1/600 Arii kits....how is the quality?

I know that I generally like their 1/800 scale aircraft carriers, and I love the 1/400 scale USS Enterprise.  However, like every manufacturer, there are some problems. For example, Arii released a kit of the USS America (CV-66) that is really a Kitty Hawk or Constellation.  I just received their USS Ranger (CV-61), but the forward side sponsons are not correct; otherwise, it is an excellent model.  I certainly rate these models much higher than the Italeri counterparts.  I have never built one of their 1/600 offerings.

Personally, I find that I can trust Arii to produce a nice kit.

Bill Morrison

From what I'm hearing,they are not too bad.If I find one for the right price,I'll snap it up.Thanks for the input.

My pleasure, and good luck!

Bill

I actually have a few of the 1/600 scale carriers myself.

Mike,

Do you mean 1/800? Which ones?

Bill

warshipguy

Mike,

Do you mean 1/800? Which ones?

Bill

America, Ranger, and I believe KittyHawk as well as the Arii USS New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Iowa

Mike,

The problem with the America kit is that it actually represents Kitty Hawk and Constellation.  It's island is incorrect because it does not have the unique funnel carried by America. The starboard side sponsons are not correct either.

Kitty Hawk is much better.  If you compare both kits, you will find them to be identical.  Kitty Hawk and Constellation were nearly identical, so I recommend building the America as the Constellation.

I just received my kit of the Ranger and have not yet evaluated it thoroughly.  It seems that the forward side sponsons are missing. Happily, the slanted funnel is correct for Ranger, which never went through many of the changes her sisters underwent.

How are the battleships kits?

Bill

the battleship kits look good but could use replacement Tomahawk dog houses as the ones in the kit look more like dog houses than armoured launchers. The aircraft on the Ranger could use replacement too.

The one basic issue with any of these kits is the lack of aftermarket stuff if you want to dress them up - 1/600 simply does not have as plentiful a number of offerings as 1/700 does. Aircraft, weapons, PE, decals, you name it and you can probably find it, somewhere, in 1/700. When you get into 1/600, 1/800 or one of the "box scales," though, your options get real limited, real quick.

Something to keep in mind if you don't like doing a lot of scratchbuilding.

mfsob

The one basic issue with any of these kits is the lack of aftermarket stuff if you want to dress them up - 1/600 simply does not have as plentiful a number of offerings as 1/700 does. Aircraft, weapons, PE, decals, you name it and you can probably find it, somewhere, in 1/700. When you get into 1/600, 1/800 or one of the "box scales," though, your options get real limited, real quick.

Something to keep in mind if you don't like doing a lot of scratchbuilding.

 

I don't think you could scratch build a 1/800 F-14 without going insane in the process.

But usually WEM has some 1/600 scale stuff but if John can design interiors for 1/350 scale aircraft he could probably master 1/800 scale aircraft

I must say that I've never heard of a 1/800 scale ship. Interesting.

That's the thing, Mikeym_us - John and the folks at White Ensign Models are good, very good, at what they do, BUT - they have to make things that people will buy. A few years ago they had a neat little line of 1/700 resin railroad rolling stock. They don't anymore, because they weren't selling enough to make it worthwhile, so by the time I needed some, I had to scratchbuild my own (which turned out not nearly as nice).

Until 1/800 becomes more "mainstream" as a modeling scale - if, indeed, it ever does - aftermarket offerings are going to continue to be few and far between because they are going to be dictated by the law of supply and demand. It is what it is ... but hey, that makes for more "challenges," right?  

I discussed this issue with the folks at Tom's Model Works. They are looking into scaling down their 1/700 USN Carrier set to 1/800 as well.  No decision has been made but he sounded hopeful.  I build the 1/800 carriers because I want as many US carriers as I can get; the ARII collection offers Midway, the Forrestals, the Kitty Hawks, Enterprise,no real America or JFK, and the Nimitz classes.  The JFK is avaiable in the Monogram or Academy releases, and I have converted one of the ARII Kitty Hawks into America from a Monogram kit of the Kitty Hawk (It took major surgery of both hulls and a scratch-built island!)  But, it is proving to be a nice collection overall.

As for PE, the 1/700 offerings can be easily modified to look okay on 1/800 scale ships.  I also prefer the 1/800 offerings over the Testor's/Italeri/Revell offerings because the hull lines are superior.

Bill

warshipguy

I discussed this issue with the folks at Tom's Model Works. They are looking into scaling down their 1/700 USN Carrier set to 1/800 as well.  No decision has been made but he sounded hopeful.  I build the 1/800 carriers because I want as many US carriers as I can get; the ARII collection offers Midway, the Forrestals, the Kitty Hawks, Enterprise,no real America or JFK, and the Nimitz classes.  The JFK is avaiable in the Monogram or Academy releases, and I have converted one of the ARII Kitty Hawks into America from a Monogram kit of the Kitty Hawk (It took major surgery of both hulls and a scratch-built island!)  But, it is proving to be a nice collection overall.

As for PE, the 1/700 offerings can be easily modified to look okay on 1/800 scale ships.  I also prefer the 1/800 offerings over the Testor's/Italeri/Revell offerings because the hull lines are superior.

Bill

What about the Italeri Ronald Regan it actually offers a tow bumper that has never before been made in styrene and the hull has to be altered to add the sonar dome.

You are absolutely right about the Italeri Ronald Reagan!  I think it is a very nice kit!  I bought two Reagans and the Italeri Carl Vinson because the Reagan kit has the satellite communications domes; I want to convert the Vinson as she appears today.  The major problem as I understand it is that the Reagan kit's island needs to be extended in length to better conform to the modifications made to her with the new mast arrangements.  

Also, I am not sure that the Reagan's "snout" is a sonar dome.  I have read that it is intended to add buoyancy to the bow and streamline the hull for better underwater performance.  My reference is the "On Deck" book on Nimitz class carriers by Jim Goodall and Squadron-Signal.

Bill

warshipguy

You are absolutely right about the Italeri Ronald Reagan!  I think it is a very nice kit!  I bought two Reagans and the Italeri Carl Vinson because the Reagan kit has the satellite communications domes; I want to convert the Vinson as she appears today.  The major problem as I understand it is that the Reagan kit's island needs to be extended in length to better conform to the modifications made to her with the new mast arrangements.  

Also, I am not sure that the Reagan's "snout" is a sonar dome.  I have read that it is intended to add buoyancy to the bow and streamline the hull for better underwater performance.  My reference is the "On Deck" book on Nimitz class carriers by Jim Goodall and Squadron-Signal.

Bill

you could probably make molds of the SATCOM domes and the tug bumper bars as well but you'll need aftermarket decals to address the problems with the flight deck stripes and the elevator danger lines and the red and yellow striped surrounds. Plus you will also need to add the waist cat operators bubble which was strangely omitted from the later Nimitz class kits as this is a very visible part of the ship.

Thank the Good Lord for after-market products!  Don't forget the white outlined deck numbers. Now, if Tom's does put out a PE set for the 1/800 carriers . . .

Bill

warshipguy

Thank the Good Lord for after-market products!  Don't forget the white outlined deck numbers. Now, if Tom's does put out a PE set for the 1/800 carriers . . .

Bill

Gold Medal Models takes care of the 1/700 carrier numbers and deck markings so does Starfighter decals.

Mike,

As I said, thank the Good Lord for after-market! 

Bill