White Ensign Models 1/350
HMS Hood Ultimate Detail Set

White Ensign Models continues to turn out some very interesting detail sets in their 1/350 scale range. This particular release is the ultimate detail set for the long awaited Trumpeter 1/350 scale HMS Hood.

Straight out of the box, the Trumpeter kit has some outstanding details, and their 'detail set' replaced the styrene gun barrels with turned brass parts. Nevertheless, there is only so much you can do with styrene and even turned metal. For those fine details, you must turn to photo-etch and who better than the naval gurus of White Ensign Models.

This set contains two LARGE frets of photo-etched brass, and looking these over makes me wonder how much styrene will be left in the kit! Wow!

This set includes an extensive array of railings (of course), ladders, antennas, masts, cranes, gun fittings and associated deck plates, vent grilles, boat cradles, watertight doors, and lots more! The main and foremast starfish assemblies will be a bit of a challenge to assemble, but will definitely be an improvement over the styrene parts they replace.

These details are very fine and will require some experience working with small photo-etched parts to make proper use of this set. But if you have the skills and experience, you should have no problem applying these details to the Trumpeter kit and rendering a museum-quality replica of this famous Royal Navy battleship. Just when you thought you couldn't find any greater detail in 1/350 scale, White Ensign Models has come alongside once again with their latest masterpiece.

Definitely recommended for advanced ship builders!

My sincere thanks to White Ensign Models for this review sample!