Ah, Pocket Battleships...I am always interested in plastic models of Germany's Sheer, Lutzow (ex-Deutschland), and Graf Spee. Plenty of Graf Spee's by companies like Testors/Italeri (1/720), Fujimi (1/700), and Trumpeter (1/700).
Trumpeter has the newest molds and a Spanish Civil War version as well as the 1939 version.. We're not so lucky in finding a Sheer and Lutzow other than old 1/700 kits by Italeri and Fujimi. But wait, Flyhawk has intimated they will also release a "pocket battleship" in 1/700 too. That Flyhawk quality and detail is now legendary as well as the high price.
My suggestion in 1/700 would be for the Trumpeter Graf Spee kit (It's full Hull
), unless you want to await a possible Flyhawk release. (See my post on *Inj. molded plastic* Upcoming Ship Kit Releases , page 146)
Where do you find "Pocket Battleships" in something larger than 1/700? Heller (and Lee copies), made some good, if rather plain, 1/400 Graf Spee, Lutzow, and Sheer models. Nichimo made a nice 1/500 Graf Spee too but all of these kits are had to find. If you want to have a fun 'build' detailing these kits, buy one and get 50+ bucks worth of AM stuff.
What's left is Academy and Trumpeter in 1/350.
If you are going large, go
Trumpeter for 1/350 Graf Spee.
As an "aside"...In comparing Trumpeter 1/350 kits: I like Academy's Indianapolis over Trumpeter's, Trumpeter's Dreadnought over Zvezda and Trumpeter's Graf Spee over Academy.
As far as an Iowa class goes, making a Missouri/New Jersey etc., is a right of passage. Early in life every ship modeler makes at least one, even if only the Revell 1/535 classic or a crummy 1/900 Lindberg, or "Gawd Forbid", the old Pyro Missouri on Wheels.
All the major OEMs make an Iowa class these days. You have to build at least one.
Toughest part, picking the time frame: WW2 or Cold War. For
1/700 WW2 I like Tamiya for their Iowa kit #31616 as it has the original bridge. You can always add a lower hull from Academy/Meng/Trumpter/Pit Road Iowa class models- and sand till it fits. I find Meng is a fun snap-together-build if you have some kids involved. I have not seen the Academy offering. Maybe Veryfire will release a 1/700 kit of their 1/350 Missouri. That would be nice.
Trumpeter(Pit Road mold) 1/700 is the choice if you want 1984-1991 fit. The Trumpeter BB's look real good.
For that larger 1
/350 Iowa class there are a few choices: Tamiya, Revell, Blue Ridge/VeryFire. The
VeryFire Missouri seems like only a modest improvement over the old Tamiya kit according to some reviews. Watch out for Trumpeter's very old 1/350 kit of the Missouri. It is old. Academy also made a 1/400 scale kit of Missouri. Several other lesser-known plastic model makers also did some Iowa's in various scales like 1/400 and 1/600. EDIT: I was advised that Joy Yards BB63 will be the kit to beat. Supposedly highly detailed and has not made the same errors and missing detail that VeryFire did.
Couldn't help the long reply. It's Lunch time and somehow Burgers and Posting work well together.
Nino
That Pyro Missouri was the fastest "rug-sailing" ship in my fleet.
[b]Ah, Pocket Battleships[/b]...I am always interested in plastic models of Germany's Sheer, Lutzow (ex-Deutschland), and Graf Spee. Plenty of Graf Spee's by companies like Testors/Italeri (1/720), Fujimi (1/700), and Trumpeter (1/700). [u][b]Trumpeter has the newest molds and a Spanish Civil War version as well as the 1939 version.[/b][/u]. We're not so lucky in finding a Sheer and Lutzow other than old 1/700 kits by Italeri and Fujimi. But wait, Flyhawk has intimated they will also release a "pocket battleship" in 1/700 too. That Flyhawk quality and detail is now legendary as well as the high price.
My suggestion in 1/700 would be for the Trumpeter Graf Spee kit (It's full Hull :thumbs_up_1: ), unless you want to await a possible Flyhawk release. (See my post on *Inj. molded plastic* Upcoming Ship Kit Releases , page 146)
Where do you find "Pocket Battleships" in something larger than 1/700? Heller (and Lee copies), made some good, if rather plain, 1/400 Graf Spee, Lutzow, and Sheer models. Nichimo made a nice 1/500 Graf Spee too but all of these kits are had to find. If you want to have a fun 'build' detailing these kits, buy one and get 50+ bucks worth of AM stuff.
What's left is Academy and Trumpeter in 1/350.
If you are going large, go [b][u]Trumpeter for 1/350 Graf Spee[/u][/b].
As an "aside"...In comparing Trumpeter 1/350 kits: I like Academy's Indianapolis over Trumpeter's, Trumpeter's Dreadnought over Zvezda and Trumpeter's Graf Spee over Academy.
[b]As far as an Iowa class goes,[/b] making a Missouri/New Jersey etc., is a right of passage. Early in life every ship modeler makes at least one, even if only the Revell 1/535 classic or a crummy 1/900 Lindberg, or "Gawd Forbid", the old Pyro Missouri on Wheels.
All the major OEMs make an Iowa class these days. You have to build at least one.
Toughest part, picking the time frame: WW2 or Cold War. For [u]1/700 WW2 I like Tamiya for their Iowa kit #31616 as it has the original bridge[/u]. You can always add a lower hull from Academy/Meng/Trumpter/Pit Road Iowa class models- and sand till it fits. I find Meng is a fun snap-together-build if you have some kids involved. I have not seen the Academy offering. Maybe Veryfire will release a 1/700 kit of their 1/350 Missouri. That would be nice.
Trumpeter(Pit Road mold) 1/700 is the choice if you want 1984-1991 fit. The Trumpeter BB's look real good.
For that larger 1[b][u]/350 Iowa class [/u][/b]there are a few choices: Tamiya, Revell, Blue Ridge/VeryFire. The [u][b]VeryFire Missouri seems like only a modest improvement over the old Tamiya [/b][/u]kit according to some reviews. Watch out for Trumpeter's very old 1/350 kit of the Missouri. It is old. Academy also made a 1/400 scale kit of Missouri. Several other lesser-known plastic model makers also did some Iowa's in various scales like 1/400 and 1/600. EDIT: I was advised that Joy Yards BB63 will be the kit to beat. Supposedly highly detailed and has not made the same errors and missing detail that VeryFire did.
Couldn't help the long reply. It's Lunch time and somehow Burgers and Posting work well together.
Nino
That Pyro Missouri was the fastest "rug-sailing" ship in my fleet.