White Ensign Models 1/700 HMS Hood Photoetch Set

Reviewed by Scott Spencer

The HMS Hood is perhaps of the most beloved ships in the history of sea power. While her career was spent mostly in peactime, she staked her claim to infamy on May 24, 1941. In action with the German battleship Bismarck, the Hood was sunk in less than five minutes of action.

If you are one of those who feel that you cannot afford the 1/350 resin kits of HMS Hood, which are offered by both White Ensign Models and Iron Shipwright, then the 1/700 Tamiya kit is there for you. Thanks to WEM's new photoetch set for the Tamiya kit, this kit can now be built into a real masterpiece. The single fret measures just over 6" long and 3 1/4" wide. On this fret you will find everything necessary, and then some, to completely detail the ship. From what I understand, it is based off the frets offered in White Ensign's 1/350 HMS Hood, and was designed by Peter Hall.

Included on your fret are: Rails, 0.5" quad machine guns, 8 barrelled pom-poms, stern boarding pole, racks for the lifebuoys, rigging for the main mast, main boat boom, various davits, various sized ladders, type 284 and type 279 radar, main director arm stays, searchlight lens cruciforms, spotting top yardarms, spotting top starfish assembly, mainmast starfish sssembly, funnel cap grilles, funnel housing vent grilles, foredeck ladders, spotting top station lights and aerial spreader, wireless house aerial spreaders, degaussing cables, anchor cables, anchors, boarding ladders, vertical and inclined ladders, doors, and hatches. Whew! I still do not know how they managed to get so much detail on such a small fret.

There is no compromise in quality or detail! For just over 9 Quid, you cannot beat this set. Plus, shipping is free of charge for all White Ensign products bought directly from them. For a detailed list of all their wonderful offerings go to White Ensign Models.

A special thanks to White Ensign for allowing the use of their image of this photoetched set.