USS Arizona 1:350 Scale

Yes there's a good model, most recently boxed by HobbyBoss.

Courtesy of Ed Grune on this forum:

"A bit of kit history:

Back in 2001 a Chinese plastic company - the Wasan Moulding Co - came out with a new 1:350 scale kit of the Arizona under their then new label 'Banner"  (as in red banner?).  This kit was introduced at the 2001 IPMS Nats in Chicago.  retail price then was $80 USD.     Reviews at the time were that, while it was not a direct pantograph of the 1:426 Revell Arizona, it did have some of it in its parentage.  The folks at Banner fixed some of the Revell problems and introduced some of their own (i.e. forward turret spacing).    I looked at the kit at the time and said that it was not an 80 dollar kit.

Subsequently,  the Wasan Moulding Co changed the name of their top of the line brand to Trumpeter (bad ju ju with Red Banner?).    The Banner Arizona was now sold under the Trumpeter label.    Still not an 80 dollar kit.

Wasan also came out with another brand - MiniHobby Models or MHM.    MHM was the branch of the company which sold blatent pantograph rip offs.  They ripped the Tamiya Bismarck,  the Tamiya Yamato, the 1:700 Tamiya Enterprise/Hornet, and a few others.   Quality was really down there.    You guessed it!  Wasan/MHM also sold their good old Arizona under the MHM label.   Thats the one I got for about 20 bucks.

More recently the good ol' Banner/Trumpeter/MiniHobby Models Arizona kit has been relabel once again by HobbyBoss.  

So, is the Banner kit a good kit for 50 bucks.   Probably not.  You can find the same plastic cheaper if you choose to shop around.

Back to the original question,  what is the best 1:350 scale Arizona kit?    Probably the Toms resin & brass.   Its now being produced bty Iron Shipwright.

The best 1:700 scale Arizona is the Dragon.  Get the ultimate boxing with the included PE."

I haven't built mine yet but I am happy with how it looks in the box.

I have the Revell kit, but have not built it. I decided that I would prefer to get the 1:350 scale instead.

It sounds as though there is no 1:350 kit out there based on your comments. Did you build the Revell kit?

Thanks for your help,

Earl

http://www.amazon.com/Hobby-Boss-HY86501-Arizona-Building/dp/B002CALYX8

There is a 1/350 kit. It's not too hard to find and it's fine. The most current boxing was by Hobby Boss. It's a pretty good kit too and not expensive. There's lots of accessories for it like brass barrels, railings and I am pretty sure wood decking. I haven't built mine but its impressive (big and fat) in the box.

I have built the Revell kit several times, a long time ago. It was also sold as Pennsylvania. It's ok but not a lot more than a detailed toy.

Thanks for the info, I may very well invest in it.

Earl