1:700 USS Colorado BB-45 1944 (For Trumpeter 05768)

Wooden deck 1:700 USS Colorado BB-45 1944 (Artwox Model)

This is not a model but an aftermarket treatment of the surface. The package holds a veneer cutout of the decks in 1:700 scale with printed gaps between the planks and with a self-adhesive base, which is glued straight onto the plastic deck of a kit. On battleships the deck is broken up by the bases of the turrets, the hatchways and the barbettes, so the cutouts carry a great many small details. The set is designed for the Trumpeter 05768 kit.

The real subject

The USS Colorado BB-45 was an American battleship of the Colorado class, the last generation of American battleships built before the wartime break. She carried a main battery of 406 mm in four twin turrets. The figure 1944 in the name refers to the late configuration of the ship after modernization, when the superstructures, the radars and the extent of the anti-aircraft armament changed fundamentally.

Gluing tips

The wooden decks of American battleships in the late phase of the war tended to be treated and darker than freshly laid wood, so leaving the veneer in its starting light tone is not necessarily the most faithful choice. You will fine-tune the shade with a very thin stain or a thinned oil paint applied in coats. Before that, though, sand the plastic perfectly and degrease it, so that the veneer holds. Around the barbettes and the bases of the turrets guide the blade exactly along the edge of the plastic, so that no gap is left into which paint would get. Finally seal the surface with matte varnish.

Who the set is for

• Builders of American battleships in 1:700 scale
• Modelers who want faithful wood instead of painted plastic
• Collectors building the late wartime configuration of the ship
• More experienced modelers used to precise trimming around details

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