Now here is something neat from Lion Roar. I can either be considered a kit in and of itself or as a detail or accessory set for those building dioramas in 1/700 scale. This set included two unpowered lighters (barges) as used by the USN in harbors and other protected waters. These lighters could contain anything from machine shops to crew quarters for ships undergoing rehab. They could also be used as store rooms or used by tugs to move materials up and down rivers.

The ones in this set are from WWII and consist of two closed barges. One has large cargo openings and one has a series of smaller windows. Ecah has roof hatches that can be posed open or closed; same for the side doors. Girder framework is included for the one with the small windows, which is a bit odd as these are more unlikely to be seen, but there it is. Both of these have a resin hull (only one shown) on which there are large cleats at the edges.

The set includes full assembly instructions and thanks to the large main pieces, it should be pretty easy to build these. No color information is provided (probably Navy Grey) and one may have to rely on aftermarket for any markings decals these might have carried.

Overall, a very cool set and one that I'm sure will be repeated in the future.

July 2011

Review copy courtesy of www.dragonmodelsusa.com . Ask for them at your favorite hobby shop.

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