Jump to content

HMS Ark Royal Detail Up Set (SE-35009 for Merit)


Mike

Recommended Posts

HMS Ark Royal Detail Up Set (SA-35009)

1:350 Tetra Model Works

 

boxtop.jpg

 

We've been waiting for a 1:350 WWII Ark Royal for what seems like forever, and now Merit have obliged, we're still not satisfied!  It's a nice kit as far as it goes, and we reviewed it here a little while back, but there is a lot of detail that can be added to improve on what Merit International included in the box.  Tetra Model Works are a Korean based company that specialise in Photo-Etch (PE) and turned brass upgrades to maritime and armour subjects, and their work has to be seen to be appreciated.  We chatted briefly at Scale model World in 2016, and the products on display were breath-taking in their detail, which bodes well for the future.

 

boxtop-contents.jpg

 

This set is designed as a comprehensive "detail up" compendium for the Ark Royal, and arrives in a long shallow box that opens along one edge, revealing the contents.  One bubble-wrap bag contains ten frets that are jam-packed with parts in various gauges of brass, plus a sheet of ultra-thin veneer with the decking laser-cut into it.  This isn't the flight deck of course, as the RN were sensible and had steel flight decks even as far back as the 30s, but instead these are the decks around the 4.5" gun emplacements, the fo'c'stle and the quarter deck at the stern.  In another heat-sealed bubble-wrap bag are four ziplok bags containing 32 0.5" Vickers anti-aircraft barrels, 32 40mm Pom-Pom anti-aircraft gun barrels, 16 4.5" gun barrels, and a length of anchor chain in a dull steel colour.  It isn't a cheap set, but you most definitely get what you pay for in this instance, as the content is exquisite.  The final item in the bag is the instruction booklet, which consists of five sheets of A3 paper printed in full colour on both sides (bar one), using both extensive drawings for the construction of assemblies, and photos of the finished items to aid in placement of the final parts on the model.  The initial steps show where the kit parts need adjustment, mainly by the removal of upstands and chunky kit deck, plus the anchor chain detail on the fo'c'stle.  The quarter-deck and the 4.5" emplacements also need their raised detail removing before you can add all that stunning detail.

 

sprue1.jpg

 

sprue2.jpg

 

sprue3.jpg

 

sprue4.jpg

 

The access decks on the sides of the hull were somewhat of a disappointment from the box, being a little shy on detail, but these are amongst the first to be improved upon, with access hatches, additional windowed walls to give them some extra interest, before davits, railings, exterior degaussing cables, small cranes and the accessways themselves are added.  Extra walkways and stairs are also added to the sides of the hull, along with support ribbing under some of the flying decks, the brackets for the HF aerial masts, which are also replaced as part of the process later on.  The access stairs themselves are able to be fitted in the stowed position where they lay flat against the railings of their deck, or they can be built up deployed if you want to show them in all their glory.  Just follow the appropriate instruction sections for the required style.

 

accessdecks1.jpg

 

accessdecks2.jpg

 

accessdecks3.jpg

 

The flight deck is not left out, having extra detail added to the catapult tracks, launch-points, the round-down, the crew netting to either side of the cat stands, and the small recessed gunnery "booths" at the sides.  The traps – the arrestor wires are eight in number, and stretch across the deck from their spools at the sides.  If the pilot misses the wires, his last hope is the net that stretches from the rear of the island to the other side of the deck.  It's an expensive repair job to any aircraft that gets this far, but it's an awful lot safer than running into the rest of the squadron, and drier than going over the edge into the briny.

