Agora Models 1/16 Scale Orca

[WtShark]

I recently received the first Pack (installment) of the Orca model by Agora.
This is my 3rd model with them, and if you aren't familiar with them, they are a subscription-based service, providing models, assembled over a 12-month or 24-month period. I chose the Highest-level option, (Collector's Edition) which includes additional items, such as the billboard and Hooper, Quint and Brody figures.
If you don't want to spend the money you may opt for just the model, paid over 12 or 24 months.
If interested; https://www.agoramodels.com/us/orca/

The packs come monthly, include parts and pieces, creating sub-assemblies and ultimately after 12 months, a completed model. Agora makes some incredible models and the Orca is no exception. The parts come pre-painted, looking brand new. You may choose to add weathering, which I will do lightly, adding salt, grime and stains as I build.
There are electronics included in the build, working lights, sound effects and voice loops. The Orca includes music, engine revving and quotes from the movie.

I start off assembling the control station and most of the Orca's flybridge (top). I am adding some Mars black acrylic inside the pieces that make up the bridge to prevent any possible light leaks and keep the appearance of wood. I added some light greys and dark browns to bring out some of the details, this is the first pass and will get a bit heavier as I go.

 

[WtShark]

Pack 1 is complete, need to add some weathering and color variations on the deck of the flybridge to match the movie.
Also some panel liner, dirt and salt.

 

[BOATMAN]

HI LOOKS very good an do you get the shark at the end ?
chrisb

 

[blakeh1]

cool subject and great scale for details
Looking forward to it

 

[WtShark]

Thanks Blake and Chris, it's going to be quite the year long journey.

do you get the shark at the end ?
No, I opted for the Collector's Edition, which will include the Beach Closed Sign, the Billboard and a Quint, Hooper and Brody figure, but no shark.
I do have the Shark model I did last Summer, along with the spare head I converted to Bruce. So....

 

[BOATMAN]

OH he a ugly lookin brute an i must admit i wont go swimmin anymore after seein Jaws lol
chrisb

 

[WtShark]

Pack 2 and 3 showed up at my door a few days ago.
Assembly moving along. Quite a bit more painting and washes for details and weathering.
About halfway through Pack 2, will update as progress is made.

 

[Ron2]

Interesting concept.

 

[BOATMAN]

Looking forward to seeing this built should be good
chrisb

 

[WtShark]

Pack 2 finished, added details and washes to dirty the ol' girl up a bit.
Pack 3 is here, I'll start that pretty soon.
This pack was about the most iconic parts of the Orca, the Tiger Shark Jaws on the flying bridge and the hammered brass name across the stern.

 

[WtShark]

Pack 3 is coming along. The cabin, which hosts so many important parts of the movie is coming together. Oddly, the cabin doors are functional (opening and closing) but there is no cabin. Just a block of plastic attached to the panel behind the doors. Maybe this was a design change mid- production?

 

[WtShark]

The shine on the plastic of the cabin was far too much. I also needed to seal the weathering, paint and and panel liner on thr fly bridge.
I used some of my AK Ultra Matte, (thanks again Uromomo for the recomm.) to put the perfect finish on the "wood", the chalky finish was the exact answer for the salty boat.

 

[WtShark]

Pack 3 is a wrap
This was a fun part of the build, if for no other reason it included the iconic parts of the Orca and I get to see the near completed flybridge. Electronics are wired and installed, so all the bridge, running and interior lights glow when attached to the check circuit.
The interior walls of the cabin are together, now we'll just have to wait until the Pack 4 arrives, which hopefully will be sometime this month.
Thanks for following along.

 

[kevin]

That's pretty cool.....

 

[WtShark]

That's pretty cool.....

Thank you! Its a pretty fun build for any Jaws "Fin-atic".

 

[kevin]

"that's some bad hat Harry"

 

[WtShark]

"Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies..... "

 

[WtShark]

Pack 4 arrived a week or so ago and once I'd completed the last project, I started work on Pack 4.
I'd been tinkering on some scale books and charts for the cabin, there are a number of books stacked along the Orca's front window, so printing those and making 1/16 scale books along with some charts and navigation tools has been taking some time.

