Eduard USS Texas Detail Sets. 1:350

[Shar2]

USS Texas Detail Sets
1:350 Eduard

It hasn’t taken long for Eduard to release sets for the Trumpeter USS Texas, and whilst they can’t help with the fixing of the major hull errors in the kit, they will be able to add lots of extra that should pull the eyes of the visitor to your club stand or display case away from those areas. As is their way, Eduard have released separate sets that cover certain areas of the ship so that the modeller doesn’t have to buy what they don’t want to detail, which also helps keep models within budgets.

Part 1, AA Guns - (53-154). This single sheet set does exactly what it says on the packet, provides lots of extra detail to the ships AA weaponry, Quad 40mm Bofors, single 20mm Oerlikons and the single 5” guns. The kits 40mm’s are completely replaced with etched brass, with the exception of the actual gun barrels. So, that’s a new mounting base, railings, gun mounting, turntable and splinter shield. The 20mm’s are provided with new shield, ammunition drum faces, front and rear, new sights and shoulder harness, along with a new hand wheel. The 5 inchers are also fitted with new sights, plus two gunners seats, the left hand of which incorporates the foot rests/firing pedals. There are enough parts for all the guns in the kit, so be prepareds for some long, fiddly modelling sessions, especially for the Oerlikons as there are forty two of them, along with 12 5” and 8 quad 40’s.

Part 2, Railings and Ladders - (53-155). Another self explanatory set, the single sheet includes complete set of main deck railings and a selection of inclined ladders for around the ship. Now whilst these are very nicely done, the instructions are completely inadequate, in that they only show where one ladder is fitted. Ok, it’s easy enough to replace any kit ladders with eh etched ones, but it would have been nice it Eduard had confirmed this. A nice touch is the inclusion of two accommodation ladders, these are quite complex multi part assemblies, but will look great when fitted.

Part 3, Superstructure – (53-156). The large single sheet, along with one very small sheet of etched brass contains all the parts required to detail the superstructure of the kit. The parts replace all the AA gun deck mounted splinter shields, both fighting tops and their support frames and hand rails as well as their top mounted radar arrays. Apart from the king posts aqnd their centrally mounted mechanisms, the cranes are completely replaced with brass and come with cable drums and hooks which can have wire added to give them a little more life. The bridge superstructure has additional wire spreaders fitted, as well as vertical ladders, mast platform and railings, whilst C turret is fitted with a replacement catapult, which is a model in its own right and looks fantastic, even in its flattened form. The funnel receives new ladders, hand and foot rails, funnel cap grille, and wire spreaders, and the ships boats are fitted with new gunwhales, rudders, propellers, thwarts, engine covers and cradles. Lastly, both of the ships aircraft are provided with new interior parts, such as the instrument panels, seating and bulkheads for the front cockpit, whilst eh rear cockpit gets, aq new decking, DF loop and machine gun, plus it’s mounting rail. The outside of the aircraft receives replacement struts for the outer floats, access ladder, access steps, bomb racks, engine wiring harness and main float wires and rudder.

Part 4, Deck – (53-157). Whilst eh set above provides many of the new splinter shields required for the AA weaponry, this set adds to that with all those that are fitted to the main deck. The kit items will need to be carefully removed and the areas cleaned up, but the brass does give them a more scale thickness than plastic ever can. They will require some careful bending and rolling though, so if you haven’t got the tools required, now’s the time to acquire them. Each splinter shield is also fitted with a variable number of triangular supports, which will also need a steady hand to attach. All the bollards, windlasses are fitted with new top plates, and there are new hawse pipe gratings and hatch covers provided. The main gun turrets are not only fitted with new railings, ladders and the like, but Eduard has even included a tampion for each gun muzzle. The main turret barbettes, particularly B and D are fitted with hand and foot rails, again requiring careful rolling to shape.

Conclusion
Eduard are very good at getting the most detail into a model ship and these sets will really help set the completed USS Texas off. Whilst I can recommend them to any modeller who has had some experience with etched brass, they certainly are not for the novice, so it might be best to start with something simpler to gain experience before buying these sets. Whether the kit is worth detailing to this extent is entirely up to the modeller but I will probably give it a try someday.

Review sample courtesy of

[bootneck]

Good review Dave. I had to re-read sections 1 and 3 as there appears to be so much included, and to be done, on those sheets. These don't look to be for the faint hearted; however, with patience, a methodical approach and some good reference material to hand, I'm sure that they will enhance the model to a totally higher level.

Although not part of this review, I am interested, as I'm sure others may be, as to what the correct and recommended tools would be that you mention?

Mike

[Shar2]

I would use a proper folding tool and a set of rollers, both of which are readily available. Some of the parts, such as the fighting tops, cranes and some of the splinter shields would be best soldered rather than glued.