White Ensign Model's 1/700 WW2 Iowa class Battleships set was designed for both the older Fujimi kit and the newer, and more common, Tamiya Iowa/Missouri kits. As WEM states in the instructions, this set has been primarily designed to enhance the old Fujimi kits, attention has been paid to the Tamiya ktis with regard to fitting and replacement of parts. When kit references are made, they refer only to the Fujimi kits and their instructions.

This fret has almost 90 different parts and fittings for upgrading and updating your wartime Iowa class battleships. In addition to all the expected railings and radars, there are many antennas, platforms and supports included, as well as parts for both a Curtis Seahawk and a OS2U Kingfisher seaplane, launch trolleys both seaplane catapults, and the large aircraft recovery crane.

Enough railing for the main deck and superstructure levels has been included. In addition, some etched solid shielding as been included to modify or replace molded on gun tubs. Stock vertical ladders have also been provided to replace molded on or missing detail, as well as 14 inclined ladders, 4 with upper landings.

There are 24 large and 27 small floater net baskets, 27 various reels and 11 light AA directors in the set; research will be necessary for appropriate numbers and placement of these details

A large number of watertight doors and hatches are inclulded; additional parts are also available separately in WEM's 1/700 USN WWII Doors & Hatches set.

2 different types of single 20mm AA mounts are present; 30 pedestal based, and 20 tripod based. All are delicate and finely detailed. Again, the modeler will need to research numbers of which type and placement of same. Additional 20mm guns will almost certainly be required- Iowa had 60 as commisioned.

This set also has WEM's quad 40mm Bofors mount assemblies, (previously released in 2005) ready to entirely replace the kit guns. These finely detailed gun mounts should prove to be fun challenge to modelers both new and experienced with photoetch. However, there are only 10 of the mounts included in this set; the Tamiya kits includes 20, which is correct. WEM offers additional 40mm's in set # PE 771, 1/700 Quad Bofors. However, there are only 6 mounts in the set, so a modeler will require an additional *2* sets. WEM does mention this as step 6 in the "Assembly Instructions" box on the front page of the instructions.

Eight round tubs for the 40mm's are the correct number of tubs, but the execution is not; the tubs have the wrong shape. 40mm tubs had a downward sloped outer edge to provide a better firing arc when the ship was maneuvering, which the PE tub walls do not have. These tubs are correctly shaped in the Tamiya kit, although they are thick.

Four sheets of instructions are included, totalling 8 pages of instructions. These instructions include numbered silhouettes of the etched fret identifying all the parts.

Priced at £20.38, or around $30.00 USD, this set is available direct from WEM or from many of our sponsors. Thanks to White Ensign for this review sample.