1:700 USS New York BB-34 (Trumpeter 06711)

Wooden deck for USS New York BB-34 in 1:700 scale

This add-on set from the manufacturer Flyhawk brings wooden decks for a model of the American battleship USS New York in 1:700 scale. The parts of thin wood veneer are precisely cut including the openings for the barbettes, the deck equipment and the anchor gear, so they are laid straight onto the plastic deck parts. Real wood with the natural grain of the growth rings looks markedly more three-dimensional than paint even in this small scale and lifts a model at once. The set is made to measure for one particular kit — you will find its designation directly in the name of the product.

The real subject

USS New York was the lead ship of her class and entered service in 1914 as one of the first American battleships with 356 mm guns. She went through both world wars: in the second she supported the landings in North Africa and her main-caliber fire also covered the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Wooden deck planking was among the characteristic features of the battleships of that era — it protected the steel deck and gave the crew a better working surface.

Tips for working it

• Try the deck dry first and check that the openings line up with the kit part.
• Paint the plastic part under the veneer a dark shade — the gaps will then deepen the grain visually.
• If the part does not hold on its own, use a thin layer of PVA glue or sparingly applied super glue.
• Once fitted, protect the deck with a fine matte varnish.

Who the set is for

For builders of ship models in 1:700 scale who want to give a model of a battleship of the classic era a realistic wooden surface without laboriously painting individual planks.

This is an add-on to a kit, not a standalone model. With kits other than the one stated the parts may not line up.