1:350 US Aircraft Carrier CV-13 Franklin Blue Wooden Deck (for Trumpeter kit 05604)

Blue wooden flight deck 1:350 for USS Franklin CV-13

The blue variant of the veneer flight deck from Artwox Model. It is an accessory for a plastic kit, not a model. The veneer keeps the texture of wood, but the printing of the plank laying is done in a dark blue shade matching the decks of American aircraft carriers once overpainted. The set is cut for one particular kit, Trumpeter 05604, so check the match before buying.

A dark area behaves differently

A blue deck absorbs more light than natural wood, so the texture stands out less on it and, conversely, every fingerprint and greasy mark stands out more. While laying it, therefore, work through a piece of paper and do not touch the surface with a bare hand more than necessary. Use a wash in the seams only as a suggestion, or else choose a tone a little lighter than the deck itself, otherwise the detail will be lost in the dark area altogether.

Varnish and matching the model

The choice of varnish decides the result here. A strongly matte varnish turns a dark area into a velvety, optically flat board; gloss, on the other hand, looks out of place. The best result comes from a semi-matte varnish applied thinly with an airbrush from a medium distance, which leaves the surface slightly lit and at the same time matches the sheen to the surrounding parts of the model. Spray in several very thin passes; one heavy coat could ripple the veneer. We recommend painting the surrounding superstructures before gluing the deck on, so that you do not have to mask a finished surface.

Who the variant is for

• Modelers who want an aircraft carrier with a dark flight deck.
• Builders in 1:350 scale looking for a different look from natural wood.
• Collectors building several variants of the same ship.
• Those who do not want to spray a large continuous area by hand.

An accessory for a plastic kit. The package holds no model, glue or paints.