Two New Fishing Boat Kits from Vanguard Models – In Stock Now

March 29, 2022 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

Lately, it seems that Vanguard Models has been releasing new kits faster than we can stock them. The two newest kits to be released are a pair of 19th century fishing boats, the Nisha, a Brixham “Mumble Bee”, and the Erycina, a Plymouth Trawler.

Erycina

Nisha

The Nisha, 1907 – The ‘Mumble Bee’ was cutter rigged, full bowed and broad beamed. They were strongly built and many survived to a good old age. Because of their fine lines, a few of these vessels were converted to yachts in their later life. Those fishing off the Welsh coast out of Tenby, working the fishing grounds in Mumbles Bay, acquired the collective term ‘Mumble-Bees’. In part, this was coined because of the large numbers of them ‘buzzing’ around the Mumbles like bees around a hive, and also arose by them adopting some of the features of the established Mumbles boats. Nisha had an overall length of 59 feet 3 inches, moulded beam of of 14 feet. She had a deep drag aft with a draft of 7 foot 10 inches but only 4 feet forward. Her fine lines translate into a very pleasing hull shape, making a very attractive display model.

The Erycina, 1882 – Originally built as a cutter designed by H.V. Prigg and built by W.H. Shilston, Coxside, Sutton Harbour in 1882. She was converted to a ketch rig in 1894. Due to her pedigree, Erycina has unusually beautiful lines, described as a ‘Crack Ketch’, and handled more like a racing yacht than a fishing vessel. Erycina fished along the South West UK coast for over 50 years, an incredibly long career for such a vessel. Her overall length was 71 feet, with a length between perpendiculars of 63 feet. The moulded bredth of 17 foot 2 inches was rather more fine than that of the average trawler, but she was built for speed, and of- ten raced at regattas with with the crack Brixham Smack, Ibex. In 22 races at Plymouth regattas, Erycina won 15 first, 4 second and 2 third prizes.

Both kits are in 1/64 scale that incorporate the latest design techniques, but are both suitable for the total beginner, as well as the seasoned modeler who may want to take a very scale accurate and detailed kit and add their own additional detailing.

Both feature laser cut and engraved parts in MDF and pear wood, laser cut pear wood ladders and companionway, laser etched and cut maple decks with treenail detail, photo etched brass detailing, and more.

Check out the specifics of each kit or order yours on our Ages of Sail shop here:

Nisha – Brixham ‘Mumble Bee’

Erycina – Portsmouth Trawler

Available Now at Ages of Sail

OcCre’s HMS Terror Build in High Speed

March 29, 2022 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

The latest video work from TOM’S Modelling in Motion brings us a 4-1/2 minute build of the Arctic expedition ship HMS Terror, one of two ships that disappeared while searching for the Northwest Passage in 1845, the other being HMS Erebus. The video takes us rapidly through the model, seemingly building itself, while educating us about the story of the ship and crew.

One thing that’s interesting about Tom’s build is his use of some specially designed 3D printed figures which are prominently displayed at the start of the video. Apparently, these figures are available as a file download for your 3D printer for a very reasonable price. Of course, you’ll need your own 3D printer or service to create them.

Tom’s figures are available as 3D printer files, which you can purchase, download, and print to your own 3D printer or using a service of your choice.

We don’t sell these ourselves, and we are not responsible for the quality or use of the file or figures. But, you might be interested in using them yourselves. Again, we have no knowledge about how to use the downloaded files, so please don’t ask us! Here’s the link that Tom shared on his Youtube description: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/various/admiral-captain-and-sailors-for-hms-terror

But, the model is of course the HMS Terror kit from OcCre of Spain. And, if you’re inspired to build your own model of this fascinating ship, we do carry this very popular kit.

Start by checking out the kit on the Ages of Sail online shop here: https://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/occre/occre-ship-model-kits/hms-terror-occre-oc12004.html

Find this, and more, at Ages of Sail

Artesania Latina’s Soleil Royal Now in Stock!

March 9, 2022 / agesofsail / 2 Comments

The 17th century French ship-of-the-line Le Soliel Royal was build as as a 104 gun warship name for the “Sun King”, King Louis XIV, and served as the flagship of Admiral Tourville. The “three decker” was built in 1669 and was one of the most powerful ships of her day. She was also among the most sumptuously decorated warships with wooden carvings paying tribute to the French monarch.

