O-P Class Destroyer Photo Etch set
White Ensign - 1/700
By: Mike Dunn
The Tamiya 1/700 O class destroyer is a nice little kit to start practicing with; it's cheap, commonly available, and can also be used as a training kit to start getting into photo-etch detailing, especially if you have the O-Z Destroyers book for reference.
This
photo-etch sheet is different from most White Ensign pe frets I have in that
it is steel, and not brass. It seems to have less "memory" in it for folding;
whether this makes it harder to fold a piece, easier to keep in it's final shape,
or makes no difference is something I guess I'll find out when I use it.
After saying that, the PE is up to the usual WEM specification, ie, it is well designed and well made. Within the fret, you get lattice mast assemblies, the Oerlikons (don't forget to buy the resin mounts!), various davits and chocks, the 4-barrelled pom-pom, anchors and chains, ladders and railings, aerials, and more. There are parts included here for O class, for P class, and (surprisingly) for R class as well! In total, there are 38 different items on this fret.
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The instructions are, as expected, first class. Consisting of four sides of A4, you get the usual general instructions and mailing list sheet, a blow-up of the fret with each of the 38 items listed, and named underneath (a vital page, and done very clearly), with the remaining two sides being assembly details for specific parts, eg the three types of lattice mast (depending on the class of vessel you are mailing), or on the 4" gun or the 4-barrelled pom-pom.
Apart from the fret being steel, I am very happy with this. Also available to go with this fret are small resin items such as the 4.7" Mk IX gun on Mk XVIII mount; I'd like to see WEM produce some more super-detailing resin parts for this class of kit, and maybe package the fret with the right number of resin items to detail a ship - but that's just me <g>. This is a very good item to get for the kit, one that will help make a good model become a great one.
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