1:700 HMS Destroyer Jervis

1:700 HMS Jervis - J class destroyer, an Aoshima kit

A plastic kit in 1:700 scale from the Japanese company Aoshima. It belongs to the Waterline range, and that is an essential quality of it: the model is built at the waterline, that is, without the underwater part of the hull, and so a ship set into the surface arises rather than a ship on a stand. The manufacturer presents her as the flagship of the 14th Destroyer Flotilla.

The real subject

The Jervis was the leader of the J class destroyers. Her keel was laid at Hebburn on Tyne in August 1937, she went into the water in September 1938 and entered service in May 1939. She was a sister of the Kelly, the leader of the K class, and close to the Napier of the N class. At first she belonged to the Home Fleet, but as the war widened she moved to the Mediterranean Fleet and served most of her combat career in the Mediterranean. In June 1944 she took part in the Normandy landings.

Building and painting tips

First decide on the scene: a waterline model belongs on a water surface, which it is good to prepare in advance. The masts and fine superstructures in 1:700 will stand little force - glue them on last and wait for the joint to harden. Suggest the rigging with stretched sprue or a thin fiber; wire is too coarse in this scale. Photo-etched railings are not in the package of a plastic kit and are bought separately. Mix the gray shades into thin coats and emphasize the panel lines with only a light wash.

Who the model is for

• collectors of the Royal Navy of the Second World War
• builders of waterline collections in a uniform 1:700 scale
• modelers who build a ship into a water scene
• anyone interested in destroyers and escort craft

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