I picked up Tamiya’s 1/350 WWII version of the Missouri, and have a question for all those who’ve built this kit. Which PE set did you use and why? There are a larger number of choices (and prices) from Eduard, White Ensign, and Flyhawk (basic and deluxe) specifically for the Missouri, as well as Tom’s Fast Battleship set. I know that people have personal preferences, but are some of these sets just overkill? Do you need to plate the bulkheads and turret roofs in brass (are they that much of an improvement), and are the 40mm racks worth the cost?
Have you looked at Gold Metal Model? I haven’t built the Missouri but I read positive reviews on their version of PE for the Missouri while doing other research.
As for bulkheads, brass plating, etc. you will just have to make that call. Only you can decide what you want the out come to be when taking on the build.
You can’t beat at minimum not having railings, proper gun shields, gun tubs, and to scale gun barrels on a ship, well aleast I can’t. Fire hoses, cable reels, vent covers, etc., just seem to make a ship stand out compared to one without.
The only one who could overkill the build is you.
I appreciate your thoughts, Marcus. I omitted GMM from my list, but I have seen their Missouri PE and the reviews. This wouldn’t be my first ship PE rodeo - I’ve used WEM, Tom’s and GMM sets before - but it would defintely the biggest since I’ve previously worked cruisers and destroyers. My questions to the forum really centers on their opinions at to whether an AM set like that provided by the Flyhawk Deluxe, and essentially re-plating the entire superstructure - is worth the extra cost and effort on a Tamiya kit.
I agree with Marcus. Much of the PE appeal is in the smaller details because they’re far more to scale and the result really stands out. I’ve used Pontos sets to detail several ships and found that turret tops and deck plating seems to disappear once painted. I’ve currently moved on to other supjects to build but will eventually return to ships and when I do plan on being selective in what I buy. The big all in one sets are far too costly verses any obvious benefit.
I have noticed that in the past several years kit mfgs seem to have adopted a new molding technology that makes the detail and accuracy of the injection-molded styrene much better than previously. I bought the Pontos set for the Dreadnought, which included turned brass barrels, even for the secondary armament. But the kit barrels were so good that I never used the brass ones. Some other features in photo etch I never used in recent builds because the styrene parts were so good. So I too am looking carefully at what aftermarket stuff I buy, for those kits using the new molding technologies.
Thanks for the feedback, gents. You’re opinions have been very helpful. I’ve since discovered that White Ensign makes a set of PE for the 40mm storage racks, so I think I’ll combine that set with the Eduard ship set and save a decent chunk of change.
I, too, have found myself in a quandry regarding which PE sets to buy - I’m currently working on the Trumpeter 1/350 Jeremiah O’Brien (my third attempt, as I used the other two models to perfect some techniques I’ve learned), to produce a truly (at least in my mind) accurate representation. As one might imagine, the cargo rigging is the most difficult step in finishing the model…I originally started with GMM (and a fine set it is), but found several important details omitted…so I bought Tom’s set, which covered several omissions…then I bought the Eduard set, plus some fittings from NorthStar Models - I’m filing for bankruptcy next week!! Anyhow, the point is: how much are you willing to spend on products which will enhance your model…definitely a subjective issue.
I build the Musashi and the Mikasa and used Gold metal sets. The Mushashi was the first ship kit where I used P.E. It helped to really bring out the extra detail.
When it came to the Mikasa it was a necessity. Some of the parts were way out of scale, and other parts were diffenately helped with the additional metal.
