1:350 USS Iowa BB-61 part 3

An Eduard photo-etched set for the USS Iowa BB-61 in 1:350 scale, part 3

This is a set of photo-etched parts for a model, not a model of the ship. Eduard, a Czech manufacturer from Obrnice near Most, etches the parts from thin sheet, so shapes come out that cannot be made by injection into plastic: railings, gratings, ladders or the fine structural elements of the superstructure. This set is the third part of a series; for the same ship in this scale the manufacturer also lists parts 1 and 2, which do not overlap one another and work together. It is a full photo-etched set, not a narrowed selection.

The real subject

The USS Iowa BB-61 was the lead ship of the class of the same name of American fast battleships. The main armament was made up of nine 406 mm guns in three turrets, and the ship was among the fastest battleships ever. She served in the Second World War, in the Korean War and, after an extensive modernization, in the eighties as well, when she was given guided missiles and modern electronics. It is precisely that long service that makes the Iowa a rewarding subject for modelers.

Use

• Part the pieces off on a hard surface with a sharp knife, not by twisting.
• Make the bends along the scribed lines, best of all in a bending tool or between two blades.
• The parts are fixed to the model with super glue applied in the smallest possible amount.
• Degrease the metal before painting, or the paint will hold badly.
• Fit the railings only after the deck has been painted; they are then easier to work with.

Who the set is for

For more experienced modelers of ships who want to replace the coarse plastic details on a large model in 1:350 scale with fine metal. Working with photo-etch calls for tweezers, patience and good light, but the reward is a level of detail that cannot be reached with plastic.