Soviet aircraft carrier "Varyag" on a scale of 1:720. The French company HELLER produces the same “Cutty Sark” in a scale of 1:130. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to select or capture any most generally accepted scale here.

Model railways
The most interesting scale story played out in model railroads. Before the creation of the International Federation of Railway Enthusiasts (and this happened in the 50s of the twentieth century), many different companies produced railways on a wide variety of scales, which created known problems for collectors. After the introduction of standards, 1:45 was adopted as the main scale and was called “0” (zero).

At the same time, the Englishman, with the same gauge, considers “0” scale models to be 1:43.5. In the NEM 010 standard it is written as follows: “track width 32 mm, scale 1:45, model meter 22.2 mm.” At the same time, a note is given: “In France and Great Britain, the scale 1:43.5 is still used. Model meter in in this case it is 23.0 mm.” (The track is the same - 32 mm.) This is where the 1:43 scale, widely known for car models, came from.

There are also larger scales - 1:22 (I) track width 45 mm, 1:27 (II) - track width 57 mm, not currently used, 1:22.6 (III) - track width 63.5 mm . The most common scale has become “half zero”, “H0”, “HALF Null” (English), “Halb Null” (German), the H0 scale is 1:87.

The following railway scales have nothing in common with the previous ones. Ultimately, the railroad scale line looks like this: 1:32, 1:45, 1:87, 1:120, 1:160, 1:220. As an outdated, but acceptable scale, 1:64 scale is sometimes used. At the same time, the track width is always recalculated based on the reduction not of the Russian standard (1520 mm), but of the Western European standard (1435 mm), even for models of Soviet equipment. If you build a model of a Soviet armored train, keep this in mind. In general, railway modeling standards are distinguished by the greatest elaboration and accuracy. Almost everything is standardized in them: the cross-section of the rail for each scale, the design of the bogie support devices, the track width, etc.

As planned, I am reviewing the cutty sark clipper kit in 1:150 scale.
It took me a long time to choose the set, I looked at different options, including a review on the website (respect to the Author). I decided to take a scale larger than 350, I think it’s more interesting to tinker with the details.

Review of the HUNTER Q-SHIP trap ship model

The Q-ship (vessel with hidden weapons, decoy ship) appeared between the First and Second World Wars as an asymmetric response to the actions of German submarines. The British Admiralty came up with an idea that seemed crazy, but which proved to be effective. It was to arm merchant ships, which seemed easy prey for German submarines. Wolves in sheep's clothing, small ships with the fearlessness of lions, such were the Q-ships, of various types and tonnages, disguised as ordinary battered merchant ships.

Review of the yacht model "ENDEAVOUR"

I present to you a review of the yacht "ENDEAVOUR" from Amati in 1:80 scale.
In a medium-sized box made of good cardboard, there is a package with documentation (assembly instructions in Italian, comments on the instructions from "Shipyard on the Table" in Russian, three printouts of the location of parts on sheets of blanks, two drawings on a scale of 1:1 and a printout of sails on fabric).

Review of the American schooner "HANNAH" in a bottle

When General George Washington took command of the American army, they had no ships to fight against the powerful English fleet. In 1775, George Washington purchased the schooner Hannah, which became the first ship in the American Navy.

Review of the "DANA FISHINGBOAT" model

I present to my dear colleagues a review of the model of the fishing vessel “Dana” from Billing Boats in 1:60 scale. The models of this company differ from most other manufacturers in that they actively use plastic parts, while many consider the use of plastic in wooden models to be in bad taste. Personally, for me, their models seem like a kind of transition from plastic ship models to purely wooden ones, which influenced me when purchasing this set.

Review of the "WASA" model

After 3 months of searching and waiting, I received this set. It was discontinued in 2013 and is no longer planned for release. Therefore, you can call it practically an antique.

Review of the Yacht D"Oro"Yacht D"Oro" model

Dear colleagues. I present a review of the Dutch yacht D"Oro model.
Scale: 1/72.

Review of the "DRAKKAR" model

Good afternoon Colleagues, I bring to your attention a review of a plastic model of a longship from the English manufacturer EMHAR.
Scale: 1/72.

Review of the model "LE SOLEIL ROYAL"

Hello friends and colleagues!
I present to you a model of the sailing ship “Le Soleil Royal”, “The Sun King” from the famous French company Heller. The battleship, built in 1692, was the flagship of Louis XIV. As Heller himself admits, this model is the best in the history of the company.
A little about the set. Scale 1:100. The dimensions of the finished model are 77 cm in length, 76.5 cm in height.

