As I mentioned
here, I've gotten an advanced copy of the new Gallery 1/350 USS Iwo Jima direct from MRC, the exclusive importer of Gallery Models into the USA. I've had time to go through the box, look at the parts and take lots of pictures, so here are my impressions of the kit. (Note: Photos to follow later, I left my portable HD, which had the photos on it, home today).
The USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is Gallery's follow up to the 2010 release of the USS Wasp (LHD-1). You can find Sean Hert's review of the Wasp
here.
My copy of the Iwo Jima is so new that it came in a plain white box with photo copies of the instructions and painting guide (the latter was, thankfully, in color). Upon removing the lid, you'll find the box packed to the top with parts, all nicely packaged. The flight deck - which is on the bottom of the box - is wrapped in thin white "foam" paper to protect it, and the large one piece hull is secured with by cardboard boxes both fore and aft. The aircraft come in a smaller box inside the larger box for further protection.
As you can imagine, being members of the same class, the Wasp and Iwo Jima share many common parts. Here are the parts Iwo Jima shares with Wasp:
Hull
Flight deck
Hangar deck
Rear well deck
Front well deck
Stand
Photo-etch parts B (x2)
Sprue A
Sprue B (x2)
Sprue C (x2)
Sprue D
Sprue F
Sprue G
Sprue H
All of the assault vehicles, landing craft and aircraft sprues are the same as the ones found in the Wasp, save one. While the Wasp contains a sprue for SH-60K helicopters, this kit has a sprue (x2) for a SH-60F. I have seen comments that this class doesn't normally carry SH-60 choppers on board (and that the K model is used only by the Japanese), so I am not sure in the inclusion of the F model is more accurate then not including these aircraft at all.
Sprues unique to the Iwo Jima:
Sprue L
Sprue M
Sprue N
Sprue P
Photo etch set A
All the above have parts associated with the island, masts, weapons associated with the Iwo Jima. The sprues also contain new parts for the fantail deck and weapons, as well as the platforms around the flight deck. The decal sheet is also new for the Iwo Jima.
Since Sean has already reviewed the Wasp and commented on the common parts, I will mostly skip over those and focus on the sprues unique to Iwo Jima. Here is what impressed me:
- Overall quality of the mold. Lots of nicely done detail and finely molded parts. The masts look to nicely done and don't appear to need replacing with photo-etch.
- While I am not an expert on the class, Gallery has taken care to replicate 4 entire new sprues for the island in an effort to capture difference between the two ships. As mentioned above, sprues L, M, N and P contain parts for the island and associated radars & weapons, the masts, platforms and for the fantail platforms.
- Nice details under all the platforms.
- Robust set of photo-etch allowing you to truly build this kit "out of the box".
- The decal set is very well done. I especially like the markings for the island.
On the flip side:
- Not a fan of the raised, molded on markings the flight deck, hopefully after painting and decaling this will be less pronounced.
- There are many knock out pin marks. Fortunately, these seem to be engineered so they mostly mostly appear on the back side of parts.
As Sean mentioned in his review,
Sean Hert wrote:From the look of the kit; the plastic, the sprue layout and the instructions, there can be no real doubt that Gallery is a Trumpeter imprint.
The instructions - which certainly look like Trumpeter's - are clear and easy to follow. While the kits share a common hull, Gallery does mark in the instructions where to "remove" molded on detail to make the hull more accurate for Iwo Jima. My only nit-pick is they also indicate areas where you need to "repair" something on the hull. I'm not 100% sure what this means, but since those areas seem to coincide with places to drill holes into the hull, I suspect that is what the translation is.
Overall, the USS Iwo Jima is very impressive. The box is loaded with parts, the moldings are really nicely done and you get plenty of accessories to trick out your Gator Freighter. With the inclusion of new, Iwo Jima specific sprues, it appears that Gallery has done their homework to give you kit that captures the differences between her and the earlier Wasp release.
Thanks to MRC for the pre-release review sample. Gallery Models is exclusively imported into the USA by MRC. This kit should be showing up in your local hobby shops in the fall of 2011. I don't know what the retail price will be, but I would expect it to be similar to the Wasp.
My verdict: Highly Recommended!
