Premier Ship Models’ relationship with OcCre is longstanding and immensely strong thanks to the high-quality of their models and the wide variety they have to offer.
Over the past year, we’ve seen great success selling their models, and the following have been some of the most popular!
The Endurance has always been a best-seller thanks to its historical prowess. For just £181, you can own one of these fantastic Endurance models yourself! You can also purchase this kit with a tools bundle, as well as an oak stand base with metallic supports and an acrylic paint pack for further refinement!
Much like its name, the tale of the Endurance is one of courage and perseverance. Originally constructed in Norway for tourist cruises to the Arctic, the Endurance was the renowned three-masted barquentine selected by Sir Ernest Shackleton for the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914. Chosen specifically for its robustness and capacity to withstand the extreme polar conditions, the ship’s name was changed from The Polaris to The Endurance to reflect Shackleton’s family motto: “By Endurance we conquer”.
The Endurance was expertly built from oak and Norwegian fir, reinforced with a layer of greenheart for additional strength. Its joints and fittings were cross-braced to enhance durability. The bow, also made of oak, was 1.3 metres thick and designed to break through the ice rather than rise above it. Unfortunately, this very strength led to its demise. The expedition was halted in January 1915 when unprecedented temperatures and strong winds caused ice to accumulate, trapping the ship.
For several months, the Endurance struggled against the packed ice until it eventually succumbed and sank beneath the icy waters. With no choice but to abandon ship, the crew embarked on a perilous and heroic journey across Antarctica, eventually being rescued 522 days later.
The Albatross is a widely popular kit thanks to its detail yet simplicity when it comes to the actual building. It’s a fantastic kit for beginners looking to hone their skills and take that next step into model-making, and it’ll only cost you £91!
The Albatros exemplifies a schooner, employed for coastguard operations and the suppression of smuggling along the coastline. It typified the small yet swift vessels produced in America during that era. Crafted for speed and agility, these ships originated in the 1800s and were renowned for their graceful lines, expansive deck space, and ample room.
Another one of our wildly popular OcCre model kits is the Bounty Launch. It’s a more affordable one, costing just £64, and is complete with intricate sails and rigging and a masterfully simplistic hull.
The HMS Bounty was built in 1784 and is soaked in history. It served as a small merchant vessel, purchased by the Royal Navy, to fulfil a botanical mission. Tasked to acquire breadfruit plants for transport, it set sail for the Pacific Ocean. It never did get to fulfil this mission, however, due to ‘The Mutiny on the Bounty’, it really does have a fascinating and dramatic back story.
After the mutiny, the modest Bounty boat became crucial for the survival of certain crew members. Once the mutiny had occurred, Captain William Bligh and 18 loyalists were cast adrift in this small vessel. They endured 41 arduous days at sea before successfully undertaking an almost inconceivable voyage to the island of Timor.
Overall, we have an incredible amount of OcCre model kits on offer, and there’s something for every skill level! You can start with a more basic model like the Bounty above, and work your way up to models such as the Endurance!