Review of the "SINAGOT" model

Colleagues, I bring to your attention a review of the plastic model of the SINAGOT fishing boat from the famous French manufacturer Heller.
A colorfully decorated cardboard box measuring 350x185x45 contains three sprues with 32 parts, two vacs with three sails, instructions and decals.

Review of the "THONIER ARMOR" model

Colleagues, I bring to your attention a review of a plastic model of a two-masted oyster for catching white tuna.
This kit belongs to the line of sets re-released by the famous French manufacturer Heller, the production of which was previously discontinued. This series can be characterized in one phrase: “Excellent quality in beautiful packaging.”

Review of the model "NAO DE MATARO"

The world famous Nao Mataró was named after the city (city of Mataró, in Catalonia). According to various sources, this ship is also called the “Catalan ship”.

Review of the model "YACHT CORSAIR"

Greetings to all. Today I would like to introduce you to a little-known and quite rare set from the French company Heller in 1/150 scale - the Corsair yacht.
In light of the fact that Heller has now re-released the line of its old models, we can purchase these, dare I say, beautiful whales that disappeared from store shelves 15-20 years ago.

Review of the "CONQISTADOR" model

You all know very well the Heller 1/90 scale Santa set. Do you know which set served as a donor for Santa?
I present to your attention one of the rarest sets from Heller Conquistador in 1:90 scale.

Review of the model "LE SAINT LOUIS"

Hello gentlemen!
I present to your attention a kit for assembling the French galleon "Le Saint Louis" ("St. Louis"). Manufactured by the famous French company Heller.

Review of the model "LA BELLE POULE"

"La Belle Poule": 60-gun frigate of the 1st rank, Surveillante class. (9 ships were built in the series). This class of frigates was developed with an eye to the American USS Constitution.
The model was developed by Heller together with IMAI in the late 1970s. Only the first, small, series went on sale. The set was released too hastily and is considered not very successful.

Review of the SHEBEKA model

I bring to your attention a review of the next whale from IMAI "Chebec" ().
Such ships have been popular in the Mediterranean since about the middle of the 18th century. With a shallow draft, well armed, equipped with lateen sails that allowed them to sail under any winds, they were loved not only by Algerian pirates, but also by the navies of coastal countries. Many European countries, including France, Spain and England, included xebecs in their fleets.

Overview of the MAYFLOWER model

The kits for building the English merchant ship Mayflower from this company are very rare and are actually rare.
The kit is packaged in a classic IMAI cardboard box with color box art.

Set for building a model of a VIKING SHIP in...
coffee can

The other day I came across a rather unusual kit for building a model of a Viking ship. The instructions and all the writing on the packaging are in Japanese, so I couldn’t read anything. But, apparently, the set is intended for the youngest modelers.

Review of the "GOLDEN HIND" model in a bottle

Review of another kit for building a model ship in a bottle from IMAI (Japan) - this time “Golden Hind”.
The scale of the model declared by the manufacturer is 1:450. Model dimensions: length - 76 mm, width - 30 mm, height - 67 mm.

Review of the "CUTTY SARK" model in a bottle

Review of another kit for building a ship model in a bottle from IMAI (Japan) - this time the famous clipper "Cutty Sark".
The scale of the model declared by the manufacturer is 1:750. Model dimensions: length - 112 mm, width - 32 mm, height - 64 mm.

Review of the "SANTA MARIA" model in a bottle

Review of another kit for building a model ship in a bottle from IMAI (Japan) - this time “Santa Maria”.
The scale of the model stated by the manufacturer is 1:450. Model dimensions: length – 75 mm, width – 38 mm, height – 69 mm.

Review of the "SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL" model in a bottle

Perhaps someone will be interested in a review of a kit for building a model ship in a bottle of the schooner "Sir Winston Churchill" from IMAI (Japan).
The scale of the model declared by the manufacturer is 1:500. Model dimensions: length – 88 mm, width – 27 mm, height – 80 mm.

Review of the "THERMOPYLAE" model in a bottle

Review of another kit for building a model ship in a bottle from IMAI (Japan) - this time “Thermopylae” / “Thermopylae”.
This set was released quite a while ago and I believe is no longer in production.

Hello gentlemen!
I present to you a review of the model of the American frigate USS "Constitution" that I purchased. Manufacturer: Japanese company IMAI. The stated scale is 1/120.

