| Nautilus Models | |
| U.S.S. Lexington Wood Flight Deck | |
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kit number WD-5608 |
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Reviewed By Charles Landrum, #26328 |
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MSRP: $50.00 USD Available directly from Nautilus Models or through retail outlets. Review copy provided by: Nautilus Models 1474 Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 973-5666 I would like to thank Nautilus Models and IPMS for this review sample. Just when you thought plastic ship modeling couldn’t get more sophisticated, you now have the option of replacing those imitation wooden decks with - real wood. Nautilus Models, maker of resin conversions, now offers these replacement wooden decks for a variety of ship types. In fact they caught my attention with their wooden deck for the Revell 1/72 Type VIIc U-boat. The U-boat has been a popular modeling subject and so when my local hobby shop ordered a few of the Nautilus decks, these flew out of the store as well. I got a peek at one and I was inspired by the quality and the possibilities that real wood offered; nothing replicates wood like wood. So when IPMS asked if I wanted to review the Nautilus flight deck for LEXINGTON, as part of the build review, I raised my hand for the challenge to try something new. |
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| The Nautilus deck is basswood, fine grained and strong, with the deck detail laser- engraved into it. While the cost for this set is a bit high, there is a lot of detail present, far more than offered by the Trumpeter deck. First, the deck plank widths are much narrower and closer to prototype, which is approximately 4 inches. Nautilus than engraves in all of the fittings into the deck including tie-down points, hatches, the barrier stanchions and cables, arresting gear, deck edge framing and ladder platforms, and the windbreak. These are good guides for the raised PE details provided in the Gold Medal Models detail set. Nautilus thoughtfully provides a second set of elevator platforms, so that if you want to lower the elevators and are less than precise in your cutting you can err on the side of the elevator platform, knowing that you have a spare! Also engraved are the bases for the deck cranes, these come molded to the deck in the kit. The set also provides wood guide that you glue down to help secure the superstructure and stack to the deck. | |
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| This deck is designed as a drop in replacement for the Trumpeter deck, which means that is intended for LEXINGTON late in her life from the period 1941 to 1942. With minor modifications, it will work for the 1938-1941 period. Comparison of the widths and lengths shows that the set is dead on. The deck is only attached at a few small points; a few passes with a sharp modeling knife will quickly remove it from the frame. One drawback, upon first glance at the set, is that Nautilus had to divide the deck into two sections, no doubt due to the overall length. It would have been nice to have a single piece of wood. This joint is not in the same location as the forward on the Trumpeter deck and falls along a floorboard joint. I plan to use some of the spare wood from the frame to back the joint between the two sections to give this area strength. Upon review of the instructions you quickly realize that it is only the wooden part of the deck that is a drop in. The modeler will need to remove the round downs from the Trumpeter flight deck sections and attach them to the hull both fore and aft. This is no more than a score and snap of the plastic, but some filing and sanding will no doubt be required to get a flush fit. | |
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| I am excited about trying out this set. While you can build a very nice LEXINGTON using the plastic flight deck, I think that the wood deck will be a significant enhancement to the model and worth the cost of the set. Building a CV/CVN is not an inexpensive proposition when you think of all of the aircraft and other details required; why not invest in the most visible part of the ship. Nautilus could not have better engineered the set. They recommend against using acrylic paints on the deck, unless you coat both sides, for the moisture will tend to warp the wood. Even if you plan to coat both side I recommend against it. I plan to stain the wood (basswood generally takes a stain well), which will allow the texture of the wood to come through, but we will explore this further in the build review. I highly recommend this set. | |
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