For those of us waiting for this model to be released, our wait is about over. Two online Hobby Stores have it, or will have it by Wednesday.
http://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories … roduct.php
MidTennHobbies is also having free shipping for this, but they only have four left out of their batch.
Now to wait for notice from FreeTime! [t$t]
Mine’s on the way, hope to be here tomorrow!
FreeTime Hobbies just sent me an email saying shipped as of today!
Just got mine this morning…WOW! VERY nice kit.
Well, tell us about it! Is it an upscaled 700 Revell or what? I built the 350 Banner kit a couple of years ago and that’s exactly what it is.
I don’t think so! From the first report on ShipModeler, this model includes 64 crew figures! Trumpeter appears to be raising the bar. I am sure a lot more reports will soon follow. I hope they are as good as this one! Both of mine have been shipped, but the first one won’t arrive until next Tuesday. [O]
That is gonna be one BIG kit! [:O] Surely the ceterpiece of anyones collection!
Wow 1/200 figures,thats pretty cool
Joe, hope you’ll give us you impressions on this kit after you have had a chance to take a good look at it. I’m agonizing betwen this one and the 1/350 IJN Akagi. Don’t think Santa can get both of them in his bag. [:'(]
I’m looking forward to seeing some WIP posts on this big boy. Sounds like a great winter project.
Bob
Bob, don’t know your ship type and scale preference, but also having the Hasegawa 350th Akagi and all of the requisite PE sets in the stash, I would recommend the Arizona.
This is in no way a copy of the Revell or Banner Arizona. Trumpeter’s Arizona is on par with their most recent 1/350 releases like their Prinz Eugen…only better…and bigger.
The midships deck is made into the upper hull (ala the Banner kit) with bow and stern deck parts separate (haven’t done a test fit yet). Waterline or full hull. Crew members included along with aluminum main gun barrels, a ton of PE railings and crane parts. I also have the $17SRP Trumpeter up-grade PE set on order. The cranes are pretty decent in plastic just by themselves. Only drawback that I can see is nylon-plastic props…got to replace those asap! The kit will build up into a very nice piece straight from the box. I am hoping and praying Trumpeter will follow-up with another 1/200 scale WWII ship…I think I like this new scale!
Joe
SRP for the Arizona is $289.95.
There were some significant pre-release/pre-order discounts at Internet hobby shops for the Arizona, but there still appear to be reasonable discounts available on line.
Arizona is represented as being on "a one time production run.” Have not heard the Akagi refered to that way in any reviews/marketing.
I invested in this kit because it appears to be a complete departure from the Revell kits which so many of us built and/or have in memory as a reference:
Some detailed test shots here: http://www.modelshipwrights.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=7251
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56406
Some discussion on the above thread about first impressions of “test shot” regarding accuracy and assembly sequencing:
Here’s a specific quote in the thread:
“Gotta disagree very strongly with this. I’ve been working extensively on one of the 1/350 kits within the past week so my memory of it is quite fresh, and this new one they’re showing here at the Nationals isn’t even remotely similar to that. The only similarity is in the hull and main decks, and that is just the split locations; all details are completely new. From the deck up (and even within the deck), absolutely nothing is even close. Look at the photos posted - midship splinter shields are separate pieces. The casemate guns are open, not rotating cylinders like all other plastic Arizona kits to date. Superstructure assembly does not have you trying to match the upper and lower halves of portholes on every level. This is not just refinement of a scaled-up kit. That’s akin to saying Hasegawa’s 1/350 Akagi is just up-scaled refinement of their old 1/700 ones. And even if Trumpeter started their CAD based on the lines of the 1/350 kit, it’s just that: a starting point. The result I see is far removed from that.”
I have the 1:350 Akagi - a beautiful kit, which I’ve just started assembly on, having slowly accumulated the PE and wood deck aftermarket items. But you might want to grab the AZ first.
White Ensign Models is preparing a supplemental PE fret (not yet shown on their website), and Trumpeter has a small supplemental PE set that is already available for the AZ kit.
Sounds like this is a game, set and match in Trumpeter vs. Lindbergh for big Arizona kits.
At more than a yard long, though, I’m going to have to pass on this monster.
