First time posting here, but I’ve been enjoying FSM magazine for a while now.
My problem:
I recently purchased to MinyHobbyModels 1/350 scale USS Arizona from Hobby Lobby. Upon beginning construction of the kit, I found that it included no doors, life rafts, railings, etc. etc. It also had “aztec temple” molded-in stairs. The edges were parts fit together were actually bevelled, creating horrid gaps, and it included no paint chart. My question is, has anyone purchased this kit? If so, how can it be turned into a reasonably good model (besides a liberal use of gap-fillers)? Please help! Thanks
The MHM USS Arizona was originally released by Banner in 2001. Banner, Trumpeter, and MHM are all part of the Wasan Moulding Co. of China. They share molds among themselves. MHM has a reputation of pirating or cloning others original work. MHM’s details are often soft. What you have is an example of Wasan’s first attempts at a 1:350 scale ship model. The model itself is a pantograph/re-engineer of the old Revell 1:426 scale kit. They made some ‘improvements’ to the kit – notably they removed Revell’s molded-on railings that were often mistaken for brick walls. They also introduced some problems of their own.
There is fit issues with this kit. You will have to address them with putty and/or shims of plastic.
You will want to shave off the aztec temple stairs. Improvement to the kit include photoetch from White Ensign, Gold Medal Models, or Tom’s Modelworks. Tom’s sells replacement/ehnacement resin sets that improve some of the deck fittings. LionRoar makes PE applique bulkhead details. Stilwell’s “Battleship Arizona” published by the US Naval Institute Press is the recognized authoritative reference on the ship.
Paint - the simple answer is, on December 7th, the Arizona was wearing Measure 1. The painting instructions for this call for Light Gray on the masts above the funnel tops. The hull and superstructure below the funnel tops were in Dark Gray (so dark it is almost black). The steel decks were in the same Dark Gray. The wooden decks were polished bright teak. There has been some controevrsy as to whether the Arizona and others in the Pacific Battlefleet were in Measure 1 of Navy Blue. The sum evidence has not been subjected to extensive peer review - and until then the standard color assigned is Dark Gray.
Out of the box, build it and enjoy it. Don’t worry about the missing or soft details.
If you seek to improve on the kit, be aware that it will take some time and effort to correct some of the shortfalls of this kit.
The biggest problem I had with this kit was the seam at the gun deck / main deck joint. I ended up using stretched sprue (see October issue of FSM) and spot glaze to fill it and re-drilled the port holes.
Ive got the banner kit havent built much of it but i bought the toms modelworks pe set and all i can say is stay away from it there instructions suck like a hoover vacume if i did it again id go WEM GMM thats just my [2c]