 

bow1.jpg

 

bow2.jpg

 

bow3.jpg

 

bow4.jpg

 

island1.jpg

 

island2.jpg

 

island3.jpg

 

island4.jpg

 

island5.jpg

 

Speaking of the island, which is the nautical term for the bridge of a carrier (in case you're not familiar), this is one of the main areas of interest that viewers will focus on, and it is substantially upgraded with funnel, deck and bridge details all being added along with watertight doors, splinter shields, a heavily modified main mast.  Perhaps the most delicate and clever part of the set are a group of handholds that are fitted to the sides of the island, which are supplied as u-shaped PE parts, along with a template to accurately drill the holes with a 0.3mm bit in a pin-vice.  The Pom-Pom mounts and the emplacements themselves are created from a sizeable series of parts, including eight of the turned barrels in each installation.  They are complex and detailed, and will require a high degree of concentration and dexterity to do them justice.  They sit on circular platforms on a star-shaped base, with tread-plate platform sections around the base for the gun crews.  The 4.5" guns again have turned barrels, and fit into the kit breeches, which are barely visible on their upgraded platform, around which an altered shroud fits, which is open at the rear for crew access.  This could do with thinning down to a more scale thickness at the edges, so check your references to see how much you will need to take off to make it look better.  The quad 0.5" Vickers guns are assembled in vertical mounts with a small footprint, and again have turned barrels that are incredibly fine.  Their magazines and ring & bead sights are prominent parts, which are fitted at the end of assembly, but will require delicate handling to ensure they aren't damaged before they are installed. 

 

guns1.jpg

 

guns2.jpg

 

pompoms1.jpg

 

cranes1.jpg

 

The ship's cranes are folded up from complex frameworks, with the operator cab and even the control wires included along with a hook at the end of the jib, with two types provided in the upright and extended positions depending on where they are sited.  These cranes could be used to deploy the ship's boats, which are almost totally re-worked with additional PE in substantial quantities.  The launch is provided with totally new superstructure, while the two types of open-topped rowing boats are fitted with bench seats, rudders, and even a set of oars to finish them off, although there are no rollocks!

 

boats1.jpg

 

39-41.jpg

 

Additional diagrams throughout the build process show the differences between her fit in 1939 and 1941, with additional life rafts attached to the Island sides, and blast shields around the deck-mounted Pom-Poms, I guess following some incident or other that prompted the changes.  The details added to the fo'c'stle and quarter decks will show through the open spaces, and the addition of a more realistic chain, coupled with the wooden deck will really bring those areas to life.

 

hull1.jpg

 

hull2.jpg

 

hull3.jpg

 

hull4.jpg

 

 

Conclusion

This is a truly stunning set that will keep you busy for quite some time, but will most definitely be worth the effort expended.  The instructions show the assemblies being built up, and then cross-refer you to the photographs for placement, so once you figure that aspect out, you will have a production line creating them ready for painting and installation, and while away many a happy hour buried in the minutiæ of it all.

 

You can now also get an update set for the airwing that is included in the kit box, which we have reviewed here.

 

Extremely highly recommended.

 

bin.jpg

 

Review sample courtesy of

logo2.jpg

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks to be a formidable set of upgrades and probably not for the faint hearted!  Just had a look on the Buy it Now page but couldn't see any prices; possibly not in actual distribution yet.  Thanks for the review Mike.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're carrying these. They're selling faster than we can get them in though but we have more enroute.

 

The instruction manual is particularly good in this set too - I posted images of them on the thread in our forum section here last month:

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I received my sets a couple of weeks ago from Soveriegn and I have just managed to fit it all back in the box after drooling  all over it until I get time to clear a space on the bench. :waiting:

And collect more references material   :wall:

 

Beefy

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not got a ship model in the house but by God this set could make you come over all nautical.  That's temptation up at biblical levels.

 

The air wing set looks good too but not sure about those brass etch blurred props with the ring around for the prop tips.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After the great ship cull of a few years ago, I was without ships too until this one was announced.  I read a book on the Ark and built the Airfix kit when I was a kid, and since then it's been my favourite ship alongside HMS Fearless, which I also built (badly) as a kid ^_^  nostalgia.

 

The Prop blurs are great as long as you realise that they're tiny, and if you look at them too hard it'll break the illusion.  Finding a motor that size may be an ask too far though :lol:

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Mike changed the title to HMS Ark Royal Detail Up Set (SE-35009 for Merit)

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...