LOL! But, but, it’s only a half inch over a yard! At least the Super Dreadnaughts were short! If this were any of the Fast Battleships it would be WELL over a yard long. If it were an Iowa Class, it would be 53.28"! Now THAT would fill a coffee table!
Mine arrived yesterday to commemorate my brother being made the new Commander, U. S. Naval Submarine Forces and being promoted to Vice Admiral /***/. “Attention on deck, Submarine forces arriving.”[cptn]
The kit is far from a scaled up 1/350 Revell. For openers, the fighting tops are one slide molded piece each (except for the floors) and they are as big as a shot glass. The launches go up to THREE INCHES long and the OS2Us have a wingspan in excess of two inches. I can even put interior details in the planes. I haven’t heard of the upgraded PE set but I will be ordering it. It looks as though Trumpeter intends perhaps to offer a motorized version in the future based on the nylon props on steel shafts. I plan on doing mine rigged for R/C. The crew are nice figures but unfortunately, they are all depicted saluting or standing at ease not in working poses so I may have to try crewing my AZ with Z scale model railroad figures if the 10% smaller size is possible to overlook. So far, I am impressed with the kit. How could you not be with eight linear feet of PE rails. This is going to be a joy to build. The afterdeck and the foc’sle seem to fit well and are tight. The turned aluminum barrels for the main guns are very nice. This is going to be a beast when it’s finished but it will already match my 1/200 model of the Titanic that I’m currently planking the hull for. When the hull is sheeted, I’ll take a break from that model and start on the Arizona. I remember that the first ship model I ever built was the Revell Arizona and I can remember trying to line up the portholes so I looked for that on this kit and was pleasantly reassured that this will not be a problem. The details appear to be nice and crisp and I haven’t seen a mold line or bit of flash anywhere so far. If Trumpeter means what they say about a limited one time production run, then I cannot recommend strongly enough that you pick one up. It is not any bigger than Italeri’s big Schnellboote and it sure is way cool. Anybody up for a GB? How about Trumpeter do a Nimitz to match this scale?[:O] It could actually be the coffee table.
Your going to need a 5 gallon bucket of paint and rent some space in the local body shops spray booth. I love it! Got get one of these.
I saw it a LHS today with my own two eyes… all I can say is Very Impressive!
I picked mine up last night and gave it the once over today. Definitely a big boat for anyone used to 1/350 & smaller.
The crew figures everyone is talking about are a disappointment in my book. Dragon’s in 1/350th are more detailed and look better; these are soft and the caps look more like Stay Puft marshmallow man hats than USN.
From the waterline up I think it’s a good looking kit, but below the waterline looks a bit odd to me…although I haven’t broken out the plans yet.
I ordered mine from Mid Tenn Hobbies who did a nice promotion with free shipping. They’re all gone now but I pre ordered the upgrade set. I also ordered a photo reference book from Amazon as I think there’s great opportunities in this scale to add and improve detail.
Sounds like the crew is a big disappointment. It would be awesome to have band figures in their dress whites as in Tora Tora Tora. Add a little sound track playing the National Anthem. This is going to be a build for down the road for me. I’m going to enjoy watching others build this one for a while.
I’m also looking forward to doing some more research. I recall lots of controversy regarding the painting of turret tops, etc. It would be nice to have an updated summary from any Arizona experts out there.
Dave
Tracy,
I gotta agree with you on the figures - the hats really make them look like little Stay Puft guys! I got mine kit on Friday from Great Models and my first impression is that this is a fantastic kit. The price is right, there seems to be a lot of detail, no flash, aluminum barrels and slide molding used to produce some really nice parts. When someone can nail down the final color for Dec 7th I can start this thing. One other hang up tho - I need to find a place big enough to build it - my corner spot in the garage - while nice just won’t do. The included photoetch will add a lot and I can’t wait till I get the additional set. I also have the book “Battleship Arizona: An Illustrated History” by Paul Stillwell. If anyone can suggest other good reference materials I would appreciate it.
I have a lot of pics of the box and parts therein on my website:
Cheers,
Paul
Hi Paul. I’ve been researching Arizona and the camouflage for a while now. Stillwell’s book is the best you’re going to find.
The color issue is going to take a few more years to answer I think. It’ll require a trip or two to the National Archives to go through records I couldn’t find in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard records.