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Tamiya 1:350 KGV


Graham T

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So, as a committed aircraft modeller, I've decided to take a crack at a ship & have ordered the above from Jadlam for a very reasonable £41.15.  Now, anything I should know?  Paints from White Ensign (although I think that might be Coloucoats nowadays?), any other AM goodies I can splurge upon?  Also what would be a good reference book?  Enquiring mind wants to know!

Edited by Graham T
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This kit was released in 1985 according to Scalemates website and I doubt it has had any update since.  I would suggest looking at the Scalemates entry and also the various build articles here and at Modelwarship/The Ship Model Forum first before spending anything on aftermarket.  Hopefully this will give you a better idea of how detailed you want to make the model and how you want to present it (cased full hull, waterlined etc).  There are pros and cons for the various photo etch sets available and there is a large range of other accessories to improve on details such as the AA guns and directors.  Real wood decks is another item to be thought through.

 

If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed after this you could always start with a smaller warship such as the Tamiya Fletcher to get a better idea.   Good luck anyway!

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Whilst I generally like the kit (ok, a lot) it does have a shortcoming in that the deck join amidships isn't too clever on either Prince of Wales or King George V boxing of it. The simplest way around that is to cover it with an aftermarket wooden deck.

 

In general there are many, many aftermarket goodies for it. It really depends on how much stomach you have for it and how much you want to spend (or not). I would suggest better 20mm  Oerlikons, some railings and ladders will make a big visual improvement to it if you didn't want to drown in a full detail-up set (although those exist too). Some generic RN doors would be good too as whilst moulded cleanly, the superstructure has no doors moulded on.

 

The King George V boxing of the ship contains parts for the repurposed hangars and new midships deckhouse with boat deck on the roof, which freed up the aft superstructure (former boat deck) for substantially increased AA weapons fits. The appropriate colour scheme for that fit therefore is the end-of-war G45 all over with B20 panels over the armour belt (approximately).

 

...or with a few detail changes you could build Anson or Howe which had camouflage in 1944.

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The Tamiya KGV was my first ship when I returned to modelling, good choice :smile:

 

Agree with all the above, I used the WEM PE set which is ok.

 

Also Master Oerliken's which are fiddly but look really nice finished, WEM 8 barrel pom-poms and L'arsenal 40mm bofors. These probably made the biggest difference as the kit bofors are poor - there are newer ones around now with turned barrels that look great! 

Wish I done a wooden deck as well.

 

Good luck

 

Cheers

 

Nick

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