I was window shopping the net and noticed a MegaHobby ad for this kit, but it says “by Lee Models”. Since it states the instructions are in Japanese I was wondering if this could be the Aoshima/ex-Imai parts inside the box. I also found a Nippon Maru at Hobby World of Montreal, also listed as 1/150, but they don’t list manufacturer’s names in their ads. After checking to see if this was still in stock at Squadron, I compared prices:
Squadron $135.96 (Aoshima kit)
Mega-Hobby $69.95 (Lee Models)
Hobby World $53.95 (manufacturer not shown) on sale now.
While looking (I do more looking than buying) I saw Mega Hobby has two “new” ?? sailing ship kits by Ocidental Models. Caravela Portuguesa, 1/100 scale, and Barco Rabelo, 1/75. I have no idea what a Barco Rabelo is. The caravel box shows two masts, but both with lateen type sails. Is that accurate? I believe you call them lateen – I’m still learning the old tar lingo. At those scales they are pretty small, but I thought somebody might be interested.
A caravel could indeed have two masts - or three. As a matter of fact I have a vague recollection of having seen reliable pictures of a four-masted caravel somewhere (but I may be mistaken about that one).
The barco rabelo is a traditional Portuguese small boat type used to carry barrels of wine. It’s an interesting boat. The bow and stern sweep up dramatically, the huge wine casks are stowed out in the open amidships, and the helmsman stands on an elevated platform at the stern, handling a long steering oar. The single mast supports a yard and one huge sail, which has a baggy, billowy form that’s quite distinctive. I think I’ve seen that kit somewhere or other; it didn’t make much of an impression on me.
What I do remember quite clearly is an exquisite, scratchbuilt model of a barco rabelo on 1/48 scale by William Wiseman, a modeler whose work I greatly admire. He’d picked that particular subject to try out an idea for a sailmaking technique. He made the sail out of individual, scale-width strips of fine linen. I’ve never been much of a fan of sails (other than furled ones) on ship models, but that one blew me away. I’ve never seen such an effective rendition of a sail full of wind. And the rest of the model was just as impressive. I suspect, in fact, that the reason I didn’t pay much attention to that kit, when I saw it in the hobby shop, was that I knew nothing I could build would compare with Mr. Wiseman’s model.
There’s a series of articles by Mr. Wiseman about this model in the Nautical Research Journal for 1992. I just looked it up; it makes fascinating reading. (Incidentally, one of the best - and most reasonably-priced - sources of research material on ships and ship models is the 2-CD set of back issues of the NRJ. It’s available via the Nautical Research Guild website, www.naut-res-guild.org . Highly recommended.)
Ron,
I built the Occidental barco rabelo 10 years ago. It is a nice small kit, with many “porto” barrels and a nice cloth sail printed with the emblem of a well known porto wine brand.
You can see pictures of barco rabelo here :
Sounds like I should have snapped up that kit when I had the chance! Michel - do you know whether Occidental makes any other ship or boat kits? I know its aircraft kits have a pretty good reputation.
Portuguese caravel - Mini 1:250
Barco Rabelo - Mini 1:250
Nau San. Gabriel - Mini 1:250
Barco Rabelo 1:75
Portuguese caravel 1:100
Nau San. Gabriel 1:100
Nina 1:100
Fregata D. Fernando II 1:100
Nina and Portuguese caravel must be the same model, with minor differences.
I have not seen the “mini” models and the frigate model, I do not know if they were issued.
Michel
Very interesting! I wonder if the two caravels are actually new to this manufacturer, or reboxings of the old Heller kits. The latter have really made the rounds, appearing under quite a few labels (and names) over a period of close to thirty years.
John,
there is an interesting book written by J.C.Carbonel : “Heller-la maquette à la française” (Histoire & Collections edito, rrp 37,50 euros). It is not so expensive, and it includes a list of all the models produced by Heller. http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2915239665/qid%3D1130620367/402-3826613-5370514
J.C.Carbonel has a website : http://modelstories.free.fr/
So, I ask him the question, and I ask him if there will be an English edition of his book. (because, unfortunately, both the book and the website are in French).
Michel
I’d be interested to read a list of Heller sailing ship kits - especially if it indicated which ones are modified versions of others. My guess is that at least 2/3 of the Heller line was based on recycled hulls.
I fought my way through one year of college-level French, and one year of German, about thirty years ago. I can just about decipher a French instruction sheet, but that’s the limit of my capacity. As you probably know, foreign language instruction is one of the great weaknesses of the American education system. I’m consistently embarrassed when I encounter Europeans who speak and write English as well as I do.
According to JC Carbonnel, Heller Nina and Occidental Nina- Caravel are different models. When the Occidental Nina was first issued, there was no agreement between Heller and Occidental.
BTW, I’ll try to collect some informations about the Heller models with a common hull and post a topic in this forum.
Michel
Michel - A detailed list of the various incarnations in which Heller hulls have appeared would be really interesting - and valuable, especially for newcomers. I wonder, though, whether such a list would fit in this Forum [:D]. Some of those Heller hulls, if I’m not mistaken, have shown up four or five times in different guises.
It would be especially useful if it could be established what (if any) ship each hull actually does represent. I imagine, for example, that the Pourquas Pas? kit was a reasonable representation of the real thing - but the recycled version of the hull as a “brigantine” was pure fiction.