Odd sources, postcards, and Olympic photos are helpful for cross referencing and small detail. If he doesn't know for sure, he will guess. He continues to learn and newer paintings have corrections over older ones. A given painting may not be right in a small detail, but in the absence of other photographic proof, it's the next best thing. Item refers to a number on my diagrams and the fix I describe.
Step refers to a construction step in the instruction manual for the kit.
Superstructure is the high part in the middle top of the ship. Well decks are the two sunken decks fore and aft of the superstructure. Poop deck is the raised deck at the back of the ship. It's also a very old kit, the molds having gone through several owners. The Minicraft people tell me the molds have only been maintained, never updated or corrected.