1/350 HMS Queen Elizabeth or Warspite

The photo on the Free Time website clearly shows a pre-WWII Queen Elizabeth or Warspite, unless the model is actually Barham or Malaya.  The bridge is clearly the model before the modern one installed in her last major refit; the pre-refit secondary armament is arranged in the WWI style barbettes and the hull is still cut away for those barbettes. The moden AA armament in turrets has not been fitted.

If the model matches the photo, we are probably looking at a mid-war QE or Warspite.

Bill Morrison

I hope they do both as they are both very cool looking ships. I also hope the release the "Premium" versions of these like they did with the Graf Spee, this kit is amazing with all the goodies it comes with and for around 100 bucks you can't beat it.

Don Stauffer

I have long been surprised that there are not more WW1 battleship/battlecruiser kits available.  The battle of Jutland was one of the very few real battles between opposing fleets of battleships.  I'd expect to see lots of kits of ships that participated, but this is not the case.  Why?

WWII is more popular for naval warship is becos of more variety of types of ship, like CV which is not available in WWI. Plus the fact, there are simply more photos and data available for a more realistic and detail build.

If you saw the Free Time photo, then the model cannot be the WWII version of either QE or Warspite.  The bridge area represents both ships as WWI or interwar, not as the rebuilt version in WWII.  I wish the photo had a more clear view of the funnel(s).

Bill Morrison

I agree it would be nice to see more WWI dreanoughts and battle cruisers and the Queen Elizabeths would be on the top of that list although I'd love to see an HMS Agincourt in plastic, ISW's resin one is a bit to expensive for my tastes.

I just saw Freetime Hobbies pic of the kit  and if it's to be as in the picture I would say she's going to be in WW II fitment (torpedo bulges are there, etc.). You might have to back date the kit for WW I. I had posted years ago about if someone was going to produce a 1/350 Queen Elizabeth in WW I era fitment and at the time a resin company named Iron Shipwright was going to produce it (I was even contacted by the owner) but nothing came together. Hopefully someone will make a conversion kit because (my opinion) the QE battleships of WW I were the prettiest/most regal of the early 20th century battleship/dreadnought designs.

Hi everybody,

I was looking at the armor thread and saw a post on there with pictures from the Nurmberg toy fair, there are pics from Academy having a Warspite kit and Trumpeter with a Queen Elizabeth kit both are 1/350 and both look like WWII vessels not WWI or inter-war years but still no release date yet.

The photo under Academy listings on Free Time Hobbies shows her to be either WWI or the post-war period.  I can't make out the funnel configuration.

Bill Morrison

will be ww2 as she has 20mm aa being worked on in the molds.

Don Stauffer

I have long been surprised that there are not more WW1 battleship/battlecruiser kits available.  The battle of Jutland was one of the very few real battles between opposing fleets of battleships.  I'd expect to see lots of kits of ships that participated, but this is not the case.  Why?

Totally agree. There are a few German ships by ICM, but not much else.

I can say the same about the Pearl BB's. It seems that the manufacturers only recognize the Arizona as the lone particpant. How about the West Virginia? Maryland? Nevada? Come on guys.

I think WW2 is simply more popular, it sells more models. 30 years ago at school, almost every kid would build a Spitfire (back in the days where all boys try modeling even if they don't stick with it) but almost no one would know what a Se5A is.

I have long been surprised that there are not more WW1 battleship/battlecruiser kits available.  The battle of Jutland was one of the very few real battles between opposing fleets of battleships.  I'd expect to see lots of kits of ships that participated, but this is not the case.  Why?

Do we know what era this kit will be issued in WW1, 20's, 30's, WW2 ?? This is the first I've heard of it !!

I just know that Free Time Hobbies is taking pre-orders for the kit.

Bill Morrison

Sorry, I don't know but I'm looking forward to this one too. It's got a kit number (ACY14105) and It's been listed on Great Models but no release date.

I'm curious, why is that some kits are given an early broadcast (and sometimes never eventuate) and others are cloaked in secrecy until the moment of release?