Review of the model "SANTA MARIA"

A little about the set. The quality of the parts is excellent. The imitation of wood is well designed, the fit of parts is excellent. Although the set is decades old, it is an excellent set.

Review of the "CATALAN SHIP" model

The world famous Nao Mataro was named after the city (the city of Mataró, in Catalonia). According to various sources, this ship is also called the Catalan ship.
These ships appeared around 1400 and were used for trade in the coastal waters of Spain. There were many such ships that plied the Mediterranean Sea in the 15th century, exporting Catalan textiles.

Review of the "CUTTY SARK" model

Hello gentlemen! I am presenting for review the next model I purchased.
This is the well-known clipper "Cutty Sark". Manufacturer: Japanese company Imai.

Review of the "NAPOLEON" model

Hello gentlemen! In one of the fairy tales I came across a link to an online store. And I liked one model so much that I decided to urgently purchase it. And here I have it. I want to brag a little.
So: the sail-screw battleship "Napoleon" built in 1850.

Review of the model of pleasure yacht "GRETEL" (XVIII century)

Just the sight of a colorful, high-quality cardboard box measuring 485x250x65 mm makes you drool in anticipation of the expected miracle. I would probably have fallen asleep under the tree if my wife had not been persistent, digging me out of there.
The box shows the assembled model, provides information on the scale and dimensions of the model, and close-ups of the yacht at the ends. Under the lid in a folder made of thick paper are 3 sheets of A2 format with assembly drawings, a brochure - catalog for 2006-07. from the manufacturer and instructions in Russian without frills on 2 pages. The drawings leave a pleasant impression not only with the quality of the paper, but also with their detail and clarity. Not only the assembly steps are given, but the rigging wiring is given in detail and even methods of knitting knots are shown.

Review of the schooner "MARSEILLE" model

Built in 1764, the schooner Marseille served in the French Navy as a gunner training vessel. In addition to the 24 three-pounder guns, she had two special six-pounder guns on carriages that could rotate 180 degrees.
A good, thick and colorful box, but, in my opinion, too big for such a set, the contents inside may shake.

Review of the "USS CONSTITUTION" model

USS Constitution, Old Ironsides, is the oldest sailing ship afloat in the world. Still active in the US Navy.
Known as "Old Ironsides". This nickname was given to the ship after it was damaged during the Anglo-American War of 1812-1814. It was noted that the cannonballs of the British ship HMS Guerriere bounced off her sides, which were made of Virginia oak.

Review of the "NINA" model

There is no point in writing about the historical prototype of the ship; it is too well known.
Mamoli offers a mini series of three Columbus sailing ships, claiming 106th scale. Length - 235 mm, height - 268 mm.

Review of the model "SANTA MARIA"

Greetings to all.
Santa Maria is the flagship ship on which Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. It was a three-masted carrack of the "Nao" type, no more than 25 meters long and with a capacity of up to 40 people. The owner and captain of the carrack was Basque Juan de la Cosa, a famous Spanish traveler and cartographer. Santa Maria was a single-deck, three-masted ship with square rig. She moved slower than Columbus's other ships, but was reliable during storms.

Review of the Baltimore clipper schooner ALBATROSS

Baltimore clipper schooners appeared in the city of Baltimore at the beginning of the 19th century and represented a transitional link between a full-fledged clipper and a classic schooner and brigantine. American shipbuilders have proposed a new concept for the vessel. Speed ​​was the top priority. This was achieved due to the ratio of the length and width of the vessel. Europeans adhered to the ratio 1:3, 1:4. American shipbuilders chose the 1:5, 1:6 scheme. But speed also had to be paid for: the vessel’s carrying capacity decreased.

Review of the Felucca model "SAN JUAN" ("EL GLORIOSO")

Short description:
The felucca is a small wooden vessel with heavily canted masts and a large lateen sail attached to a long, two-piece yardarm. They were light and maneuverable and could carry up to 10 passengers, with a crew of two or three people. Feluccas can still be found in the Red Sea, the eastern Mediterranean and on the Nile. In America, a fleet of feluccas built by Italian immigrants filled the docks of San Francisco until 1884.

Review of the HMS BAUNTY model

I would like to present to you a review of one of the most beautiful (in my humble opinion) armed ships of His Majesty’s merchant fleet, H.M.S “Bounty”, from Revell on a scale of 1:110.
As written on the box art, the finished model has the following dimensions: length - 37.2 cm; height 29.1 cm.

