1:700 PLA Navy

What the set is for

On ship models in 1:700 scale the limit of plastic shows first on thin shapes. Railings, ladders or grating come out of plastic necessarily thicker than the scale allows, and so give away the size of the model. Photo-etched metal solves that problem, because the sheet is genuinely a few tenths of a millimeter thick.

What the set contains

This is a fret of photo-etched parts in 1:700 scale for models of vessels of the navy of the People's Liberation Army of China. The shapes are etched chemically into the sheet and the individual parts are held in the fret by thin tabs. The extent of the set and the model it is cut for are given in the manufacturer's instructions; check them before you start building.

Building and painting tips

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface rather than by breaking them off, otherwise the thin sheet will distort. Dress the remainder of the tab with a fine file. Make the bends in a photo-etch bending tool or between two blades, so that the edge comes out straight; bend long parts such as railings along their whole length at once. Metal is bonded with super glue or an epoxy, as cement for plastic kits has no effect on it. Before painting, wash and degrease the parts and use a primer intended for metal, otherwise the paint holds poorly on smooth sheet.

• photo-etched metal parts in 1:700 scale
• subject: vessels of the navy of the People's Liberation Army of China
• thin metal parts replace coarser plastic ones
• bonding with super glue or an epoxy
• the extent of the set and what it fits are given in the manufacturer's instructions

Who it is for

The set belongs to a modeler who builds ships in a small scale and wants to get beyond what plastic can do. Working with photo-etched parts in 1:700 calls for tweezers, a sharp knife and good light. The model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.