1:700 HMS Rodney (For Tamiya 77502)

Artwox Model 1:700 HMS Rodney — a wooden deck

This is not a model of the ship but an aftermarket accessory. The package holds a thin wooden veneer cut to the shape of the deck areas of a battleship in 1:700 scale, with the printed grid of the laying of the planks and with a self-adhesive layer on the back. The veneer is stuck directly onto the deck of a plastic kit and replaces the engraved relief, which on plastic reads flat. The result is a faithful grain of wood, fine gaps between the planks and a natural shade that spraying alone reaches only with difficulty. The set is designed for the Tamiya 77502 kit.

The real subject

HMS Rodney was a British battleship of the Nelson class, completed in the second half of the 1920s under the limits of the Washington Treaty. A characteristic feature of the class was the concentration of the whole main armament into three gun turrets ahead of the superstructure, which made it possible to shorten the citadel and armor it more heavily. Rodney served throughout the Second World War in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean and took part, among other things, in operations against German surface forces. On ships of this generation the wooden decking takes up a substantial part of the visible upper surface of a model, so its execution decides the overall impression.

Gluing and painting tips

The plastic under the veneer must be clean, dry and degreased: wipe it with alcohol and let it air off. Remains of mold release agent are the most common reason an edge lifts after a time. Remove the backing film from the reverse in sections, never all at once. Try the part dry first, align it along the longitudinal axis of the ship and press it down from the center toward the edges, so that the air is pushed out. Go around the openings for the superstructures and the turrets precisely, and trim small overlaps with a new blade guided along the edge of the plastic. The shade of the wood can be fine-tuned with a weak stain or glaze, and a dark wash will bring out the gaps between the planks. At the end, seal the veneer with a matte or satin varnish against damp and wear.

Who the set is for

• Ship modelers who build battleships in 1:700 scale
• Those who want to replace the flat engraved relief of a plastic deck with real wood
• Builders of display models for which the view from above is the main one
• More advanced beginners: gluing it on is simple, but it does not forgive imprecision

This is an accessory to a plastic kit, not a model in its own right. The kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.