Artesania has recreated this ship in incredible detail with this big 1/72 scale wooden ship model kit that is replete with decorative fittings, particularly at the bow and stern. The kit features hundreds of laser-cut plywood and solid wood parts, cast and photo-etched metal fittings, as well as a full set of pre-sewn sails. To finish the model, the kit also comes with wooden base and metal nameplate, plus a set of 12 cast metal figures of the ship’s crew, ready to paint and assemble.

The completed model measures just about 36″ long, 34″ high, and just under 12″ across.

We also stock Artesania Latina’s optional lighting kit, which you can use to add extra life to your model.

As with all Artesania Latina kits now, all instructions are provided in digital format on computer DVD . The step-by-step instructions consist of nearly 400 pages, with thousands of images and text to help get you through this incredible kit, designed for the Expert ship modeler.

Don’t have a DVD drive? Not a problem, you can download the instructions directly or you can preview them here.

To get started on your own Artesania Latina Soleil Royal build, visit our kit listing at Ages of Sail here. Ω

An Amati Drakkar Viking Ship Build

January 4, 2022May 23, 2024 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

An Australian ship modeler that goes by the screen name of Amfibius built an incredibly well done Drakkar Viking Ship that he built from a kit by Amati Model. The model photos were posted on the ModelShipWorld forum was back in 2013, but that doesn’t take away from the great presentation he made of his model.

We reached out to him and asked him if we could share his photos and news about his build on our blog. So, here’s his beautiful Drakkar build, presented here with his permission.

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Ship’s Boats kits from Vanguard Models – Now in Stock

December 10, 2021 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

While Vanguard Models is known for some very beautifully designed kits of British fishing boats and 18th century warships, they also now produce a full line of ship’s boats kits, and Ages of Sail has them for you.

All kits are 1/64-scale models. They are fully detailed to finish out your large ship model or waterfront scene, and they make great short term projects on their own.

All kits come with a disposable building frame, with all wooden parts provided in high grade pear wood. Planks are laser-cut, and accessories are provided in the form of photo-etched brass.

There’s a wide assortment to choose from – everything from an 18-foot cutter on up to 34-foot launch. There are currently 8 different kits available, so you’ll be able to find the exact boat you need, and we have them all at Ages of Sail here. Ω

HMS Sphinx from Vanguard Models Now in Stock

November 13, 2021 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

In case you haven’t noticed yet, the newest release from Vanguard Models, HMS Sphinx, has made it to our shores and is now available at Ages of Sail!

HMS Sphinx was a 20-gun sixth-rate warship of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1775 at Portsmouth Dockyard. Technically, she is not a frigate, but a sloop-of-war. However, she was “frigate built” with connected quarterdeck and forecastle.

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The Endurance – New Model Kit from OcCre

March 28, 2021November 11, 2025 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

We just received our first shipment of the newest kit from the Spanish wooden ship model kit manufacturer, OcCre. The ship is the 1/70-scale model of Endurance, the Antarctic exploration ship of Sir Ernest Shackleton. A 3-masted barquentine (or barkentine) built in Sandefjord, Norway, the carried Shackleton and his crew of 27 for the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914.

The Endurance was a sturdy ship, 144 feet long, and built with a reinforced hull. The ship was equipped with a coal-fired steam engine that could propel the ship at over 10 knots. Though she was considered to be perhaps the strongest wooden ship ever built, she could not overcome the power of nature. In January of 1915, strong winds had piled up thick packs of ice around the ship, and became locked in the Antarctic ice. Ultimately, by October, she was crushed by pressure waves in the ice around her, and her crew was forced to abandon her.

After months on the ice, Shackleton and his crew took to the lifeboats and made it to the uninhabited Elephant Island. Shackleton and five of his men then continued to sail 800 miles in an open boat to get help and mount a rescue expedition for the rest of his men. The crew of the Endurance survived the ordeal without a single loss of life.

OcCre’s kit features an MDF (medium density fiberboard) keel piece with laser-cut plywood bulkheads. Major structural parts are also laser-cut for ease of construction. A healthy supply of strip woods are provided for the planking of the hull, which is accomplished in two layers. Two sheets of photo-etched brass and a supply of wooden, cast metal, and brass fittings are provided to detail your model. To finish up the model, several spools of rigging line, pre-sewn sails, and printed flag sheet is provided.

