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PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 5:49 am 
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PetrOs Modellbau
PetrOs Modellbau
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Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:58 am
Posts: 1822
Location: Munich, Germany
I recently got interest in trying the 1/2000 scale. This is TINY - 100 meter long ship is about 5 cm in this scale. However, with many companies offering resin+PE kits in this scale on china internal market, I bit the bullet and ordered a bunch of them. Here is a review of one of them - Italian WW2 destroyer Navigatori, as offered by Oceanmoon.

The Navigatori class were a group of Italian destroyers built in 1928-29, named after Italian explorers. They fought in World War II. Just one vessel, Nicoloso Da Recco, survived the conflict.

These ships were built for the Regia Marina as a reply to the large contre-torpilleurs of the Jaguar and Guépard classes built for the French Navy. These ships were significantly larger than other contemporary Italian destroyers and were initially classed as esploratori or scouts. They were re-rated as destroyers in 1938.

The main armament was a new model 120 mm (4.7 in)/50 gun[1] in 3 twin turrets which allowed for 45° elevation. The torpedo launchers consisted of two triple banks, each unusually comprising two 533 mm (21 in) separated by one 450 mm (18 in). Two rangefinder positions were provided; one above the bridge and one in the after superstructure.

Unit machinery was used comprising 4 boilers in two widely spaced boiler rooms and two turbine rooms. The forward unit drove the port shaft and the aft unit drove the starboard shaft. Trials were run light and with overloaded machinery leading to speeds of up to 43.5 knots (80.6 km/h; 50.1 mph) which were not achievable under service conditions. After 2 reconstructions and wartime mods the realistic speed was rather 28-29 knots.

The ships were fast, but were found to lack stability. Thus they were rebuilt twice. First rebuilt comprised cutting down of funnels, main bridge reduction by one deck, and moving bunker oil storage from side tanks to the double bottom. 450mm tube was removed from the TTs. In 1938-1940 all but two were rebuilt with a clipper bow, increased beam and reduced superstructure. The remaining pair were Usodimare and Da Recco. During the war the torpedoes were replaced by triple 21 inch tubes and extra AA guns were added. Most lost the rear torpedo tube bank in 1942, which was replaced by 2x1 37mm/54 AA guns. In place of old 450mm tube, 533mm standard tube was installed in the same launcher early in the war.

The kit contains 3 sprues in resin, and one photoetch. Casting quality is very good, being crisp and well detailed, with no visible defects. Attachment points are on invisible areas. Photoetch is transparent foil-covered from both sides, so you could cut it without parts flying around!

From what I can see, the ship is closest resembling the Usodimare early war, or maybe her sisters before 38/40 reconstruction. Straight bow, no forecastle raise towards it. Proportions look fine, I did not measure her yet.

Main gun turrets are well cast in resin, but the main sprue has the twin barrels broken off, thus a replacement is provided separately. I might however add the barrels from leftover PE instead.

She has 4x2 13mm MGs. Front ones are represented by a PE part to be attached to the superstructure, while the rear one is relief etched on rear platform. Front pair is fine, rear one I would replace. I consider scratch building them, but its really microscopic work. Missing are either 2x 40mm guns at the forecastle break (see photos at http://associazione-venus.it/galleriafo ... /USODIMARE) or the 6 20mm guns. I would probably go for 2x 40mm guns which were on board until 1941. These could be sculpted from leftover PE.

Torpedo tubes are triple ones, and provided in both resin and PE as options. However, ships not rebuilt in 38/40 only had twin tubes apparently. I was not able to find any wartime closeups on Usodimare or DaRecco to check if they got the middle tube back despite no rebuild. That can probably be scratch build easily.

With some mods, you can build her as Da Recco by adding another lifeboat and moving them around, or as the other ones before the reconstruction. Doing most other ones in WW2 would need a rebuild for the bow, width increment, and some superstructure mods.

PE provides also platforms, funnel caps, screw guards, wave break, anchors and paravanes. Also masts are in PE, and would probably better be reinforced before rigging. I plan to use 0.15mm nickel silver rod soldered on the PE mast, and 0.1mm rod soldered on crosstrees and filed.

No railing included, but this is available separately and I will use it.

In total, a nice kit, which needs some minor corrections. Could build a nice WW2 Usodimare or a prewar sister out of the kit, or WW2 DaRecco by applying minor changes.


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_________________
Model kit manufacturer and distributor: https://b2b.modellbaudienst.de
Distributor of Very Fire, Snowman, Milania Master Korabel, Falkonet, Microdisign in EU
1:350 HMS Diana 1794 - nearly released
Further kits in preparation.


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