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Most suitable PE for Tamiya "Prince of Wales"
Neil9293
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Posted: Tuesday, April 03, 2018 - 12:54 PM UTC
I am considering building a 1/350 Tamiya "Prince of Wales" or "George V" using either Pontos PE or the Eduard Big ED PE kit. I am wondering which PE kits are the easiest to use. I have read that the kit is a bit ordinary without PE. Is there any reason the "Prince of Wales" seems to be more popular than "George V". I have a limited experience with fine PE work building 1/32 Tamiya planes such as the mosquito etc. My next question is that in the past I have always improvised with the bending of PE and I now intend to purchase a proper tool. I have been looking at the RP Toolz 13cm Photoetch Bending Tool or the Trumpeter 59MM Photo Etched Parts Bender (Medium). I do realise that this will not be a 5 minute build. My Mosquito took me 4 months and had 104 steps.
d6mst0
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Posted: Tuesday, April 03, 2018 - 05:26 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I am considering building a 1/350 Tamiya "Prince of Wales" or "George V" using either Pontos PE or the Eduard Big ED PE kit. I am wondering which PE kits are the easiest to use. I have read that the kit is a bit ordinary without PE. Is there any reason the "Prince of Wales" seems to be more popular than "George V". I have a limited experience with fine PE work building 1/32 Tamiya planes such as the mosquito etc. My next question is that in the past I have always improvised with the bending of PE and I now intend to purchase a proper tool. I have been looking at the RP Toolz 13cm Photoetch Bending Tool or the Trumpeter 59MM Photo Etched Parts Bender (Medium). I do realise that this will not be a 5 minute build. My Mosquito took me 4 months and had 104 steps.


I believe the Prince of Wales is more popular because people associate it with the Bismark and the battle of the Denmark Strait. As for the kit, the Prince of Wales and King George are the same kits with a few minor differences (if you purchase the Tamiya kits).

As for the PE I have no preference as I have not built either kit yet. I do have the Edward "Big Ed" PE for it. I seen you-tube videos on builds using the Pontos PE. Everyone likes the detail of the PE but hate the instruction or lack of.
TimReynaga
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Posted: Tuesday, April 03, 2018 - 05:33 PM UTC
Neil,

Definitely get a photoetch bending tool. I resisted buying one for years, but when I finally broke down and got one I couldn't believe the difference in ease of use and quality of result!
McRunty
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Posted: Tuesday, April 03, 2018 - 06:00 PM UTC
I have the Prince of Wales myself and will be using the Eduard set. I have experience with both Eduard and Pontos and while the Eduard isn't as detailed I find it much easier to use as the instructions are great and the PE seems to be a bit more robust.

Its also a lot cheaper.
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 06:32 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I am considering building a 1/350 Tamiya "Prince of Wales" or "George V" using either Pontos PE or the Eduard Big ED PE kit. I am wondering which PE kits are the easiest to use. I have read that the kit is a bit ordinary without PE. Is there any reason the "Prince of Wales" seems to be more popular than "George V". I have a limited experience with fine PE work building 1/32 Tamiya planes such as the mosquito etc. My next question is that in the past I have always improvised with the bending of PE and I now intend to purchase a proper tool. I have been looking at the RP Toolz 13cm Photoetch Bending Tool or the Trumpeter 59MM Photo Etched Parts Bender (Medium). I do realise that this will not be a 5 minute build. My Mosquito took me 4 months and had 104 steps.


Hi Neil!

Welcome to the "Salty Side" of the hobby!

The Tamiya POW/KGV kit is one of their older 1/350 kits (1980's) but is a great kit quality wise, albeit in need of PE to bring it up to today's standard of detail.

I started my build of the KGV a few years back and just recently got back to her after taking 2.5 years off

I think the POW is more popular than the KGV because of it being sunk together with the Repulse by the Japanese. Although one would think the KGV should have the greater share of fame, given her involvement in leaving Bismarck a flaming wreck!

