Tamiya HMS Nelson 1:700

Also Reviewed: White Ensign Models Etch Set
Review by: Les Venus

Our thanks to White Ensign Models for supplying our review sample

Reference

Some useful stuff if you are building HMS Nelson…

Background

Regular readers of SMN will know that I am still a novice in the maritime field. I do my best to emulate people – my heroes like Ian Ruscoe and, in doing so, seem to learn more and more.

So far I have built in 1:35th, 1:72nd, 1:144th, 1:200th and 1:350th but as yet haven’t gone down to my personal fear: 1:700th.

I have looked closely at the quality of models at a number of shows in this scale and I have to say I do love what I see. The ships are compact and, when in the right hands, well detailed too.

HMS Nelson has always been a favourite ship of mine, with its unique turret arrangement reminiscent of an up-gunned HMS Abercrombie that I previously built using WEM’s fantastic kit. So when WEM brought out their new etch set for the Tamiya kit, I just had to take the plunge.

The Kit

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The kit is magnificent. Offered only in waterline, it comes with a steel weight that gives it a real scale feel (I love this idea) and it encourages the desire to build. It’s small, as you can see next to my current build the Revell Bismarck in 1:350th scale.

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The Instructions are simple, as is the build offering few but as detailed as they can be parts. I see that it will be paramount to re-craft masts in brass to hold the rigging and guns; AAA guns will need replacing by brass etch too. So step up WEM

ETCH…

Coming in a stiff carded white envelope, the WEM etch set is glorious.
It offers all that one needs to detail this fabulous kit including: deck rails, yard arms, secondary armament, cranes and towers. It’s essential in my view and any model without it will be the lesser for it.

I will be building this soon but meanwhile recommend both very highly.

Les V.