The windows on the front of the cabin were assembled and installed, and the rest of the parts are to build the Orca's mast and lights.
It's pretty straight forward, but the deck light, about mid-mast was far too bright for a 1970's filament style bulb. I dulled down the bright white with some Tamiya clear Amber, on both the LED and the clear plastic cover, it gave it a much warmer tint, closer to what would have been used.
The rest of the assembly process will complete the mast, one section at a time, working our way up to the weather vane and top of the mast

 

[kevin]

The more I see of your build, the more I want one, its looking good.

"You got city hands Mr. Hooper, been counting money all your life."

 

[WtShark]

The more I see of your build, the more I want one, its looking good.

"You got city hands Mr. Hooper, been counting money all your life."

Thanks so much, it's an incredibly detailed kit, so far. Agora Models are remarkable, expensive, but worth it imo.
There's more gluing on this one than the previous 2 I built, granted they were both cars.
Maybe a special gift for yourself, they take a year or two to build (depending on which option chosen) but that also spreads the cost out over that time.

"Hey, I don't need this working class hero crap"...

 

[WtShark]

Pack 4 is a wrap.
The mast was the majority of this Pack and it looks great. Adding all of the details, including nearly 30 foot/hand pegs and the bolts was a bit time consuming, but worth it.

The hoops for the "Crows perch" were wrapped with line in the movie. I considered sanding them and wrapping twine around to look like rest of the railings on the boat, but thats a bit much. I figured I'd try using some Tamiya brown wash, and a few coats gave it some nice depth and I can live with how it looks.

There were also some cabin details, such as the Igloo cooler, tool box and books on the front shelf of the cabin, I decided to make some books, based on what is in the movie, along with some charts, posters and navigation tools.
Spruced up the toolbox, giving it some appropriate weathering.

 

[kevin]

Those details are going look great on the boat.

" It's only an island if you look at it from the water."

 

[WtShark]

Those details are going look great on the boat.

" It's only an island if you look at it from the water."

Thanks, I hope so.

"You yell Barracuda and people say, huh...what? You yell shark.... we've got a panic on the 4th of July"

 

[WtShark]

Spent a little while seeing if I could make some 1/16 scale (approximately) navigation tools.
Bit of styrene and some patience and I'll add these tools to the cabin.

 

[BarleyBop]

Love that scratch!

 

[WtShark]

Pack 5 arrived a couple of weeks ago, so I got to it this morning.
Going to be a relatively simple Pack, with a pretty quick working time.
Top of the mast, weather equipment, wind vane, pennant and the fore deck of the boat.
Got through a little over half this morning, assembling the mast gear, then the lockers on the foredeck. Only thing remaining is the port holes of the cabin, some lights and the gunwales.
The two foreward lockers will open, with a small space below. Good place to stash extra parts upon completion?
There will be a fair amount of weathering on this area once I have more the decking.
They're running later in the month, but continuing their timeline of the packs being received with the month, so with that logic, Pack 6 should be here sometime before the end of June, almost halfway there.

 

[kevin]

Coming together slowly but surely.

" slow ahead, I can go slow ahead, come on down here and chum some of this sh*t."

 

[WtShark]

Coming together slowly but surely.

" slow ahead, I can go slow ahead, come on down here and chum some of this sh*t."

One of my favorite lines...

 

[WtShark]

Wrapped up pack 5, the forecastle, or foc'sle, cabin lights, port holes and lockers.
I added some burnished brass/gold to the potholes to age and dirty them up, I added some brown wash to age the lockers and trim, subtle and I'll add more when I have a bit more of the model.
I wanted to ensure against any possible light leaks, so layered black vinyl electrical tape over where the leds sit. These are pretty dim, meant to simulate diffused cabin lights.

 

[Ron2]

Very nice.