After the Holidays, we’ve had a long wait for our latest shipment from England’s Vanguard Models, but it finally arrived yesterday, and we couldn’t be happier. Or, should we say Harpy-er? With this shipment we received the latest kit to come out of Chris Watton’s Vanguard Models company, and it’s amazing. This is the Royal Navy vessel HM Brig Harpy, 1796.
The Adder is another recent wooden model ship kit release to come out of Christopher Watton’s company Vanguard Models. They are in stock now at Ages of Sail and ready to ship!
His Britannic Majesty’s Cutter Trial, 1790 is the latest wooden model ship kit to come out of Christopher Watton’s company Vanguard Models, and Ages of Sail has them in stock now and ready to ship to you.
Vanguard Models Kit of the Grecian Now Available at Ages of Sail!
We’re thrilled to announce that Ages of Sail has just received a fresh shipment of the highly anticipated Vanguard Models kit of the Grecian. Dive into history and craftsmanship as you embark on an incredible journey to recreate the Baltimore privateer schooner that sailed the seas during the War of 1812.
About Baltimore Clippers: Emerging during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Baltimore Clippers redefined maritime design with their distinct characteristics. They boasted a narrow, rakish hull, graceful sheer lines, and lofty masts adorned with a vast array of sails. These features, combined with their innovative rigging and lightweight construction, allowed them to outpace larger vessels and navigate shallow waters with astonishing ease.
The Baltimore Clipper’s most illustrious period coincided with the War of 1812. Renowned for their ability to outmaneuver and outrun British warships, these clippers became vital assets for American privateers. Their speed allowed them to swiftly close in on merchant vessels and capture them with remarkable efficiency, despite being outgunned. This strategic advantage earned them a place in history as nimble and daring vessels that defied the odds.
Introducing the Vanguard Models’ Grecian Kit: Immerse yourself in the meticulous details of this stunning model kit, designed with historical authenticity and ease of construction in mind. The Grecian kit captures the spirit of a bygone era, bringing to life the iconic two-masted schooner-rigged Baltimore clipper that made waves during a pivotal moment in history.
A World of Features Awaits You: The Grecian is a 1/64-scale wooden model kit measuring just under 35″ long and 22″ high, and is the latest kit to come from kit designer and ship modeler Chris Watton and his company Vanguard Models.
Experience the Joy of Ship Modeling: Ages of Sail is your gateway to a world of creativity, learning, and community. As a revered destination for wooden ship model kits, fittings, tools, and accessories, we’re excited to offer you the Vanguard Models kit of the Grecian – a gateway to a captivating world of craftsmanship and history.
Get Yours Today: Don’t miss this opportunity to own a piece of maritime history. Visit our online shop at https://www.agesofsail.com/product/grecian-baltimore-privateer-schooner-1812-vanguard-models-164/ and secure your Vanguard Models kit of the Grecian now. Unveil the magic of ship modeling, and let your journey of creation begin!
The “Indi” is here! Chris Watton of Vanguard Models has outdone himself again and produced this newest biggest kit of their product line, His Matesty’s 44-gun frigate Indefatigable, 1794.
This 1:64-scale wooden model ship it measures over 50″ in overall length, and nearly 35″ tall. This is a monster of a kit with tons of details, including a full, open gun deck – no dummy cannons here – a detailed great cabin, and much, much more. Here’s a sample of photos of this incredible new kit.
Some of you may recognize the ship’s name from the Horatio Hornblower saga, but she was a real ship, designed by Sir Thomas Slade as one of the Ardent-class 64 gun ships of the line, but later razee’d to a 44-gun gun frigate, as she is modeled here.
This is a fully masted and rigged model kit, though these photos only show her hull construction. Check out the details of this new and most exciting kit, available now at Ages of Sail here: https://www.agesofsail.com/product/hms-indefatigable-164-vanguard-models/ Ω
Just in stock is the latest ship model kit from Chris Watton’s Vanguard Models, the Ranger, a Barking Fish Carrier. Replacing the earlier well smacks, the fish carriers transported fish just caught from the fishing fleets and raced them back to the markets, requiring the best speed to assure fresh catch. So, boats like the Ranger were fast and had very fine lines.
With the release of the cutter HMS Alert, the Brigs HMS Flirt and HMS Speedy, then the royal yacht Duchess of Kingson, and finally the frigate HMS Sphinx, the Royal Navy ships available from Chris Watton’s Vanguard Models continues growing in size and number.
The latest work in progress is now the 44-gun razee frigate, HMS Indefatigable, a ship with not only a very active history, but also one famous for its appearance in C.S. Forester’s Horation Hornblower series.
This 1/64-scale wooden ship model kit has been under development by Chris Watton for some time, and the prototype model is currently under construction by ship modeler James Hatch. You can read about the the build progress on the ModelShipWorld online forum here: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/30665-hms-indefatigable-1794-prototype-by-james-h-vanguard-models-164/
According to Chris, he’s hoping for a December release of the new kit. But, it will depend on when the prototype model is completed, at which time, he has to begin the process of laser-cutting the parts of the final version. Ages of Sail is expecting to order the new kits as soon as they are available.
In the meantime, the latest release from Vanguard Models was recently announced, and Ages of Sail is in the process of ordering these kits of the Barking Fish Carrier Ranger, 1864.
This latest kit from Vanguard Models is 1/64-scale and measures a little over 20″ long.
Watch for forthcoming details once we have the kit in stock.
In the meantime, check out the line of Vanguard Models kits at Ages of Sail. Ω
It was barely over 2 months ago that we announced having two new fishing boat kits in stock from Vanguard Models, and here we are announcing that we now have yet another new release in stock, the well-smack Saucy Jack.
A well-smack is a type of fishing boat that keep it’s catch fresh by use of a large internal tank of seawater. The method was a good way to keep the catch fresh, but the extra weight of the water she carried, made her slow. Boats of this type were used in the 1800s and up into the 1950s.
Saucy Jack is a typical example of this type of fishing boat. She was built in 1836 and operated until 1880. Vanguard Models kit is a 1/64 scale reproduction of the 51 ton well-smack, and measures just under 17″ long and 14″ tall.
The kit features laser cut and engraved parts in MDF (medium density fiberboard) and pear wood, laser-etched and cut maple deck with planking and treenail detail, photo-etched brass parts, 3D printed parts, a double-planked hull with a lime wood first layer and a high quality pear wood outer planking layer.
Included is a comprehensive, full-color instruction manual and 12 plan sheets. This kit is quite a treat for any ship modeler.
For more details and ordering information, check it out at Ages of Sail here. Ω
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:
Available Now at Ages of Sail
It’s always a pleasure when customers send us photos of their completed models, so we were particularly happy to start off the new year when customer tomsimon of Chino Hills, CA, shared with us the final photos of the wooden ship model he just completed, the Lady Eleanor from Vanguard Models. He gave us permission to share these photos on our social media sites, so we’re happy to post them here for you.
Tomsimon tells us that this Lady Eleanor is his first ever wooden ship model, and we think he’s done a wonderful job!
Lady Eleanor is a 1/64 scale wooden model kit of a Scottish fishing boat type called a Fifie. It’s described as a type that was commonly seen off the east coast of Scotland from the 1850s through the 1950s, and was known as a workhorse in the fishing community. Continue reading
Ages of Sail 