Gold Medal Models

1/700 CVN 1/4-Airwing Details For the Trumpeter 1/700 NIMITZ class CVN

Stock Number: 700-33a

Reviewed By  Charles Landrum, IPMS# 26328

MSRP: $12.00 Review copy provided by Gold Medal Models, 1412 Fisherman Bay Road, Lopez, WA 98261. Their website is www.goldmm.com. I would like to thank Loren Perry for this review sample. As a companion set to the 1/700 NIMITZ CVN detail set (see the review on this website), Gold Medal Models offers a scaled down version of their 1/350 set. In this one set there are details for the variety of aircraft present on carrier decks from the 1970s to today including the A-6, A-7, EA-3, EA-6B, E-2, F-4, F-14, F-18, RA-5C, S-3, SH-3, and SH/HH-60. Like the other sets available on the market, one sheet of brass will not detail an entire air wing. Rather this offering is advertised as covering one fourth of an air wing. Obviously Loren has had customers who don't understand this, because it is etched into the fret of the PE set! Etched from stainless steel, this set offers the advantage of not buckling while being handled while still preserving the petite detail. The metal is double relief etched, providing additional detail and true to form the parts are well laid out and marked. The basic offering for most plane types consists of main and nose landing gear and tires, gear doors, and a tail hook. Main wheels for most aircraft has a second wheel that folds over to make a tire that is more in scale in thickness. There are additional details depending on the aircraft type. The break down by aircraft is as follows: · 6 A-6/EA-6B: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook, wing racks (with and without TERs), boarding ladders and refueling probes. · 6 A-7: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook, wing racks, AIM-9 rails. · 2 EA-3: Landing gear doors only. · 2 E-2: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook, propellers. · 6 F-4: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook, wing racks, boarding ladders. · 6 F-14: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook. · 10 F-18: Main gear, nose gear, gear doors, tail hook. · 2 RA-5C: Landing gear doors only. · 3 S-3: Nose gear, gear doors, tail hook, wing racks. · 4 SH-3 & SH-60: two main rotors spread, two main rotor folded, main rotor hub, tail rotor, left cabin door, right cabin door, rescue winch. There are a additional details I would like to see - racks for F-14, F-18, and S-3 racks. Overall, this is a nice set. You receive needed enhancements that greatly improve the scale appearance of the aircraft. Warning - be prepared to spend a lot more time on your air wing! Highly Recommended.

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