1:200 Japanese Battleship Mikasa 1902 Wooden Deck w/PE Sheet for Trumpeter

A wooden deck and photo-etch for the Mikasa in 1:200 scale

An accessory for the kit of the Japanese battleship Mikasa in her 1902 form, intended for the model from the Trumpeter company. The package brings two different things together. The wooden deck is a veneer cut to the outline of the deck surfaces and is laid onto the plastic of the kit. The photo-etched fret brings thin metal parts that are snipped from the fret, bent and glued on; items like that cannot be made in the thickness of plastic.

The real subject

The Mikasa was built in Britain and entered service in 1902. She became famous as the flagship of Admiral Togo at the battle of Tsushima in 1905. As the only battleship of her time she has survived to this day, lying as a museum at Yokosuka, and she is among the most photographed ship subjects of all. In 1:200 scale the model is large enough for the difference between cast plastic and a fine metal part to show at first glance.

Building tips

• Lay both the veneer and the photo-etched parts down dry first and check that they line up with the parts of the kit.
• Cut the photo-etched parts off right at the tab and bend them in a bending tool or between two blades, not in your fingers.
• Glue the etch with cyanoacrylate glue; liquid cement for polystyrene has no effect on metal.
• Degrease the metal before painting and give it a primer, otherwise the paint flakes off.
• Lay the deck down before you fit the railings and the other small fittings.

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the Mikasa in a large scale and want to take both the surface of the deck and the fine metal items all the way. Working with photo-etch calls for tweezers, a sharp blade and calm; even a less experienced builder will manage the veneer.

The package contains a wooden deck and a photo-etched fret. The ship kit, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.