USS Alabama BB-60 
by Kyle Prestwood 
ship1

1/350 USS Alabama BB-60 (Trumpeter)

The last of the treaty battleships, Alabama was also the last of the South Dakota class warships.  She served with distinction throughout WWII and earned the nickname "The Lucky A" because she never received any damage from enemy action despite being involved in many conflicts where other casualties were suffered.  The model is Trumpeter's accurate, if not slightly frustrating version of the 'Bama in her shakedown cruise outfit of 1942.  The paint is Tamiya flat blue and haze gray to replicate the Measure 12 camo scheme, along with Testor's dark sea blue for the Deck blue on horizontal areas.  Corrections and additions to backdate the kit to 1942 included scratchbuilt paravane cranes on the forecastle, repositioning of port 20mm AA guns on deck 01 with 5" practice loader, squared out windows below bridge on citadel, removal of various 20mm AA guns on superstructure and 40mm quads aft of superstructure on weather deck, and scratchbuilt twin vent houses on aft deck.  As well much research went into photos of the measure 12 camo which was transferred by hand with pencil to the model, due to slight inaccuracies in artist renditions.  Gold Medal Model photoetch was used throughout along with EZ Line for rigging, and flags on Jackstaff and Ensignstaff are painted foil for a limp effect.  She rests in a wooden case with a period 48 star American flag, while the full size ship is berthed in Mobile, AL as a permanent museum.
 

Kyle Prestwood


Gallery updated 2012

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