1:700 IJN Nagato 1933 (For Aoshima 050620)

Veneer deck 1:700 for the battleship Nagato (1933), Artwox Model

This is not a kit of the ship but an accessory to one. A thin sheet of natural veneer is cut to the shape of the deck areas of one particular model and on the back has a self-adhesive layer; the face carries the printed laying of the planks and the gaps between them. Once it is glued on, the plastic engraving disappears from the deck and is replaced by real wood with its own pattern of growth rings, which is not lost under paint or varnish.

The real subject

The Nagato was a Japanese battleship completed in 1920, the lead unit of the class of the same name, with main armament of 410 mm. The figure 1933 in the name refers to the configuration of the ship from the first half of the 1930s, that is to the state before the later extensive rebuilds of the superstructures and the funnels. The extent of the wooden deck areas differed between individual periods, which is why the decks for different states of the same ship cannot be interchanged.

How to glue the deck on

The basis is the preparation of the plastic. First rid the deck of molding projections and burrs, sand it flat with fine sandpaper and degrease it with alcohol or an oil-free cleaner. Try laying the veneer on dry first and check that the outline of the superstructures and the turret bases fits. Only then pull the backing film off gradually in sections, not all at once, and press the veneer down with a flat blunt tool from the center toward the edges, so that no air stays under it.

Who the deck is for

• Modelers who build ships in a small scale and want decks of real wood
• Builders who are bothered by the uniform engraving of a plastic deck
• Anyone interested in the interwar configuration of Japanese battleships
• Those who combine a deck with photo-etched railings and accessories

The deck is a modeling accessory, not a kit of the ship. The model itself, paints, stain and varnish are not included in the package.