Month: March 2026

Good Kits. Bad Kits. We Want the Truth.

The 2026 Ships in Scale Kit Manufacturer Survey is here — and we need your help.

You’ve been there. You open a new kit, spread the parts across the workbench, and unfold the plans. Sometimes what you find is a thing of beauty — crisp laser-cut frames, quality timber, fittings that actually fit, and instructions that walk you through every step. Other times… not so much. Warped planking stock. Plans that raise more questions than they answer. Parts that belong in a different kit entirely.

Every modeler has opinions about the manufacturers behind the kits we build. Strong opinions. We want to hear yours.

Continue reading “Good Kits. Bad Kits. We Want the Truth.” →

SIS March/April Issue is Out!

The latest issue Ships in Scale is here! This issue takes you from a Viking burial ship to a WWII sub chaser — and everywhere in between. Roger Marshall continues his HMS Ontario build, Thomas Koehl scratch-builds a Harbor Defense Motor Launch in styrene, and James Norton tells the remarkable story behind a Cornish fishing lugger that sailed 12,000 miles to Australia. Ron Neilson goes deeper into 3D printing with two hands-on interviews, Ian McLaughlan returns with Part 2 of his Minor Warships series, and Bob Hunt shares hard-won lessons on spotting kit design flaws before they ruin a build.

We’re also launching the 2026 Kit Manufacturer Survey — tell us which manufacturers deliver and which need to do better.