I found the parts like catapults included were perfectly acceptable. A nice feature they do come with is metal gun barrels.
Another thing you should know is that SS Models attempts to 3D print the masts as close to scale as they can. This results in very fine masts and spars that I think would be impossible to rig (not that I do that any more either with shakes the clown fingers).
Another potential issue for you is the depth of the plank separations. Some might catagorize them as small canyons. They don’t bother me in the least.
The last big issue revolves around painting and removal of the parts from the printing rafts. Painting of anything other than a monochromatic color scheme is going to be DIFFICULT. The parts are basically subassemblies except for things like weapons. The other difficulty is removing the tiny 3D attachent points without leaving fragments on decks.
None of the issues above are fatal. You can correct or work your way around them. I am generally happy with the kits and have ordered several more ships that I never thought I would see as models. You will always find issues in kits you can fix them or ignore them.
I've been perusing the offerings on the famous internet auction site no one seems willing to mention, and have discovered, more or less to my delight, that a number of new full hull (and sometimes waterline) ship models from Globaltoy and SSModel are now available at generally reasonable prices. These are displayed on the site as parts shipped (full or half hulls, all additional parts), usually in pink 3D resin. These ships include a number that particularly interest me, largely due to their absence in this scale from any other manufacturer, in plastic or resin. These include the IJN heavy cruiser Furutaka, the WWI-era battleship Settsu and armored cruiser Ikoma, the USS North Dakota and two different versions (one as commissioned, one from 1927) of the USS Wyoming; a 1944 USS Colorado, the WWI HMS Agincourt, a mid-WWII HMS Renown, and several different DKM light cruisers such as the Leipzig and Nurnberg. Also, a Regia Marina heavy cruiser Pola that looks much better than Hobbyboss's old kit. It looks as though cleanup of the printing strands (or whatever it is they are called that bind the actual part to its casting shells) will be a major, but not insurmountable project (particularly on gun barrels, radars, masts and yardarms). My limited experience with this 3D resin is that the material is sturdy but brittle, and difficult to drill holes into when there is a need to do so (standard resin is softer and can be melted with a hot needle tip to make a starter hole). Has anyone on this forum yet purchased one of these, or similar, models from either company, and what is your reaction to their quality and accuracy? Incidentally, and somewhat to my annoyance, these manufacturers have also released a number of "imaginary" warships -- vessels either planned or started but never finished (or even begun), including a rather preposterous hybrid of a Montana-class (I think -- it has quadruple gun turrets) battleship and an aircraft carrier. Thanks in advance for you input.
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