We have today from the Vikings the twelve man jury system and our weekdays Tuesday through Friday are named for their gods. This
kit best represents the Viking ship on display in the Oslo, Norway museum from the other commercially available kits I have seen, and in my opinion, is an overall winner. Large, at 34 inches, it has a charisma that photos do not capture.
There are pros and cons to every kit and this one is no exception.
Billing Boats can be frustrating because they sell their "fitting kits" separately. Sometimes you cannot find the other half of the ship you are trying to build! Such is not the case with the Oseberg no. 518 and you may buy with confidence that the kit is complete from the manufacturer. Secondly, Billing Boats will disappoint some modelers by invariably putting into their kits balsa(oh, no!) and plastic (unthinkable)! No balsa in this kit, which is good, but the detail scroll carvings on the bow and stern and the shields along the sides are plastic.
I give this a pass for this kit because its skill level is given as 'Advanced Beginner' and more experienced modelers can use the plastic pieces as patterns for the use of more exotic
materials. I think it would be absolutely fantastic to see that scroll carving done in bone or ivory but these are skills and resources I do not possess.
Construction is plank on bulkhead clinker-built (over lapping plank) for the
hull itself and ramin wood strips for the deck planks. Use of a scroll saw is highly recommended as all of the hull
planking are cut to shape from sheets, instead of bending strip stock. Materials are generous and construction is straightforward with good plans. Quality of materials is very, very good. Instructions that are included are minimal as the attempt to translate into as many languages as possible limits the scope of the text, but with careful study I found the illustrations to be complete and well done.
I recommend this kit for anyone with an interest in Viking Ships. Also visit the
VIKING SHIP MUSEUM on the web
More pictures in my
photo gallery (open in a blank window), and thanks to all of you at Ship Modeling Forum- Lee Coate
12-10-2007, 11:45 PM
Review of Oseberg Kit no 518 by Billing Boats
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