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.

History Brief

The Z-38 was a Zerstörer 1936 A-class destroyer, also known as the Narvik class destroyer by the Allies. These ships carried only their hull number and were not named by the Germans. Constructed by F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG in Kiel, she was fitted with leftover parts intended for larger ships, including 155mm twin turrets and 5.9inch guns. Closer in size to a light cruiser, her wartime displacement weighed in at 3,691 tons and hosted a crew of 330 souls. She was launched on August 5th, 1941, and commissioned on March 20th, 1943. Soon after completion of her sea trials, she was selected for escort duties and found herself assigned to the battleship Scharnhorst. Her colorful wartime record was extensive and, nonetheless, just as honorable. After WWII, she was seized by the British and used as a test ship under the name Nonsuch. She was scrapped in 1950. A total of 15 Zerstörer 1936A-class destroyers were produced by Germany.

Lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of dreadnaught battleships, the HMS Queen Elizabeth was named after Elizabeth I of England, and would see service in and survive both of the World Wars. Launched on 16 October 1913 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, this ship was commissioned in 1915 and was not decommissioned until 1948, when she was scrapped. The ship as built had a displacement of 33,020 tons, a length of 640 feet 10 ½ inches, a beam of 90 feet 6 inches, and a draft of 30 feet 6 inches. Propelled by a total of twenty-four boilers (using oil instead of coal), her four turbines could move the ship at twenty-four knots as a top speed, or for 8600 nautical miles at 12.5 knots, or for 3900 nautical miles at 21 knots. Her main armament consisted of eight fifteen-inch guns, as well as sixteen six-inch guns and two three-inch anti-aircraft guns.

Authorized in 1936, launched in 1940, and commissioned the following year, USS North Carolina was the first battleship constructed for the US Navy since USS West Virginia’s 1923 commissioning. The first of America’s fast battleships, North Carolina compiled a sterling combat record in the South Pacific between 1942 and 1945, earning 12 battle stars while participating in every major naval campaign in the theater, making her the US Navy’s most decorated battleship. Following the war, North Carolina was eventually decommissioned, but bypassed the scrapyard when she was purchased by the citizens of North Carolina to serve as a memorial to those who served and sacrificed to preserve America’s freedom. Today, she sits moored in Wilmington, North Carolina, as one of the most awe-inspiring floating museums in the world.

This is the latest Squadron at Sea edition from Squadron and, in my opinion, one of the most interesting publications ever produced. It is a 136 page book of high quality black and white and some color photos, most of which have never been published before.

The first section deals with the history and building of the ship. I found this very interesting, especially the part about using cardboard boxes and cutouts to help lay out different configurations for various compartment layouts (way before computer aided programs).

There are also sections on commissioning, trials, overhauls, reconfigurations, armaments, and inactivation. Another section that really got my interest was the part about the ship being hit with friendly fire, something you don't hear about too much during WWII.

The color drawings would be most helpful to those that decide to build a model of the BB 55. There are several different paint schemes to choose from.