„Pothuau“ – the French armored cruiser

The armored cruiser "Pothua") was a late 19th-century French naval warship, a version of the "Admiral Charner"-class armored cruisers, which in turn were a cheaper version of the "Dupuy de Lome". Only one ship was built. In some sources it is considered an armored cruiser. Due to the poor combat qualities of the "Pothuau", the French Navy returned to the construction of larger cruisers, the first of which was the "Jeanne D'Arc". The service of the cruiser was not eventful. Built at the end of the 19th century, during the rapid development of military shipbuilding, it quickly became obsolete. It met World War I as a training ship. Sent from France to the coast of Africa, where, together with other ships, it strengthened the defense of the Suez Canal. Later repaired in Saigon, returned to France and became a floating balloon base. After the war, she was again reclassified as a training ship, the main guns were dismantled and replaced with anti-aircraft guns. Written off only in 1927.

The model is pleased with recognizable French architecture - low chimneys, with a protruding ram - a classic "Frenchman". Also classic, good model design. There are many details, the graphic instructions are neat, the assembly process is detailed with drawings. The contours of the colored parts have been removed. A complex, medium-sized, interesting model. Recommended for intermediate to advanced naval enthusiasts. This model has a high level of detail, some parts are double-sided printing, some parts are printed with "metallic" bronze paint. The model is intended for intermediate and experienced modelers, but it will not be an easy job for them either. The model has a lot of details, but the extensive and informative graphic instructions will help a lot, when gluing the model.