New Barrels from Master

In the ever growing line of barrel replacements for scale model ship modelling, comes four new sets in 1/350 scale Sea Master Series.

new sets
• SM-350-82 – USS New York
• SM-350-083 – IJN 12.7cm/50
• SM-350-084 – IJN 12.7cm/50
• SM-350-085 – Russian Battleship Tsesarevich (1917)

USS New York – BB-34

The USS New York-BB-34 received a refitting in 1942. As a result of this refit, the ship’s 5”/51 caliber guns were reduced from sixteen to only six and the 3”/50 caliber AA guns were increased from eight to ten; the ten 14”/45 caliber main batteries remained. One of the new sets from Master, SM-350-082, are turned aluminum and brass barrels for replacement of the 1/350 scale model of the USS New York BB34 kit (05339) from Trumpeter Models.

Contents

• 10 – 14in./45 Aluminum Barrels
• 6 – 5in./51 Brass Barrels
• 12 – 3in./50 Brass Barrels
MSRP - $16.50 US

As you would guess, the barrels are cleanly turned. These barrels are manufactured from a combination of aluminum and brass and represent the existing armament seen on the USS New York after her refit of 1942. I noticed there are twelve 3”/50 caliber barrels included in this set; however, after checking a couple of sources it looks as if the New York had only ten anti-aircraft guns mounted on the ship after the refit in 1942. This is not an issue for the consumer as there are actually two more 3 inch barrels than what is needed to build the model.

IJN 12.7cm/50 3rd Year Type Barrels

Between 1928 and 1940, the main armament for the Imperial Japanese Navy’s destroyer fleet was the 12.7cm/50 Type 3 naval gun.

Contents - SM-350-083 and SM-350-084

• 8 – Turned Brass Barrels (each set)

Set SM-350-083 are for replacement where guns were installed without blast bags and set SM-350-084 are for replacement where blast bags were used

MSRP - $6.50 US

Two new sets of barrels from Master, SM-350-083 and SM-350-084 are for replacing the kit supplied 12.7cm/50 styrene barrels. In both sets, the barrels are cleanly machined from brass and are indicative of what was seen in use on the IJN destroyers up to an into the Second World War.

Russian Battleship Tsesarevich (1917)

The pre-dreadnaught battleship Tsesarevich was launched in 1904 just in time to take part in the Russo-Japanese War. The Tsesarevich spent much of her career in the Baltic where in 1917 her crew participated in a general mutiny within the Baltic Fleet. She would be seized later that year by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution and finally decommissioned in 1918.

Contents

• 4 – 305mm Turned Aluminum Barrels
• 12 – 152mm Turned Brass Barrels
• 2 – 47mm Turned Brass Barrels
• 2 – 37mm Turned Brass Barrels

MSRP - $14.50

The SM-350-085 set from Master is contains a full selection of turned barrels for replacement of the kit supplied barrels on Trumpeter Models 05337 kit - Tsesarevich Battleship 1917. The barrels have been crisply manufactured from the big 305mm main armament down to the minuscule 37mm barrels. These barrel replacements are suggestive of what was installed on the Russian Battleship Tsesarevich.

Conclusion

As with previous releases for the 1/350 scale Sea Master Series from Master these new set of barrels, SM-350-82 – USS New York, SM-350-083 – IJN 12.7cm/50 , SM-350-084 – IJN 12.7cm/50 and SM-350-085 – Russian Battleship Tsesarevich (1917) sets make for an almost essential upgrade for when building the perspective model kits. The quality of the machining is excellent, the accuracy is adequate and finally the value of these sets being a low-cost replacement for the styrene offerings from the kit manufactures. I highly Recommend these barrels for anyone interested in raising the detailing to their 1/350 scale range of model ships.