Most popular Constitution kit

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lauckstreet

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Group,

I've been wanting to build a USS Constitution kit but have been having trouble finding a good kit and understanding which kit is the most popular kit. I've already build the Model Shipways kit many years ago so I don't want to build that kit again. I've built a number of Mamoli kits and see build logs here for their Constitution kit, but they burned down so I doubt that's an easy kit to even find.

I understand there's a Constructo kit but even that kit seems difficult to find. The Bluejacket kit is rather expensive. I was hoping to find something a little more reasonable in price. I've looked at the Mantua kit but frankly it doesn't even look like the Constitution (maybe it's because it is shown in natural wood rather than the black and white painted scheme).

I'd like to hear from you all as to what Constitution kit is the best both in quality and accuracy but also in popularity.

Thanks,

Bob
 
Hello Bob,Dusek has right to produce the Mamoli kits ,they have started producing some ,here is the link.The Constitution is not yet on the market.

http://www.dusekshipkits.com/news-12112016

http://www.dusekshipkits.com/products?l=&velikost=---&vyrobce=4&poradi=
 
As far as I know the MS Constitution is the best,but I guess scratch building her would be the best.
 
zoly99sask post_id=22186 time=1504901879 user_id=3658 said:
Hello Bob,Dusek has right to produce the Mamoli kits ,they have started producing some ,here is the link.The Constitution is not yet on the market.

http://www.dusekshipkits.com/news-12112016

http://www.dusekshipkits.com/products?l=&velikost=---&vyrobce=4&poradi=
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Thanks Zoltan. I'll bookmark their site. I see that they have a Constitution kit in 1/130 scale but I was hoping for the larger version. Perhaps that one will be out soon though so I'll keep checking.

I agree, the MS kit is a nice kit. To be honest, my concern is that I've heard that Mark Mosko is looking to sell Model Expo/Model Shipways and hasn't had much luck finding a buyer. I've heard that if he doesn't find one, someday in the future he'll just shut down Model Expo. I wrote a practicum on building the MS kit and it's one of my most popular practicums. So I'm looking for a replacement kit to build and write a practicum for

I've always like the Mamoli kits and I've built a number of Mantua kits as well. I've never bought or built a Constructo kit so I'm not sure of its quality or accuracy but I do know that they did or still do make a Constitution kit. My concern is its availability.

Thanks,

Bob
 
Bob

I am currently building the Mamoli USS Costituition

Cheers
Geoff
 
Aussie048 post_id=22198 time=1504915567 user_id=3981 said:
Bob

I am currently building the Mamoli USS Costituition

Cheers
Geoff
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Hi Geoff,

I saw your build log - great job by the way. How do you like the Mamoli kit? I hope Dusek brings it back to market. I always did like Mamoli kits.

Bob
 
Hi Bob

I think Dusek is going through the plans for scale etc. I do have a mates PDF build log but that is from the deck up as he started building it about 25 years ago.

It presents its challenges but just a matter of taking time and ask for advise.

Cheers
Geoff
 
Aussie048 post_id=22212 time=1504937820 user_id=3981 said:
Hi Bob

I think Dusek is going through the plans for scale etc. I do have a mates PDF build log but that is from the deck up as he started building it about 25 years ago.

It presents its challenges but just a matter of taking time and ask for advise.

Cheers
Geoff
Click to expand...

Sounds like that's exactly what I'm looking for then. That's what I do best. With my 30+ years of experience and over 100 model ships under my belt (not bragging, just stating a fact) including kits and scratchbuilt, POF and POB, I love a challenging kit that might have design issues. They make a great subject for my practicum series, so I do hope Duesk will bring back the Conny kit. Thanks for the info.

Bob
 
Dusek I think started with the mini Mamoli kits and then was looking at the older kits. I picked my Connie up prior to the Mamoli fire. I am short of 1 cannon so whether I spin all the cannons above deck or try and reproduce one using one as a guide.
 
The Model Shipways kit is the most accurate if you are looking for the ship before refurbishing was done. Otherwise, the Caldercraft model is better and it represents the ship after it was refurbished and looks like the ship today. Since it is being refurbished again, who knows how she will end up.
 
GaryM post_id=22267 time=1504981150 user_id=199 said:
The Model Shipways kit is the most accurate if you are looking for the ship before refurbishing was done. Otherwise, the Caldercraft model is better and it represents the ship after it was refurbished and looks like the ship today. Since it is being refurbished again, who knows how she will end up.
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Hi Gary,

I didn't know Caldercraft did a kit of the Constitution. Are you sure it's Caldercraft? I know Bluejacket does a nice kit of the 1812 version of the Constitution but it's expensive and a solid hull kit.

Thanks,

Bob
 
I got it all wrong. Bluejacket is the old version like it was originally launched and Model Shipways is the refurbished version. Caldercraft does not do one. A person here is building the Bluejacket one. I like the Model Shipways version since it is a bigger scale and not solid hull. Both are good kits. Mantua's version is just OK.
 
Sgtmik has the Contructo USS Constitution kit but has not started to build it ye
 
Not familiar with that item from Constructo, but the kits I have seen from Constructo are cheaper designed than the same ships by other manufactures. For example: I bought the Mantua version of the Cutty Sark since it far exceeded the Constructo version. The Constructo version was a lot cheaper and I could see why. When I bought the Constitution, I bought the Mantua version rather than Constructro version but that was forty years. Models have changed significantly since then and I have not compared the new recent version. Mantua products have been revised a lot since then and most of their revisions have been to less quality in their kits. My kit got lost before I could build it since I moved a lot in the early years of my life and found other kits I wanted to build more interesting for my style.
 
It's been a long time since I've built a Mantua kit, decades probably. I've never built or seen a Constucto kit. In all of my research for another Constitution kit besides the Model Shipways version, the best one I can find is the Bluejacket version and I find that one to be rather price. The base price is nerly $800.00 and that doesn't include the copper plating. I like the Mamoli version but currently it's no longer available. That just leaves Costructo or Mantua.

So between those two, if I considered only the historical accuracy of the two kits, because quality can be easily upgraded, which of the two would you all consider to be the most historically accurate version of Constitution - Mantua or Constructo?

Bob
 
Billing Boats has a 1:100 scale kit of the USS Constitution that comes out to just under a meter long. It;s hard to tell from the images I can find the level of detail present with the kit. On ebay for $245.00
 
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