Having selected the ArtwoxModel wooden decks set for the Aoshima 1:700 scale Yamashiro for the first review of  ArtwoxModel wooden decking sets and the set for the Trumpeter 1:350 scale HMS Repulse kit, for the third review I chose the ArtwoxModel set for the Trumpeter 1:350 scale Prinz Eugen. The Repulse set had four decks on a single sheet, however, the Prinz Eugen set comes with two smaller sheets but contains a whopping twenty-eight separate decks. I didn't realize the German heavy cruiser had so many wooden decks. Some are small decks for AA positions or different bridge levels but forecastle, amidship deck and quarterdeck haven't been forgotten. 

As with the instructions for the ArtwoxModel 1:700 scale Yamashiro and 1:350 scale HMS Repulse decking, the instructions for the Trumpeter 1:350 scale Prinz Eugen is one back-printed glossy sheet with color photographs, which show the location of the 28 decks on the plastic model. The wood sheet is very thin but still raises the deck level by the width of the wooden deck. Using the wooden decks is a trade off since the fittings coming through the wooden will be reduced in height by the width of the wooden sheet. The question comes down to a simple choice, is the detail provided by the wooden deck more important than the slight loss of height of the fittings? A lot depends on your skill in painting and detailing plastic decks on the kit parts. For me, I couldn't come close in providing the detail of the ArtwoxModel decks. 

In the review of the 1:350 scale Trumpeter HMS Repulse, I fit one of the five decks to the corresponding plastic deck and chose the quarterdeck. For the wooden deck set for the Trumpeter 1:350 scale Prinz Eugen, I dry fitted four of the 28 decks. All of the sets of ArtwoxModel wooden decking are designed as a sandwich with the wooden decks at the top, adhesive in the middle and thin transparent sheet at the bottom, which is removed when the particular deck is ready for attachment with the plastic part. Unless you are hand painting all of the cast fittings, which will extend through the cut-outs from the plastic deck through the wooden deck, it appears best to paint the plastic before attaching the deck. As with the dry-fitting of the Repulse deck, for the Prinz Eugen decks I had to use a Xacto knife to score the decks from the underside and then remove and used the scissors to clean up any protective film remnants. It is easy to do but it does take time. 

The decks came out cleanly from their protective frame and even the smallest cut-out blanks were removed without damaging the decks, such as the slots for the break water gussets. Where the tip of the forecastle deck abutted the main forecastle deck, there was a slight buckling but so slight that when the plastic protective sheet is removed, exposing the adhesive, the adhesive should keep the deck flat. To play it safe, I would consider very light sanding of the deck abutment edges, if dry fitting exhibits any buckling. From the photographs of the dry-fitted decks, you'll notice that along the starboard side, where the deck abuts the plastic base for the superstructure, there is a slight buckling of the deck. This is not caused by pressure but simply from the length of the deck. It will fit flush once the plastic sheet is removed and the adhesive comes in contact with the plastic deck. All in all, I am very happy with the fit and appearance of the decks. In fact, I'm so pleased that because of the availability of an ArtwoxModel wooden deck that I picked up a 1:350 scale kit of the Imperial Chinese protected cruiser, Chih Yuen, by Bronco just to build the cruiser with the wooden decking from ArtwoxModel. 

Here is the current price list of available products and near term releases. 

When I reviewed the wooden decks for the Trumpeter 1:350 HMS Renown, I mentioned the only ArtwoxModel dealer of which I was aware. Since then the company e-mailed me other dealers of ArtwoxModel products. However, the company is still looking for other distributors in Europe and the USA. Currently the distributors are as follows:

With the twenty-eight wooden decks for the Trumpeter 1:350 scale model of the Prinz Eugen, the ArtwoxModel wooden deck set for the cruiser, you can revel in wooden decking to your heart's delight. Great appearance, good fit, low price, the ArtwoxModel  1:350 scale Prinz Eugen wooden deck set delivers big time! 

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