USS Constitution :: View Single Post

Earlier this month my son gave me a kit for a model of the USS Constellation for my birthday. I took a break from my AVS to work on this one, and I felt that forum readers might like a review of my experience.

This Constellation model is actually a re-issue of a kit that the European manufacturer had first released in 1978. I never saw the original, but I suspect that the bulk of the materials are unchanged from the earlier kit. The kit box shows a date of 1797, apparently the point in the ship's life that was used to design the model. Like some other European kits, this model is more of an "impression" of the Constellation, rather than a meticulous scale recreation of the original. I found the designer's approach to representing features like gangways, capstans and sails to be quite creative and clever, even if not historically accurate.

Some European kit instructions have been criticized for poor translation into English. The manufacurer of this kit has completely avoided this pitfall. The instructions consist of full-color step-by-step graphics of the construction sequence, with no words at all.

The skills needed to complete the Constellation include a sharp eye for visual detail, as the construction diagrams can be a bit subtle. However, the only tools I needed were a pair of scissors, to open the plastic bags of parts and to cut the rigging line to length.

I found building this kit to be quite an enjoyable experience. The keel and hull came together very nicely, and alignment was never an issue. When I got a bit clumsy stepping the main mast, I found re-work quite easy, and not at all noticeable afterward.

The most unique, stand-out feature of this Constallation is that it's the only kit I've ever seen that lends itself to extensive kit-bashing AFTER you've completed the model.

You can see images of the kit, and purchase it on-line, at http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=10021