1:400 Mary Rose

The real subject

Mary Rose was a warship of the English king Henry VIII. She served from the beginning of the 16th century and sank in 1545 in the Solent during an action against a French fleet. The wreck was raised in 1982 and is on display in Portsmouth, thanks to which we know considerably more about her than about other ships of her time, including the form of her armament and the equipment of her crew.

What the kit contains

This is an injection-molded polystyrene kit meant for gluing and painting. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted, with the parts separated from the sprues. The 1:400 scale gives a fairly small model that will fit even a smaller display case.

Building and painting tips

• Glue the hull and let it dry thoroughly before you start on the superstructures.
• Fit the masts dry and check that they stand vertically.
• The wooden areas stand out if you emphasize them with a darker glaze over the base color.
• The rigging can be added with fine thread, tensioned only once the paint is dry.
• Sort the small parts according to the instructions before gluing; at this scale they are easily mixed up.
• Paint the hull before you fit the masts, otherwise the lower areas are hard to reach.

Who it is for

It will be appreciated by anyone interested in historical sailing ships and in English naval history. Building ships has a different rhythm from building aircraft, so patience and a calm hand for the fine work on the rigging come in useful.

Paints, glue, thread for the rigging and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.