White Ensign Models 1/700
Littorio Class Battleship Photo Etch detail

Reviewed by Sean Hert
June 2014

No kit is ever perfect. Some kits, while good, are limited by the fidelities of scale. Such is often the case with plastic 1/700 ships; but White Ensign has a tradition of solving these issues with their photoetched detail sets. This set addresses those issues for the three Littorio class Italian battleships released by Trumpeter in 1/700 scale.

SHEET A
WEM's upgrade setis a single sheet of brass photoetch. This sheet has over 80 parts, and includes all the details you would expect in a set like this; pre-formed railings, radar antennas, davits and such, It also includes replacement 20mm BREDA single and twins and details for the aircraft catpults, cradles and the aircraft themselves.

  1. Railing Stock, 3-Bar
  2. Railing Stock, 2-Bar
  3. Railings (Foc'sle)
  4. Bridge Front DF Antenna
  5. Railings (Quarterdeck)
  6. Railings (Main Deck)
  7. Railings (Foremast Director [Roma])
  8. Railings (Foremast SL Platform)
  9. Railings (Aft Directors [Roma])
  10. Railings (Fwd Directors [Roma])
  11. Railings (Lower Deck Catwalk [Roma])
  12. Railings (Signal Deck [Viuorio Veneto])
  13. Railings (Signal Deck [Littorio])
  14. Railings (Bow [Roma])
  15. Railings (Adm. Bridge Deck [Littorio])
  16. Railings (Foremast Starfish [Roma])
  17. Railings (Adm. Bridge Deck [Roma])
  18. Railings (Signal Deck [Roma])
  19. Railings (Lookout Deck Fwd [Roma])
  20. Railings (Gun Deck Extensions D25)
  21. Railings (Railings Stbd Bow [Littorio])
  22. Railings (Lookout Deck Aft [Littorio])
  23. Railings (Lookout Deck Aft [Roma])
  24. Railings (Lookout Deck Fwd [Litlorio])
  25. Railings (Foremast Starfish [Littorio])
  26. Railings (Lower Deck [Littorio])
  27. Railings (Lower Deck [Vitorio Veneto])
  28. Railings (Quarterdeck Step)
  29. Railings (Foremast Starfish [Vitorio Veneto])
  1. Railings (Adm Bridge Deck [Vitorio Veneto])
  2. Searchlight Lens Stars (Small)
  3. Foremast Starfish Assembly [Littorio]
  4. Fore Mast Starfish Assembly [Roma]
  5. Fore Mast Starfish Assembly [Vitorio Veneto]
  6. Funnel Siren Platform [Roma]
  7. Funnel Catwalk [Roma]
  8. Searchlight Lens Star (Large)
  9. Mainmast Starfish
  10. Accommodation Ladder Handrails (Fwd)
  11. Accommodation Ladder Lifting Yoke
  12. Accommodation Ladder Steps (Fwd)
  13. Boat Crane Hooks
  14. Catapult Pressure Cylinder
  15. Aircraft Crane Hook
  16. Accommodation Ladder Handrails (Aft)
  17. Accomodation Ladder Lifting Yoke
  18. Accommodation Ladder Steps
  19. Aircraft Catapult
  20. Boat Crane Rigging (raised)
  21. Aircarft Crane Rigging
  22. Aircraft Crane Jib
  23. Boat Crane Riging (stowed)
  24. Aft Funnel Platform [Littorio]
  25. Foretopmast Lights [Littorio]
  26. Funnel Siren Platform [Littorio]
  27. Boat Davits (Upright)
  28. Boat Cradles (All Pair)
  29. Boat Cradles (Mid Aft Pair)
  1. Boat Cradles (Mid Fwd Pair)
  2. Boat Cradles (Fwd)
  3. Aircratl Stowage Frames
  4. Inclined Ladders (Long Superstructure 1)
  5. Aircraft Launch Cradle Ro43
  6. Parts for Ro43 Seaplane
  7. Aircraft Launch Cradle Re2000
  8. Parts for Re2000 Aircraft
  9. Leadsmans' Platforms
  10. Inclined Ladders (Large Superstructure 2)
  11. Hull Step Ladder Landings
  12. Inclined Ladders (Hull Step)
  13. Foretop Light Array [Vitorio Veneto]
  14. Inclined Ladder (Standard 1)
  15. Foretopmast Radar [Roma]
  16. EC 3 "Gufo" Radar Antennas [Roma])
  17. Radar Director Top Mounting Bracket
  18. Inclined Ladders (Standard 2)
  19. Foretopmast Lights [Vittorio Veneto]
  20. Boat Cradle Frames (Aft Superstructure)
  21. Boat Davits (stowed)
  22. Anchor Chain
  23. Vertical Ladder Stock
  24. Paravane Gantry Assembly
  25. Single Breda 20mm Mount
  26. Twin Breda 20mm Parts
  27. EC 3 "Gufo" Radar Antennas [Vittorio Veneto]
INSTRUCTIONS

Three sheets of instructions are included, with five pages of instructions. These instructions include numbered shilouttes of the sheets, identifing all the parts. All the major assemblies have individual building steps; the remaining parts, mostly railings, are listed in the final text instructions.
CONCLUSIONS

White Ensign Models PE 7177 1/700 Littorio Class Battleship is priced at £15.58,or around $26.00, direct from WEM. Thanks to WEM for providing this review sample.


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