1:350 Hikawa Maru Detail Up Etching Parts Basic

Photo-etched parts for the liner Hikawa Maru 1:350, basic set (Hasegawa)

This product is not a model of the ship but a detail accessory. It holds photo-etched parts of thin sheet metal intended for a model of the Japanese ocean liner Hikawa Maru in 1:350 scale. Etching makes it possible to produce elements that cannot be molded in injected plastic at a matching thickness — typically railings, ladders, gratings and fine structural details. The designation basic set indicates that this is a range covering the most visible parts of the ship rather than a complete rebuild.

The real subject

The Hikawa Maru was a passenger and cargo ocean liner of the Japanese shipping company NYK Line, brought into service in the early 1930s. She served on the North Pacific route between Japan and the west coast of North America and became famous for her art deco interior. During the Second World War she was used as a hospital ship, and as one of very few large Japanese ships of her time she survived the war. Today she is permanently moored in Yokohama and serves as a museum.

Tips for using the photo-etched parts

• cut the parts out on a hard surface with a sharp knife, not with nippers — otherwise the metal will deform
• make the bends over a metal ruler or in a bender, so that the edge is sharp and straight
• glue with cyanoacrylate glue applied in a minimal amount; the excess traps dust and shows
• before painting, degrease the metal and use a primer intended for metals, otherwise the paint will flake off
• install the railings at the very end of the build, so that they do not get bent during handling

Who the set is for

For modelers who are building the Hikawa Maru in 1:350 scale and want to finish her beyond the contents of the box. Working with photo-etched parts calls for patience, tweezers and a sharp knife, but on ship models the step forward in realism is visible at once. It combines well with a wooden deck in the same scale.

The set does not hold a model of the ship, paints or glue. It is an accessory for a model you already own.