HMS Illustrious Photo-Etch Update Set

[Mike]

HMS Illustrious Photo-Etch Update Set

1:350 White Ensign Models

The recent release of the long awaited (by many) HMS Illustrious kit in 1:350 by Airfix was the catalyst for many an aircraft modeller to break into maritime modelling, as the cross-over between the Fleet Air Arm and one of Britain's best loved current aircraft carriers was too much to resist.

I reviewed the kit here on release, and my comments gave a broad thumbsup up the release, but as is usual with any injection moulded kit, improvements can be made. White Ensign have stepped up to the plate, and have been working long and hard on a Photo-Etch (PE) update set for the Lusty since before the kit was officially released.

The set arrives in a padded envelope, inside of which are chunks of cardboard to keep the package stiff, together with a printed 7 page instruction booklet. The PE sheets are held inside a card-backed envelope, and sliding them out is a treat for the eyes, and should be done VERY carefully due to the fineness of the parts and the thickness of the sheets.

There are two sheets of PE within the envelope, one of A4 size that contains the major structural and detail parts, which is etched from a sheet of 0.1mm thickness. The second sheet is thinner, at approximately 0.05mm and holds a huge array of additional railings, some antennae and the fine mesh netting that stops crew members tumbling over board.

The first thing of note is the high quality of the etching of the sheets. I know for a fact that John @ WEM has worked closely with two etching companies to get this level of quality, and I'm happy to report that they have succeeded in every respect.

The instruction booklet is double-sided printing, and the first two pages give a complete run-down of all of the parts provided, naming every single one, so you're not just mindlessly placing parts that you have no idea of what they are.

The two main radar antennae are finely detailed, using only fractions of the kit parts, taking advantage of the scale-like appearance and thickness of PE to provide a much more lifelike rendition of these prominent parts. The main masts are similarly upgraded with platforms, aerials, and here you should also put a slight rounding on the foremast kit parts, as this is evident from the detail pictures that are available on the web.

The mainmast is a symphony of parts, including the tiny dipoles on the end of the replacement aerial for kit part 16D. You'll need very steady hands indeed to twist these into the correct orientation. A diagram accompanies construction notes so that you place all the platforms at the right height. Parts are also included for an early version of the main mast, which will require you to do a bit of research for the timescale you are portraying your kit.

A gaggle of raised platforms adorn the roof of the bridge, and the traffic lights are also provided to attach to the underside of the flying bridge. Further fittings and antennae are provided for the Scot Radome platform and the Mizzenmast base, and both funnels are provided with capping grilles, plus some tiny aerials that would have been impossible to mould in injection moulding. Railings are also provided for the platform on the aft funnel.

The gun platforms have railings and anti-fall netting, as do the Goalkeeper and CIWS platforms, with a nice add on lattice work barrel framing to add detail to the Goalkeeper turret.

Additional catwalks are supplied for Invincible and Ark Royal if you plan on converting your kit to either of these ships, and the instructions recommend that additional plastic card is laminated to the brass sheet to get the correct thickness. Lusty's own catwalks were upgraded and widened at her last refit, and parts are supplied to do this, as well as converting the catwalks to the perforated surface for ease of drainage.

Floodlight gantries are supplied for fore and aft of the superstructure, and are laminated from a number of parts, with additional railings provided for the platforms above. The fixed deck crane is a simple affair on the kit, and all that needs adding are the pulleys and cables, which amazingly are provided as PE parts on the fret.

The kit approach light platforms are replaced by new parts, and detailed Life Raft canister racks are also provided, with instructions for separating the supplied canisters from their all-in-one moulding. A few extra parts are supplied for detailing the ship's launches, and new ventilator grilles are provided for near their stowage points.

The firefighting gear attached around the Island is represented as rather two dimensional raised detail on the kit, and the PE replaces it with 3D parts aplenty. These hose reels fold up around a modeller provided length of styrene rod, and should improve the look immensely.

The last page of pictorial instructions shows where the rest of the railings and anti-fall netting goes, and believe me when I say that there's a lot of it!

Conclusion

This is a superb set from a company that specialises in this sort of thing. The asking price might seem high on first look, but one and a half A4 sheets of PE does not come cheap, and the amount of research that went into producing the set is immense.

If you're keen to make the best of your Lusty kit, go buy this PE set - you won't regret it.

It's worth noting that WEM also produce additional items that you could use to further enhance your arsenal, such as an airwing fittings kit, and a re-release of their Harrier FRS-1 set, which will bolster your early airwing strength.

Review sample courtesy of John at

[denstore]

Nice review! And from what I've seen from the Airfix kit, this is something really needed. The kit is allright , but it needs detail.

[Mike]

Nice review! And from what I've seen from the Airfix kit, this is something really needed. The kit is allright , but it needs detail.

Thanks

All models are built to a price, and the Lusty is no different. When you compare the price tag of the Airfix kit with that of the Revell USS Wasp for example, there's a large number of pound coins difference between them, so adding the cost of the WEM set still brings you in under, and you have LOTS of PE, rather than just railings

[Paul A H]

Good stuff; looks like a really comprehensive set. I ordered my first WEM frets this week and I must say they look great. Really well packaged too.

[DamienB]

I hadn't thought you could get more terrifying than the 1/700 WEM frets I have to cover the Type 42 I intend building later this year... but an A4 piece of etched... jeez...!!!

[Dads203]

Great review Mike, This is a great set from WEM that will really make the Airfix kit

into something amazing. Well worth the wait.

[Mike]

Absolutely