VectorCut

Wooden Deck For the Revell 1/350 SMS Emden

Stock Number: D350-02

Reviewed By  Luke R. Bucci, PhD, IPMS# 33549

MSRP: $17.00 Available from from www.vectorcut.com or contact jkrakow@aol.com . Thanks to VectorCut for supplying the kit. Bottom Line: VectorCut has produced laser-cut, real wood decks for the reissued Revell 1/350 scale SMS Emden, the famous German light cruiser that raided Allied shipping in the Pacific during World War One. SMS Emden The German light cruiser Emden was commissioned in 1909 and spent its career in the Pacific, where Germany had extensive holdings. Emden carried 10 4-inch guns and two torpedo tubes. Emden is most famous for its raiding cruises throughout the Pacific and Indian oceans during 1914, under the direction of the chivalrous and ingenious Captain Karl von Muller. Emden dispatched over 30 Allied ships until she encountered the HMAS Sydney, a larger and more powerful light cruiser, which destroyed the Emden, and captured Capt. Von Muller after a long and gallant fight. First-Look Review: This aftermarket set consists of three wood pieces. One piece is the crest (Wappen) of the SMS Emden, another contains the main deck, and the third contains the four wood decks for superstructure main guns, and three gratings for the bridge and bridge wings. The set is designed to be used with the Gold Medal Models photoetch set (GMM 350-13, $32) for the Revell SMS Emden kit (#5041, $13.99). The crest and the 1mm thick deck are basswood, while the other smaller pieces are 0.4 mm maple for correct scale thickness. There is a one-page instruction sheet that thoroughly indicates how to use the pieces and how to change the kit and use the photoetch set from GMM for this kit. The drawings on the instructions missed the two bridge wing pieces. The wood deck shows planking to-scale. No additional varnishing, painting or darkening of plank lines is needed. There are no perpendicular markings to denote ends of planks, but this is not really needed in this scale. There are 33 sunken holes to accurately portray coal scuttles, and which will need to have scratchbuilt gold foil pieces added (they are not supplied in GMM's photoetch set). The wood areas where the plastic kit pieces are to be placed are smooth. The crest is intended to be displayed with the base, and painting instructions are given. Although I do not have the Revell SMS Emden kit, it appears that the wood pieces have been manufactured with great attention and should fit the kit precisely. Although the wood is real, there are only very subtle and almost undetectable variations in color and no grain patterns. Thus, some observers may think the wood looks unrealistic, when it is actually more to scale appearance than coloring separate planks, especially after years of holystoning and sun bleaching. Summary: VectorCut's wood decking for Revell's SMS Emden kit requires advanced modeling skills (scratchbuilding and modifying kit parts), even though handling and gluing the wood decks demands no particular skills. The realism of wood decks is accurately represented and will add an extra level of detail for this kit. Recommended for those who wish to improve on the Revell SMS Emden kit. Websites: Wikipedia - history of SMS Emden Revell - website for the ship kit VectorCut - website with pictures of the set

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