The included instructions are in a step-by-step, pictorial format, and you can download and preview a copy of them here: Endurance Instructions

Want more help with your build? OcCre has you covered, with a 30-part series of instructional videos on Youtube, designed to guide you through the construction of the hull. Here’s a link to the video series: Endurance Build Videos

We received a limited initial supply of this kit, so hurry if you want one. We have more coming in soon, though. So, if you don’t manage to get one right away, you shouldn’t have to wait long.

As an introductory special, we’re listing this kit for only $199.95, which should be good through the end of April. Get your’s here: Endurance on Ages of Sail

In the meantime, here are some more photos of the completed kit…

Get your wooden model ship kit at Ages of Sail!

New Kits from Türkmodel Now in Stock

February 27, 2021 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

Türkmodel, or Turk Model as we have them listed, is a major manufacturer of wooden ship model kits based in Turkey. For the past several years, the company has engaged in the production of wooden model ship and boat kits using computer aided design technology to their create model kits. They have been producing kits under their own label, as well as kits for regional companies like Nordic Class Boats, Modell-Tec, and others.

Turk Model’s line up of ship and boat model kits includes fishing boats, passenger ferries, various workboats, recreational sail boats and speed boats, and then some. One example is the Swedish passenger ship Bohuslän, produced for Nordic Class Boats. This kit is a big 1/45-scale model that now includes an LED lighting set. The model is designed so that it can be converted to R/C operation, though it makes a beautiful display model.

At Ages of Sail, we’ve just expanded our inventory by introducing 10 new Turk Model kits. To read more about the model kit or to order one, simply click on the linked images below.

Killing Sailboat

Astraal Fishing Boat

M/S Finnmarken

FPV Westra

Kubra Retro Speed Boat

Taka, Black Sea Fishing Boat

Skibladner Paddle Steamer

Jeanett Nordic Fishing Boat

Oselvar Faering

Conny Nordic Fishing Boat

You can also browse the full line of Turk Model kits that we carry at Ages of Sail here: https://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/turk-model.html

Artesania Latina’s New 1/65-Scale Vasa Kit

February 18, 2021February 28, 2021 / agesofsail / 2 Comments

We just received a big shipment of products from the “new and improved” Artesania Latina, so we’re finally recovering after the holidays depleted our stocks of this long-time popular brand. In addition, we’ve receive some new kits you might want to check out, as well as the return of an old favorite, the San Juan Nepomuceno. But, the biggest news by far is the release of their brand new kit of the 17th century Swedish warship Vasa.

This spectacular kit is made for the Expert Level modeler and is produced in 1/65-scale, making it one of the largest Vasa kits available at 42″ long and 34″ high. The kit makes heavy use of die-cast and photo-etched decorations, and there are a LOT of them!

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New HMS Flirt from Vanguard Models

August 26, 2020 / agesofsail / 1 Comment

The two-masted brig HMS Flirt is a brand new release from Vanguard Models of the UK, and Ages of Sail has it in stock. Designer Chris Watton has outdone himself again with yet another fantastic 1/64-scale wooden ship model kit.

HMS Flirt was a 14-gun ship that was one of the new flush decked brig-sloops built in the latter part of the 18th century. She and HMS Speedy (another Vanguard Models kit) are of the same class. In terms of kits, the most obvious difference is the hull of the HMS Flirt kit is not copper sheathed.

This new kit from Vanguard models features internal structural parts laser-cut from sturdy MDF sheets and birch plywood. All the visible parts are laser-cut from beautiful pear wood sheets, including details such as ladders and gratings. Meanwhile, making construction perfect and simplified, the deck comes as a laser-scribed lime wood, complete with all planking and treenail detail.

Note that photo is from a limited Special Edition version of the kit. The only difference in materials that the Standard Edition kit that Ages of Sail sells is the wood type.

The hull of this kit is double-planked, using high quality lime wood for the first layer, and pear wood for the outer finish layer. For masts and yards, the kit includes walnut dowels. The 14 4-pdr cannon barrels and 1/2-pdr swivel guns are cast in black resin for maximum detail, and the kit includes black acrylic cannon balls. For the metalwork, 3 sheets of photo-etched brass parts are included.