I've used both WEM and Eduard PE on my build, but am envious of the Pontos kit, given all the extras it includes. I wanted KGV at 1941 so I had to use the POW kit and modify certain areas to get an accurate representation of her. Even then it's been a case of scrounging around for certain things like UP launchers. The Pontos kit provide all these things.

So it depends what you're really after: What time frame you'll be building to and which ship? Answers to these questions will help you decide which kit and which PE to purchase.

The small shop make what's called a HOLD N FOLD

It's revolutionized my PE bending and I could not imagine building a ship without it!
Neil9293
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 07:23 AM UTC
My next question is I have been looking at the RP Toolz range of PE benders. There are very similar. The Piranha can also bend curves. Has anyone had experience with these two. The ordinary one: http://www.rptoolz.com/?p=191 The Piranha: http://www.rptoolz.com/?p=905 Thank you for all your help.
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 11:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

My next question is I have been looking at the RP Toolz range of PE benders. There are very similar. The Piranha can also bend curves. Has anyone had experience with these two. The ordinary one: http://www.rptoolz.com/?p=191 The Piranha: http://www.rptoolz.com/?p=905 Thank you for all your help.


Can't say I've used either of them Neil
Neil9293
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 02:27 PM UTC
Most of these benders are almost identical.
Neil9293
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 02:51 PM UTC
I had a look at your George V. It came up great. I have spent the last couple of days tracking down instruction sheets so I know what I am up against. There is not as much in the Tamiya "George V" kit as there was in my Mossie. There were 104 steps in the Mossie. I really like the Tamiya kits they are very well put together. Lots of fine detail to paint. At the moment I am ploughing through the Pontos instructions. The Eduard instructions are pretty good.
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 03:22 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I had a look at you George V. It came up great. I have spent the last couple of days tracking down instruction sheets so I know what I am up against. There is not as much in the Tamiya "George V" kit as there was in my Mossie. There were 104 steps in the Mossie. I really like the Tamiya kits they are very well put together. Lots of fine detail to paint. At the moment I am ploughing through the Pontos instructions. The Eduard instructions are pretty good.


Thanks Neil. She's nearly there. Not much to go now.

Although there's not many steps in the Tamiya instructions,(lovely kit that it is) but once you add in the PE it becomes a whole other ball game. The Pontos instructions are known for being a bit confusing Eduard instructions are always easy to work with
Neil9293
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Posted: Wednesday, April 04, 2018 - 05:19 PM UTC
It's interesting in the fact that the English instructions for the "Prince of Wales" are laid out very well, yet the English instructions for the "George V" are very convoluted and the Japanese instructions are laid out like the English "Prince of Wales" instructions.
RedDuster
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Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2018 - 12:05 AM UTC
Hi Neil,

I am a bit fan of the Pontos sets, because they are everything in one box, and the etch / deck and turned brass components are designed to work together.

There is a but though, you do need to plan the build well, both from the point of view of not missing anything, and the fact the instructions are in no logical order.

The bottom line is, do just want to add some etch, or do want the wood deck and brass barrels etc as well. If you do pontos will likely work out cheaper, The Eduard route would make more sense.

Folding tools, I just have a small one produced by little cars that is adequate for fiddly jobs, but most of the time I just use a pair of needle nosed smooth jaw pliers and a metal ruler.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Si


