White Ensign Models

1/350 Varyag Photo-Etch Set For the Zvezda 1/350 Varyag cruiser

Stock Number: PE 3587

Reviewed By  Charles Landrum, IPMS# 26328

MSRP: £16.98 GBP Available directly from White Ensign Models or retail outlets that carry their products. Review copy provided by:   White Ensign Models   South Farm, Snitton   Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 3EZ   United Kingdom   Tel: 44 870 220 1880   Fax: 44 870 220 1786   Email: wem@onetel.com.   Website: www.whiteensignmodels.com I would like to thank the team at White Ensign Models for this review sample. This latest offering from White Ensign Models is a PE set for Zvezda's 1/350 VARYAG cruiser - one of the ill-fated Russian warships in the Russo-Japanese War. Built in the United States by Philadelphia's Cramp and Sons shipyard, VARYAG was from a time when warships still carried vestiges of their sail powered predecessors while advancing new technologies and tactics. They were also visible symbols of power in an age of imperialism. The result was a warship with a lot of ornamentation and topside clutter. This detail that could be better represented in a medium other than plastic and WEM answers the call. WEM is known for producing well-researched PE sets with a lot of advanced details; this set is no exception. This offering provides a wealth of double relief etched detail on one single brass sheet 5.5 x 8 inches in size. The PE set is complemented by a five page instruction sheet; the front page of which provides an easy-to-read key that identifies all of the components. Following this are four pages of assembly instructions that are clear and easy to follow, with written procedures as well as clear illustrations. Here is what comes in the set:  · Liferails in pre-measured sections. The railings are bar-type with waterways at the bottom of the stanchions.  · Inclined and vertical ladders.  · Platform brackets and stanchion cross-bracing.  · Replacement doors, including ones that open.  · Replacement pilot house.  · Aft Compass platform.  · Compass binnacle, pelorus, and helm.  · Boat rudders and oars.  · Davit arms, pulleys and hooks.  · Replacement sternwalk platform, brackets, railing.  · Ratlines and yardarms footropes.  · Anchor handling crane.  · Accommodation ladders and bridles.  · Gangway ornamentation.  · Coaling scuttles.  · Hatch gratings.  · Derrick pulleys.  · Funnel caps, grilles, and stiffener rings.  · Portholes.  · Engine room skylight ventilation hatches.  · Grated platforms.  · PE Anchor chain.  · Rigging eyebolts and turnbuckles.  · Gun handwheels.  · And replacement bow scroll work and double eagle stern crest. WEM has packed a lot of detail in this set. Aside from the standard details that you expect in a PE set, what I like in this release are the extra details that if added will make the model stunning. These include the sternwalk, the davit details, the bow scrollwork, the stern figure and gangway boards. The double-relief etched details is of the ornamentation is gorgeous. So what are the drawbacks of the set? If you want to add the small details such as the eyebolts and turnbuckles for the funnel/mast stays, you will need additional references - they are not in the instructions. Other items not referenced include the ship controls, and stern eagle. This latest release by WEM provides everything that you need and then some to in one competitively priced package to build a stand out model of VARYAG. If you plan to build ZVEZDA's VARYAG, this set will greatly enhance its appearance. Highly recommended.

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