1:350 French Navy Richelieu For Trumpeter 05311(Natural wood deck)

A 1:350 Richelieu wooden deck in the natural shade (Artwox Model)

This is not a model of the ship but an aftermarket accessory. The veneer deck with pre-printed plank laying and an adhesive backing is glued onto the finished plastic deck of the kit. This variant is offered in the natural shade of wood, which is the most universal choice and at the same time the most rewarding base for further toning. The set is cut for the Trumpeter 05311 kit.

Working with the color

Natural veneer looks light and fairly uniform once it is glued down. If you want to shift the deck toward a darker or warmer tone, use wood stains and oil paints thinned enough to color the surface only and not flood the printed plank laying. Always try them first on an offcut from the edge of the sheet, because wood soaks unevenly and the shade darkens as it dries. A difference between two or three subtly different areas of the deck looks more convincing than one uniform tone, and on a large battleship that goes double.

The gluing procedure

The plastic under the veneer has to be flat, dry and degreased. Take the protective film off only part of the piece, settle the deck by its outline and only then pull the film off step by step and press the surface down. Drive air bubbles out to the edges with a soft cloth. Trim any overhangs at the trailing edges and the openings with a fresh blade held at right angles to the surface. At the end it pays to spray the deck with matte varnish, which unifies the sheen and protects the wood during the later steps of the build.

Who the set is for

• Builders of large battleships who want to move from engraved plastic to a real wooden texture.
• Modelers who like to tune the shade of the deck with their own staining.
• Those looking for a quick lift in the quality of the model without touching the structure.
• Those who build for a display case and want a clean, evenly laid deck.

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