1:350 German Battleship Tirpitz (Trumpeter 80602)

Flyhawk 1:350 wooden deck, the battleship Tirpitz

An accessory for ship modelers in 1:350 scale from the Flyhawk brand. It is a deck of thin wood veneer, cut to the shape of the decks of the German battleship Tirpitz. The deck is prepared for one specific kit of this ship in 1:350 scale, so it need not fit other models. The ship kit is not included in the package. On a model of this size the deck is the largest continuous area, so it is precisely there that the quality of the work shows.

The real subject

Tirpitz was the sister ship of Bismarck and spent most of the war in the Norwegian fjords. She hardly had to put to sea at all: her mere presence tied down considerable British forces, which had to reckon with her trying to attack the convoys bound for the Soviet Union. After a series of attacks by midget submarines and air raids, she was sunk in November 1944 by British bombers with heavy bombs.

Use

• strip the engraved detail off the plastic deck and level it flat
• offer the veneer up dry and check that it lines up with the superstructures and the openings
• lay it section by section from the center outward and press it down with a flat tool
• once laid, the wood only needs evening out with a matte varnish; painting it is unnecessary
• work the edges around the perimeter with a fine point so that nothing stands proud
• cut the anchor and deck openings only after laying, following the plastic beneath the veneer

The set is intended for more experienced modelers. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.