As most modelers know right now, Trumpeter has produced kits of all three battleships of the Littorio Class Italian battleships in 1:700 scale. On this class the
quarterdeck was wooden planking. You can cover the quarterdeck of your Italian battleship with Italian wood as
Regia Marina produces wooden quarterdecks for the
ships in the class. This review should actually be entitled Roma Wooden Quarterdeck rather than Littorio Class Battleship Wooden Quarterdeck. The
RN Roma had
variations from the
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto and this was true with the fittings on the quarterdeck. The plastic deck shown in this review is from the Trumpeter
Vittorio Veneto kit, as I did not have the Trumpeter Roma kit. You'll notice some differences in the deck fittings and locations between the plastic Littorio deck and the
wood
Regia Marina deck. The wooden deck shown in this review was designed for the Roma specifically and reflects the differences. Photographs of the Regia
Marina
instructions for the Roma deck show the Regia Marina product next to the Trumpeter Roma deck and the fittings locations match. The Regia Marina deck
follows the usual wooden deck practise with film covering the underside of the deck, which is removed when you are ready to attach the deck. However, before you
attach the deck, you'll need to punch out the cut outs through which the plastic fittings on the deck fit. After knocking out the cut-outs, dry fit the deck to make sure it
is a clean fit. Once you have a clean fit, remove the film cover and attach. The deck is actually in two parts divided at the catapult guide. The detail is excellent with one
exception in that there are not butt end detail on the planks, which is found on the Trumpeter plastic deck. The
Regia Marina deck for Roma is A.F. 080 and the deck
for
Littorio and Vittorio Veneto is A.F. 080A.
The Italian firm of Regia Marina has produced wooden quarterdecks specifically designed to fit the Trumpeter kits of Littorio/Vittorio Veneto and Roma in 1:700
scale. This shows you the detail found on the
Regia Marina Roma quarterdeck.
Steve Backer
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