This book contains detailed instructions on building the LHD-7 USS Iwo Jima 1/350 scale model ship from Trumpeter kit# 05615. This kit is enormous. The kit has over 1000 pieces. Adding the aftermarket parts brings the total pieces to over 1600. When assembled, the model is over 3 feet long.
I take the model kit instructions from Trumpeter and break them up into individual steps. I reorder the steps so that the small pieces (antennas, etc.) are assembled last which reduces the risk of damage when building the model. The steps are organized to insert the paint and decal steps in the best spot. I also incorporate Eduard’s Photo Etch sets 53180, 53181, 53183, 53184, 53185, and 53186 in with Trumpeter’s instructions. As most modelers know, it can be tricky to go back and forth between the model kit instructions and the aftermarket kit instructions. I took out the guess work and did that for you. The PE steps are colored in gray making them easy to skip if you just have the basic model. This book provides a little history of the USS Iwo Jima, photos of the model kit contents including the photo etch frets, a detailed list of tools that I used to build this model, along with a list of paints. The actual instruction section contains 2,591 steps and over 350 figures that tell you what to dry fit, glue, and/or paint for each individual piece. Each step instruction shows the source (i.e., either Trumpeter’s or Eduard’s instruction) along with a block to mark that you completed the step.
There are several pages of in-process photos with assembly tips and the final photos of my build for reference. I also provide instructions on how to add light to the well & hangar decks and the bridge areas in the superstructure. This book is a great checklist to make your build go smoothly. Of course, you can feel free to use different tools, paint, weathering, etc. or even add your own diorama. I did a lot of research and didn’t see anything this detailed about a model build. Most articles or videos concentrate on parts of their build or just give a summary review. I wanted to go down to the piece level and take you thru the whole build. Anyway, I hope you find this book useful. See a multi-page sample along with photos of finished models and other books at glennhoovermodels.com.
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