1:700 USS Missouri BB-63 1945

A wooden deck for USS Missouri BB-63 in 1:700 scale

A thin wooden veneer cut to the outline of the deck of the battleship USS Missouri, with the finish corresponding to 1945. On battleships the deck is the largest continuous area of the model, so it is what decides the overall impression. The veneer covers it with wood showing the grain of planking, which does not look like painted plastic.

The real subject

USS Missouri was the third completed battleship of the Iowa class and entered service in the middle of 1944. She carried nine 406 mm guns in three triple turrets. The best known moment of her career falls on September 2, 1945, when the Japanese surrender was signed on her deck in Tokyo Bay. The ship also served in the Korean War, went through modernization in the 1980s and is a museum ship at Pearl Harbor today.

Building tips

• Before fixing the veneer in place, always lay it on dry and compare the outline, the openings for the turrets and the deck passages.
• The plastic beneath the veneer must be smooth and free of dust; every unevenness will print through such a thin layer.
• Adjust the openings with a new blade led in light strokes, so that the wood does not tear along the grain.
• Fit the anchor gear, the railings and the superstructures only after the deck has been laid.
• A dark wash brings out the seams between the planks, but apply it sparingly or it will drown the grain.

Who it is for

For builders of warships in 1:700 scale who want to solve the surface of the deck quickly and with a faithful result. Fitting it is a matter of precision, not of special tools, and it does without any experience with photo-etched parts.

This is an accessory for a kit. The ship model itself, paints and glue are not included, unless stated otherwise.