Marine Vessels Evaluation Criteria

Basic Construction:

  • Flash, mold marks, filler and pusher marks originating from the mold, registration marks (as in Monogram and some Revell kits) and similar mold-related errors must be eliminated.
  • General line errors must be eliminated and gaps originating from joints must be filled.
  • The ship’s equipment must be made in accordance with the period it represents (For example, HMS Hood’s extra anti-aircraft guns must be from 1940, radar equipment from 1941 and aircraft catapult from 1930-1932, etc.).
  • Incorrect contour lines must be corrected.
  • Details lost during filling and correction must be opened from the beginning to be brought to the same point as the general detail level of the model.
  • The cylindrical forms of the barrels and masts must be preserved during leveling.
  • Alignment:
  • Superstructure elements (deck cabins, chimneys, platforms and towers, etc.) must be aligned with the vertical line when viewed from side to side.
  • The masts should be parallel to the vertical line when viewed from side to side. The masts should not be bent as a result of excessive tension on the rigging (unless there is a documented bend).

Details:

  • The parts given by the kit that are thick and/or out of scale (masts, stanchions, railings, etc.) should be thinned or replaced.
  • Details lost during filling and correction should be re-done to match the general level of detail of the model.
  • Details such as barrels, manholes and vents should be drilled/carved.
  • Rigging on sailing ships should be made in accordance with the period represented by the model.
  • Pulleys on sailing ships should be aligned correctly and proportionate to the rigging.

PE Parts:

  • Frame residues should be cleaned,
  • There should be no damage and no unintentional warping,
  • There should be no traces of glue from the assembly stages,
  • Parts should not overlap and fold (brackets etc.),
  • When viewed from the bow to the stern, the bracket lines should not be wavy and should be smooth,
  • Gaps that may occur due to warping in the angles should be filled,
  • Paint should completely cover the PE material, the same care should be taken to the cutting and folding areas.

Painting and Finishing:

  • The surface of the model should not bear traces of the construction stage after painting (Glue, sandpaper, fingerprints etc.).
  • The finish of the model should be smooth. If irregularities found in the real vehicle used as a basis are reflected in the model, they should be supported with documents.
  • Unless there is a special situation such as yachts or tour boats, the paint should be matte.
  • The painting scheme of the model should be suitable for the period represented. (For example; the upper parts of the turrets of DKM Scharnhorst were yellow in the first phase of Operation Weserübung (1940), red in the second phase and blue in Operation Cerberus (1942).)
  • The model must have a smooth finish. If irregularities found in the real vehicle used as a basis are reflected in the model, they must be supported with documentation.
  • There should be no brush marks, feathering or brush hair in the paint,
  • There should be no orange peel effect, cracking or dusting in the paint (at wing roots, right-angled connections, etc.),
  • There should be no brightness differences caused by incorrect application of the varnish layer.
  • Paint transitions should be realistic, there should be no blurring caused by masking errors. Paint transitions should be made to scale, in accordance with the documents, without allowing spitting caused by overspray.
  • In case of reflection of atmospheric effects (aging, wear, etc.), the scale should be taken into account and the documented real ship should be taken as reference (region of use, conditions, etc.).

Wet/Dry Decal Application:

  • Decals must be aligned properly (if the modeled vehicle has a special situation in such signs, it must be documented, thus proving that the modeler did not make a mistake and that the current special situation is reflected exactly).
  • Decals must be free of silvering and/or air bubbles. The carrier film of the decal must not be visible, therefore it must look as if it was painted.

Colors:

  • The colors of the paints, even from the same company and produced in the same way, may have slight color differences from batch to batch. Different usage areas affect the paint in different ways. All paints fade due to both atmospheric conditions and sunlight. In addition, the distance you look at also affects your perception of the tone of the paint. Despite this, if there are serious tone differences in the model compared to the color it should be, it must be documented.