IJN Yamato
1/350 photoetched detailing sets
Eduard Vs Gold Medal Models

By: Jens H Brandal

Both sets are designed for the Tamiya kits, and they may not fit other kits without modification. My sole reference on the Yamato is the Super Illustration Battleship Yamato (bought from HobbyLink Japan for 2000 yen) and if this is wrong the conclusions will also be wrong. My apologies in advance if I do. Anyway, here goes:

Packing and instructions: An envelope with a piece of stiff cardboard protecting the sheet of etchings and a double sided sheet (slightly longer than an A4 sheet) of instructions for the GMM set. The GMM instructions give a brief introduction to handling, shaping and gluing photoetched parts and how railings and ladders are fitted on real ships. The various sub-assemblies are then described in detail on how to fit them together. Two views of the superstructure (probably taken from one of the references mentioned in the instructions at the end) points out what type of railing goes where. An added bonus is the drawing showing the position of anti-aircraft artillery for the Yamato's last configuration as the kit is not entirely accurate in this respect. The plastic kit does not give you enough parts to model the ship in this configuration, so a second kit will need to be butchered or you will need to scratchbuild if you can't find someone with some triple 25mms to spare.

The Eduard set keep their etchings and two double sided instructions in a "half A4 sized" resealable plastic bag allowing you to see the etchings without removing them from the bag. Unfortunately, two parts had been bent when the header card was inserted in the bag, and this was the case in both the sets I looked at. The part in question is a rib that goes over the fairing where the anchor chain disappears into the hull so it should be easy enough to bend into shape. The instructions are Eduard's usual pictorial style which does not give any explanations how ladders and railings are fitted on board real ships. Instead, they have several views showing where to fit each item which is a good thing for those that haven't got the references.

How do the two sets of etchings compare? Not surprisingly, there is a fair degree of overlapping, but there are a great number of differences too. Following the GMM instructions, I will compare section by section:

First, catapults: These are best represented by GMM. Not only do Eduard portray them as open bottomed as compared to a box structure in the GMM set, but GMM also gives you ten internal braces for the structure and the pulley and bracket at the front. This complicates the assembly of the GMM catapult, but fit is really good and it is not as hard as it seems, resulting in an impressive looking miniature. The breakdown and reduced number of parts in the Eduard set makes it easier to assemble, but cannot attain the visual complexity and accuracy of the GMM item. Both sets include aircraft trolleys and two types of launch cradles.

Aircraft crane: Yet again, the Eduard set will be easier to assemble as the crane mast simply folds up at the base whereas the GMM will require the modeller to fold the developed pyramid along three corners. This demands a careful touch followed by thin flowing superglue, but it will give a structure that consists of four pieces of angle "steel" rather than the flat "steel" of the Eduard kit. The jib in the GMM kit has all four sides etched as one, whereas the Eduard set has the top separate from the bottom and two sides etched as one. Both will require care and patience to get a good result. GMM gives a choice of crane rigging which enables the modeller to show the jib in raised or lowered position, and a small hook. The Eduard set doesn't, but provides a character-building number of parts (and size) to represent the hinge of the boom and the attachment for the crane rigging. Combining the Eduard and GMM will make a crane worthy of study on its own.

Type 13 "GO" radar: I haven't attempted assembling the GMM etching yet, but surely that must be easier to assemble than the Eduard etching. GMM has one flat etching with a set of aerials included. Then you fold another etching and glue to the flat piece, thereby creating the triangular crossection of the original. Finally, the other set of aerials is fitted to the folded edge of the structure. Eduard represent this as a three pointed star, requiring the modeller to fold the sides upwards. Not having tried this in practice, I think it will be hard to achieve success as the base is virtually impossible to clamp. This radar only has one set of aerials and they are not as finely etched as the GMM set.

Main director: Eduard's set is the simplest with a crescent shaped walkway and radar aerials to be folded to an open box (same as GMM), but there is no support structure (which GMM provides). The "mesh" of the radar is represented as relief etched "dots" in the brass whereas the GMM is see through. Both sets provide the braces, and this is where the Eduard set stops. To fit the GMM walkway, you need to remove the overscale Tamiya walkway beneath the director "arms". Then you will fit the platform provided which goes under the arms and in front of the center housing. I found it necessary to bend the small tabs slightly upwards to fix them to the arms. Then comes the difficult part; bending the platform railing to fit the platform. First I started curving the center part of the railing around a dowel. Try to match the curve to the radius of the platform attachments. When you have achieved the correct radius, then you can bend the railing for the arms at about 90 degrees. Fit is actually perfect -showing how good the patternwork is. Make no mistakes about it; you will need two tweezers and two steady hands to get it all together square and level. Add to this the railing and ladders (cut to length and provided on the sheet and mentioned in the instructions), this is an area of the model I am quite proud of, and it isn't finished yet. Putting this main director on the finished model will be like crowning a king/queen/emperor depending which part of the world you're in. 

Auxiliary director: GMM also provides walkway and railings for the auxiliary director which are slightly more difficult to position than on the main one as they are not connected by a central piece. Time, patience and slow setting super glue will help, and again the fit of the railing to the platform is perfect. Eduard provides nothing in this area.

Aircraft props and accessories: Both sets provide aircraft props which requires the spinner to be cut off. To improve the looks, drill out a hole in the cowling representing the opening for cooling air. This only needs to be 1mm deep. Then, drill a smaller hole in the same centre to attach a piece of rod to represent the gearbox of the radial engine. Make a spinner from plastic rod and glue to the etched propeller and finally twist the blades slightly to a realistic pitch angle.