Overview of the HANSEA COGG model

Why I love models of antique ships is because there is no debate about the “shapes” of the hull, coloring, etc. meaningless for the reason that no actual drawings have survived. This gives the modeler room for imagination.
I was interested in the model from Zvezda for a long time, but somehow never got around to purchasing it... Chance helped. While in the capital city of Kyiv, out of old memory, I went to the store... It was there that I saw a cogg from Revell. I couldn’t resist... I couldn’t for the simple reason that I’d never met Revellovsky.

Review of the Pilgrim Ship MAYFLOWER model

I present to your attention a model of the Mayflower galleon from Revell in 1:83 scale.
Mayflower (English Mayflower, which literally translates as “May flower”, as the hawthorn is called in England) is an English galleon on which the British, who founded one of the first British settlements in North America, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1620.
The model comes in a colorful, fairly durable box, with two bags inside.

Review of the model "PEDRO NUNES"

Good afternoon everyone. I would like to present to your attention a short review of this specific, for an amateur (fan) of clipper ships, whale.
It seems that they are not on sale now, but if you wish, you can probably buy them second-hand. I can’t say anything about the price today.

Review of the "USS CONSTITUTION" model

Dear colleagues.
We present to your attention the first joint review of the ship model from Revell USS Constitution.

Review of the model "USS BON HOMME RICHARD"

The set, although it has a fairly large scale, does not indulge in the number of details. This gives a lot of scope for modification of the kit. The casting quality of the parts is good, there is little flash, the traces of the pushers are weak. So you won’t have to work very hard with a file...

Review of the "WASA" model

Hello everybody!
I couldn't pass by. I went to buy some paint and bought some extra stuff.
The model is made in scale 1/150

Review of the model of Peter I's boot "FORTUNA"

I bring to your attention a review of the set for cardboard modeling “Boat of Peter I “Fortune” 1689”, manufactured by Shipworks, manufactured by the publishing house Green Eco LLC, author of the model and design of the set V.V. Plaksin.
This set is interesting, first of all, because the first domestic manufacturer has appeared on the cardboard model market, and it is focused on the history of the Russian fleet. The author absolutely accurately conveys the design of the bot.

Overview of the tender model "HURRY"

I present to your attention another review of a cardboard modeling kit from a domestic manufacturer.
The tender "Hasty" is a small 12-gun sailing ship that was a messenger and reconnaissance ship in the Black Sea Fleet. The first commander of the tender was Lieutenant Grigory Ivanovich Butakov, the future admiral, hero of the Sevastopol defense and founder of the tactics of the steam armored fleet. The tender “Hasty” was laid down at the Nikolaev Admiralty on March 18, 1844 by master A.S. Akimov. Upon completion of construction on September 9, 1845, it became part of the Black Sea Fleet. When Russian troops abandoned Sevastopol, the Pospeshny was sunk in the Sevastopol bay on August 27, 1855.

Review of the brig model "OLIMP"

Greetings, colleagues. Today I present to you a review of a model from the Russian company ShipWorks Brig Olympus in 1:96 scale.
The kit contains pre-laser cut cardboard parts, patterns, templates and instructions for building a 1:96 scale replica of the late 19th century Russian sailing ship, the brig Olympus.
We have all repeatedly seen this set on the shelves of model stores, and have repeatedly asked the question: But what lies inside???

Review of the wooden model "Higaki Kaisen" (XVII-XIX centuries)

Review of the "Hacchoro" model

The Hacchoro is a traditional Japanese sailing vessel that dates back to the Edo (ancient name for Tokyo) era (1603-1868). The emergence of this type of court is associated with Ieyasu Tokugawa (1543-1616) - Prince Minamoto, diplomat and military leader, founder of the Tokugawa shogun dynasty, who completed the creation of a centralized feudal state in Japan.
In real life, the boat is not at all large, just a little over 42 feet or 13 meters in length, but since the model is made on a scale of 1:24, it turns out to be of decent size: length - 592 mm, height - 500 mm, width (with oars) - 320 mm.

Review of the model "SANTA MARIA"

I bring to your attention a review of the Santa Maria ship model.
The packaging is typical for Zvezda: thick cardboard with full-color printing. On the front side there is a picture with a ship at sea and company logos.

Review of the model "SHIP OF THE CRUSADERS XII-XIV centuries."

