| Gold Medal Models | |
| 1/350 North Carolina Photo Etch Set | |
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kit number 350-34 |
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Reviewed By Charles Landrum, #26328 |
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MSRP: $42.00 Available directly from Gold Medal Models, or through retail outlets Review copy provided by Gold Medal Models 1412 Fisherman Bay Road, Lopez, WA 98261 USA I would like to thank Loren Perry for this review sample and congratulate him on winning “Model of the Year 2004” from the German model ship magazine Der Schiffsmodellbauer for his two 1/350 scale photo etched detail sets (Nos. 350-28 and 350-29) for Trumpeter's USS Nimitz. This is the third year in a row that a GMM product has been judged the Model of the Year winner in the accessory division by German hobbyists. Loren Perry has managed to match his release pace with that of Trumpeter, and as a result has brought out a comprehensive detail set for the newly released Trumpeter 1/350 USS North Carolina (sister ship to the USS Washington). Trumpeter has captured the look and feel of these ships with some fine pattern making, but a WWII battleship had every available topside area crammed with guns of numerous calibers and associated equipment. To build a respectable rendition, the challenge is for the modeler to replicate this visual clutter; PE details fill in where injection molded plastic cannot. As nice as the Trumpeter kit is, it needs a good PE set to make it a museum quality model. This latest release from Gold Medal Models fills answers the call and then some. As has become the norm for GMM, this set is an 8 x 10 inch sheet, double relief-etched. There is little wasted space; every available section of brass is filled with details. As is the case with other GMM sets, this sheet allows you to build every configuration of the North Carolina and Washington during their wartime service. The instruction sheet is a large, double sided 8 ½ x 14 sheet that is clear and easy to follow. The location call outs and exploded view drawings are very helpful. [Of note, there is a flaw in one set of the 40mm gun shields; fortunately, there are spare shields and so there is no impact to the modeler. GMM was kind to point this out with a slip included with the set and has corrected the flaw for future runs.] So what do you get in this set?
What I look for in any PE brass release are the fine details. This set is rises to the occasion and offers some nice details of exceptional quality. For the forecastle – hawse screens, windlass and capstan controls leadsman platforms (from which manual soundings were taken with a leadline). The radars are exquisite. Other noteworthy details are the rigid lightport covers (very tedious) and - my favorite - waffle hatches with open scuttles! That last detail alone makes me want to build a North Carolina. So what is missing? Mostly small details that would be nice to have but are not necessary, plus there isn’t any room on the fret. In other releases GMM has provided accommodation ladders, bracing for the Kingfisher floats, floater net baskets, fire stations, life rings and stokes litters. Many of these details are available in GMM’s inexpensive sets of generic details. However, if you have bought any of GMM’s other recent releases you may have these parts as spares. I doubt many (except retired Naval Officers like me, always harassing the Chief) will notice, and will instead concentrate on the wealth of details provided. This is a must-have set if you want to do the North Carolina justice. The price is competitive with other manufacturer’s sets, but given the fine engineering of the set, I would say that the price is a bargain. As always, you will have many details left over for other projects. Highly recommended. |
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