Last week I received my HMS Ontario by MarisStella. I had been dealing with John Andela who was most helpful in getting the most recent iteration of this model.
My kit has all of the most recent upgrades, including cannons, double drilled blocks, partially completed sails, and 3-D printed bow and stern pieces. I had finally finished my ZHL model of the HMY Royal Caroline 1:50 and the difference between the MarisStella and the ZHL kits is like night and day. Part of this is due to the fact that the MarisStella instruction manual (all 250+ pages!!) is in English, but the quality of materials also seem superior.
It will be a few weeks before I actually begin the new build as I must reorganize my shop and replace the surface of my work table. I also must repair one of the yards on the Royal Caroline which (my fault) appears slightly out of line with the others, and then I will mount it in my newly received acrylic case. I recently switched from glass cases to museum quality acrylic cases. Not only are the seams much better, but the weight is about 50% that of glass. I have been assured that this new plastic will not discolor or deteriorate in any way and is now being used for commercial purposes.
My kit has all of the most recent upgrades, including cannons, double drilled blocks, partially completed sails, and 3-D printed bow and stern pieces. I had finally finished my ZHL model of the HMY Royal Caroline 1:50 and the difference between the MarisStella and the ZHL kits is like night and day. Part of this is due to the fact that the MarisStella instruction manual (all 250+ pages!!) is in English, but the quality of materials also seem superior.
It will be a few weeks before I actually begin the new build as I must reorganize my shop and replace the surface of my work table. I also must repair one of the yards on the Royal Caroline which (my fault) appears slightly out of line with the others, and then I will mount it in my newly received acrylic case. I recently switched from glass cases to museum quality acrylic cases. Not only are the seams much better, but the weight is about 50% that of glass. I have been assured that this new plastic will not discolor or deteriorate in any way and is now being used for commercial purposes.
