'Bringing you the very best in the world of small scale ship modelling'
SS Pearl, Battlefleet Models
Reviewed by Mike McCabe
Some questions about the Battlefleet Models 1:700 SS Pearl, short sea trader
Price?  $25 direct from Battlefleet Models also available from White Ensign in the UK

What's in the kit?  Pretty much everything you will need, the model is of a small coaster and includes besides the hull a funnel, vents and winches, boats and superstructure cast in resin, brass rod for mast and a generic photo etched fret for railing and other details.
First Impressions?  The kit comes in quite a large box so the parts are well protected, no damage has incurred in transit and the neat way of packing all the smaller parts separately in individual plastic pockets is something others could learn from.  Instructions are comprehensive for such a small model, all together an extremely well presented package.
Quality of hull and large parts?  Not that many due to the small size of subject but very sharply and cleanly casted, just one small bubble on my sample.  The hull is cast to the waterline so no need to remove a wafer, the superstructure parts are cast on a wafer but this is thin and shouldn't need a lot of work to remove.
Quality of small parts? All look good and useable, funnel in particular is very well done.  the boats are shown covered and it might be nice on such a small ship to show these open to give a bit more detail.

Decals? No decals are included, not sure any are needed.
Ease of assembly?  Should be as easy as it gets for a resin kit but a nice result is to be expected. 
Does anything need replacing?  Other than boats, which is a matter of choice, and the lack of any davits, I can't see anything that demands replacement.

What extra parts would I recommend?  Other than those mentioned the model would benefit from turned brass masts but that is again a matter for individual choice, perhaps replace moulded on doors with etched ones but again, not a big issue.  Some inclined ladders will also be required.
Quality of the etched fret?  This is a generic fret in keeping with Battlefleet kits and will provide the basics.  Personally I like to use ultrafine railing, especially on such small ships, but for many that provided will be acceptable. 
Available references?  These are shown on the kit instructions, a nice touch.

Painting instructions?  This is something of a weak area in that no colour scheme is shown,  some research will be needed which might not be an easy task.  I'll have to look into this one.
Flexibility / adaptability of the kit?  SS Pearl was typical of many British coasters whose design changed little for about 50 years after this ship was built.  The kit could be used therefore for many different ships and it has uses not only as a stand alone model, but also has great diorama potential.
Would I recommend this to a beginner?  Absolutely, often small ships are difficult as they are cramped with detail, but these are a nice way to get started in resin.  There are also plenty of spares in case of accidents.
Value for money?  Cost is a little on the high side I would say, but much of that is due to the fact I bought it from the USA in the UK and the exchange rate at present is not exactly favourable.
Would I buy another kit from this manufacturer?  Certainly, the whole package is excellent in quality and there are some very interesting subjects especially for those who want something other than just warships.
Conclusions?  A high quality product, well cast, no warping or damage, well packed, clear instructions, nice subject matter and other than a few items, everything I would want to complete the model.  Definitely recommended for those wanting a little jewel of a kit.

Reviewed by Mike McCabe