We’ve carried Billing Boats kits for quite a while, but we’re working now to expand our retail selection of these kits. There will be more Billing Boats kits forthcoming, including a couple fairly recent releases. But, for now, here are two classic warships from the transitionary period between sail and steam, the Danish frigate Jylland and the British iron-hulled warship HMS Warrior.

Both of the original ships are still in existence  and represent the last ships of their kind. They are available for public access, so you can still walk the decks of these beautiful vessels. And, if you can’t get to them, there should be plenty of photos on the Internet to help you make the most accurate build possible.

In fact, here are a couple photos we found on the web…

HMS Warrior

Frigate Jylland

Both Billing Boats kits are “Expert” level models, so we don’t recommend you attempt them without a fair amount of experience. The kits feature plank-on-bulkhead construction and include laser-cut frames. Many major parts are also laser cut. Fittings provided included wooden blocks, and fittings in brass, wood or plastic fittings.

The Frigate Jylland, BB5003

The frigate ‘Jylland’ was the last warship of the Danish Royal Navy built of oak. It was launched on 20 January 1860. ‘Jylland’ was also the first steam-powered, screwdriven ship and at an engine out-put of 400 hp was able to reach the then impressive speed of 12 knots. A noteworthy feature that should be mentioned is that the screw could be raised up into a ‘screw- well’ so that it did not slow the ship down under sail. On 9th May 1864 ‘Jylland’ fought in the Battle of Heligoland against a fleet of Austrian and Prussian ships. King Christian IX used the ship on various visits to Iceland and Russia. The 2450-ton ‘Jylland’ had a hull lenght of 71m (96m overall) and a beam of 13,5m. The ship had a crew of between 405 and 437 men, depending on the ship´s duties, and carried 44 muzzle-loaded cannons. In 1960 ‘Jylland’ was towed by tugs from the naval base in Copenhagen to Ebeltoft. On 11 August 1984 it made its last voyage – into a new exhibition dock. After several years of restoration work, Frigate ‘Jylland’ was opened to the public. For those with an interest in ships and life at sea, this 130-year-old ship is certainly worth visiting.

The completed model measures 39.8″ in length and 24.8″ in height and sells regularly for $599. To celebrate the addition of this model, we’re taking 10% off, now through September 1st. We only have 5 of these kits available at the time of this writing, so act fast if you want to get one, especially at this price.

HMS Warrior, BB512

The Warrior was designed and built in response to an aggressive French shipbuilding program which saw the introduction of the first iron-clad warship La Gloire. The Royal Navy was determined to meet this challenge of supremacy and build a ship so superior in terms of quality, speed, size, armament and armour that it would be inconceivable to France that she could take Britain on in a sea battle. August 1, 1861, The Warrior was the largest warship in the world, at 9,210 tons displacement, she was fully 60% larger than the La Gloire. June 1862 she started active service in the Channel Squadron. In 1871 she was no longer the crack ship she had once been, and was downgraded to Coast Guard and reserve services. The Warrior was eventually converted to a floating school for the Navy and re-named Vernon III in 1904. By 1978, she was the only surviving example of the ‘Black Battlefleet’, the 45 iron hulls built for the Royal Navy between 1861 and 1877.

This is a BIG model! The completed model measures 57.9″ in length and 26.5″ in height and sells regularly for $755.95. Again, to celebrate the addition of this model, we’re offering the kit at 10% off, now through September 1st. We only have 13 of these kits in our warehouse, so we don’t expect to run out anytime soon. But, if you want to take advantage of the special pricing, make sure to act by September 1st!

Click the links below to check out the kits now at Ages of Sail:

• HMS Warrior on Ages of Sail
• Frigate Jylland on Ages of Sail