THE KIT
This is now the standard edition of the Speedy kit, which now comes with pearwood laser cut parts and pearwood planking. All laser cutting is now done in-house, and adhesive backed copper tape is supplied for sheathing the underwater portion of the hull. Note that the instructions do not reflect this change in the kit, so they still show copper plates.

Dimensions of completed model are:

VM02
Length – 27.5″ (700mm)
Width – 9″ (230mm)
Height – 19.4″ (492mm)

The 1:64th scale kit has been extensively researched and has been developed to show her as she would have likely looked in 1800/01, when commanded by Thomas Cochrane. For the modellers who like to add detail over and above what kits offer, the Speedy kit does include the lower deck, which is stepped aft and at the correct height to the main deck. There are a lot more bulkheads than standard kits of this size to help keep the very fine hull lines when planking.

The kit has the following features:

• 14 sets of laser cut materials, including a laser cut and engraved deck
• 7 separate photo etched sheets in brass and copper
• Copper tape with adhesive backing for the hull below the waterline
• Double planking in limewood and second planking in pear wood
• Walnut dowel for masts and yards
• 10 separate rigging thread sizes in black and natural
• 14 cast resin 4-Pounder cannon and 20 cast resin half-Pounder swivel cannon
• Cast resin 1:64 scale figure of Lord Cochrane himself
• 60-page full colour building manual and 10 sheets of 50x70cm plan sets
• Two cradles, one for when building and a clear acetate display cradle for the competed model
• Very detailed scale 18′ Cutter mini-kit
• All other materials and fittings required to build the model as shown.

HISTORY
This small brig was the one of the first generations of new naval brigs, and her lines were more of a hybrid between a sleek cutter and brig. She was a small vessel for her class, but what she lacked in size and raw gunpower, she more than made up for in character.

Speedy had a very active history, being captured in 1794 by French frigates and then recaptured in March the following year. After Cochrane lost her (in an unwinnable battle), Speedy was renamed Saint Pierre and presented to the pope by Napoleon himself.

It is while commanding Speedy that Cochrane made his name. This was his first command, and the combination of this aggressive commander and Speedy ensured that they would be a thorn in the side of the French and Spanish navies, culminating in the remarkable exploit of taking the Spanish 32-gun frigate Gamo (with xebec hull and rig form). Cochrane led 48 of his crew (almost all of them) up the sides of the frigate, which had over 300 men and eventually took the ship.

Download the instructions here: HMS Speedy instructions