Cadeus
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Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2018 - 01:41 AM UTC
I have to vote pontos too, have the tamiya PoW with the KG Set from pontos and highly impressed with the set.
Cadeus
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Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2018 - 02:05 AM UTC
Eduard sets for ships are hit or miss, and in my experience they are more basics sets replacing basic items, the pontos sets are really in depth, it’s intimidating at first when you open the box. But if you look at the instructions they are laid out very well and are in color, most if not all of it can be built as assemblies, and they are easy to read and understand. As any ship modeler can tell you, good aftermarket instructions are a lifesaver.
Neil9293
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Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2018 - 04:49 AM UTC
Thank you for your replies. Ever since I broke a cannon off on a plane and replaced it with brass I have become rather partial to turned cannons they just seem to finish a model. I have been reading the instructions for the Pontos upgrade kit and they are actually quite detailed with regard to the folding. I may be wrong but from what I can see the best way to tackle these is to make them up as modules. I do this with planes, make up sub assemblies then put them away safe until they are required.
Cadeus
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Posted: Thursday, April 05, 2018 - 09:40 PM UTC
Yes, sub-assemblies are the way to go, I’m sure others have much better photos than what I can provide you but that’s how I’m building the USS Texas right now, smaller assemblies. Also the great thing with pontos kits is you don’t have to track down a wood deck or turned brass, it’s all included into the kit.
Neil9293
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Posted: Friday, April 06, 2018 - 05:35 AM UTC
Thank you for your input. I have decided to go with the Pontos. The only upgrade available here at the moment is the "Duke of York" 1943. which after some reading was an interesting ship in its own right. I find that it is interesting that all the Pontos upgrade kits are to be used on the "Prince of Wales" not the "George V". Will a 13cm bender be large enough for working the PE.
Cadeus
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Posted: Friday, April 06, 2018 - 09:04 PM UTC
Most of the etch in the pontos kits is small, I recommend a quality bender made of metal. Not the cheap plastic ones. Also 13cm should work just fine.
TimReynaga
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Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 06:40 AM UTC

Quoted Text

...I recommend a quality bender made of metal. Not the cheap plastic ones.


I agree completely! It was hard for me to bite the bullet and spend the money for a quality metal etch bender, but once I did and started using it, it was a revelation. Etch is now my friend!
Neil9293
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Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 09:38 AM UTC
I have settled on this bender the Rp Toolz 13cm model. It seems to have good reviews. http://www.rptoolz.com/?p=191
RussellE
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Posted: Sunday, April 08, 2018 - 04:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you for your input. I have decided to go with the Pontos. The only upgrade available here at the moment is the "Duke of York" 1943. which after some reading was an interesting ship in its own right. I find that it is interesting that all the Pontos upgrade kits are to be used on the "Prince of Wales" not the "George V". Will a 13cm bender be large enough for working the PE.


Excellent choice Neil!

Indeed I wish the Pontos sets were around when I collected the sets for my KGV build!

You are indeed correct: The Pontos sets are for the Prince of Wales kit by Tamiya. This is because the most interesting periods for the KGV class of ships occur in their early fit. KGV and Prince of Wales were practically identical in May 1941 with a few small exceptions and this is the time when the Bismarck was sunk. Duke of York in 1943 was also fitted out very much in the same way and this was the time when the Scharnhorst was sunk.

If you're really interested there's an excellent book by VE Tarrant on the KGV class, although hard to come by these days. RA Burt's British battleships 1919-1945 is also excellent!

Look forward to seeing which direction you take and hopefully you'll share your build log here on MSW
Neil9293
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Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2018 - 06:57 AM UTC
I am very annoyed. After waiting a week from ordering I received my "Duke of York" 1943 Pontos upgrade set on friday. On sorting out the PE I noticed that the PE sheets did not match the photos I had. On examination I found that all 6 PE sheets are labelled "IGN 1/350 Kongo". They have obviously put the wrong sheets in the box, the instructions and resin are for the "Duke". I will have to wait till tomorrow to sort this out. Has anyone else had this happen?
McRunty
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Posted: Saturday, April 14, 2018 - 08:06 AM UTC
Neil,

I had a similar experience. My 1/350 Warspite kit came with the wrong resin parts. I got the 1/200 Bismarck resin. Took about 4 months before I got the correct parts sent out. My mistake was trying to get the replacements from the seller. I recommend going direct to Pontos. When I did it took around 3 weeks for the replacements to get here.
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