Pontos or Mk.1 Design P.E. for 1/200's ? Opinion Poll

It's probably going to be like most things "Ships" res;onces will vary.

For one, the 1/200 kit builds are not all that common, as both the price and the size are very limiting factors.

And ship kit builders come in tow broad lots--OOB and detailers.

That latter group varies pretty wildly.  We in Ships have had the manufacturers nould a Hurricane and then box it as a Spitfire, an ME-109, and a Macchi 205.  So, research often is the first step.  Sometimes a huge step.  It's no accident that after-market is huge in Ships.

Pontos has (started) to make a splash in combining wood decks and PE.  That's probably a way to sell their (spendy) wood decks.  That does not make the Pontos the most accurate PE, which often means the "most accurate" build means buying more than one PE set (or making a lot ofcustom changed).

Sometimes Pontos does PE for PE's sake.  Their breakwater for USS Missouri is semi notorious for being flimsy, fussy, and less detailed than the plastic version.

It's very much a case of Your Mileage May Vary.

Jeff makes a very good point. Order the kit and don't order whatever aftermarket stuff you think until you've had a chance to look in the box and see what's in there and what you need.

Bill

TB, I realize that this is off thread, but I converted a Campbell Industries 'Superseiner' tuna seiner into a SEAL SDV support ship on the drawing board a few years back. You probably would have appreciated it. Unfortunately nobody makes a superseiner model in plastic that I'm aware of.  

Hi;Thuntboss:

    I would say, It has to be your call. There's lots of good stuff out there. I will NOT fork out for their decks though. I figure, why should I. The plastic is enough of a pain. Now you are going to add a non - scale thickness to the ship and have to adjust everything accordingly? Not me!

   Besides ,There's a Woodworker down the street that gives me White Oak and Teak and Walnut. These pieces are as thin as a sheet of Copy paper! And deck patterns aren't that hard to do. Now as far as P.E. If I am working in a scale they are available in I use G.M.M. , Tom's , Eduard , and Pontos as well. I also use P.E. from Model Rail-Road scales where I think It looks better!

       Remember though, I build Primarily Civilian vessels. I have had my fill of " Grey Ships" and there's no draw any more. That Is unless I can use the hull for a M.S.T.S Support Ship. There's never any done of the Fleet Support ships done. If any at all they are in a scale I won't work in. 1/700 is too small for me.

I've used Pontos several times and can't imagine anything being more complete than they are but also have had issues with them. Their instructions have improved over the years but you still have to search thru multiple pages to be sure you've found everything they provide. The bending instructions sometimes are very good and sometimes leave much to be desired. I've never had one of their sets that didn't have a significant amount of leftover peices that I simply never saw or found any reference to. Their wood decks stick very well and don't come back up later and the fit is very good. I'm now at a point where I question if spending the considerable sum for one of their sets is worth it because the newer kits are including much more PE detail with renders the Pontos set unnecessary. An example is Trumpeter's new 1/350 Bismarck. I haven't started mine yet but in looking it over it's clear you have everything you need in the box.

I would also be very interested , as I have used eduard , and find their instructions all over the place . and pontos , but have never used MK1 , are their instructions any good as i am looking at another big trumpeter kit .