1:350 Imperial Chinese Peiyang Fleet 'Ting Yuen' (For Bronco NB5016)

A 1:350 wooden deck for the ironclad Ting Yuen (Artwox Model)

An accessory for a plastic kit, not a standalone model. The thin veneer follows the outlines of the deck surfaces of one specific model, holds by an adhesive layer on the back and has the laying of planks printed on the face. It replaces the plastic deck with its engraved imitation of wood and gives it the real grain of the material. The set is intended for the Bronco NB5016 kit.

The real subject

Ting Yuen was one of a pair of large ironclads built in the 1880s in German shipyards for the Chinese Peiyang Fleet. Ships of that time had extensive wooden decks with pronounced bands of planking, which on a model make up most of the upper surface of the hull, and that is why a veneer deck pays off more on them than on modern ships with steel decks.

The dry fit and cutting

Before you take the protective film off, lay all the pieces out dry on the plastic deck and go over the outlines. On older ships there tend to be the most small cutouts around the barbettes, the feet of the masts and the skylights, and it is there that you can tell whether a piece lies accurately. Where the shape needs adjusting, cut with a new blade run along a steel ruler, and rather in several light strokes than one heavy one, so that the wood does not fray. Keep the small offcuts; they will serve for patching places where the veneer is a hair too short. Only after a complete dry fit should you start gluing, working from the largest piece to the smallest.

Who the accessory is for

• builders of historic ironclads in 1:350 scale
• modelers who want a faithful wooden surface without laying planks by hand
• those interested in the Chinese and Asian naval theme of the late nineteenth century
• more advanced builders who combine veneer with photo-etched parts

The accessory is sold separately. The plastic kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.