Converting the uss Arizona revell kit into the uss Pennslyvainia?

You may be thinking of Lindberg (ex Pyro).    They made a small-scale which proported to be a Pennsylvania.     It is probably the second worst ship model kit I ever made, the worst being the 1:720 Revell Arizona.

Dragon makes a 1:700 scale late-war Pennsylvania which while not one of their better kits is far from the worst.   

I think Mike Ashey did a conversion of the 1:426 Revell Arizona to the Pennsylvania in an article in FSM

Be aware that Revell sold kits of the Pennsylvania in both 1/426 and 1/720. Obviously they were a reboxing of the Arizona. I've seen conversions, and heard the differences described as "subtle". If it were me, I'd concentrate on getting the colors accurate. That's always a fun subject to explore.

Both are currently on eBay. The 1/720 is listed at $ 5, and the open box photo shows the main gun barrels flashed together like a bad resin kit. Probably worth the price.

The 1/426 is listed for $ 129 or so. Go figure. For that kind of money I'd go find the most accurate resin kit of BB-38 that you can.

Revell has issued a kit of the Pennsylvania which, typical of the time, is just the Arizona kit in a different box.  The Arizona and the Pennsylvania started out as sister ships but were refitted differently in the 1920's with the Pennsylvania being fitted with an extended flag deck and a extra level in the conning tower to enable her to serve as a fleet flagship.

The photo above, from the US Navy History Site, shows the Pennsylvania in 1934 and you can see the added level in the conning tower, the different shape of the flag bridge, and the different shape of the navigation bridge (which may also have been a level higher than in the Arizona to see over the conning tower).

After the Pearl Harbor attack the Pennsylvania was refitted several times including a large refit in which her single 5"/25's and 5"/51's were replaced by 5"/38's in twin turrets and a lot of the superstructure removed to save weight.

Depending on how much scratch building you are willing to do the Revell Arizona kit could be modified into the Pennsylvania.

Good luck!

Yeah i have the 1:426 scale kit. I'm still doing research to see what all will have to be done. I'm thinking ill probably convert it to the pennslyvania during or right after pearl harbor. I think it would be a mess to try and rework the super structure and then to find twin 5 inch gun mounts.

Bondoman is correct; the two Revell models of Pennsylvania were simply reboxed Arizona's.  Gold Medal Models includes the parts necessary to model Pennsy in their 1/426 Arizona set, but I have not heard whether they do so in their 1/350 set.  They include the parts necessary to convert the superstructure.  Good luch with your conversion!

Bill Morrison

ddp59 wrote:

afsf, i'm redoing a 1/426 arizona to represent the pennsylvania of 1945. scratch built the twin 5" turrets & replaced everything from main deck & up except fot 14" turrets & stack. i fixed the stern around the prop areas to get rid of that concave look & added the anti-torpedo bulges.

Awesome! What did you scratch build the 5" turrets with? Also how much re working of the superstructure was there? If you have pics I would love to see them?

There's quite a bit of difference in the superstructure by 1945; you'd essentially have to redo everything from the main deck up.

As far as 1941 goes, you will need to decide how much you care. The shape of the superstructure platforms is essentially the same, but the verticals (armored conning tower, splinter shields, etc) are different. The platforms on the stack were different, and the ventilators on the #2 & 4 barbetters were a different shape as well.

Resources are weak, the best I've found that was affordable is "Keystone Battlewagon" by Myron Smith, which has overhead and side view drawings circa 1935 in 1/500th scale. Using those and the few 1941 and 1942 photos that are available online you should be able to infer how things looked at the attack on Pearl Harbor. Don't forget the turret top colors!

asfs here's the image that you might start with. Battleship colors at 12/7/41 are a Master's Degree so ask early and ask often. Not me, but the white hats all have opinions.

You've either been astute enough, or stumbled upon, a top ten ship modeling subject from WW2 in the Pacific.IMHO.

Another source is Siegfried Breyer's Battleships and Battlecruisers, 1905-1970. It has excellent drawings showing differences between sisterships, although in 1/1200 scale.

Bill Morrison

afsf, i used .080" sheet plastic in the bread & butter fashion then cut to shape. still have to cut the notches for the gun barrels as tho they can travel up & down. except for the stock piece of the top of the forward superstructure, it is all scratch built.

a6m5zerosen, that was not her last refit as that happened between march & june 45.

All right guys:

Sorry for the delay in responding. I went and toured the USS. North Carolina so i didnt have my computer with me. It was a pretty awesome trip. I Took close to 700 pictures of her. So if anyone is doing a model of her let me know and i might be able to help.

But back to the pennslyvania. I've decide to model her after she looked at the end of world war 2. I found some 5" inch guns off of another kit that I had but never finished since half the parts were lost. And as far as the super structure goes im still trying to figure out. Also thanks guys for all the input and pictures. 

Back in 1995 and 1996, FSM published two periodicals titled "Modeling the Second World War".  One of the articles in the second year was "Pearl Harbor Survivor - USS Pennsylvania," converting Revell's 1/720 Arizona to a late-war Pennsylvania. It includes templates for the bridge modifications necessary for the conversion in 1/720 scale that can be scaled up for 1/426.  I recommend this article highly!

The author's name is Jim Kloek.

Bill Morrison

deffinently a big help on the super strucure and where the twin 5" mounts went

afsf, go to that same page, 7th from the bottom as it shows what she looked like after june 45 refit.

A line drawing by A.L. Raven of the Pennsylvania (BB-38) as rebuilt with twin 5in/38 guns, July 1945

that is the one i'm doing

ddp59 wrote:

afsf, go to that same page, 7th from the bottom as it shows what she looked like after june 45 refit. A line drawing by A.L. Raven of the Pennsylvania (BB-38) as rebuilt with twin 5in/38 guns, July 1945 that is the one i'm doing

SAME SITE CORRECT?

 Battleship Photo Index BB-38 USS PENNSYLVANIA

oki googled imaged searched the original pics i wasnt sure.

How far along are you on yours?

Again, check out the very fine article about this conversion written in FSM's 1996 Modeling the Second World War; it gives terrific templates, very clear photos, and diagrams. It will be a big help to you.  I can send you a copy if you like.

Bill Morrison

warshipguy wrote:

Again, check out the very fine article about this conversion written in FSM's 1996 Modeling the Second World War; it gives terrific templates, very clear photos, and diagrams. It will be a big help to you.  I can send you a copy if you like. Bill Morrison

I would very much appriciate it if you could!