Having become bogged down in waaaay too many elaborate projects, I decided to take a break and pulled this little oddball from the stash. It is a small, simple project that I might actually finish!
Produced by AER Model Studio of Moldova, this resin kit represents a typical Roman merchant vessel of 300 B.C. Common at the time, these ships transported goods (mostly foodstuffs) throughout the Roman Empire. They were nicknamed corbita after the traditional Roman agricultural corbis basket.
I don’t know how accurate it is, but AER Model Studio’s rendition of the chubby hull actually does resemble the corbis basket after which the vessel was named!
Too bad it isn’t in plastic, and in a larger scale.
Why is there a “bite” taken out of the poop deck? Is that where the crew squats over the side to poop - hence “poop deck”?
Looks like the casting has gone to sh–…
I like the model apart from the “Aztec Temple” steps, and that she seems to be trimmed excessively by the bow.
Thanks guys, I’m looking forward to starting in. The repair at the stern should be easy as I found the piece rattling around inside the box.
Notwithstanding the broken bit at the stern, the hull looks pretty good. The rest of the parts are a bit rougher, but no worries. They may require some work to clean up, but they look to be a good start.
The masts, spars and sails look like candidates for scratch-built replacements.
I dug up a few contemporary references, there are plenty more on line…
Starting construction with the hull, my first effort was to make a dumb mistake!
While cleaning up the finely cast caprails on the bulwarks I managed to sand right through one, ruining it. Fortunately it was an easy repair with .010 X .080 inch Evergreen plastic strips, but lesson learned – resin is delicate and brittle!
At least it should have been lesson learned. My very next move was even worse; while fitting the cabin, I managed to punch my finger right through that beautifully molded (but paper thin) deck. The part shattered into nearly a dozen pieces! It was so bad I actually considered tossing the project in the trash, but after regaining my composure I reconstructed the fragments (at least those I could find) as best I could. The reconstituted deck is now backed with sheet plastic for strength.
After blending in the repairs with putty the deck looks better, but still not as good as it did originally. Maybe it won’t be so noticeable under paint…
The kit comes with a separate resin axle for the deck winch, but it was crudely cast so I replaced it with a .040 X .040 inch plastic piece. No problem there, but I’ve come to REALLY dislike that super thin decking; another small breakthrough near base of the winch needed repair.
I also replaced the kit supplied resin shroud boards on the insides of the bulwarks with sharper .020 X .020 inch plastic strips.
I actually did toss one over my shoulder once, picked it up and actually finished it. Didn’t actually do much damage, but then it was an armored vehicle…
Tim, remember what you said in your original post on this build,“It’s a small.simple project that you might actually finish” This is a hobby that we do for relaxation and enjoyment so take a step back, a deep breath, and proceed with inner peace.(spoken from someone who can never let a kit be good enough) In reality, “Good Luck” with this project.
Tom S.
You know, as much as I was loving the Hatsuzuki build, with all the details and information being put out, I believe that the favorite builds you do are these little kits. They are as full of information, and are just a lot of fun to watch you do. Even stuff like breaking the deck ever so often is so relatable. Definitely something that I wander into this forum to watch… Carry on…
You know, as much as I was loving the Hatsuzuki build, with all the details and information being put out, I believe that the favorite builds you do are these little kits. They are as full of information, and are just a lot of fun to watch you do. Even stuff like breaking the deck ever so often is so relatable. Definitely something that I wander into this forum to watch… Carry on…
Hi Bob, it as been a while - good to hear from you! And thanks as always for your kind words. I am so glad you find these little narratives of mine entertaining; as I post I sometimes wonder if I’m going on a little too much about these builds! So I will endeavor to keep calm and carry on…
Tim, remember what you said in your original post on this build,“It’s a small.simple project that you might actually finish” This is a hobby that we do for relaxation and enjoyment so take a step back, a deep breath, and proceed with inner peace.(spoken from someone who can never let a kit be good enough) In reality, “Good Luck” with this project.
Tom S.
Hi Tom,
It is funny, although this hobby really is an endless source of relaxation and enjoyment for me, I do seem to enjoy it most when I am being challenged and yes, even frustrated by it! I appreciate your advice, though, and will do my best to keep my inner peace as I work on that wonky resin stern railing after work tonight…
Maybe it won’t be so noticeable under paint…
