1:700 British Battle Cruiser Hood

The real subject

The HMS Hood was a British battlecruiser that on completion at the beginning of the 1920s was among the largest warships in the world. A long slender hull and her speed earned her the reputation of the handsomest ship of the Royal Navy, and between the wars she was its celebrated symbol. In 1941 she was lost after an explosion during an action with the German ship Bismarck. It is exactly her extensive upper decks that make her a rewarding subject for a model.

What the set contains

A wooden deck for a model in 1:700 scale: a thin veneer cut to the outline of the decks, with a fine rendering of the gaps between the planks. Compared with a plastic part the rendering has sharper edges and the wood itself carries a natural grain, so the area gets by without laborious shading with paint. How many parts the set contains and how they follow on from one another is described in the enclosed instructions from the manufacturer.

Building tips

First lay the parts down dry and check the outline against the model, above all at the hatches and the bases of the turrets. Fix the deck before you fit the superstructures and the railings. The way it is attached is described in the manufacturer's instructions; if the veneer has no adhesive layer of its own, apply the glue thinly and evenly, so that the wood does not buckle. Painting is not necessary; a matte overcoat unifies the shade and protects the surface against dirt from the hands.

Who it is for

The set is for a modeler who is building the Hood and wants the deck to carry detail matching the rest of the model. The work is quick, but it is worth not hurrying when fitting the outline. Unless stated otherwise, the model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery.