Military Model Scene

A new manufacturer of etch metal detailing sets to me, and this one caught my eye, though I was sad that it came after I had finished building the kit it is for!  A number of Japanese kit manufacturers have been involved with making 1/700 ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).  For myself, I always like the unusual subjects and one of these is a Seaplane Tender, the IJN Akitsushima.  

Commissioned in 1942 the plan for the seaplane tender was to extend the range of their larger flying boats, such as the Kawanishi H8K1. It was damaged and repaired a couple of times during her service, until she was finally sunk in Coron Bay in September 1944.

The basic kit from Pit Road is very neat (there are pictures of the one I built below, unfortunately finished before I discovered these new detailing sets from Tetra.

The long thin pack holds one long etch brass fret which holds all the new detailing parts required for the model.  It also comes with a well detailed set of illustrated assembly instructions to guide you through where are these new details are fitted, and which plastic parts are replaced.  It is nice that they have included the more details for the two aircraft models which are included in the kit.  As for the ships,  there is more detail provided for the large aircraft handling crane, the ships' railings of course, walkways and much more, it makes such a different and more detailed look to the completed model

You can get a good idea of the level of detail this set will add by looking at the series of photos showing them in place on the model and my thanks to Tetra Model Works for allowing me to use these here.  If you look at their website you will find a good number of other detailing sets they makes for ships not only in 1/700 but others in 1/350 as well.  Sadly no UK importer that I am aware of so far.

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Robin