Reviews

1/350 Nimitz Class Detail Set
#350-28 Photo etch set by Gold Medal models

2004 has been quite a year for ship modelers, with the new Trumpeter Nimitz making a real splash on the market. But since most of us are not content to build out of the box anymore so it's Gold Medal Models to the rescue with this new photo etch set. Besides the standard railings and radar's, this set has a whole bunch of extra details that that will really bring life to your model.

This set is relief etched out of .005" (five thousands) thick brass sheet. The parts are incredibly fine and items such as the flight deck nets with their fine netting and integrated braces are going to really make your kit stand out in a crowd. The hanger door and elevator railings have a realistic drooped chain look.

Additional detail shots of the photo etch fret.

click images to enlarge

The instructions are well written and well illustrated. They show enough detail view to leave little doubt as to where everything goes. The instructions show the way the photo etch is incorporated with the kit supplied parts. They also show some of the differences in the ships of this class.

Gold Medal Models continues to set the standard for well written instructions.

Included in the set:

Custom fitted railings to match the kit,
Sixteen sets of fold-to-shape inclined ladders in the correct style and in two sizes,
Ten lengths of standard vertical ladders,
Ten lengths of safety rail vertical ladders,
Six sets of safety cage vertical ladders,
Special short lengths of inclined and vertical ladders for flight deck catwalks,
Four accommodation ladders in two sizes,
A full set of replacement flight deck safety netting with integral fold-to-shape braces including alternate nets for late variants,
SPS-10, SPS-43A, SPS-48 and SPS-49 radar's,
Custom fitted elevator safety rails for the flight deck and safety rails for the hangar door openings,
Special dedicated rails for the bridge window catwalks,
40 sets of refueling hose reels,
48 watertight doors of the correct waffle pattern style in both open and closed configurations,
Two replacement anchors of the correct USN pattern,
Various ECM sector, and other small antennas,
Four anemometers,
Sixteen sets of elevating gear quadrants for deck edge whip antennas,
66 sets of bridge windshield wipers in three positions,
Eight life preservers,
Seven fold-to-shape Stokes litters,
And a set of bicycles.

Conclusions:

This set can also be used, along with GMM No. 350-29 (1/350 CVN Extra Details) to convert the Nimitz kit into other ships of the class. It is an excellent set for the Nimitz and her sister ships. It is made specifically for this kit and will take a nice kit and make it into a show stopper. It has a retail price of $42.00 US and is available direct from Gold Medal Models or wherever fine ship accessories are sold.