As I mentioned [url=http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=82823]here[/url], I've gotten an advanced copy of the new Gallery 1/350 USS Iwo Jima direct from MRC, the exclusive importer of Gallery Models into the USA. I've had time to go through the box, look at the parts and take lots of pictures, so here are my impressions of the kit. (Note: Photos to follow later, I left my portable HD, which had the photos on it, home today).
The USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is Gallery's follow up to the 2010 release of the USS Wasp (LHD-1). You can find Sean Hert's review of the Wasp [url=http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/misc/amphib/350-lhd1-mrc/mrc-review.html]here[/url].
My copy of the Iwo Jima is so new that it came in a plain white box with photo copies of the instructions and painting guide (the latter was, thankfully, in color). Upon removing the lid, you'll find the box packed to the top with parts, all nicely packaged. The flight deck - which is on the bottom of the box - is wrapped in thin white "foam" paper to protect it, and the large one piece hull is secured with by cardboard boxes both fore and aft. The aircraft come in a smaller box inside the larger box for further protection.
As you can imagine, being members of the same class, the Wasp and Iwo Jima share many common parts. Here are the parts Iwo Jima shares with Wasp:
Hull
Flight deck
Hangar deck
Rear well deck
Front well deck
Stand
Photo-etch parts B (x2)
Sprue A
Sprue B (x2)
Sprue C (x2)
Sprue D
Sprue F
Sprue G
Sprue H
All of the assault vehicles, landing craft and aircraft sprues are the same as the ones found in the Wasp, save one. While the Wasp contains a sprue for SH-60K helicopters, this kit has a sprue (x2) for a SH-60F. I have seen comments that this class doesn't normally carry SH-60 choppers on board (and that the K model is used only by the Japanese), so I am not sure in the inclusion of the F model is more accurate then not including these aircraft at all.
Sprues unique to the Iwo Jima:
Sprue L
Sprue M
Sprue N
Sprue P
Photo etch set A
All the above have parts associated with the island, masts, weapons associated with the Iwo Jima. The sprues also contain new parts for the fantail deck and weapons, as well as the platforms around the flight deck. The decal sheet is also new for the Iwo Jima.
Since Sean has already reviewed the Wasp and commented on the common parts, I will mostly skip over those and focus on the sprues unique to Iwo Jima. Here is what impressed me:
- Overall quality of the mold. Lots of nicely done detail and finely molded parts. The masts look to nicely done and don't appear to need replacing with photo-etch.
- While I am not an expert on the class, Gallery has taken care to replicate 4 entire new sprues for the island in an effort to capture difference between the two ships. As mentioned above, sprues L, M, N and P contain parts for the island and associated radars & weapons, the masts, platforms and for the fantail platforms.
- Nice details under all the platforms.
- Robust set of photo-etch allowing you to truly build this kit "out of the box".
- The decal set is very well done. I especially like the markings for the island.
On the flip side:
- Not a fan of the raised, molded on markings the flight deck, hopefully after painting and decaling this will be less pronounced.
- There are many knock out pin marks. Fortunately, these seem to be engineered so they mostly mostly appear on the back side of parts.
As Sean mentioned in his review,
[quote="Sean Hert"]From the look of the kit; the plastic, the sprue layout and the instructions, there can be no real doubt that Gallery is a Trumpeter imprint.[/quote]
The instructions - which certainly look like Trumpeter's - are clear and easy to follow. While the kits share a common hull, Gallery does mark in the instructions where to "remove" molded on detail to make the hull more accurate for Iwo Jima. My only nit-pick is they also indicate areas where you need to "repair" something on the hull. I'm not 100% sure what this means, but since those areas seem to coincide with places to drill holes into the hull, I suspect that is what the translation is.
Overall, the USS Iwo Jima is very impressive. The box is loaded with parts, the moldings are really nicely done and you get plenty of accessories to trick out your Gator Freighter. With the inclusion of new, Iwo Jima specific sprues, it appears that Gallery has done their homework to give you kit that captures the differences between her and the earlier Wasp release.
Thanks to MRC for the pre-release review sample. Gallery Models is exclusively imported into the USA by MRC. This kit should be showing up in your local hobby shops in the fall of 2011. I don't know what the retail price will be, but I would expect it to be similar to the Wasp.
My verdict: Highly Recommended!