HM Brig Harpy – 1796

HM Harpy - Brig from 1796

HM Brig Harpy was a Royal Navy brig sloop of the Diligence class, launched in 1796 and sold in 1817. She was the longest serving ship of her class and the most widely travelled. She served in the Battle of Copenhagen and the British invasion of Java, took part in several engagements, one of which earned her crew a clasp to the Naval General Service Medal, and captured numerous privateers. The Navy sold the ship in 1817.

Commander Henry Bazely commissioned Harpy at The Downs in April 1796. Harpy was part of the squadron that captured the Augustic and re-captured the Nelly on 20 August. Consequently, Harpy was entitled to a share of the prize money. Harpy had a colourful and illustrious career. Please read the history in the instruction booklet for a full and informative account. The Commissioners of the Navy offered the Harpy for sale at Deptford on 3 April 1817. They sold her to a Mr Kilsby on 10 September for £710.

Like all Vanguard kits, the model was very carefully designed. The rib construction was designed to be virtually self-aligning. The keel and ribs are made of numbered, laser-cut MDF parts. The beams and bracing are loosely put together and secured with latches. The components are only glued once the entire rib construction has been checked and approved. This construction principle can be described as ingenious and ensures a perfect basic construction that allows for a carefree further construction of the model. The deck and superstructures are made of pearwood plywood and are already engraved.
The hull is double planked. An intermediate deck is fully equipped with details such as cabins and a stove. You decide whether you want to make part of the deck removable, thus allowing a view into the model's hull. All necessary fittings and rigging material are included, as is a roll of self-adhesive copper tape for the hull. A model stand made of clear acrylic is included in the set. A sail set is not provided.

The building instructions are absolutely comprehensive, with over 100 pages and a large number of photos. They also include 16 pages of plans in A1 format. The instructions are currently only available in English, but a translation is in progress.

Overview of the kit contents:
-Laser-cut materials made of pearwood, plywood and MDF
-Double-planked hull with limewood and pearwood
-Laser-engraved and cut deck with caulking and wooden nail replicas
-3 plates with brass etchings
-Masts, blocks, eye bolts and rigging yarn
-wood and resin fittings
-English assembly instructions with photos
-16 full-size plans on DIN A1 sheets

Technical data:
Scale 1:64
Length of fuselage 551mm
Length overall 845mm
Height overall 580mm
Width overall 277mm