Possibly the best, clearest and most comprehensive instruction manual I’ve seen for any kit: wooden or plastic. 😮

Never in a million years would I even think about getting that total beauty - no way could I do her justice. And yet - I had a great time watching your video, enthusing over it and showing your excitement at finally getting one. Glad you did, and hope you enjoy it when you tackle it. Nice one.

Hi Jason Just started this kit bk in July but on hold just now due to workroom and hous refurbishment hoping to get bk to her in 2 weeks. I've actually bought and planked all the Decks with wood. I have painted the Hulls and Stern and Galleries to date, I will be replacing the thread, deadeyes, blocks, masts and yards with wood. I will also make my own sails, got cloth flags from Hismodel in the Czech Rep. Enjoy your build when you start her, it's a cracking kit, I also have Heller's Hms Victory to do as well.

Impressive kit. Most definitely a long term project. Thanks for sharing it Jason.

10:01:04 Omg! that book is a blast from the past mate!

Wow, just Wow! I am really impressed with this kit. I could see this being a multiple year long project. Thank for the First Impression. Have a great day. Jeff

The flat/smooth area at the base of the hull is a matter of practicality in the MOLDING process. There is no way to mold the details at that angle with the technology of the time.. Slide molding had not been developed yet. Had they tried to put the detailing in it would have to be really badly distorted. As you rightly pointed out the mechanism to overcome this is to do some 'modelling'! The aftermarket can come to the rescue on several other areas, lower shroud deadeyes is a good example. Great presentation !!!!

1:07:53 You start looking at the plastic which, as I was so mesmerized by the formidable instruction book, I’d completely forgotten I hadn’t seen. Gobsmacked 😮 What a kit!

Thanks for another detailed review. I'd actually been considering this before getting my 1/200 scale Bismarck kit. Hope to see you build it Jason. 🤞

Jason’ your right shes a great looking ship, and colourful too. Happy modelling

It seems that it's worth buying the kit just for the instructions - good review as usual.

Love the review . Heller does the flat section on the bottom of the hull because it's a blind spot. You cannot see it when it's on the stand. They do this on all their ship kits. You can't see it even at eye level and you can't get low enough to see it - unless you pick the hull up. Check it for yourself - truly amazing.

Hi Jason, lovely looking kit, far beyond me building it for several reasons, but look forward to seeing you build her

Wow! Great review and a truly impressive kit, especially considering the 1974 mouldings.

Wow been a little bit since I saw this girl. I had this kit I messed up big time when I was building mine. Looking forward to seeing how your goes for you Jason and Congratulations on finally getting this kit.

Good detailed review Jason as usual……..I’ve got the Airfix (Heller Re Box) 200th Anniversary Victory and just like this, a large kit and well detailed considering its age. Good review. Best Regards Gary

Great review of this kit, I have the Victory to start soon and just opening the box is quite something. Heller do an amazing range of classic sailing ships but I find it really disappointing that they are spread across so many different scales, with only this and Victory in 1:100. It would have been amazing to have a few of them together (sheer amount of work notwithstanding) in a single scale, as it would really show the progression in size as the designs evolved over the years- this is something that is completely lost when looking ships in different scales. In particular they do a couple of 74 gun ships that would have made for an excellent companion to Victory to give a true sense of how imposing the big 1st rate ships were compared to the 3rd rates that made up the bulk of the fleets at that point.

I’ve just bought this kit. Unfortunately, unlike the Heller Victory which I also have, there is no sprue call out in the new instructional brochure! With 2300 parts, this could lead to a lot of uncertainty or, at the very least, many hours of cross referencing. Fortunately, I was able to play pause your video to use as a check guide. From previous experience with Heller, emails go unanswered so your video was crucial.

Good kit thanks Lee

That looks like a great kit. Big choice will be what to do with sails. Full sails would look impressive, but hides quite some detail. But not my choice to make an a long way off I guess.

I bought a Heller re-pop of the 1/100 HMS Victory 8-10 years ago (I think), that's still waiting it's turn in the stash. It still has the old B&W, stapled paper instruction book from the olden days. I'm having some envy seeing how nice this coil bound color instruction book is with this latest boxing of Le Soleil Royal is. Maybe another issue of the Victory is in the works as well.

On her that ship 😮

That is some kit Jason and is not for the faint hearted! Heller should be commended for a lot of things with this kit but I have to knock a few marks off for the packaging of the plastic parts. For such an expensive kit not having them properly protected is just not on. Take care and happy modeling.

An excellent, thorough and comprehensive review-as always. I must buy this kit ASAP. With regards to buying aftermarket ropes and blocks for any kit, there is a formula which I believe involves using the scale of the ship kit and the dimension of the base of the mainmast so that each individual swap out can be accurately determined. Any chance of a tutorial using an actual kit to showcase this method? Cheers in advance.

If I was to use black thread for the rigging instead of the supplied reels, I’d want to paint the rigging frame white first, otherwise I would go blind.

Ahoy camarazi 😮

internal red paint is actually blood red.

Hi Jason don`t know about lifecolour but these numbers suggest Humbrol paints

Question, I inherited this kit when my dad passed, it's gotta be around 35 years old, my question is it does not have these updated instructions that look awesome, should i try and get the updated instructions from Heller, or do you think parts have been updated as well? This will be the first ship build for me and I want to do it justice in honor of my dad.

Please can you help me What does the 101 mean on the roping operations chart thanks

Bon soar😮

the Le Soliel Royal was burned at the battle with the Victory.