• Hardbound
  • Price: $34.95
  • ISBN: 978-0-89747-641-6

• Softcover
  • Price: $24.95
  • ISBN: 978-0-89747-640-9

For 70 years following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona has been the icon of the devastation and loss of American life on December 7, 1941, having lost 1,177 American servicemen herself that infamous day. For many modelers, building Arizona has been a memorable part of their modeling heritage and continues to be a popular subject among kit manufacturers. Many of us have cut our teeth on the classic Revell and Lindberg kits of old, of which the Revell kit is still in production. Over the past decade, numerous Asian kit manufacturers have offered additional kits spanning the range of scales from 1/700 up to the monstrous 1/200.

Finally, an affordable and thoroughly comprehensive chronicle of Arizona’s history is available to modelers and history buffs alike. In this 120-page installment in the Squadron at Sea series, David Doyle captures the essential imagery and concise narrative of her 25-year service life, her fate on December 7, 1941, and her transformation into one of the most sacred war memorials on the planet. From the laying of her keel through her launching, commissioning, refits, destruction, ensuing salvage operations, and construction of the USS Arizona Memorial, hundreds of photographs and several color profiles detail every aspect of Arizona’s inception, evolution, configuration, and armament. A section dedicated to the history of her scout aircraft is also included.

As a modeler of four decades and a lifelong admirer of Arizona, this reviewer is thrilled finally to see such a rich volume created with modelers in mind. Mr. Doyle’s work is an absolute jackpot of visual reference for Arizona modelers of all ages and skill levels, and is a definite “must have” for any modeler wishing to honor this sacred lady in a quality build.

That said, I think I’m going to bump that 1/350 Trumpy kit and the Big Ed detail set way up on my build list this winter!

Thanks to Squadron/Signal for the review samples and to IPMS for the opportunity to tell everyone about it!