the Baron
Ich bin ja, Herr, in Deiner Macht
- Joined
- May 12, 2009
- Messages
- 1,961
Hi, everyone!
I'd like to share with you a look at a kit that I plan on building sometime this year (famous last words, right?), Hobby Boss' USS Arizona in 1/700.
I'm actually going to build the kit as her sister and predecessor, the USS Pennsylvania. The Pennsy has been a favorite of mine, ever since I built the old Revell kit as a kid. I'm building her as she appeared circa 1935, so there's not a lot of modification required. The two sisters were almost identical, undergoing similar refits between the wars. The main visible difference was that the Pennsylvania had a larger armored conning tower, and expanded navigation bridge, to support her role as flagship of the fleet. But have to look very closely to notice.
Now, to the kit. Here is a shot of the hull sections:
Nothing too unusual, you can finish the kit as a full-hull display or a waterline model (I will do the latter).
Here is sprue A, with most of the superstructure:
Sprues B and C, with primary and secondary batteries, and the rest of the superstructure:
and Sprue D, containing the stand for a full-hull model:
Included in the kit is a nice color scheme, showing the Arizona in the Measure 1 camouflage she and her sister (and the rest of the other battle line, if I'm not mistaken) wore in 1941, right up to Pearl Harbor:
One note on the Measure 1 scheme: I remember reading an article that described an additional modification, and that was that the battleships wore a color on the tops of their turrets, to identify their place in the divisions that made up the fleet. For example, I think the Arizona had red painted on top of the Nr. 2 turret, something like that. The article that I read appeared in a Hawaiian newspaper, and it referenced an article printed in 1941. But I can't recall whether that has been seconded or debunked. But it's something to think about, if you build pre-war US Navy circa 1941.
Of course, for 1935, I'll finish the ship in the light grey the Navy used before the outbreak of war in Europe.
And finally, this is the cover of a book I picked up, to add to my references:
It's a very good reference, especially with closeups of the foremast superstructure, which is what I need to bash the kit ever so gently from BB-39 to BB38. I'm also using photos available at the Navy's historical section's website (http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org11-2.htm)
The detail of this kit is suitable for my tastes. There's enough detail to make a decent model out of the box. For example, the anti-aircraft battery of 5" and 1" guns have nice detail for injection-molded parts. Also, Hobby Boss did mold the railings on the kit. Now, you may debate whether to leave them off as pratically invisible in 1/700, or whether to apply photo-etch, but I think we can all agree, it's nice not to have to remove molded-on solid railing, like in the old days (my nostalgia doesn't go that far).
From reviewing the instructions, it doesn't look like there will be any surprises or major problems, except those that I'll create for myself (it is indeed a fallen world!). The kit reminds me of the old Revell kit, for that reason. That is, it'll be an enjoyable build, but it will be what I make of it. A modeler of average experience (such as I) would have no trouble assembling a nice-looking model.
Thanks for looking, and eventually, I'll have an SBS to post, too.
YbiC
Brad
I'd like to share with you a look at a kit that I plan on building sometime this year (famous last words, right?), Hobby Boss' USS Arizona in 1/700.
I'm actually going to build the kit as her sister and predecessor, the USS Pennsylvania. The Pennsy has been a favorite of mine, ever since I built the old Revell kit as a kid. I'm building her as she appeared circa 1935, so there's not a lot of modification required. The two sisters were almost identical, undergoing similar refits between the wars. The main visible difference was that the Pennsylvania had a larger armored conning tower, and expanded navigation bridge, to support her role as flagship of the fleet. But have to look very closely to notice.
Now, to the kit. Here is a shot of the hull sections:
Nothing too unusual, you can finish the kit as a full-hull display or a waterline model (I will do the latter).
Here is sprue A, with most of the superstructure:
Sprues B and C, with primary and secondary batteries, and the rest of the superstructure:
and Sprue D, containing the stand for a full-hull model:
Included in the kit is a nice color scheme, showing the Arizona in the Measure 1 camouflage she and her sister (and the rest of the other battle line, if I'm not mistaken) wore in 1941, right up to Pearl Harbor:
One note on the Measure 1 scheme: I remember reading an article that described an additional modification, and that was that the battleships wore a color on the tops of their turrets, to identify their place in the divisions that made up the fleet. For example, I think the Arizona had red painted on top of the Nr. 2 turret, something like that. The article that I read appeared in a Hawaiian newspaper, and it referenced an article printed in 1941. But I can't recall whether that has been seconded or debunked. But it's something to think about, if you build pre-war US Navy circa 1941.
Of course, for 1935, I'll finish the ship in the light grey the Navy used before the outbreak of war in Europe.
And finally, this is the cover of a book I picked up, to add to my references:
It's a very good reference, especially with closeups of the foremast superstructure, which is what I need to bash the kit ever so gently from BB-39 to BB38. I'm also using photos available at the Navy's historical section's website (http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org11-2.htm)
The detail of this kit is suitable for my tastes. There's enough detail to make a decent model out of the box. For example, the anti-aircraft battery of 5" and 1" guns have nice detail for injection-molded parts. Also, Hobby Boss did mold the railings on the kit. Now, you may debate whether to leave them off as pratically invisible in 1/700, or whether to apply photo-etch, but I think we can all agree, it's nice not to have to remove molded-on solid railing, like in the old days (my nostalgia doesn't go that far).
From reviewing the instructions, it doesn't look like there will be any surprises or major problems, except those that I'll create for myself (it is indeed a fallen world!). The kit reminds me of the old Revell kit, for that reason. That is, it'll be an enjoyable build, but it will be what I make of it. A modeler of average experience (such as I) would have no trouble assembling a nice-looking model.
Thanks for looking, and eventually, I'll have an SBS to post, too.
YbiC
Brad
