Out-of-the Box Review of Flyhawk's 1/700 HMS Penelope 1940 Deluxe Edition Kit (FH 1109S)
Flyhawk continues to uphold the high standards that it set with it previous releases, with its new 1/700 kit of HMS Penelope in 1940 fit. This is a review of the Deluxe Edition kit (FH 1109S) which includes not only the basic plastic kit, but also photoetch, brass gun barrels for primary and secondary armament, a single resin detail part, and a decal sheet. Flyhawk also produces a basic kit (FH 1109) which consists of the plastic kit and the decal sheet.
The kit offers both waterline and full-hull options, consists of well over 200 plastic parts molded in mid-grey plastic—including a number of parts molded using slide mold technology, two complete PE frets (which includes guardrails designed to fit the kit, a crane and catapult, funnel grills, delicate wind baffles for the bridge face, and searchlight platforms and supports, among other details), and as mentioned, a small sheet of decals including roundels for the seaplanes and ship’s ensigns. This is a very complete kit.
As in previous releases, all parts are molded in well thought-out sprues (some of which are designed to be stacked in storage) which protect the many delicate and tiny parts from breakage—though removing some of the smaller parts from the sprues without breakage will be a challenge. Take your time in doing this. The slide molded deckhouses are provided in a clear, soft-plastic box, and require no cleanup prior to use. Also, the waterline plate, deck (two pieces), and hull bottom are packaged separately in a plastic envelope with a cardboard stiffener to prevent damage in transit. No parts were damaged. It is nice to see that Flyhawk has listened to their customers on this point.
Dimensionally, the kit is spot on in terms of Length Overall (LOA) and Beam WaterLine (BWL) figures published in Alan Raven and John Roberts, British Cruisers of World War Two (p. 417).
I used scaled-down Norman Ough plans of HMS Penelope to assess the accuracy of the kit. I don’t know how accurate the Ough plans are, though his work generally has a good reputation. Basically, the main guns, deckhouses, and funnels conform precisely in terms of shape and dimensions to the Ough plans, and all the deck fittings and clutter conform precisely to the Ough plans.
The hull is a real work of art. The knuckle is beautifully rendered, the portholes look right with eyebrows that can only be seen with a magnifying lens (though the porthole pattern on the kit diverges here and there from the porthole pattern on the Ough plans, but conforms to the pattern shown in prewar photos of Penelope; going with photographic evidence is always wise). The armor belt and armor strakes look great, and the hawsepipe lips on the hull and focsle deck are nicely portrayed. The deck planking is nicely restrained. Primary and secondary armament are nicely done, and the kit includes a profusion of ammo ready lockers for the secondary armament with molded-in locking handles. The kit also includes a Seafox and a Walrus seaplane, each with folded and extended wing options, that are miniature kits in themselves.
I also bought Flyhawk’s “ship models generic anchor chain” for use on this kit (item FLYFH 10026). To my eyes, it looks finer than the finest 40 link/inch model armor/train chain I already had in my stash, and I think it may be the finest chainlink available for modelers. This, and rigging material, might be the only addition items that super-detailers may want to buy for this kit.
I have dry-fitted the deck to the hull, the hull to the waterline plate as well as the hull bottom, and the deckhouses to the deck, and the engineering and fit is superb.
Like most Flyhawk kits, this one is not for beginners. It is a complex build, and there are a profusion of tiny plastic and PE parts that will need to be carefully removed if they are not to be damaged or lost. The instruction sheet is very detailed, and will require careful study prior to starting and as the assembly progresses.
While the basic kit (FH 1109) looks like it will build up beautifully, I suspect that many modelers will want to buy the Deluxe Edition kit (FH 1109S), at least for the PE frets. While the plastic catapult and ship’s crane are nicely molded, I think the PE catapult and crane will look much better and make a big difference in the appearance of the kit, even if the modeler elects not to use the rest of the PE provided and the brass barrels. Each modeler will have to decide whether the additional $20 or so is worth it.
In sum, this is another example of a Flyhawk kit that in terms of quality and completeness, epitomizes the model manufacturer’s art. Flyhawk has once again set new standards with its superb kit of HMS Penelope. Highly recommended for experienced modelers, and anyone who wants to see what the “state of the art” and the future of modeling looks like.
But don’t take my word. You can view a beautiful series of photos of the Deluxe Edition kit, including spectacular close-ups of many parts here:
https://toylandhobbymodelingmagazinepub ... ll-review/Enjoy!
Mike E.
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