1:700 HMS Aurora 1945 Wooden Deck w/Masking Sheet & Photoetch for Flyhawk kit 1127

A wooden deck 1:700 for the light cruiser HMS Aurora 1945 from Artwox Model

The set brings together a self-adhesive deck of wood veneer with the laying of the planks printed on it, a masking template and photo-etched parts. It is not a kit, but an accessory to a plastic model that has already been bought. The shapes are cut to the Flyhawk 1127 release, so check the match before buying.

A small ship, great demands on accuracy

Compared with a battleship, a cruiser has narrow, intricate decks full of cut-outs around the superstructures, the boats and the guns. The individual pieces of veneer are therefore small and have thin bridges that break easily. It pays to take them out of the sheet with pointed tweezers rather than with your fingers and to lay them one at a time in order from the stern to the bow. A trial dry fitting is no needless step here but a necessity. Once a small part is stuck on crookedly, there is no way of taking it off without damage.

Patina between the planks

On a small ship the difference between a new and a used deck stands out. The basis is a thin dark wash, which flows into the gaps between the planks by itself and picks out the texture. Apply it in small areas and pull the excess away with a cloth over a finger in the direction of the planks, not across them. A discreet darkening suits the places where people would move most. Leave the rest of the deck lighter so that the contrast works. Finally seal everything with a thin coat of matte clear.

Who the set is for

• Builders of smaller surface ships in 1:700 scale
• Modelers who enjoy working with tweezers and small parts
• Those who want to get the deck, the masks and the photo-etched parts at once
• Collectors who care about the weathering and the texture of the deck area

This is not a kit. The base model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.