The OcCre Santisima Trinidad wooden model ship kit is a remarkable representation of one of history’s most iconic ships of the line, renowned for its grandeur and tragic fate at the Battle of Trafalgar. This highly detailed kit is designed for experienced modelers seeking both historical accuracy and a challenging build. Let’s explore the kit’s features, its packaging, historical context, and construction guidelines based on real user experience.
Unboxing and First Impressions
Day one, unboxing. The package arrived in good condition, well packaged and in good time coming from Spain I assume, to Washington State. This comes in a smallish box that is well packaged but is surprisingly heavy for its size. Four clear plastic trays of fittings are supplied, mostly in die cast white metal. The smaller Deadeyes are supplied in solid wood as are the blocks.
All parts are heat sealed to prevent timber from drying out during storage. I am not going to go into massive detail as everything is in heat sealed packaging and I rather keep it that way to prevent timber from drying out etc as it might be a while before I start her.
What’s Inside?
- Strip wood and dowel, predominantly Birch with some Oak veneer.
- Fourteen laser cut frets: 13 in basswood ply, one in solid timber (possibly Obechi).
- Six photo-etch brass frets covering windows, gun carriage fittings, gunport hinges, and lanterns.
- Flags made from double-sided self-adhesive material.
- Pre-sewn cotton sails (18 in total) and cotton rigging threads of various colors and thicknesses.
- A roll of 5mm copper tape for the hull.
- Blocks and beams for rigging, prefabricated.
- Five die-cast figurines for added realism.
The model contains strip wood, dowel and ply. The strip wood and dowel is all Birch aside from a few strips of Oak veneer. The hull framework is 3mm ply which includes the bulkheads. I have every confidence that the framework will be strong enough but 3mm ply isn't ideal for pinning 2 x 5mm single layer planking. Quality of blocks is usual kit fair identical to those used by the Italian manufacturers. The rigging thread is garbage.
Flags are double sided self adhesive material. I shall experiment with these but I am unsure as to whether I will use these. Presewn sails are included, they are what they are, typical kit sails.
Historical Significance
Launched in 1769, the Santisima Trinidad was one of the few four-decker ships of the line that existed. The new wooden model ship Santisima Trinidad Trafalgar Edition 1805 (22901), at 1:84 scale. The emblem of the feared Spanish Navy. Above all, its tragic end in the Battle of Trafalgar (October 21st, 1805) is remembered.
The vessel was under the orders of the squad leader Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros and Francisco Javier de Uriarte y Borja as flag captain. After a tough fight, it was captured by the English in very bad conditions, with more than 200 dead and 100 wounded. The English tried to save and tow the ship to Gibraltar with HMS Naiad and HMS Phoebe, but it now remains at the bottom of the sea.
Its artillery parts were extracted and installed at the entrance to the Pantheon of Illustrious Sailors, located in the Navy Non-Commissioned Officers School, in San Fernando (Cádiz). This kit represents its appearance and artillery correctly, the ones of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Kit Features and Quality
Dimensions and Details
- The length of this model is 1060mm and is 415 mm wide.
- Once the model ship Santisima Trinidad (22901) is built, it measures 46.88” (1191 mm) length, 35.62” (905 mm) height, and 18.26” (464 mm) width.
This new project is coming ... Let me finish the YQ Bluenose first ... I have decided to show the progress of this OcCre kit. It is a ship already known by all of you and there are already very good works in this forum.
The highly detailed scale artillery includes photo-etched parts and includes the howitzers that the ship carried in Trafalgar. The figurehead of the archangel Saint Michael leads the ship.
The modeler will find in this new Trafalgar 1805 edition hundreds of high-quality parts: 14 sheets of basswood plywood cut by precision laser and 6 spectacular brass photo-etched sheets with parts such as lanterns, railings or details of the cannons. Also, 10 packs of strips and rods, and American oak veneer.
User Experience
I bought a partly finished cross section of the Santisima Trinidad. It looks like it's the kit by OcCre. Ever since I felt the need to do another ship model, at the beginning of this year I started looking around for model kit and brands. The Santisina Trinidad was my third build. I started small with the Blue Shadow and then did the Wasa. I used a reverse rigging sequence with the Santisima, having gotten the idea from some internet rummaging I was doing one night.
Welcome to my build log. Model is built based on kit made by OcCre with some modifications. By way of an introduction, my name is Don Long. I live in Mesa, Arizona. Donnie has been after me since March to start a build log for my Santisima Trinidad by OcCre. I have been hesitant to do so for several reasons.
Santisima Trinidad - The Making Of
Instructions and Building Process
The 3D modelers and designers at Artesanía Latina have created brand new instructions. You can appreciate the different stages of assembly with total clarity. In Spanish, French, Italian, English, German, Dutch and Russian. In addition, the naval modeling kit of the Spanish ship comes with several paper templates to make the construction process of the model easier. Does not contain printed instructions.
I do intend to do a build log in more of a detailed tutorial way, similar to what Keith Julier used to do but in much greater detail. You all well can follow me here. OK, here is my first entry for blog on this kit build, it is OcCre kit 16800. Welcome to my Santisima Trinidad build log.
The modeling professionals at Artesanía Latina recommend the painting of the model ship Santisima Trinidad using its Specific Water-Based Acrylic Paints Set (277PACK30), sold separately. In this way, the result of the finished Spanish ship of the line will be much more realistic and visual. Quick drying, the paints of twelve different colors come in small 20 ml bottles.
Additional Features
- The new model made by Artesanía Latina is prepared for illuminate, so do not hesitate to purchase -sold separately- our LED Lighting Set (27590).
- Oh, don’t forget to accompany this impressive Spanish ship with its Captain’s Boat (19014), for sale separately.
Summary Table: Kit Components and Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Scale | 1:84 |
| Dimensions | 1191mm (length), 905mm (height), 464mm (width) |
| Materials | Basswood, Birch, American Oak, Die-cast Metal, Photo-etch Brass |
| Sails | 18 pre-sewn cotton sails |
| Artillery | Photo-etched and die-cast parts, accurate to historical ship |
| Instructions | Multilingual, paper templates, no printed guide |
| Painting | Optional, specific acrylic paint set available separately |
| Lighting Option | LED set available separately |
Final Thoughts on Build Experience
I have added this kit to my stash as I always wanted to build a model of this vessel as she appeared at Trafalgar. Now you have the opportunity, once again, to build a fundamental jewel of world naval history. A naval modeling kit has arrived at our warehouses that will drive you crazy due to its beauty and its historical relevance. Of course, now we have refloated it from the bottom of the sea to bring you an exuberant wooden naval modeling kit aimed at elite modelers. This model accurately represents what the ship looked like at the end of its life, with the correct artillery.
