ted99

No, so far as I can tell, the Bismarck kit uses the usual kind of plastic. I mentioned the ABS because some Model RR applications for it and it needs a different solvent. Used in plumbing fittings, too.

Usually depends on type of plastic. Almost any of the liquid types work with the most common styrene. ABS needs a different solvent. The key is to use one of the bottles of thin clear liquid, not anything that is thickened and in a tube. Hold the pieces to be fastened together after trial fitting and use a VERY small brush (not the one that comes in the bottle) to apply a very small amount to the joining line and let capillary action pull the "glue" into the crack. It's really not glue, it's a solvent that softens the plastic part at the joining line and the two parts "weld" together. Usually best if you are able to keep pressure on the join line until the styrene at the join line re-solidifies when the solvent evaporates. CA glue can be used for plastic to wood or metal. In looking ahead at the instructions for our kit, there are some PE brass facing sheets to be glued to both plastic and ply. The instructions say to use CA for these joins, but they have a lot of surface area and I'm going to approach this carefully. One of the things I'm going to experiment with is using a high-quality contact cement (like Barge) that has been thinned and apply it with a flat brush to the back of the PE brass sheet and to the plastic or ply surface. I'll try this on some scrap first and report on it in my build log. I also see that there are some small PE detail parts that are to be attached to PE brass bulkhead sheets. Instructions seem to use CA glue, but I'm going to investigate soldering these parts.

I guess USA buyers are really fortunate. The Customs invoice that Cornwall included showed that the kit went to the USA as "reduced size scale model kits & accessories for assembly" with country of origin Italy and full retail price listed. Evidently, this combination is "duty free" into the USA and a direct ship to the USA is exempt from the UK VAT, so all I paid was the Cornwall pre-VAT price plus the bargain shipping that arrived in only 3 days.

I also received a very polite e-mail from Cornwall saying that they had forwarded my missing parts list to Amati and that Amati would be sending the missing/damaged parts directly. It'll be interesting to see how this works out. For prospective purchasers: Note that both STUGLO and I have similar problems, so this may be indicative of the early factory run. If you can hold off, I'd suggest you do so until STUGLO and I see how Amati resolves the problems. Of course, I suspect that Amati did a batch run of these kits and the inventory of them may stick around for a while. Hopefully, if all the problems are similar, Amati will do a "recall-like" action and proactively ship parts to the retailers already having inventory. Will keep this forum advised of what happens with my missing parts.

Thanks for your post STUGLO. Because of it, I found the printed inventory at the end of Vol II and discovered that NONE of the "metal fittings" were enclosed. Are they all in a single box or package? If so, I'm missing the whole package. Where did you find reference to a "Large View? I'm missing this, too. I was wrong about my shipment being FedEx, it was UPS economy air. I guess there are preferential rates to USA that may not be extant elsewhere. You may not have a UPS economy air rate--or even UPS. I've found DHL to be non-competitive, but ships to a lot more places. I've sent Cornwall a follow-up missing addenda. Haven't heard back from them on my first from earlier. Hopefully, our two orders may cause them to make a check on their stock before shipping. Should be easy to spot the broken deck pieces--they are real obvious in their plastic package because they are the two ends that are sticking out. I don't know if you were missing "All" of your metal fittings, but if so, a check for the package should be easy. It would be good if Cornwall did at least this easy check. Any other purchasers of this kit are forewarned that there are some common errata with the kits.

I have completed my contents check, too. I also had the same two pieces of deck broken--appears that they are the longest pieces which stick out beyond the others in their plastic bag and are broken when parts rattle around inside the box during shipping. I am missing one package of small plastic detail parts-- "vents". I notified Cornwall and also suggested that they check their stock for similar damage to the preprinted decks to discover if the damage is happening in shipment to them, or in further shipment. If it's coming to them OK, I suggested that they fill up the box with peanuts to limit shifting parts during shipment. I have not received any response from Cornwall, yet.

Trumpeter. So far as I can tell, the Amati kit includes all the detail. One difference. The pictures I see of the Trumpeter super detail, the gun barrels appear to be brass, while the Amati are plastic. Once painted, a distinction without a difference, I think.

Received the kit yesterday evening via FedEx. No dents or dings. Amati box was wrapped in one ply cardboard, so not exactly "double boxed" but came thru well--probably because it came by air. No indication, yet, of customs charges. Cornwall includes a sheet to indicate any missing parts, which must be returned within 31 days. It will be a big job to check these hundreds of parts, but essential since a missing part halfway thru would be a disaster. Some observations: Box says "wooden hull" model and that is accurate. Most of the superstructure and details are plastic. Some of the major superstructure is wooden and appears to have PE brass overlay, judging from a quick look prior to a piece by piece inventory. The hull is an elaborate assembly of very clean laser cut ply. The complex curved parts of the hull, that in earlier kits I have built would have to be carved out of solid wood are some form of cast urethane. The instructions go to two booklets and are in literate English. Volumnous instructions completely unlike any I have ever seen before in Euro kits and that's a good thing as this kit is COMPLEX. I have never seen the Trumpeter plastic kit, but from pictures, it looks as though it could be similar to this Amati kit if you add the super detail package. In the US, the cost is close to the same. For me, I would never get the same pleasure from assembling a plastic kit as this hand-crafted wooden hull. Judging only from pictures, the superstructure of the Amati kit seems to be more detailed. I'll be starting the kit in a few months as I have a project underway that is close to completion. I think it may take me a week to do an inventory of parts.

Just received notification from Cornwall of shipment today, 9/22

I just (9/17/2021) placed an order with Cornwall for this kit. Total shipped to the USA was 456.83 GBP. Shipping is 46 GBP, but the good thing is that by shipping to the USA there is no VAT. I've purchased a number of ship/boat kits in person in the UK on trips from a store in Greenwich over the years (don't remember the name), but this is my first mail order. Previous kits have been Calder with GRP hull. I've done a number of plank on frame sailing ships and, as noted, one ends up staining and varnish on the walnut planks. This will be different. But, I did a Billings boats Plank on Frame models of the Danish Royal yacht with steel hull and the Billings Tugboat with steel hull. My technique was to do a lot of wood filling followed by multiple coats of Gesso followed by sanding. End result was that after spraying with primer and urethane enamel, it looked just like plastic (lol). I hope the plans have the hull plating defined. After primer, but before the finish coat, I have scored the hull plates with a hobby knife and there is just enough definition in the finish coat to simulate the plating welds. I'll see if this technique will work after I see the plans. Looking forward to it arriving.