M o d e l W a r s h i p s . c o m Ship Yard Works 1-350 Hiryu Flight Deck set

Ship Yard Works 1-350 Hiryu Flight Deck set – 350019 (For Fujimi)

Reviewed April 2019
by Dan Kaplan

Ship Yard Works is a new Chinese manufacturer of model kit naval accessories established in 2016. Their mission statement: “We specializing in the production of 1/200,1/350,1/700 scale model ship accessories, company aims to build high quality, high detail, cost-effective wooden deck, and manufacture photo etchs for scale model ships also.” Their distributor network appears to be fairly narrow. I know that Hobbyeasy.com, based in Hong Kong, carries most of their line. Also, that FreeTime Hobbies has been carrying some items and, I’m sure there are now other hobby outlets that carry them. But I came across them on eBay. Most of what Ship Yard Works has offered to date are wood deck sets. In fact, they have a pretty extensive line of these across those stated scales. However, Ship Yard Works has also introduced some general photoetch accessories (ex. railings) as well as a few super detailed sets for individual ship kits. What is not yet advertised on their website, or any distributor websites, and what interested me, is this particular flight deck set. What caught my eye is that this set offers photo etch versions of the thin ribbons of treaded metal decking that typically surrounded a Japanese wooden flight deck. These are the first such 1/350 sets that I am aware of to offer these pieces as a separate item. Given my penchant for replacing certain IJN carrier kit decks with V-groove styrene for better scaled planking, and needing such pieces, it was hard to ignore. Of course, that’s not all these sets offer, but this is what grabbed my attention. (Note: While I am reviewing the 1/350 Hiryu set here, know that I also purchased the 1/700 and 1/350 sets for the Fujimi Shokaku/Zuikaku kits. My comments regarding the Hiryu set are nearly 100% applicable to these sets as well. I found all of them on eBay, shipping from China.)
The set comes in a long, clear, plastic sleeve backed with cardboard. Components include:

Brass Sheet
Approximately 11 by 5.5 inches in size and 0.05 inches thick, there are 74 pieces on the fret. Among them: the metal plated forward and aft ends of the flight deck, numbers one and two elevators (number three elevator is integrated into the aft portion of the flight deck), several pieces of the metal treaded deck edging that lines the wooden portion of the flight deck, the two landing light outrigger platforms for the aft end of the flight deck, a low bulwarks used as a windbreak to surround the base of the main mast, four covers for the hideaway 110cm searchlights that recess under the flight deck, the interleaved girders and trench box that supports the windbreak for the flight deck, along with the cables that raise and lower it into position, the anchor plates for arrestor cables, and components for the safety barriers. I think the relief etchings are very well done, particularly the metal treaded portions. The metal fore and aft ends of the flight deck integrate the metal treading as part of the piece. There’s plenty of detailing, with the flight deck sections etched with tie-down holes and plating lines. The mesh wind barrier is attached to the flight deck at its base, and can be bent into a raised position if one wishes. My only misgiving is the bulwark meant for the base of the mainmast. It wasn’t solid as depicted here. It was actually a canvas covered railing, with flag bags mounted along the inside. While there is a lapse in the spelling of “Hiryu” on the fret, it does not detract from the quality of the etching itself.	Click to enlarge images


Wood Flight Deck Sticker
This item replicates the planked portion of the flight deck, backed by an adhesive with a peel-off protector sheet. There’s a lot to recommend here. For starters, the individual planking widths are not a rehash of what Fujimi chose for the kit deck, but are properly scaled at 0.025” wide, which is a scale 8.75 inches. (Perfect.) The planking pattern also repeats every 4th plank, which is pretty good as well. There are lots of laser etched details such as the tie-down holes, deck light outlines and expansion joint. Plus, the color of the wood is a little darker than the typical wood deck sticker, which is too light. There’s also a section of decking for the ship’s boats. I will say that the wood sheet is thin at 0.01”, and tends to curl easily on its own. I have no idea how effective the adhesive is, or how easily it will allow the sheet to be positioned. My sense is that the sheet is on the fragile side, and careful pre-positioning is a must. I suspect that some sanding of the kit’s deck planking would help adherence.

Deck Mask and Instructions
It’s full length, die cut, and meant for the white striping on the flight deck. Included is the large hinomarus identification circle. If one is depicting the ship during the Midway operation, then one must also fill the circle with red paint. The material is backed by adhesive to insure a secure fit against the flight deck while spray painting. The instructions are very straight forward.

Miscellaneous items
A sizeable length of rigging material is included, wrapped around a star shaped spool. I think it’s nylon. It’s meant for use as the safety net cables and, I believe, for the arrestor cables on the deck. I don’t think I’ve seen this included before in a set like this. It’s a nice touch. There’s also a length of anchor chain included, also unexpected.

Instructions
It’s a single sheet of full color photographed examples and very straightforward.
Final Thoughts
I think this to be a superior flight deck set for the Hiryu, but I suppose it comes down to a matter of preferences. In terms of scale accuracy, Ship Yard Works has really done its homework. The detailing is extensive and sharp. My only reservation is the thinness of the wood deck sticker, and its potential applicability. Well recommended. This set was courtesy of my wallet, via Ebay, shipping from China. The cost, less shipping, was a very reasonable US $16.00. The shipping was reasonably quick, within 10 -14 days. (One more side note: As these flight deck sets are not currently available from the usual distributors and shops that carry the Ship Yard Works line, I suspect that the e-store on Ebay is actually Shipyard Works itself. I bring this up because my 1/700 Zuikaku set had a production flaw with one set of the outrigger landing platforms and its netting. The seller promptly sent a replacement one at no charge, once I sent an email with a photo detailing the issue. Excellent customer service.)