ModelArt

Modeling Magazine No. 775 Plamo Manual June 2009 1/350 Ship Models

Reviewed By  Luke R. Bucci, IPMS# 33459

MSRP: 1890 ¥ (approximately $19.50 USD) Imported by Dragon USA - Website: www.dragonmodelsusa.com Website: www.modelart.jp Pages: 116 (including cover pages) Model Art No. 775, June 2009 Plamo Manual concerns building tips for 1-350 scale plastic ship models. This issue is directed mostly to beginners, taking the reader through basic steps of building ship kits, using several recently released 1-350 ship kits to illustrate the process from beginning to end. As usual, Model Art No. 775 is in almost 100% Japanese language, but this issue has fewer pages than normal – the ads are skipped. The format is close to 7x10 inches in size, and the printing and reproduction quality are excellent. Most pictures are in color. Since there is some explanation behind the building process, pictures cannot convey all the steps, and so lack of English language text is more problematic with this issue than with their monthly updates. This issue is divided into sections, such as how to start building a kit, tools and paints needed, and individual sections about how to work on hulls, decks, bridges, weapons and fittings (boats, planes). Most of the examples are built out-of-box (OOB), and using aftermarket enhancements (such as photoetch) is conspicuously absent. There is how-to advice for scratchbuilding details and rigging, and how to apply photoetch or decals included in the kits. The first ship featured is the Soya, an ex-icebreaker that was a post-war research vessel. The IJN Takao heavy cruiser in her 1945 guise (green camouflage scheme) is also explored in detail. There are short (2-pages) featurettes on completed 1-350 models (Yamato, Nagato, Kongo, Ise 1944 hybrid version, Bismarck, Akizuki, Akagi, I-400, JMSDF Kongo (modern Aegis destroyer), and the USS Nimitz. Each section uses pictures from one or more of these models to illustrate basic techniques and enhancements. Recommended if you like Japanese warships and if you are new to building 1-350 scale plastic ship kits, or new to modeling, period. The tips are helpful for other scales, including 1-700. Thanks to Dragon USA and ModelArt for the review copy!