hobby boss USS arizona 1/350 BB-39 [1941]

steve5

 

 

I didn't know any PE sets included upgrades for the vertical surfaces! For me, those horizontal seams along each deck part are probably the worst part of this kit.  I didn't address them, in my Pennsylvania build; I just applied Mr Surfacer but otherwise lived with them.  Part of that was my thought that if I wanted to address them, I'd have to cut styrene sheet or strip to cover those surfaces, and then go back and drill out the portholes.  I have a similar issue with the window framing on the foremast decks, too-such soft detail, with frames that should be square.

Those PE pieces really improve the look of the kit!  That is just so much better than the stock kit parts.

That looks real good! Especially that wood deck. The PE sure helps a lot too.

tried out the wood deck , fits well , saw two little dent's on the bow had to be filled , and a seam had to be removed , had a play with the P.E. , gee this stuff is small 

Hi Steve, I have never used rubbing alcohol, but if GM says it is OK, I am sure it is. It is that years ago someone wrote about using Denatured Alcohol & I am slow to change, because it works. I bought a couple bottles of Tamiya thinner & did not like it. It seemed to dry in the bottle way faster.

  You have everything for the Arizona to make it look good. I built it years ago & ended up selling it. I would like to build another. Most all my friends were WW2 veterans when I was young.  I got all kinds of direct information about model building from them.

Don't know if you can get ethol alcahol here over the counter , but l do have 100/  isopropyl will have to try it , thanks gmorrison

I have used isopropyl alcohol with good results. It's sold as "rubbing" alchohol. The trick is to minimize the impurities in it, so I use the 90% solution.

steve5

gene - thanks for the tip on MM paint's , will have to think of something mate . never heard of denatured alcahol . that book sounds like a good read .

Denatured alcohol (in the States) is ethyl alcohol, high proof, with a poisonous substance added so that the alcohol cannot/should not be drunk.  It is a hardware store item.   I have used Expo Dry Erase board cleaner for the same purpose of thinning Tamiya paints. 

You could probably substitute Gin or Vodka but Whisky would be a waste

For an out of the bottle acrylic 5S Sea Blue paint AK Interactive has that color in one of their US Navy Camouflage paint sets.  See the recent discussion thread on naval paints

thankyou gentlemen , boy talk about pressure  , I have to put this build on hold for a little while , I have to fly down to adelaide , for family reasons . still a bit worried about the PE . really haven't done too much of it  , but one must try .

docidle- steve , unfortunately my wife has only one good lung , and we live in a cottage style house , so no enamels sorry mate . but I will be going with a colour i like , being old an all 

gene - thanks for the tip on MM paint's , will have to think of something mate . never heard of denatured alcahol . that book sounds like a good read .

Steve I am anxious to watch your Arizona. You are a great builder, one of the best. Watch using any MM where you have to mask. Nearly every time I have used it , it has peeled off with the masking tape. They have great colors, but I have about stopped using it as it not only peels, but dries in the bottle fast & clogs my airbrush. I love Tamiya & have no problem with it. 

    I thin my Tamiya with denatured alcohol & it works way better than Tamiyas thinner. I have been doing that for years. With the black boot stripe , you have to mask. I often don;t prime Tamiya.

  I am too old to change paints because there is a learning process.

       Off the subject, I am reading Shinano, bythe Archerfish's Captain, Joe Enright. It is about the US sub that sank the Jap 70,000 ton carrier Shinano. Anyone with any interest in WW2 & subs would really enjoy it. I got it for $10 shipped on ebay. The Japs had turned the Yamato's sister ship into a carrier. 

Steve I am anxious to watch your Arizona. You are a great builder, one of the best. Watch using any MM where you have to mask. Nearly every time I have used it , it has peeled off with the masking tape. They have great colors, but I have about stopped using it as it not only peels, but dries in the bottle fast & clogs my airbrush. I love Tamiya & have no problem with it. 

    I thin my Tamiya with denatured alcohol & it works way better than Tamiyas thinner. I have been doing that for years. With the black boot stripe , you have to mask. I often don;t prime Tamiya.

  I am too old to change paints because there is a learning process.

       Off the subject, I am reading Shinano, bythe Archerfish's Captain, Joe Enright. It is about the US sub that sank the Jap 70,000 ton carrier Shinano. Anyone with any interest in WW2 & subs would really enjoy it. I got it for $10 shipped on ebay. The Japs had turned the Yamato's sister ship into a carrier. 

Steve,

I’m pulling up a chair on this one. Just my two cents, but I’ve been using ColourCoat paints more and more lately. Granted, it’s more cleanup but there’s something really satisfying about using enamels again, at least for me.

The other thing I really like is that I’m not trying to match colors with the different brands. After 35 years of creating and matching colors, I must be getting lazy in my old age.

As I said, just my two cents bud.

Steve

goldhammer

Steve- you seem to suffer the same afflliction as the rest of us....can't leave well enough alone.Embarrassed

That sure does hit home. Speaking of me, I mean.

Steve, I'll be keeping an eye on this too, been  decades since building a ship, let alone a warship.

Steve-  you seem to suffer the same afflliction as the rest of us....can't leave well enough alone.

All the goodies will add to her, good on ya!

