1/350 USS Hornet
Fittings Set #350-21
Photo etch set by Gold Medal models
Trumpeter's new 1/350 Hornet has caused quite a stir in the modeling world. It's a pretty nice kit right out of the box (click here for in the box review) but with it's large size it just cries out for super detailing. Gold Medal Models has a set to help you turn this kit into an show piece. 
click for a larger view
The fret is relief etched for a 3D appearance and includes a multitude of parts. There is everything from railings, ladders, and stairs, to a new pri-fly cabin and wheel house. Many of the railings are custom made for specific parts of the ship. There are chocks etched onto the bow and stern railings with separate chocks provided to double the thickness for a more realistic appearance. The Pri-fly cabin has the fold lines etched on the inside to facilitate folding, as does the boat crane and flag bags (see the thumbnail images below). The Island aft ladder structure is an impressive piece of work that will really make the island stand out. The pri-fly cabin give you some interior detailing possibilities.
click images to enlarge
Many of the parts from Gold Medal Models photo etch sets are also included on this fret. Cable reels, 20 mm gun details, and watertight doors just to name a few. 
The instructions are well written and illustrated showing the fine points of the assembly process. Extra notes are included to note the differences in the late 41 and April 42 versions. 
Note: Early production versions of this set have a slight flaw in the way the inclined ladders are etched. There is only a faint fold line that will make it difficult to fold. This affects only the first thirty (30) peices and has since been fixed. Those first sets have a note inserted and a free set of GMM 1/350 ladders as a back-up in case the modeler is unable to use the parts.
Included in the set:click to go to Gold Medal Models website
  • Pry-fly cabin and braces
  • Wheel house and separate porthole covers
  • Island aft ladder structure
  • Mast Yardarms
  • SC Radar
  • CXAM radar assembly
  • Mk 37 director radar mounts and MK 4 radar
  • Life raft paddles
  • Aircraft cranes, and hooks
  • Boat cranes
  • B-25 propellers
  • Motorboat and whale boat details including rudders, and rails
  • Funnel cap grills
  • Life buoys and racks
  • 20 mm gun shields, gun sights, shoulder rests, and elevation wheels
  • Cable reels
  • 1MC speaker grills
  • Flag bags
  • Ships propellers
  • Watertight hatches and doors
  • Life rafts
  • Open and closed chocks
  • Searchlight platform railings
  • Leadsman platforms with railings
  • Hand railing for the bow and stern
  • 2 bar railing with two different stantion spacing
  • 1 bar railing
  • Flight deck safety railings
  • Flight deck elevator railings
  • Inclined ladders
  • Vertical ladders
  • Catwalk supports
  • Lt. Col. Jimmy Doollittle
Conclusions:

This is a great photo etch set to detail your Hornet. It has all the basic parts needed to superdetail your ship. I would have liked to see extra parts to do a Yorktown or Enterprise, but that would require more than just photo etched parts. Perhaps we will see some supplemental conversion sets in the future.

This is set No. 350-21  - 1/350 Hornet PE Detail set. It is available now for $40.00 plus postage.

Also available is the


© ModelWarships.com