Trumpeter 1/350 HMS Dreadnought 1907 Kit First Look
by Dave Manter
| Date of Review | January 2013 | Manufacturer | Trumpeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | HMS Dreadnought 1907 | Scale | 1/350 |
| Kit Number | 5328 | Primary Media | Styrene, photo-etch |
| Pros | New subject, wonderful details | Cons | No PE railing provided for main deck |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $71.95 |
First Look
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HMS Dreadnought was a battleship of the Royal Navy that revolutionized naval power. Her entry into service in 1906 represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts", as well as the class of ships named after her, while the generation of ships she made obsolete became known as "pre-dreadnoughts". She was the sixth ship of that name in the Royal Navy.
Dreadnought was the first battleship of her era to have a uniform main battery, rather than having a few large guns complemented by a heavy secondary battery of somewhat smaller guns. She was also the first capital ship to be powered by steam turbines, making her the fastest battleship in the world at the time of her completion. Her launch helped spark a major naval arms race as navies around the world, particularly the German Imperial Navy, rushed to match her in the buildup to World War I.
Dreadnought did not participate in any of World War I's naval battles. However, she became the only battleship to ever sink a submarine when she rammed SM U-29 when it unexpectedly broke the surface after firing a torpedo at another dreadnought in 1915. After Jutland, she was relegated to coast defense duties in the English Channel, only rejoining the Grand Fleet in 1918. She was reduced to reserve in 1919 and sold for scrap on May 9th, 1921.
Trumpeters HMS Dreadnought 1907 consists of 385 plastic parts on 12 sprues, 275 photo etch detail parts and 1 metal chain. All of the plastic parts are molded to perfection. The detail on this kit is amazing! No flash is present. Knock out marks are very minimal. The wood planking detail molded into the deck pieces is very fine and will look great under paint. The main gun barrels are molded with hollow muzzles.
The instruction sheet is very well written and the line drawings are great. Each step will be easy to follow. The decal sheet is very well printed.
Construction looks to be pretty straight forward and I can see no problems for an experienced builder.
My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!