1/700 HMS Iron Duke by White Ensign Models Reviewed by Rob Mackie Kit: Battleship HMS Iron Duke 1916 Scale: 1/700 waterline Producer: White Ensign Medium: Resin, brass rod and etched brass Strengths: Cleanly cast, comprehensive photoetch fret, clear instructions/colour guide, easy assembly Weaknesses: No simulated wood planking The ShipThere were four Iron Duke class battleships, Benbow, Iron Duke,Marlborough and Emperor of India. These 30,000-ton vessels, completed in 1914, mounted the excellent 13.5" main gun in five twin turrets. Unlike the previous King George V and Orion classes, the Iron Duke featured a heavy secondary armament of twelve 6" guns. This was in response to the growing size and hitting power of foreign destroyers. The low placement of these casement mounted 6" guns limited their usefulness, however, as they were subject to spray interference. Other distinguishing features were the faceted bow, a characteristic of subsequent British battleships but first seen on the Iron Duke, and the two thin round funnels. As the war progressed larger control tops were fitted to the prominent tripod mast, as well as a turret-mounted aircraft fly-off ramp. It is also worth noting that the Iron Duke was the first Royal Navy battleship with anti-aircraft guns, mounting two 3" high angle guns atop her aft superstructure. The Model Shortcomings? White Ensign has not simulated the teak deck planking. This is probably technically correct. One should not be able to discern separate planks in 1/700 scale, but nevertheless I like the look of wood planking, out of scale or not. And the sleeves at the base of the 13.5" main gun barrels don’t look right. They are too large and lack the proper taper. I suggest you cut them off and substitute smaller diameter plastic or brass rod. The fore topmast, boat booms and smaller derrick posts are fabricated from the included brass rod. The photoetched fret is very complete. Even the most obsessed among us should be satisfied. It includes "rails/mesh for the stern walk, canopy and support struts, jack & ensign staffs, stove pipe type chimneys, copper life buoys & racks, boarding ladders, davits for the 10 davit mounted boats, boat chocks, loading davits, stream anchors, range clocks, cruciform girder supports for the aft funnel searchlight platform, funnel cap supports, yardarm footropes, bridge rangefinder and binnacle, 3 x anchors & chains, torpedo loading davit, support brackets, semaphores, periscope, doors, hatches, all rails and ladders, block & tackle et al." Whew! Affixing all this photoetch will be a test of character, if not sanity. But the result should make all the effort worthwhile.
The instructions, which include a very useful colour guide, measure up to the very high standard established by White Ensign in its previous releases.
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