Certainly. I’ll post my first impressions once I’ve done a thorough inspection of the contents.
Cheers,
Chris
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'Afternoon All,
Well - it’s here. This new ARIZONA kit arrived this afternoon, ,and first impressions are great. The first thing I noticed was that the box is a very well made and sturdy one. On opening it, the hull is in the first compartment of the box - full hull, and split done the centre. The LOA in 1/350th scale is perfect, and 52.948 cm. Detail on the hull is very well done (and subtle) with bilge keels and docking keels correctly molded. Other detailing includes main sea-water intakes on the hull underside, and various other hull openings. The hull casemates (always a concern for me) are also well done, and look to be properly proportioned. Underneath the hull were the deck sections for the Foc’s’le, Quarter-deck, and Boat Deck, with no deck detailing as this is provided on the wooden deck secions supplied in the kit.
The rest of the parts are in the compartment underneath the hull and deck part of the kit box, in three individual (and very sturdy) boxes, containing the main-battery turrets and related parts, ship’s boat (hulls), aircraft x 2, photo-etch sheets (extensive), brass gun-barrels, turned aluminum masts, and 3-D printed details for the ship’s boats, turrets, and other goodies.
This is a very impressive kit, and looks to be very well researched!
Cheers,
Chris Preston
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Photos please, Chris 
Yikes!!! That’s way over $550 CAN! 
'Morning All,
Photos - yes, as soon as I’ve had a more detailed look at the kit contents. First impressions though, are that this is a well-designed kit that includes, wood deck, photo-etch (lots), and 3-D printed parts…so not much to buy from the after-market crowd.
I had a close look at the instructions last night, before lights-out. They’re not in a
'booklet", but are approximately 60 loose-leaf pages of instructions, very well printed, with picto-gram illustrations.
As for the cost - I paid $330.00 (approx) Cdn, for the kit, and this included shipping, so when compared to a similar kit from Tamiya or Hasegawa, which do not include much photo-etch, or any other after-market updates, I think this is a very reasonable price.
Photos in the next few days, but the company web-site does have some excellent photos of the kit, which compare very well to what I received.
More later.
Cheers,
Chris
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Further to my last - check out the video at the very top of this subject, for a look at the kit and contents.
Cheers,
Chris
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Squadron just got some of these in and they are on sale at $299US with free shipping.
Still pricey but a little better.
Greg
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The same company has also released a 1/350 DD-17 USS Smith if anyone is interested. It is also at Squadron for $85.
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That does look a really comprehensive set up, given the cost of a new tool 1/350 battleship these days, the wood deck, all that etch and the turned brass and aluminium, you are getting a lot for your money. The lack of IM tops is a bit poor. It is annoying when you have all that and you feel the need to spend more on it. In 1/700th I Love Kit produced a similar sort of job with HMS Hood and Bismarck (Trumpeter plastic), I haven’t noticed any others. I have the Hood, cost around £75.00, which I reckon is very good value, considering it is only a couple of pounds more than their new tool Scharnhorst with only the Trumpy etch.
Cheers. Si
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Very interesting Greg.
Out of Curiosity looked DD!7, USS Smith up on Navsource, commissioned in 1909, I do like ships from the pre WW! era. Hope that becomes available in the UK.
Cheers, 
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I think Flyhawk’s Deluxe boxing of Hood, and Bismarck (1/700), are much better value, and have MUCH better molding quality! However, wood decks (if really needed) are extra.
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I can’t argue with that statement, having built the Flyhawk Konigsberg, delux version, I did find it very taxing on the old eyes and I have not been tempted to build another one. I know Dorking Models, a bit over an hour from from where I live and worth the journey, usually keeps a decent stock of Flyhawk kits. When I decide to go for another Flyhawk kit it will be a cruiser or destroyer. I prefer to support U,K, physical model shops than buy kits on line, we have lost too many good model shops to the internet. The Trumpy Hood I picked up from Hannants of London, the nearest thing I have to a local model shop.
Cheers, Si
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I watched the Arizona unboxing video from squadron and to be honest I wasn’t impressed. This is a personal preference but I don’t like the fact that the PE completely replaces a lot of the plastic parts and that those plastic parts aren’t even present on the kit. I have used PE from this company and I find it pretty flimsy and the parts its replacing have some fairly complex curves and angles. If you screw up then you don’t have the option to use the plastic which doesn’t exist.
I get why they did it and I am sure for a lot of modelers its not a big deal, but for me I like having the plastic to fall back on if needed. Again, just a personal preference from someone who has mangled too many pieces of PE in his life
That being said, the resin looks great and I would love to get a set of the ships boats to replace the ones on my Arizona which I have never been super happy with.
I am also sorely tempted by the USS Smith!
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In this case, the Konigsberg is actually an ICM kit with Flyhawk PE, so you’re not really getting complete Flyhawk quality. ICM kits are not bad, but lack Flyhawks finesse and attention to detail, hence the amount of additional PE.
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I have to agree with you on the extensive use of P-E that replaces a lot of plastic parts, although the photos of the finished, unpainted model look stunning. My kit arrived at the end of July, and after a thorough look at the parts layout, I’m thinking of replacing certain parts with the appropriate ones from Steve Larson’s 3-D selection at Model Monkey.
Cheers,
Chris
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I absolutely recommend that, I did the same for my Hobby Boss Arizona build and his parts are next level. Biggest issue I had was adapting the PE set I was using to his parts.
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It’s a beautiful kit - but some of that P-E…for brackets, and the underside of the superstructure decks is insane. 
My mistake! 
Konigsberg is indeed a Flyhawk kit, which I had confused with SMS Konig from ICM. Everything I mistakenly claimed above about Konigsberg applies to SMS Konig. An OK kit, better than most Trumpeter kits, but still not up to Flyhawk standards.
Having just watched the squadron review, I gotta say I’m impressed with the level of thought that’s been put into this kit.
The highlight for me was twofold: first that docking keels have been included on the hull. These are often omitted by kit makers but always present on the real ship.
Next was the design of the hull to accommodate the thickness of the wooden deck. This is a major bug bear for me when building ships with wooden decks that they sit proud of the surrounding plastic and often plastic parts get submerged below them.
As for the price, if I was looking for a kit of Arizona I’d happily pay what they’re asking. When compared to other builds of ships, buying the kit first, then a wooden deck, aftermarket accessories are required to enhance and correct the original kit, the price is comparable…
I get that leaves those of us builders who prefer simpler builds out in the cold which sucks, but the manufacturer might have a budget they need to work to 
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