Review of the "ROMAN IMPERIAL TRIREME" model

I don’t deal with the ship theme in modeling (with rare exceptions), but since I came across a kit at work, I offer my “quick” version until one appears from experts in ship modeling.
The box is impressive in size, durable, beautifully designed. Although, if you look closely, you will find that the pictorial miniature does not depict exactly the ship that can ultimately be assembled from the provided parts (the rowers’ seats in the picture are open, for example).

Review of the model of the Russian four-masted barque "KRUZENSHTERN"

Greetings, colleagues.
The first thing that strikes you is the size of the box. I've never had anything like this in my hands before. Dimensions of the box: length - 62 cm, height - 47 cm, width - 9 cm. The box is very durable and has a convenient handle for carrying.

Review of the model "BLACK PEARL" in scale 1:350

Greetings, colleagues.
I would like to show you the contents of a box recently released by Zvezda with a model of Captain Jack Sparrow's ship, the Black Pearl.

Review of the "MEDIEVAL BOAT" model

I present to your attention a review of a small but promising model.
Such lifeboats were placed on crusader ships, coggs and other medieval ships. They were intended mainly for the delivery of goods and people, both from board the ship to the shore and vice versa. In the event of a shipwreck in these boats, the crew abandoned the ship and tried to swim to the nearest shore.

Review of the model "ENGLISH MEDIEVAL SHIP "THOMAS"

I present to you a review of the English medieval ship "Thomas".
The large colorful hard cardboard box contains 7 light brown sprues, 1 white plastic sprue, stand, decal sheet, paper flag and two skeins of thread.

Part I. MODEL SCALE.

Before you start building a sailboat model, you should understand some theoretical issues. These questions, in principle, are interconnected, but the entire process of building the model and how it turns out depends on them.

Let's start with scale.
When depicting a large object in a drawing, drawing, model, etc., we (as a rule) reduce the size of the object several times: two, five, ten, one hundred, a thousand, and so on. The number showing how many times the depicted object is reduced is the scale.
The correct choice of scale is very important when working on a model.
On the one hand, the larger the scale (i.e., the less we reduce the dimensions of the prototype), the more opportunities open up for the modeler in accurately conveying details and elements.
On the other hand, in pursuit of accurate detailing, the modeler sometimes receives a model of gigantic scale, which is associated with the need to use a large number of scarce materials, and with the search for a place to place and display the model.
In fact, if we tried to build a model of an English three-deck battleship of rank I on a scale of 1:48 (this scale was prescribed by the British Admiralty for design drawings and “presentation” models of new ships), the maximum length of which was about 230 feet, we would get a model of almost 1.5 meters long! But, they could effectively detail ship’s cannons, which at this scale would have barrels of about 6 cm. But at a scale of 1:100 the model would be about 70 cm.
But, for example, a small hundred-foot packet boat or two-masted brig on the same 48th scale would have a length of only 65-70 cm, while on a scale of 1:100 it would be only about 30 cm.
In addition, the scale of the model places certain demands on the skill and technological capabilities of the modeler.
A large-scale model will require pinpoint precision in the execution of many elements of the ship's equipment.
But a small scale will entail the need for certain restrictions associated with the complexity of reproducing certain elements and details (for example, already on a scale of 1:100, the castings (steps) of the cables will have to be imitated with a thread 0.2 mm thick... seams will be measured in tenths of a millimeter between cladding boards, fastening and rigging dowels, etc.).
When choosing the scale of a future model (if it is not specified in advance), the modeler must consider the dimensions of the place where the model will be displayed, his own capabilities and experience, and available materials and tools.

You have already noticed that I denote the scale in the form of an arithmetic operation - “division”: 1:48; 1:100... This method of indicating scale is called “numerical”.
The numerical scale tells us that each unit of size on the prototype is divided by a certain number to obtain the dimensions of the model. Having the dimensions of the prototype, using the numerical scale it is easy to calculate the dimensions of the future model.

Modelers also use the so-called “graphic scale”.
The graphic scale is the so-called "scale bar" that can be seen in many drawings. Typically, these are two stripes with divisions, located one above the other. One bar represents a length of several meters (feet) at the scale of the drawing. The second strip is the same length broken down into real centimeters and millimeters.

