1:200 USS Arizona BB-39 1941

USS Arizona BB-39 as in 1941, 1:200 scale

A glued plastic kit of the American battleship USS Arizona from the Chinese manufacturer Trumpeter. The year in the name marks the state of the ship to which the model corresponds, that is her appearance in the last year of service, not the year she was launched. The 1:200 scale is among the largest in which battleships are produced in series, and it allows the turrets, the superstructure and the deck details to be worked out in great depth.

The real subject

USS Arizona was the second unit of the Pennsylvania class and entered service while the First World War was still on. Her main armament consisted of twelve guns of 356 mm caliber in four triple turrets, which was an unusual and very effective arrangement for its day. During a major reconstruction at the turn of the twenties and thirties the ship lost her original cage masts and received massive tripod masts with command positions, which gave her a characteristic silhouette. It was in precisely this form that she lay at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, where a bomb from a Japanese aircraft struck her, the forward magazine exploded and the ship sank. Her wreck is a memorial today.

Building and painting tips

Glue the long hull on a flat board and fill the joint of the halves carefully, otherwise it will show over a large surface. Build and paint the superstructure and the masts separately, away from the hull. Wooden decks can be suggested by breaking the base shade up with thin passes of lighter and darker tones along the individual planks. Keep the gray paint matte and the weathering restrained.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of large models of battleships
• Those interested in the US Navy and the events at Pearl Harbor
• Experienced builders with room for a sizeable model
• Modelers who want a base to build up further with accessories

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.