Hi Jason! Well that was interesting, i've never seen the contents of a wooden ship kit. Looks as simple as you can get and so complicated for someone like me who has no idea. I will be looking forward to see how you build something like this. Thanks for sharing, take care and keep up the good work my friend.
It isn't a viking longship really - this is Skuldelev 3 - a coastal trader (5 rooms with oar ports, and a midships hold), much smaller than the warships (Skuldelev 5 (a 13 room ship) or Skuldelev 2/4 (a 30 room ship). The earlier period Karve such as Oseberg and Gokstad are broader vessels with 15/16 rooms. Size - she is still a little smaller than '5' being ~14m overall (9.6tons), compared to 17.3m (8 tons), and much smaller than 2/4 which is close to 30m (26 tons). The Knarr (Skuldelev 1) is also fairly short, but much bulkier at 15.5m and ~20 tons, and is an ocean going trading vessel. (The last of the 5 Skuldelev vessels was the '6' - a small fishing vessel 11.3m and 3 tons, with 7 rooms for oars
Billings were so bad 30 years ago the bulkhead timbers would crumble as you were building. I binned a completed hull of the FD10 in disgust! I recently got 2 kits of the Oseburg off eBay intending to use them as templates to scratch a build but unfortunately the bulkhead sections were missing in both boxes. Either way the planking was a sheet of 2mm ply to cut out your own planks according to some thick lined smudged outlines. I give tuition on Facebook, I always recommend people steer clear of Billings. There is a new Oseburg at the PavelNikitin Store, very high quality, large scale and good timber. Pricewise, very favourable. In Ukraine so hopefully still trading!? Not a beginners kit though!
One thing you should draw attention to is that the external hull is built up in two halves (port & starboard) which are then glued together. This is quite unlike how the hull of it's predecessor (The Skuldelev Ship) was built up which was in one piece! After this the internal parts are fitted or assembled then fitted!
I've been tempted to get one of these for a while but have always been a bit daunted. Would you say it would be a good first wooden ship kit? Thanks for the review and I look forward to seeing you build it.
Hi Jason, This kit sure has an interesting assembly method. I don't think I would attempt as a first wood kit. To bad the quality isn't that great. Have a good one. Jeff
I do agree, however this was actually my first wooden kit I build. I have replaced many parts for non plywood: that really was an improvement. All in all the boat came out really great. It was a great kit to build and I learned a lot
I'm currently building an earlier release of this kit, wooden stand and even more random instructions. My opinion, maybe 1/10 for instructions, insanely vague is a good place to start, then it gets worse. However, still a fun kit to build and I'm so stubborn that it's going to work and I'm going to end up with an awesome model. Just don't expect that Billings has any idea of build instructions. But good practice for my future wooden ship kits I'm yet to build and I can hardly wait to deal their instructions... But not Billings again, ever, no matter how cheap...
This was the first wooden ship I ever built. It was not easy , but also not really that difficult. I forget what glue I used. You do not want to use Elmers, because it is water based. I clean the dust off by holding it in the shower.
I built one of these almost 50 years ago and it is up in my son's room. Looks as good as the day I built it.
Hi Jason! Well that was interesting, i've never seen the contents of a wooden ship kit. Looks as simple as you can get and so complicated for someone like me who has no idea. I will be looking forward to see how you build something like this. Thanks for sharing, take care and keep up the good work my friend.
Glad you enjoyed it, its quite difrent to plastic, check out my HMS Fly videos
It isn't a viking longship really - this is Skuldelev 3 - a coastal trader (5 rooms with oar ports, and a midships hold), much smaller than the warships (Skuldelev 5 (a 13 room ship) or Skuldelev 2/4 (a 30 room ship). The earlier period Karve such as Oseberg and Gokstad are broader vessels with 15/16 rooms.
Size - she is still a little smaller than '5' being ~14m overall (9.6tons), compared to 17.3m (8 tons), and much smaller than 2/4 which is close to 30m (26 tons). The Knarr (Skuldelev 1) is also fairly short, but much bulkier at 15.5m and ~20 tons, and is an ocean going trading vessel. (The last of the 5 Skuldelev vessels was the '6' - a small fishing vessel 11.3m and 3 tons, with 7 rooms for oars
Billings were so bad 30 years ago the bulkhead timbers would crumble as you were building. I binned a completed hull of the FD10 in disgust!
I recently got 2 kits of the Oseburg off eBay intending to use them as templates to scratch a build but unfortunately the bulkhead sections were missing in both boxes. Either way the planking was a sheet of 2mm ply to cut out your own planks according to some thick lined smudged outlines. I give tuition on Facebook, I always recommend people steer clear of Billings. There is a new Oseburg at the PavelNikitin Store, very high quality, large scale and good timber. Pricewise, very favourable. In Ukraine so hopefully still trading!? Not a beginners kit though!
One thing you should draw attention to is that the external hull is built up in two halves (port & starboard) which are then glued together. This is quite unlike how the hull of it's predecessor (The Skuldelev Ship) was built up which was in one piece! After this the internal parts are fitted or assembled then fitted!
Just had this as gift, is there a video of it being built?
Don’t know , I certainly haven’t done one
I've been tempted to get one of these for a while but have always been a bit daunted. Would you say it would be a good first wooden ship kit? Thanks for the review and I look forward to seeing you build it.
Hi, this is absolutely not a good first kit, I would go for a small Caldercraft or Artasina Latina kit for a first attempt
@@ModelkitStuff good to know, cheers.
Occre do some great boats for starting and instructions and brilliant 👌
Hi Jason, This kit sure has an interesting assembly method. I don't think I would attempt as a first wood kit. To bad the quality isn't that great. Have a good one. Jeff
I do agree, however this was actually my first wooden kit I build. I have replaced many parts for non plywood: that really was an improvement. All in all the boat came out really great. It was a great kit to build and I learned a lot
@@raimonsmolders3396 It sounds like you had a great time building this. Are you currently working on anything? Have a great day. Jeff
I'm currently building an earlier release of this kit, wooden stand and even more random instructions.
My opinion, maybe 1/10 for instructions, insanely vague is a good place to start, then it gets worse.
However, still a fun kit to build and I'm so stubborn that it's going to work and I'm going to end up with an awesome model.
Just don't expect that Billings has any idea of build instructions.
But good practice for my future wooden ship kits I'm yet to build and I can hardly wait to deal their instructions...
But not Billings again, ever, no matter how cheap...
I have a couple of billings kits including the 1.3 meter long HMS Warrior, not sure where that will go once built
This was the first wooden ship I ever built. It was not easy , but also not really that difficult. I forget what glue I used. You do not want to use Elmers, because it is water based. I clean the dust off by holding it in the shower.
But I want a viking boat with a dragon head or some such