For example, 10 English feet (300 cm) on a scale of 1:100 will correspond to 3 cm. The scale bar in this case can be two strips 3 cm long, one of which will be divided into 5 or 10 parts (1 or 2 scale feet, respectively), and the second by 3 cm or 30 mm. Sometimes a centimeter ruler has a millimeter breakdown for only 1-2 centimeters.
There are scale rulers with a “checkerboard” (black and white squares) breakdown. Such rulers are made on drawings containing images at different scales (individual elements are depicted on an enlarged (2:1; 5:1) scale relative to the main drawing). Larger cells correspond to the main images, and smaller ones correspond to details.

Drawings that have undergone printing or printed on a printer should be used with caution. All these processing methods inevitably produce distortions and errors.
Therefore, before using the drawing, it is worth checking the scale ruler - measure the length of the centimeter ruler. If the length indicated in the drawing corresponds to the real one, the drawing corresponds to the indicated scale.
Let's look at an example.
In the printed drawing with the indicated scale of 1:100, 10 cm on the scale ruler during the test measurement was 8.5 cm.
To obtain a drawing that corresponds to the scale indicated on it, it (each size in the drawing) must be increased by 10/8.5 = 1.17 times.
Or change the scale of the future model from 1:100 to - 1/8.5*100 = 117 or 1:117.

Finally, I would like to dwell on the “line” of scales used by ship modellers.

I have already mentioned the "Admiralty" scale 1:48.
This is one of the inch scales:

One-first scale is 1 inch (2.54 cm) on the drawing per foot (30 cm) of the vessel under construction (1:12 in metric);
- one-fourth scale - a quarter of an inch of drawing per foot of the vessel (1:48 in the metric system);
- one-eighth scale - (1:96 in the metric system).

This scale (1:48) was chosen and approved by the British Admiralty and was used in the 17th-19th centuries for design drawings of new ships. On the same scale, it was prescribed to build a model for presentation at the Admiralty - the so-called “Admiralty model”, accurately conveying the internal set of the hull, the location of ports, decks, platforms, velvets and other elements of the hull. This model was built by the shipbuilder himself, as a model for the subsequent construction of the ship's hull. After the construction of the ship, the model was transferred to the Admiralty, for use in the construction of a series of identical ships, or for storage.
Thanks to this, a large number of models of ships and vessels of the 17th-19th centuries have been preserved, and scales 1:32, 1:48, 1:96 are still traditionally used for models of sailing ships.

With the development of modeling and the spread of the metric system, metric scales such as 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:400 and so on, up to scales 1:1250 and smaller, combined called "micromodels". The development of plastic modeling brought the spread of scales 1:144, 1:350, 1:700. In addition, often, a model intended for use in a diorama is made at the scale of aircraft, automobile or armored vehicle modeling (1:25, 1:35, 1:72, and so on).

It is worth highlighting the scale of 1:1250 (or 1:1200), used to build the so-called “models up to the waterline” (“tabletop”). The founder of this trend in modeling can be considered Frederick T. Jane, who in 1898 published a reference book on warships of the world, which also contained silhouette images of ships underway at sea, which greatly aided identification.
A little later, silhouette models of ships for headquarters strategic games began to be created based on the type of these images. At the beginning of the 20th century, the companies “Bassett-Lowke” and “Wiking-modelle” began producing collectible models of this scale, which began to be used not only for collecting and entertainment purposes, but also in naval military educational institutions, in work on planning and studying naval operations as a visual aid. This practice was common up to and including the Second World War, in Great Britain and Germany. Today, the largest collection of these miniatures is considered to be the collection of Peter Tamm (now part of the collection of the Internationales Maritimes Museum Hamburg), numbering 36 thousand models.

Collecting scale models is a fascinating, but quite expensive hobby: a hundred “toy” cars on your shelf can cost as much as a real new car. A wisely assembled collection only becomes more expensive over time, which means that large-scale models are not only a joy for their owner, but also a good investment.

This article will give you a basic idea of ​​what scale models are and how to choose and buy them, and will also help you decide whether this hobby is worth spending time and money on. To prevent the text from becoming too long, the review includes only models of the most popular scale in our country, 1:43, and only models of foreign cars. If readers are interested in this topic, we will make a separate review dedicated to models of Soviet and Russian cars - this market segment has many of its own nuances that should be taken into account when compiling a collection.

From toys to high-fidelity replicas

Until the early 90s of the last century, all scale models were, in essence, considered toys: the level of detail was low even in expensive “opener” models, but they were all quite strong, they could be taken out of the box and twirled in your hands without fear and roll on the table.

