OOB Review of TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45 - TAKOM 2189
Brief summary
Advantages: Rich details, excellent combination, etc.
Disadvantages: time-consuming, some parts instructions are not clearly expressed, etc.
I finally found time to finish TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45. The final result is very satisfying, but there are some things to watch out for during the out-of-box build. Let me share them with fellow modelers.
▼The main turret body uses a multi-panel assembly approach. I recommend modelers first position the turret side armor onto the chassis before gluing — this effectively avoids extra sanding work caused by misalignment. The seams at the corners are relatively easy to make seamless. The 20 ladders on the front and back of the turret need to be glued one by one — this part actually gave me the illusion of building tracks.
▼There are 8 large ladders on the bottom of the turret TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45 — front, back, left, and right — but the turret bottom has no locating holes. The instructions only indicate the approximate positions, so the builder needs to position and install them manually.
▼Next comes the gun barrel of the TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45. The seam work here can be done lazily — the seam at the base of the barrel is at the root of the protruding reinforcement ribs, so even if you're a bit careless it doesn't matter. The two lines at the base of the barrel are vaguely indicated in the instructions. After multiple test-fits, this should be the correct angle — you can use this as a reference.
▼The sensor on the barrel adds a huge amount of detail. With the photo-etch vise, it isn't difficult to make. Note the convex base at the bottom of the sensor during installation — the protruding part faces toward the rear of the gun. If installed backwards, the sensor won't fit.
▼Do not install the hydraulic buffer structure on top of the barrel before installing the photo-etch lines.
▼The sensor lines of the TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45 need to be bent to install smoothly. The instructions aren't very clear, so you can refer to my photos — both ends need to be bent at certain angles.
▼One end of this line is glued to the protruding pipe on the sensor, and the other end is glued into the small hole on the side of the gun breech. It looks like this when installed.
▼Because the locating pins between the barrel and turret are quite small, and the barrel itself is relatively heavy, I recommend placing it like this and letting it sit overnight after gluing, waiting for the glue to dry completely before proceeding.
▼After the TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45 completion, install the hydraulic device on top of the barrel and install the remaining two photo-etch lines to finish. These two lines do not need bending — relatively simple.
▼ Finally, let's look at the completed out-of-box build of the TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45.
▼ The gun can elevate and depress, with a maximum angle of about 90 degrees. Limited by its size, I'll just demonstrate briefly in the photos.
▼ This turret is enormous — possibly larger than many people expect. Let's compare it with several common models.
Brief Summary of TAKOM 1/35 Naval Gun H/PJ45
Pros: Novel subject, impressive size, rich detail, highly playable, excellent fit. I have absolutely no resistance to this kind of tall, imposing subject — buy it with your eyes closed.
Cons: The seamless work on this turret is acceptable, but the numerous ladders are quite time-consuming, and some parts are not clearly explained in the instructions. You can use this review as a supplement.
Recommendation Rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★☆