My First Ship WIP:Revel's Arizona Update* 3/31/11

Ryan,

It is looking good so far. As far as the paint goes it could be several things. If the kit has any oils left from manufacture that could have contributed, or they may have not had enough time to cure, you could have used a tape that was a bit too sticky. I assume tht you are using acrylics, but could be wrong. I find it a lot more common with acrylics than with enamels. I usually prime if I know I am going to be doing a lot of masking when using acrylics or I let them cure for a while and use a tape that is not very sticky.

That's a bummer about the peeled paint. 

This is an oldie for sure. My friend built this guy a millenium ago. Pales a bit by today's standards. Look forward to seeing you bring her to life.

Why I don't much care for Tamiya acrylics. Happens more than any other paint.

When I use it I start with their rattle can primer, which I use on all models anyways because it's really thin.

The challenge here is going to be how you mask around the damage to repair it.

I'd get the 3m tape that has the orange core and desticky it a bunch. Or use post-its, and mask nice and square because it will probably show, but may come off as plating. Also, your boot stripe is a little tall, no?

Do you mean the boot stripe is too high up or its too wide? or both?

It's a little hard to gauge as the model hull doesn't have the prominent torpedo blister, as far as I can see. The waterline would be just below the top of that. Where you have the top looks pretty good to me. I also looked around a little for a stripe height, but since I'm no expert I don't have the books to read. My eyes though tell me the stripe looks about 6' high, maybe twice the height of the deck railings. That'd be about 1/8".

Your little Seagulls should have a silver lower wing, red tails and rudder, and a red cowling.

Your deck is looking very good! Keep the pics coming.

Looks good.  The chipped paint can be fixed, stuff like that is going to happen occasionally.

Over the years I've gotten in the habit of priming almost anything.  Not only to promote better paint adhesion for the color coats, but also to help should any bad seams or other faults that need to be corrected.

The Revell Arizona was one of the first ship models I ever built, way back in the early 60's.  I've got another one in the stash along with some photoetch parts that I want to built again someday.

Mark

Look into Tamiya tape if you aren't using it already. It has a lower tack than scotch tape types and is less likely (but not foolproof) to pull up tape. I would recommend priming for acrylics as their adhesion is poor. Your boot stripe is a bit thick, but the top edge looks to be in the right place.. it's hard to tell for sure without looking at the bow.

The red cowls comment is a bit of an over-simplification. The Navy had a complex system in place to allow visual identification of aircraft positions within a squadron. They were based on three-aircraft formations; the lead had a solid cowl, left wingman had the bottom half of the cowl painted (Red in the case of Arizona's aircraft) and the right wingman had the top half of the cowl painted. I have an incomplete write-up about this posted here.

Looking goof for a first build though! Be careful; ships can grow on you

I use painter's masking tape that I buy in any Walmart or hardware store.  It has low stickiness and costs much less than Tamiya's tape.  As for the waterline, you should probably trim it to about 1/3 or 1/4 that width.  Otherwise, nice job so far.

Bill Morrison

Hey thanks everyone for looking and all of the info about the planes and boot stripe. I will trim the boot stripe down and I will update the planes. Thanks again!

Ryan

These pics put a big smile on my face.I built this kit several times and loved every minute of it.

Tamiya tape is worth the cost.For taping a waterline,nothing will beat it.

I used Tamiya masking tape for the water line and it woked fine other than the fact that it peeled some paint off. There was no paint build up on the edge which was what I wanted, but of course it had to peel the paint off.

I painted those Airplanes with the red and also set the other pieces of the ship on to get the full effect of it. The other pieces are not glued on yet and won't we glued on until the paint is fixed. I also took some more pictures from different angles so you can get a better look at the boot stripe. NOTE: this isn't weathered yet either.

     Arizona, She looks great so far but the waterline does look too big. I'd like to see this in a diorama with the guns firing. I've never done much diorama but I always like to take a piece of cotton and make smoke over a model if I can. Usually it's the smoke stack. Where did Arizona see action I wonder. Of course she did something at Pearl Harbor but what? Big guns get fired or only anti aircraft? Maybe her big guns never fired in real combat. Who knows? Thanks, Paul V Thailand/California

I have a question: The instructions say to paint the part of the deck Light blue. Is that right?

The USS Arizona never fired her main battery in anger. On Dec 7, 1941 she fired her anti aircraft batteries which were marginal at best not having to deal with aircraft when she was designed. If I recall correctly she was scheduled for extensive updating in 1942 similar to how the USS Pennsylvania was updated in 1942-1943. The main battery was designed to be used in ship to ship combat and later battleships had ship to shore ammunition for shore bombardment prior to amphibious operations.

Just trying to answer the curious

Jack

101stAirborne

I have a question: The instructions say to paint the part of the deck Light blue. Is that right?

That deck should be like the main deck. The only decks that need to be painted are on the superstructure and the masts. They should be gray.