The German brand Minichamps was one of the first to make high-precision metal models without opening elements, intended exclusively for collecting and not playing. On store shelves, Minichamps models compare favorably in quality with those from old-time companies such as Schabak, Norev, Bburago, Dinky Toys, and adult buyers appreciated this - the Minichamps brand took off sharply and set a new trend in the modeling industry.

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In the 2000s, metal models (professional collectors refer to them as die cast) reached their peak. Some manufacturers, for example AUTOart, have become adept at making incredibly accurate models with many opening elements. At the same time, almost all production of cars moved to China, and since then, large-scale models, regardless of their price and the historical origin of the manufacturing company, are the work of Chinese girls with keen eyes and dexterous hands.

Resin and metal

Also at the turn of the century, a new direction took shape in the world of scale models - cars made of epoxy resin. This material made it possible to achieve an even more accurate correspondence of scale models to their full-size prototypes (or, as experienced collectors say, “greater replicability”), but at the same time, resin models are not only not allowed to be played with, but also removed from the box is not recommended!

Many resin models do not have wheels that spin, and the screws that secure the cars to the podium are hidden from view by plugs - this way the manufacturers make it clear that these models are intended solely for admiration, and under a plastic cover. Even wiping off dust from such models is not an easy task - you can damage fragile photo-etched elements (windshield wipers, emblems, door handles, moldings), and thin glass films bend at the slightest pressure. Resin models are also characterized by slight shrinkage after manufacturing, due to which the moldings glued to the body can fall off, and fitting them back is not so easy - you need a special skill.

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Falling a resin model from your hands onto the floor practically guarantees its death - many collectors do not like the lightness and fragility of such machines. The vast majority of resin models are non-separable: that is, if you find some kind of debris, a bent headrest or a skewed mirror in the interior, it will be almost impossible to fix it.

However, despite all the shortcomings, it is resin models that are considered high-end in the modeling world. Prices for them, as a rule, start at 5,000 rubles, although there are also quite affordable copies produced, for example, under the Premium X Models brand.

Models made using die cast technology are almost always cheaper than their resin counterparts, but they are not always worse. Metal models are a priori stronger, more weighty and for the most part have a detailed bottom, while many manufacturers of resin cars make the bottoms flat, without any hint of suspension and exhaust system elements.

If resin models upset collectors with shrinkage and falling off parts, then another problem can happen with die cast models - zinc plague: due to a violation of the manufacturing technology, the alloy is destroyed over time. Fortunately, this defect is rare in models from foreign manufacturers, but the horror is that if the plague does strike your model, it is impossible to “cure” it - over time, the metal case will simply crumble. The main signs of zinc plague are swelling and cracks in the paintwork of the body.

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Standing apart in the die cast segment are white metal models from the British company Brooklin Models. These are expensive and very heavy models, in which all elements, except glass and tires, are cast from metal. Due to the peculiarities of the technical process, some collectors consider such models to be rough, since their small cast finishing elements are too thick. But according to the laws of artistic miniature, which often contradict the principles of model making, this is just very correct, and on the shelf such cars look very impressive, attracting the eye more than ultra-precise resin models.

How much?

Prices for modern scale models range from 300 to 30,000 rubles per piece. More expensive specimens are either some absolutely outlandish hand-made item, or rarities that have long been discontinued.

Cars costing 300-800 rubles are sold in children's stores and supermarkets throughout the country and, imagine, some of them are quite decent, especially when you compare them with models from thirty years ago. The most common brands in the “bottom” segment are Bburago, Cararama, Rastar, Motor Max, New Ray, RMZ City, Welly.

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The Welly company stands apart, since it almost never falls into 43rd scale and equips its cars with stupid inertia motors, but many novice collectors willingly buy Welly, because their cars are strong, with good paint, rubber tires, and from afar on the shelf they look good.

Also included in the low-cost segment are models in blisters (cardboard with a plastic cap), published in Russia as part of magazine series such as “Supercars” and Ferrari Collection - on the secondary market they cost from 500 to 1,000 rubles. Models from foreign magazine series are a little more expensive - about 1,500 rubles apiece. The quality of cars from magazine series is unstable: there are both quite high-quality samples and outright junk - poorly assembled or poorly designed models that only vaguely resemble prototype cars.

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Middle-class models cost from 1,500 to 5,000 rubles apiece, and the choice in this segment is the richest. Most machines for this money are made using die cast technology, do not have opening elements and are sold packaged in plastic boxes and cardboard boxes, which is very convenient for storage.

