Model Expo MID965 1/32 Chesapeake Bay Flattie Model Kit, Multi-Colour

Bought this for my 20 year old, who loves crafty things. She never put a model ship together and found this was a great first model ship. It was challenging, taking time and patience but not overly difficult. She asked me to get her another model ship because she enjoyed this one so much. Everything she needed was included in the kit.

This was my fourth Midwest kit unfortunately this one I wasn’t a big fan off. The illustrations in the directions where sub pair. Hard to distinguish what’s really going on with the rigging. The boat went together ok. All in all it just a 3 star boat kit.

Full disclosure, I received this free of charge. I am an avid modeler so I was interested in doing my first model of a sailing ship, which Model Expo seems to specialize in. The box contents include all the parts needed (but not all the tools! see the photos if you are a beginner to model making), a Model Expo catalog, and a comprehensive instruction booklet of over 40 pages. This is considered a “Skill Level 1” kit for beginners but wow, this is very labor intensive compared to the plastic scale models I’m used to building. While it will take quite a bit of time, the instructions seems clear, and the parts seem high quality, with nicely laser cut basswood pieces, a roll of plans to aid in assembly, rigging, sailcloth, cast metal parts, and so on. It will be a while before I get around to building this kit, but I am glad I picked it up when I did. I will very likely buy more Model Expo kits in the future.

I was looking forward to an easy build with this beginner model. Nothing can be further from the truth. The instructions called for 11+7/8 strip wood for several applications. The problem being the supplied pieces were all 7+7/8. Try contacting the company . No phone number.

Not for a novice. Instructions not always clear.