by Tony Bunch
1/700 USS Arizona BB-39 (DML)
"..remember Herb, red turret tops.." OS2U pilot talking to his backseater as they leave Arizona on a routine mission...fictitious name used.
USS Arizona built as she appeared after being painted Ms-1 with the 5-S, (Sea Blue), and 5-L, (Light Grey) scheme. Turret's 1, 2 and 4 tops painted insignia red. Model Master Acryl Marine colors, Floquil Enamel and Testors Acryl paints used.
GMM WWII BB p/e set used, Clipper Brass barrels with blast bags used. P Stillwell's, "Arizona,a pictorial history", book used for textual and illustrated reference. Researcher at large info gathered and compared with confidence. DP's 1/96 Arizona used for comparison with confidence.
Brass tubing substituted for tripod legs on foretop to achieve correct height.
Bridge base facia enclosed and forward foretop tripod leg enclosed at 01 level with strip styrene. Clipper blast bags re-shaped for accuracy.
Additional oval life rafts and .50 cal mg's; taken from Trumpeter's North Carolina kit.
Color image of Arizona used to confirm 5-S color for period.
At em' Arizona!
Special thanks to the modelwarships.com Arizona Fans!
This model still needs a lot more rigging to be done, but I call it finished now.
Not a bad model, but the 3-piece deck seams were impossible for me to hide. Recessed deck planking made it easy to add a wash and streak ing for more realism. The GMM p/e set was easy enough to use...as always. I chickened out painting the fighting tops windows, as my first effort failed. The fighting tops windows are supposed to be wider than tall, not taller than wide. Minor squawk.
The display base consists of : 5/8" poplar wood, 1/8" blue acrylic sheet, (painted with british green and then sprayed over with Tamiya clear blue), to achieve a greenish-blue color. Liquitex acrylic gel used for the water.
