Anyone who knows me will know that I love the Alaska class Large Cruisers/Battlecruisers. Although they never served to their designed potential and had very short service lives for such large ships, they were still some of the most gorgeous hunks of steel ever set afloat. When Hobby Boss released their 1/350 versions, folks were very happy to find a reasonably accurate, well designed kit with sufficient PE for most modelers needs and at a really good price to boot. So naturally when Trumpeter announced their 1/700 version, most any sane person would assume that it would just be a scaled down Hobby Boss kit, unfortunately this would not be the case...
Revenge of the Trumpeter B-Team- The 1/700 Trumpeter kit goes back and forth more than a rubber ducky caught in a typhoon, nice overall lines, 4 foot thick scale gun tub shields, very nicely scaled gun tub shields elsewhere, strange hull armor lines that don't seem right, good fit seemingly and then the lack of PE, Some newer gen 1/700 builders also lamented the fact that it's waterline only as well, so for the value it drops quite a few ranks. However, if your 1/700 USN flattops need these graceful escorts it's still an easily obtainable and buildable kit. There are quite a few aftermarket firms that could help correct most of the issues with their generic or pilfered from similar type of ships upgrades, but some details just couldn't easily be fixed such as the wood planking that runs right to the bow when on the real ships this was steel deck from about the capstans forward. The 01 deck is molded as steel deck, this is a tough one as the traditional thought and practice for cruisers at the time was planked decks. There are no clear images of this deck where plank line can be seen and the Hawaii has some nice images, but no planking can be seen on the 01 or main deck as being installed yet. I found the BOGP of Alaska with dates of drawn in 1943 and approved in 1946 in the National Archives, it does not note the 01 deck as having any planking however the caveat to that is it also makes no note of it on the known planked main deck other than a dotted line to denote where wood deck ends as mentioned above. So on the shelf this on the verge of good goes....
A Serendipitous discovery- While google searching another subject I encountered an image that stopped my scrolling finger dead in it's tracks, a beautiful plastic outline splendiferously draped in brass.....
I had accidently stumbled upon a eBay listing for Ship Yard Works full detail and upgrade set for the Trumpeter Alaska and when I saw the price, it was ordered. I have purchased two other Ship Yard Work sets and I felt very comfortable taking a chance on this one. Their set's for the Kajika Kongo class with options for all 4 sisters and their Flyhawk Agincourt are beautiful sets as well. About a month later and here I am holding the subject of this review, so enough of my blithering and let's let some pictures show off what am so excited about-
The set comes packaged in sturdy flip top box, catchy artwork too
Upon opening it, you find the large folded color instruction sheet and die cut foam packing for the resin parts and securing the PE sheets below
Box contents
Instruction examples
Resin 40mm's and vents
PE details
PE details
Dyed wooden deck, deck masks and brass barrels and mast
Manufacturer Image of set in use
I can not at this point vouch for fit and ease of use of this kit but if like their previous upgrades I have bought, Ship Yard has produced an outstanding product. Can't wait to find out
This item was procured courtesy of my wallet at the following link, please note I have no affiliation with seller or manufacturer but am merely a very satisfied customer
USS Alaska Upgrade