As an aside take a look back out on the gallery page...a beautiful rendition of the Trumpy 1/200 in a store in Arizona.

Nino- Remembered seeing that division chart before.  Thanks for pulling it out of the files.

steve5

"...then I thought a bit of PE can't hurt . I thought I was only getting I sheet , so surprised to see this lot and I'm getting worried , so then I had get the metal barrels and pedestals , this couple of weeks build has suddenly turned into about a 6 month build sssheesh .

as a side note my LHS , said MM musn't be making sea blue anymore . no corresponding number here in aust . so I got some dark sea blue instead and will lighten it with some flat white , see what happens .

     No not 6 months,  a bit more.  235 days till & December 7.   There's a date you can shoot for.

 I think that's more PE than I have bought in the entire last year. Fortunately it's 1/350 so you have a better chance of finding it in the carpet.

That 5-N and 5-S were pretty dark.  I think most folks who used 5-N out of the bottle found it to be too dark for the scale.  I know TankerBuilder and I both knocked models to the floor when that Camo color (& 20-B on the deck), hid our respective models during a simple reach across the desk.  Yep, Camouflaged.  Go with Lighter as you mentioned.

How is the Stern hull at the area near the Props?  Is it a bit concave?  I do not have the kit but  I understand it is somewhat of a copy of Revells Original Arizona and it did have that 1 major hull error.

      Jim

Steve, I have this kit as well. I will be watching your build with a personal interest. I, like, you, have already purchased the wood deck and numerous PE as well as barrels. Your efforts will be a great opportunity for me to learn through proxy what it is all about.

Popping the popcorn and sitting on this one...

Ben

Steve those accessories are going to add so much to the finished look, time to roll up the sleeves there mate!, cheers.

Michael D.

thank's nino , that will come in handy mate . well so much for out of the box .!

found the wood deck at a great price so I thought why not . then I thought a bit of PE can't hurt . I thought I was only getting I sheet , so surprised to see this lot and I'm getting worried , so then I had get the metal barrels and pedestals , this couple of weeks build has suddenly turned into about a 6 month build sssheesh .

as a side note my LHS , said MM musn't be making sea blue anymore . no corresponding number here in aust . so I got some dark sea blue instead and will lighten it with some flat white , see what happens .

love it goldhammer

The turret tops were division colors and what position she was in the division.  Made it easier to identify from the spotter aircraft.

I believe #3 was not painted because of the cat on top of it.

nino , I take it you mean these turret's and no1 is forward most , do you know why no 3 was left grey ? is tamiya XF 7 ok for the red . ?

I have the 1/350 Arizona in the stash.  Looked it over and it reminded me strongly of the old Revell kit, and relatively uncomplicated.

I remember reading that. There were other tells, I think the A/B turret spacing was comparably wrong on both. 

GMorrison

Both scales models come from Trumpeter companies, the bigger from Banner and the smaller from Mini Hobby Models. I have the bigger model in the stash because it was onsale cheap, but I've never had any real desire to put any time on it. Old Trumpeter kits are not usually very nice.

I would probably build the 1/700 Dragon kit if I ever built a Pennsylvania.

I remember reading that Banner derived its kit from Revell's.  The engineering certainly suggests it, especially in the way the decks are assembled with the horizontal seams.  I'll find the article again and link it back here.

As for building a Pennsy, I want her in her pre-war configuration, mid-Thirties.  That's why I picked up the HobbyBoss 1/700 kit.  That, and that it was cheap, ten bucks.

Steve, I’ll be happy to help, however I can. 

One suggestion, if you’re going to use Tamiya Hull Red, that is actually the IJN shade and is darker and more brown than the USN shade Get yourself some Tamiya Flat Red to add and lighten it up to the USN color.

nino , forgot to thank you for the colour choice's , cheer's mate

ridleusmc , will look into those colour's as well my friend .

thank's for the well wish's guy's .

GM , I found a PE fret for this model and ordered it , from eduard , also am going to get some tamiya XF9 hull red .

michael , sorry about the victory I will going back to it , but needed a rest , as I was nearly 2 years on what I had done .

baxter , cheer's mate , what have you been up to lately ?

 stik , thank's for the photo mate , think I am going to need a bit more info from you in the future mate .

TB ,  will have a look at adding a couple of drop's of white , thank's

I don't usually use AK Interactive paints, but this set seems to fulfill my naval paint requirements.  

https://ak-interactive.com/product/us-navy-camouflages/

I've considered purchasing this set as well.

https://ak-interactive.com/product/us-navy-camouflage-vol-2/

I like the fact that they are labeled with the historic Naval specs (such as 5-N Navy Blue and the like).  They are fairly easy to use.  They can be airbrushed straight from the bottle, or painted by brush.  Tamiya is my go-to brand, but I find it easier to use these paints instead of trying to match shades.  

I should mention the downsides.  They're expensive.  Their coverage ability requires multiple coats.    

Hey Steve, I will be watching. Looks like an interesting build.

Good luck Mate.

stikpusher

If you’re building Arizona in her final fit as at Pearl Harbor, you’ll need to modify the kit. The kit has the boom masts on her forward fighting top, which had been replaced with a lattice type by the time of the attack. The kit has her 1930’s masts.

Steve, you really do want to paint the bottom.