SPA Modeler

Wow you got a lot of projects going on right now. This is wonderful idea for a diorama one day I would like to go to the memorial but that's a long flight from Indiana.

Wow! This is gonna be a cool build. Can't wait to see more.

Wow, this is an incredible undertaking! I have to follow this! Stunning work man, keep it going!

Thanks for the comments Guys!

I did visit the memorial when I was 12, back in the Seventies. Oops, dating myself.
It left an impression on me, and I wanted to build a model of both the Arizona and her Memorial.

Yes, I have lots of projects in the works. Every build seems to have peaks and valleys, I like or can't wait to improve on a kit, so when I get stuck on one, I just work on another. I just decided to share all the ones I'm working on.

This Arizona model is an odd scale (1/426 on box, 1/429 in scale) and to make it 'right' is a huge undertaking. So, I thought this was the perfect solution.

I'm working on the #2 turret and received the moorings and memorial. I also scribbled the mud lines on the hull halves.



I made a new forward deck from styrene, cut the hull halves below the mudline to allow for the bow out. Also started modifying the aft deck.



You can really get a feel for the destruction done to the ship in this photo. Turrets 1 & 2 were above the small piece of deck on the bow. The other piece of styrene is where the major damage starts at the funnel.



More to follow.

Excellent progress Sig! Your work on the hull is spot on!

I had the good fortune to visit the Arizona Memorial many times when I was a kid and it made an impact upon me too. The large model inside the memorial too. I built several of the large Revell Arizona kits as a kid. The last one in high school with what was probably the best available information at that time (1980 or so). I truly respect and admire what you are aiming for here.

Stikpusher, thank you kind sir!
What a powerful compliment, I appreciate it deeply. I want to do this diorama as a tribute to the men who served the Arizona and to the men and women who serve us now.
Thanks again.

Started working on the base.







More to follow.

Looks like you got a good game plan set. This kit is smaller then I imagined I'm not good at picturing odd scale sizes like this kit.

I'm trying to cannibalize as much as I can from the upper decks. I have had to remove most of the molded-on detail because they are mostly inaccurate. I made multiple copies of the drawings so I could use them as templates.







More to follow.

This really is a wonderful idea for a build and you are making awesome progress on it!