1:700 IJN Battleship Fuso 1938 (For Aoshima 050880)

Artwox Model 1:700 wooden deck, the battleship Fuso 1938

This item is not a kit but an aftermarket accessory to a model of a ship in 1:700 scale. It holds a veneer deck with a self-adhesive base and with the laying of the individual planks printed on it. It is glued onto the plastic deck and replaces it, so painting the deck plank by plank and the subsequent bringing out of the gaps falls away. The set is intended for the Aoshima 050880 kit.

The real subject

The Fuso was a Japanese battleship of the class of the same name, completed in 1915 with main armament of 356 mm. After a series of interwar rebuilds she was given a striking tall multi-level superstructure, by which the ships of this class are recognized at first sight. The designation of the year in the name refers to the particular state of the ship shown after those modifications.

Gluing tips

Count on not managing without cutting. Even a well cut veneer needs trimming in places, around the bases of the superstructures, at guide grooves or where the kit varies slightly in shape. Use a new blade and cut perpendicular, as a blunt blade does not part the veneer cleanly along the grain and the edge then frays. Cut on a hard pad and in a pull in one direction, never with a sawing motion. An overhanging edge is always better trimmed on the spot after a dry fit than guessed in advance.

Who the set is for

• For builders of the particular kit of this ship in 1:700 scale
• For modelers of Japanese surface ships in the waterline scale
• For those who want to avoid painting and shading the deck plank by plank
• For modelers who already have experience of a sharp modeling knife

This is an accessory to a plastic kit, not a model of the ship. The kit itself, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.