1/350 USS Hornet and Tom's PE question

Thanks, Ed.  I've found thorough reviews of the GMM and Tom's sets on modelwarships and steelnavy.  The main reason I'm looking at Tom's first is so I don't have to get 2 sets.  The way the two GMM or Eduard sets are split, I'd need both.  (If the GMM basic set had the LSO platforms I'd be happy with it.)  The WEM basic set has everything I want, but it's close to the price of the GMM and Eduard sets.

I've used Tom's, GMM and Eduard sets on other models in the past, and all work well for me.

A modeler's life is filled with tough decisions...

Peter 

peterj wrote:

I'm trying to decide what PE set(s) to use on the Hornet that I strongly suspect is under the tree.  Being a frugal (i.e. cheap) Yankee, I'm looking at Tom's set first, and I've come up with a question. On the aft end of the island there's a prominent open stairway.  As far as I can tell, Tom's set does not include the stairway - is that correct?  How well is the stairway represented in the kit?  Most of the online build articles that I've found use GMM's sets.  The one build that uses Tom's set doesn't have a good photo of the area, so I'm not sure whether it's PE or plastic.

Remember that you get what you pay for.

See the Toms Modelworks page and drill down to the Hornet fret

http://www.tomsmodelworks.com/

I don't see the ladderway on the fret.

Tom's brass etched very fine with near-to-scale lines.   However Tom's uses a softer brass than GMM or WEM.  As such the Toms brass is more easily bent by an errant thumb.  Tom's is also not relief-etched as is GMM or WEM