USS Arizona BB-39 by gnomemeansgnome

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks, Shaun. Yep, that’s my 80’s JCM900 lurking in the background. Been coast to coast to LA and back. Blown it up twice; one more time and that bad boy winds up as a coffee table.

[sherlocker71]

Great job Gnome. I remember that kit as a kid. Probably built 2-3 of them many years ago. Looks great!

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks so much! I built my first one when a kid back in the 70’s but that perished ages ago. I am really digging your 600 scale HMS Exeter scratchbuild, too.

[72modeler]

I think the float planes that came with that kit look more like O2U-1 Corsairs than the SOC Seagulls that were actually based on the Arizona and her sister ship, Pennsylvania at the time of the attack. The original Corsairs were replaced by SOC's, and I would imagine they would have been on the ship when she was sunk. Have no idea why the kitmaker included O2U's, but you could have used them to portray the Arizona at an earlier time. See the link below to a very comprehensive photo collection that showcase her from her beginning to her end. I hope these will be useful and informative to you and others.
Mike

https://tucson.com/news/retrotucson/rar ... 87.html#64

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks for that, Mike. I am glad someone finally listened to me. I never thought these were Seagulls either and the only other seaplanes they look like remotely are the Corsairs. As far as using them to portray the ship in an earlier guise, that sounds interesting but I am generally a build out of the box kind of person.

[splash]

That is a most impressive build, I like how you have finished the decks.

Regards Alan

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks Alan. The Tamiya Smoke is semi gloss and tends to go on gooey so you have to smoosh it around a fair bit. I ought to have used a bit more dullcote but overall am satisfied with it.

[splash]

That’s a good idea with the Tamiya smoke, I will have to experiment with it.

Regards Alan

[iggie]

Tamiya Smoke is my go-to product for bringing up details on any model. I tend to dilute it with Tamiya X-20 thinner (25:75 thinner to Smoke appropriately) to avoid the gooey nature and to get it to flow along joins and lines. A little metallic paint added gives it a little interest on engine parts & other mechanical areas

[gnomemeansgnome]

Good idea, Jim. I better try that next time. At least once I get clear of these doldrums.

[Jaime]

Suitably pugnacious! Very nicely done!

[gnomemeansgnome]

Much obliged, Jaime, thanks. And today I found a Esoteric Vought O2U Corsair floatplane so I guess I better fire up the sandpaper and putty!



https://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php? ... 1&page=168

Seems these machines sometimes had engine cowlings and could have their floats swapped out for wheels, hence part of the confusion about their odd appearance as Arizona's observer aircraft. They are depicted in wheeled configuration during the climax of Peter Jackson's King Kong.

[Tim Reynaga]

Cool Arizona! Despite its 1950s vintage and numerous inaccuracies, I've always liked this kit. It was one of my first "large" (i.e., bigger than 1/700) builds as a kid, and I made a real mess of it. Yours, on the other hand, is very attractive indeed. Nice work!

[gnomemeansgnome]

Thanks so much, Tim. High praise indeed. Your ship models are awesome. This kit is probably the largest scale one I ever built, twice, as like your childhood one mine came to grief as well after I left it on the back deck of one of my dad’s cars one summer, with predictable results!

[Bissyboat]

Great job on the Arizona. She looks solid. How big is she?