Training ship Gorch Fock – 1:95 scale model kit from OcCre
The Gorch Fock is one of Germany’s best-known training ships and has been in service with the German Navy since 1958. The three-masted sailing ship is primarily used for the practical training of prospective naval officers. On board, traditional seamanship, navigation, sailing and rigging skills, as well as teamwork, are taught under real-life conditions.
It is named after the Low German writer and sailor Johann Kinau, who became known under the pseudonym ‘Gorch Fock’. The current Gorch Fock is already the second German training sailing ship to bear this name. The first ship was built in 1933 and handed over to the Soviet Union after the Second World War, where it later sailed under the name ‘Tovarishch’.
In addition to its training role, the Gorch Fock also fulfils representative duties on numerous voyages abroad. With its white hull, three tall masts and distinctive rigging, it remains one of the best-known tall ships to this day and is a particularly attractive model for historical ship modelling.
The OcCre Model Ship Kit
The OcCre Gorch Fock model ship kit on a scale of 1:95 enables the construction of a large and highly detailed display model of the famous training sailing ship. With a finished length of around 95 cm, the result is an impressive model that particularly stands out thanks to its extensive rigging and numerous deck details.
The model is constructed using traditional woodworking techniques. The precisely laser-cut wooden parts form the basis for the frames, decks and hull structure. Different types of wood ensure a varied and true-to-life appearance. The kit is complemented by finely crafted etched brass parts, cast metal parts, rigging material, textile components and numerous fittings.
The complete set of sails is also included. The extensive rigging, comprising masts, yards, and standing and running rigging, forms a key part of the model-building process and requires careful work. A detailed, illustrated step-by-step guide assists with the assembly. In addition, OcCre provides digital assembly instructions and video tutorials.
With more than 4,000 individual parts, this Gorch Fock wooden model kit is aimed primarily at experienced model-makers. The manufacturer classifies the kit as ‘Advanced’ and estimates a build time of around 700 hours.
Experiences and recommendations
In model-making reviews, the cleanly laser-cut wooden parts, the extensive scope of delivery and the easy-to-follow photo instructions are particularly praised.
For those with particularly high standards regarding fidelity to the original, it is advisable to consult original photographs of the Gorch Fock as well. This allows individual details and rigging thicknesses to be reproduced even more realistically. Finer accessories or additional rope thicknesses also offer opportunities for personalised refinement.
The kit is primarily intended as a high-quality display model of the Gorch Fock. Although individual modifications are possible due to the large hull, an RC conversion is not part of the design and requires technical adaptations on the part of the modeller.
Technical specifications
Scale: 1:95
Number of parts: 4,212
Length: 950 mm
Width: 259 mm
Height: 566 mm
Number of parts: 4,212
Construction time: approx. 700 hours
