Fujimi 1/700 USS Iowa
The kit is typical for Fujimi 1/700 scale as was released in 1975. It is kit # B115-800. It is a waterline only build. The plastic is of very good quality, and the molds are decent with minimal flash. Paint call-outs are general at best. The decals are missing the ship name and number, as well as markings for the aircraft - all you get is the flag.
Build
I really had no problems with the build to speak of. However, cutting, trimming, and then painting the (seemingly) endless number of machine guns did become tedious.
Painting and Decal
The painting directions that were provided were very basic and incorrect (to be very honest). It also didn't make mention of the camo that Iowa wore during much of its WWII service. I wanted to do the camo it wore during the period of 1944-45. It was known as Measure 32, design 1B. When it originally appeared in this camo, the edges of the "dark" areas on the hull were feathered. This changed after a repaint in 1944, in that the lines were straightened and much more delineated. This is what I tried to reproduce.
Colors are a bit of a problem too, in that, there are some who say the dark areas are, in fact, dull black. I feel, after much reading (on the Internet - so you can decide what is right), that the color was more of Dark Sea Blue. So my color palette consists of the following:
1. Hull: USN 5-0 Ocean Grey and Dark Sea Blue.
2. Deck: USN 2-0 Weather Deck Blue
3. Vertical surfaces: USN 5-H Haze Grey.
4. Camo for superstructure and turrets: Dark Sea Blue.
I used, whenever possible, pics of the ship during this time in WWII as a reference.
The decal sheet was abysmal. It only had the US Flag (for the stern). It missed having the ship name and bow numbers, as well as markings for the aircraft.
Conclusion
It is a decent enough kit without many vices. The biggest letdown was the decal sheet. Other than that, if you research the paint a bit, you should have a good build of it. I hope you enjoy it.
