need help from some of you pro ship builders out there

For starters, there is a very good set of etched brass details available from Gold Medal Models that can be ordered through Pacific Front Hobbies in Roseburg, OR. at http://www.pacificfront.com.

The MiniHobiesModels/Trumpeter/Banner kit is all the same one. And it's the only injection modeled kit in 1/350, the others are resin and very expensive. The kit it self is actually a good starting point, I say that because it wasn't designed all that well as a kit. The 01 deck (boat deck) and all the superstructure decks are put together in a "sandwhich" fasion which leaves a seam horizontally in the middle of the deck. With the addition of photo etch and some scratchbuilding it can be built up into a pretty accurate model of the Arizona.

appreciate the feedback folks. anyone else want to throw a few more answers out there ? i would definately appreciate it.

only 2 members are willing to offer advice ? come on now, i heard that this was a friendly board with lots o people willing to offer advice

We are friendly, it's just that it's Friday and some of us are still working!!

To answer your question, the Banner/Trumpeter/Minihobby kit is the same across the board, as Abram mentioned. You have several choices with regards to PE, but Gold Medal Models and White Ensign are your best bets.

You can replace the open 5"/25 mounts with resin update parts from L'Arsenal, and you can paint your model with the proper colors (enamels) from White Ensign's Colorcoat line. You'll need 5-L Light Gray and 5-D Dark Gray, and Hull Red. Decks were natural teak. Paint the vertical surfaces 5-D Dark Gray up to the funnel tops, everything above that is 5-L. Kingfishers were generally flown off to Ford Island, I don't recall, but I think Arizona didn't have hers onboard at the time of the attack.

When you build the deck structure, pay extra attention to the seams, the deckhouses are split in half and will have a nasty seam running through the middle of the portholes. Lionroar has released a set of templates that overlay these parts to eliminate this problem. I know they exist, but have never heard any feedback from anyone who's used them. You can update your midship section with Tom's Modelworks boat set, it provides photoetched cradles for the stacked boats.

Anything else?

Jeff