Yardarms: The three yardarms on the rear side of the bridge are dressed up with railings and wind indicators from the GMM set. Eduard gives you nothing in this area.

Main turret: GMM provides railings and ladders for the main turrets and that's it. The ladders will need to be cut to length from the sections provided, whereas all of Eduard's ladders are provided with the appropriate lengths on the fret. There are no railings on Eduard's sheet, but they do give the arms for the outer barrels pointing towards the center one as beautiful etchings. It's just that I cannot find them fitted in my reference.... The directors for the turrets suffer from flash and slight mould misalignment and I have spent a lot of time filling and sanding, taking care not to sand off the oval plates at the ends. With the Eduard set, I need not have bothered as they are represented by etchings too. Below each outer gun, there is a platform, and this is finely etched on Eduard's set, and the platforms for the AA on the turret have a floor with anti-slip texture. On the rear side on the turret, the door, platform, rain gutter and ladder is provided.

Secondary battery: GMM provides railings, ladders and blast bag restrainers. Some of the latter ones will probably say goodbye with a "spoiiiiiiing" when installing them, so GMM has given some spares whereas Eduard gives you the number you need. The ladders between the guns are again etched to size on Eduard's set. The tripod and aerial in the kit requires a careful touch in cleaning up and it doesn't fit that great either. Eduard has etched a replacement, which is finely detailed, but this needs something more two-dimensional to look convincing. Still, the Eduard etching can be used as a template for making one from plastic rod. The two doors on the rear of the turret are included on the sheet, and these are very welcome. Eduard has really provided a lot of useful items for the secondary armament; antislip plate for the front barbette, strengthening plates for the front and rear, doors, and finely etched grilles which fills the empty space left by Tamiya in these areas.

Funnel: The unconvincing plastic platform on the searchlight level in front of the funnel is replaced both on GMM's and Eduard's sheets. GMM includes a tailor-made railing that fits perfectly requiring only some supports made from stretched sprue whereas Eduard provides the walkway to the machine gun control tower. How this will fit to GMM's platform I don't know.... The ladders on the front leading up to the funnel outlet is included in both sets, but only GMM provides the funnel cap grilles and the baffle plates.

Railing and bits: GMM gives you a variety of railing, and you get lots of it too. Judging by the instructions in Eduard's set, you only get enough to go around the main deck. If you do get more, then the instructions don't tell you where to put it. You only get three bar railing (including the part which is glued to the deck), whereas the GMM set gives you five types. What I found most impressive about the GMM railing is that is really looks like stanchions connected by chain - the Eduard set looks more like welded steel tubes or taut wire. Both sets also includes watertight doors for the superstructure and adequate directions for placement. GMM mentions the presence of ladders on the main mast, but the ladders will need to be assembled from 5cm sections - not an easy task to get right for slender structures like these. Add to the fact that the ladders are wider than the masts themselves, and things will look odd. Also, I am running out of ladder material already, so buying an extra set of ladders will be useful here. Eduard gives you ladders etched to length and are much narrower, looking much more "in tune" with the masts. GMM provides boat pulleys which Eduard does not, and both sets provide the radio direction finder. GMM has etched a notch in the circle carried by the mast and you just insert the other circle 90 degrees to this one. Eduard will have you bend both rings 90 degrees and then glue these to a mast made from scratch. I think the GMM way may be slightly easier, but I haven't got that far yet. You do get a spare in case you make a mess of the first one.

And now; the bits left on Eduard's sheets. There still are a number of parts left, and the largest ones being the anti-slip plates for the enclosed 12.7cm high angle gun deck. These will naturally be overscale, but so will the texture of the anti-slip in the kit. These plates will enhance the rather bare surface of the steel deck. There are a number of hatches and doors left to fit to the foundations for the gun directors, the rear side of the enclosed triple 25 mm turrets, the rear of the bridge together with the ladder and platforms which replace the solid plastic items and the deck hatches. There is a hatch of some sorts on the open 12.7cm high angle guns, and this is included too. Also included are platforms overhanging the hull sides towards the bow and the stern. There are some details on the breakwater that I do not know what they represent; could it be rods for cleaning the main guns? Last, but not least are the photoetched grilles. Tamiya represents the grilles as raised from the superstructure, whereas they should really be flush, just glue them on the walls carefully to avoid filling the grilles with glue and don't do what the instructions say. On the rear deck overhang, the plastic grilles will be enhanced with etched anti-slip treadplates and grilles. This makes me wonder if this part of the deck should be see through just like the open metal boarding used on bridges and footpaths to save weight? If so, milling out the solid plastic and replacing it with the etching should really give finesse to the finished model. There is a set of stairs to be fitted on the rear port side, just aft of the openings for the boats. These openings can be blocked with etched doors which have better detail than those provided in the kit.

Drawing a conclusion which one to get is up to the individual, but anyone who can afford it and willing to put in the effort should really buy both sets. I was quite happy just having the GMM set, and when I bought the Super Illustration, I found a lot of things missing from the kit, and the Eduard set provides a lot of those missing things. None of the sets try to change some of the wrong shapes of the kit. If I just had the Eduard set without seeing the GMM set, I'd be just as happy. It would be too much to ask of any photoetched set to provide all items possible, so there must be a compromise. Fortunately in this case, the two sets contain enough differences to make the purchase of both justifiable.

Links:

Eduard
Gold Medal Models