Any Other Types

Most modellers work through the familiar subjects first: a tall ship, a tug, a trawler, a warship. This section is for what comes after that, and for the kits that do not belong anywhere else in the kit range.

Lifeboat kits

Lifeboats are the most requested subject here. They are compact, recognisable, carry a distinctive livery, and mean something to anyone living on the coast or involved with a station, which makes them a common gift as well as a build. Several are suitable for radio control conversion, and a lifeboat under power at a club pond draws more attention than almost anything else on the water.

What else turns up

• Paddle steamers and steam driven craft
• Pilot boats, dredgers and harbour service craft
• Small dockyard and scenic subjects for dioramas
• One-off designs and historic curiosities
• Occasional non marine kits

Difficulty varies more than you would expect

An unusual subject is not automatically a hard one. Several kits here are good short projects between larger builds, using solid or moulded hulls rather than full planking. Read the stated grade rather than judging by the subject.

What you will need

As with the rest of the range, adhesives, paints and tools are bought separately and are stocked in tools and accessories. Finished versions of many of these subjects, lifeboats included, are in ready made models, and anything we do not stock can be built to order through bespoke models.

Common questions

Do you stock RNLI lifeboat kits?

Lifeboat subjects appear regularly in this section. Availability depends on the manufacturer, so check current listings.

Can a lifeboat kit be radio controlled?

Several are designed for it. Look for kits noted as suitable for conversion, or see RC compatible.

Are these kits to a consistent scale?

No. Scale varies widely across the subjects here, so check before buying a second kit for a matched display.