The main manufacturers are Minichamps/Maxichamps, Norev, AUTOart, Schuco, Herpa, Kyosho, Hot Wheels Elite, Vitesse, Eligor, Abrex, Corgi, Oxford, Greenlight and IXO Models with all derivative brands (IST Models, J-Collection, Premium X, WhiteBox). All manufacturers have both successful and unsuccessful models (with poor geometry or low-quality assembly), but if, say, defects from AUTOart are an incredible rarity, then IXO Models often sucks, but regularly updates its production line and sells its cars for more lower prices than competitors.

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Most models costing over 5,000 rubles are made of resin and have rich, sometimes even excessive, detailing that leads to assembly problems. The main manufacturers in this price segment are Spark, Neo Scale Models, Kess, Auto Cult, GLM, Matrix, FrontiArt, Looksmart, Brooklin Models. This also includes Minichamps resin models, which cost two to three times more than metal ones.

Where to buy

It would seem that the answer is obvious - on the Internet. Indeed, some models can only be found on the Internet, and there is no way to see the product in person before purchasing. However, many collectors, especially in Europe, in the old fashioned way prefer offline stores, where you can come and spend hours choosing a model worthy of purchase: looking at the product with a magnifying glass, looking for a copy without defects.

There are currently about ten offline stores in Moscow, but prices in them have increased significantly over the past couple of years - the public is increasingly walking past storefronts, clicking their tongues, uttering lines in the style of Kisa Vorobyaninov (“However!”) and leaving without buying anything.

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Online stores are always ready to refund money for a defective or damaged model during shipment or send another copy, however, the criteria for defects among stores and collectors may be different, and it is not always possible to reach an agreement.

It is clear that a broken wheel or crack is a defect, such a model will be replaced or the money will be returned. However, a crookedly glued mirror, uneven paint on the instrument panel, a small chip on the door cards, a figure eight on the wheel, specks of glue on the body or slightly peeling chrome on the window frames can be called production costs by the store - they say, cars are assembled by people (those same Chinese girls), and if desired, small mistakes can be found on any model, so humble yourself, dear buyer, and don’t spoil our nerves.

Buying used models second-hand is an even riskier venture, but if the buyer and seller live in the same city, then you can come and look at the product, which most online stores do not offer.

How to store

Some collectors turn their apartments (or at least one room) into a real museum of scale models: they buy shelves with mirrors and glass shelves, arrange lighting in them, beautifully arrange their wealth, look at it and meditate, and give excursions to guests. But most collectors still do not have space for such installations, and they keep only a small part of their collection in plain sight, and put the rest in boxes and only take it out from time to time to admire.

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Models do not like direct sunlight (paint fades, plastic becomes cloudy and yellow), so staying in a dark box prolongs their life. Also, models do not like sudden changes in temperature and humidity, and storing the collection in an unheated garage or country house is definitely not an option.

If the models are in their original boxes, then there is no need to wipe them from dust. Some collectors generally open the box only once: after purchase, they remove dust and debris and, as they say, preserve the model for centuries. But even with such careful storage, it is necessary to periodically take inventory of the collection, see if everything is in order with the paintwork of the cars, whether they have been struck by zinc plague, whether parts have fallen off, whether the rubber is melting the rims and stand (alas, this sometimes happens) .

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For a caring collector, models remain safely in new condition for decades, and any, even not very high-quality, model in original packaging and in perfect condition increases in price over time - that is, the value of the collection increases. That is why, if you take models out of boxes and place them on a shelf, be sure to keep the original packaging - without them, the models will sharply lose value, and if necessary, transporting an unpackaged model without damage will not be easy.

What to collect

Of course, whatever your heart desires. Many collectors simply buy the models they like and don't bother with any idea or direction. But professional collectors still try to build their collections around one or more themes: for example, post-war Italian cars, Porsche models, minivans, trucks, muscle cars, cars from films, racing cars, models of a single manufacturer (selected , as a rule, a brand with a good reputation - for example, the same AUTOart), etc. A thematic collection is more valuable than a scattered, coreless one.

In principle, if you wish, you can make any model to order - for example, the stock Hyundai Solaris or the exotic concept car from Luigi Colani, which sunk into your soul as a child. Craftsmen-enthusiasts will, for a lot of money, “sculpt” anything out of resin, even from a muddy photograph from an old magazine, but it’s not a fact that the quality will suit you. The desired model can also be manufactured industrially - dozens of Chinese companies offer such services, but private collectors practically do not use them, preferring to buy ready-made products.