101stAirborne

I used Tamiya masking tape for the water line and it woked fine other than the fact that it peeled some paint off. There was no paint build up on the edge which was what I wanted, but of course it had to peel the paint off.

You didn't let the Black paint cure first before you masked it. Put the model in a warm room after painting and wait 12 to 24 hours for the paint to  dry and cure before masking. Works for me every time.

Oh, dunno Mikey. I don't think Tamiya Flat black can ever take a mask. I'm sure I'm wrong, and it's really dead flat, and I use it for anti glare panels on aircraft. But, it's also way too black for a ship.

I use the model railroad black colors from either Floquil or Pollyscale like "Engine Black" or "Steam Power Black". They are much better adhering paints, and nicely scale black. You should use them.

One last little spill from the wingnut- the Curtiss Seagulls look better. The lower wings are silver and the interplane struts are also silver. The tail should be red down to the bottom, in line with the hinge line from the rudder back. As per tracy, the cowling paint is dif for each bird and itf you want to be a hero, paint the bottom half of one of the cowls silver. Oh, and the interior of the rear r/o compartment was silver, but the pilot station interior was a zinc yellow. although on the Arizona they might have been green. There's a debate about it.

I usually use Tamiya paints for airbrushing, but this time I tried MM flat black. I think the problem with the chipping was that I was impatient and masked it a day after I airbrushed it. oops!

The boat deck was wood, and would not have been painted light blue as the instructions say.

Interesting historical note: Arizona's main guns DID fire on the Japanese, or at least, some of them did. Three of her guns were mounted on Nevada when she was re-gunned following her support of the D-Day operation. She then returned to the Pacific and used her main battery (including Arizona's salvaged barrels) at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

It helps to prevent paint peel when you clean the plastic with a dishwashing detergent, alchohol, or Poly-S plastic prep, before building and just before painting. Wear gloves to prevent oil from your fingers from causing the same problem. A good primer also helps, but keep it light as it can hide details. Currahee. I am a Screaming Eagle/Ranger, 45 years ago, but it never leaves you. I have a relative forever entombed in the USS Arizona, one of the 1177. I am goint to build a model of the Arizona for his grandson, my cousin. I'll be watching your build and will most likely have some questions of you, if you do not mind. I'm looking for a 1/350th scale model of the Arizona. I thought I saw one made by Hasagawa or Tamia, but I have not been able to locate one yet. Anyone know of such a kit, or something close to that scale? Also note I'm an aircraft modeler and know next to nothing about boats.

Thanks. I thought that the main battery that was salvaged went to the shore batteries in Hawaii. I didn't know they ended up on the Nevada. Thats kind of like a heart transplant. Part of the Arizona lived on after December 7

That's pretty cool and good to know.

Jack

There's a 1/350 BB-39 originally made by Banner. Here's a link to an earlier discussion, a good history by Tracy White, and a link in the thread to another site.

/forums/p/124281/1246058.aspx

I recently bought the Hobby Boss rebox for about $ 40.00. It's available for less than that online. In the box it looks to be a good kit, and there's a PE set available. of course like all such things, it looks like a modeler could lose themselves in such a project for years.

jack, read this.

The Arizona (BB-39) after turrets were determined to be salaveable after her sinking. The Army in 1943 intended to incorporate these turrets into the costal defense of Hawaii. Named Batteries Pennsylvania and Arizona, they were to be placed on the tip of Mokapu Peninsula, to cover the eastern portions of Oahu, and on Kahe Point, to cover the south and west, respectivley. Only battery Pennsylvania was completed and it was test fired on V-J day when it instantly became obsolete.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/39d.htm

Yes, I should have been a little more clear.

Turrets #3 & 4 and all of their guns were salvaged as mentioned above.

The three guns from turret 2 were salvage, the rest of turret 2 was left in place. Those three guns were what was installed in Nevada.

monsterravinglooney

The only decks that need to be painted are on the superstructure and the masts. They should be gray.

Without wanting to rekindle the Great Paint Debate, shouldn't the steel decks be painted in some version of Deck (i.e. darker) gray than the vertical surfaces?

Sidenote, I had forgotten how skimpy and sketchy the pelican hooks and stoppers had been moulded into the fore deck.

CapnMac

You are correct; I should have been more clear. It is #20 Standard Deck Gray if using WEM paints. If you are doing a pre 1941 AZ it is much darker than the vertical surfaces. If you do a mid-41 AZ (note the "mid" to avoid any arguments) the vertical surfaces are darker and the steel decks almost look bluish by comparison. This of course is based on WEM paints.

I'm just starting this kit.  How did you paint the deck?  I'm new to this and like what you did on yours.

First I sprayed the gray parts of the deck, then when that was dry I painted the wood portions of the deck MM wood, I added some different color boards with MM skin tone light, and Tamyia XF-49 (khaki). then I did a wash of the deck with Tamiya XF-64(red brown)