1:350 PLA Navy Type 054A FFG

A wooden deck for the Type 054A frigate, 1:350

An accessory for builders of modern warships: a wooden deck for a model of the Type 054A frigate of the PLA Navy in 1:350 scale. Natural wood has a grain and a fine shade of its own, so the deck areas stop looking like one uniform plastic board and the finished model gains a surface believable in scale.

The real subject

The Type 054A is a multipurpose guided missile frigate, that is an escort ship of medium size that provides a force with air defense and antisubmarine protection. She has smooth sides with markedly sloped surfaces, a gun on the bow and at the stern a hangar with a landing area for a shipborne helicopter. It is exactly the after area and the gangways that are among the places where the difference between bare plastic and a wooden surface shows most.

How the part is laid down

• The surface under the part must be clean, flat and degreased.
• Lay the deck down dry first and check how it lines up with the superstructures and with the outline of the sides.
• Whether the part has a self-adhesive layer is given by the manufacturer in the instructions; otherwise use a glue suitable for wood and plastic and apply it thinly.
• The wood can be left in its natural tone, knocked back with a thin wash or unified with a matte varnish.
• Which kit the deck is cut for is given by the manufacturer; compare the shape with your model before building.

Who it is for

For modelers who build present-day warships in 1:350 scale and want to take the surface of the deck all the way without lengthy painting of planks. It is an accessory to a model, not a kit. Paints, glue and varnish are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.