HMS Manchester, Type 42
Revell - 1/700
By: Mike
Dunn
The Royal Navy
have 12 Type 42 destroyers, also known as the Sheffield class, these being in
three batches. HMS Manchester, and her sisters HMS Gloucester, Edinburgh and York,
were completed between 1983 and 1985. This kit can build any of these four
sister ships. The main difference between these Batch 3 ships and the previous
Batch 1 and 2 of the class is that the Batch 3 vessels are 7 metres longer, displace
an additional 1115 tons, are slightly faster and have a slightly lower weapons
fit, in addition to a slight increase in crew. Scheduled to be replaced by the
long-awaited Type 45 destroyers, they will remain in service until at least 2007.
The name ship of the class, HMS Sheffield, was lost in the Falklands war, as was
her sister ship HMS Coventry. Interestingly, it must be noted that Sheffield was
NOT destroyed by the Exocet missiles that hit her; while damaged, they were
salvagable (the Exocet failed to detonate, although there was a resultant fire).
Instead, her loss should be attributed to the water in her from the fire-fighting,
and being towed to South Georgia during a storm; she slowly took more water on-board,
flooded and capsized. For more information on the myth of surface ship vulnerability,
I advise you to read The Navy League
of Australia magazine The Navy, Vol 62 No 4.
So,
on opening the box, what is there? You get the usual decal sheet, the instructions,
and a sealed bag, with three sprues (each in their own sealed bags). Detailing
is acceptable on each sprue, and the level of flash is minimal. As this is the
third vessel to be made from this set of moulds, there are a number of parts
that aren't used. Sprue A has the least of these, with only a couple to be added
to your spares box. On here is the under-hull and upper hull/deck (no need to
cut down if you want to make her water-line), and the majority of the superstructure
parts. Also on here are various smaller items (eg davits, antennae). Sprue B
is about 50% unused, and consists of the majority of the remaining smaller items,
from ship's boats to armaments, from Lynx copter to radars. Sprue C has another
hull (to add to spares), under-hull detailing, and the plinth. A name-plate
is provided - but you'd better provide your own if not making 
Manchester
- they have moulded her name on.
Looking at the decals, you get a nice crisp set, with the name and penants
of each of the ships, as well as the warning circles, Plimsoll lines, White
Ensign and a couple of other detailing decals. The surrounding field is maybe
a little large, but this is my only complaint here.
Moving to the instructions, the usual landscape format has been replaced with
a portrait format. I immediately took a dislike to this layout, as it prevents
you easily having the instructions right in front of the model, as you fold
it open upwards. The title page is a finished picture, with a paragraph on Manchester;s
history. Page 2-4 are the usual multi-lingual warnings of everything from gluing your
fingers together to nuclear strikes. Page 5 is the usual symbol 
explanations
& paint list. Page 6 gets more interesting, showing what parts to ignore
on the sprues, as well as 3 diagrams on weapon assemblies. Page 7 details the
Lynx helicopter as well as four more assemblies on masts and funnels. Page 8
has four assemblies on the superstructure, with page 9 having two more, and
one on deck fitments. Page 10 details the stern and under-hull, with page 11
putting the two hull assemblies together and mounting onto the stand. The last
page, 12, has the painting and decal guide.
So - apart from the instructions, I like this kit. It's cleanly moulded; the
decals are OK; the instructions are clear (I just wish they weren't in portrait
format). As it stands, it makes a decent little model. Add on the White Ensign
Models photo-etch detailing set (a
review of which is found here), and you will have a wonderful example of
a 
modern
Royal Navy destroyer.
Before we finish - I mentioned that this is one of three kits around. Let's
have a quick look at the others (if there is interest, I will review them properly;
please email me if you would like that).
HMS Sheffield can be built as herself, as Coventry or as "Argentina". The sprues
are almost identical to Manchester, with about 20% not being used for any of
the three versions; Sheffield's name is moulded onto the name plate. The instructions
are on 8 sides, and while more brief are comprehensive and clear. The decals
aren't as good, but are adequate.
HMS Exeter can be made as either Exeter or Southampton. The sprues are identical
to Sheffield (Revell didn't bother changing the name plate at all). The instructions
cover 13 pages, with the first 5 being the usual multi-lingual ones. The remainder
have 6 on assembly (with the differences between Exeter & Southampton being
clearly shown) and 2 on painting & decalling the relevant varient. The decals
themselves are an improvement on Sheffield, but not as good as Manchester.
One interesting, and puzzling, point: as you would expect, not all items on
the sprues are used due to differences between the individual ships. Why, then,
do each of these kits and variants not use a lot of the same extra pieces?