The first reference to a whaler was in 1756 and at first they were used in commercial whale hunting, hence the name. In 1810 the Royal Navy started using the whaler as the favored boat for boarding parties. Whalers, regardless of use, were clinker built
boats of a length of 25 to 27-feet. In 1890 Rear Admiral Victor Alexander Montagu proposed that smaller boats be replaced with a standardized whaler design of 27-feet 6-inches (8.2m) in length and 6-feet beam (1.8m). His idea was adopted and a
standardized double ended clinker built whaler developed. Starting in 1910 the Montagu Whaler was fitted to almost every warship of the Royal Navy and the Commonwealth navies. The whaler had four oarsmen and a helmsman and could carry 27
personnel. They were also equipped with a sail. They remained in service until the 1960s. With all of the new models of Royal Navy warships coming out in plastic in 1:350 scale, if you are building one, you may wish to replace the kit's plastic whalers with
these suburb 3D printed RN 27-foot whalers from Black Cat Models in 1:350 scale. Included in the photographs in this review is a contrast between the Black Cat 27-foot whaler and the Trumpeter piece from their kit of HMS Cornwall. Also included
are two photographs of a Black Cat whaler sitting on the deck chocks on one of the boat positions on the Cornwall kit. How would they look on the deck of the RN kit that you're building? With Black Cat set AC350054f you get three of these exquisite
boats, just waiting for a good home. Your build can provide just the right home for these worthy puppies.
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