The 1950’s were a decade of joyous excess in automotive design. After the austerity of the Great Depression and the deprivations caused by World War II, Americans were excited and optimistic about the future and America’s position in the world, and our cars showed it with increasingly powerful engines, multi-tone paint jobs, acres of gleaming chrome, and space-age tailfins. The pinnacle of this expression came in 1959, when General Motors unleashed its latest automobile designs. Every model, from the lowliest Chevrolet to the poshest Cadillac, sported tailfins the likes of which would never be seen again. Of these, the Cadillac fins, reaching nearly as high as the roof of the car, have come to symbolize the best (or, to some, the worst) of what that era offered.

The USS Arizona is one of the most widely known and publicized battleships in US Naval history. As such, there have been many kits produced of the Arizona. Of those, one kit stands out. In late 2010, Trumpeter released the massive 1/200 scale USS Arizona. With such a large scale, it comes as no surprise that there have been numerous aftermarket detail sets released, including a set from Trumpeter.

• Main Armament – SM-200-001, $21.49
• Secondary and AA – SM-200-002, $18.99

Master Model has established themselves as the leader in turned metal barrels. Their attention to detail and accuracy has earned them a top spot in the aftermarket world. Recently, Master released two new sets designed for the 1/200 Arizona. I already had the base kit and the Trumpeter upgrade set (both of which contain metal barrels), so I was interested in seeing what Master had done. And I was not disappointed.