French Navy Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Danton, 1/350 - Hobby Boss 86503

The Hobby Boss 86503 is a plastic ship model kit to be assembled, reproducing the French pre-dreadnought battleship Danton at the 1/350 scale. This reference makes it possible to create a striking piece from the French Navy of the early 20th century, with a total length of 414 mm and a width of 73.7 mm.

The Danton battleship

The Danton was built in Brest between 1906 and 1911. The lead ship of a series of six French pre-dreadnought battleships, it belongs to a pivotal period in naval history, marked by the rapid evolution of major battleships before and during the First World War.

In March 1917, the battleship was torpedoed by the German submarine U-64, south of Sardinia. Its fate makes it a particularly interesting subject for model builders interested in the French Navy and the warships of the Great War.

The Hobby Boss model

The Hobby Boss 86503 kit is designed at the 1/350 scale, meaning a reduction to 1/350th of the real ship’s dimensions. It includes more than 480 plastic parts spread across 13 sprues, with the deck and display base. The hull is designed in two parts.

The box also includes photo-etched parts, a metal anchor chain, decals, a display stand, and an engraved nameplate. These elements help to give the battleship an impressive finish once assembly is complete.

Assembly and finishing

This ship model requires the usual steps of plastic modelling: preparing the parts, removing parts from sprues, gluing, painting, and applying decals. Photo-etched parts require precise handling and can be shaped using suitable tools.

Applying a primer before painting helps highlight the various volumes of the hull, artillery, and superstructures. A light weathering, applied with restraint, can then emphasize the raised details and add more depth to the depiction of the ship.

Technical features

• Brand : Hobby Boss
• Reference : 86503
• Type : plastic ship model kit to be assembled
• Subject : French pre-dreadnought battleship Danton
• Scale : 1/350
• Total length : 414 mm
• Total width : 73.7 mm
• Plastic parts : more than 480
• Photo-etch : 3 parts
• Included items : decals, metal anchor chain, display base, and engraved nameplate

Complementary products

To complete the build, plan to use glue suitable for plastic models, precision cutting tools, fine sandpaper, paints, brushes or an airbrush, as well as a primer and suitable finishing products for naval modelling.