1:700 Battlecruiser HMS Invincible 1914 - Deluxe Edition

HMS Invincible 1914 in an extended edition, 1:700 scale

The kit captures the ship in her 1914 form, that is at the beginning of the First World War. With this maker the extended edition designation means that above-standard equipment is added to the plastic parts, typically photo-etched parts and further accessories that would otherwise be bought separately. On a ship model in this scale that matters, because photo-etched railings, ladders and gratings change the final impression more than anything else.

The real subject

HMS Invincible was the first ship of an entirely new category. A battlecruiser was to have the armament of a battleship and the speed of a cruiser, which was achieved by cutting back on the armor. The idea was to run down and destroy enemy cruisers before they could get away, not to fight an opponent of the same weight. At the Battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914 this intention worked out perfectly. Two years later, at the Battle of Jutland, the other side of the same compromise showed itself as well.

Building and painting tips

In 1:700 scale the parts are very small, so work over a mat, with fine tweezers, and dose the glue with a point. Paint the hull and the deck separately before you fit the superstructures. Fit the photo-etched railings only after the deck has been varnished, otherwise they will bend during masking. Leave the masts and the rigging until the very end. Keep the weathering restrained; in this scale a heavy wash tends to flood the detail.

Who the model is for

• For modelers of the Royal Navy of the First World War.
• For collectors of ships in a uniform 1:700 scale.
• For those who want a model with richer equipment straight from the box.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.