Trumpeter 1/350 Cruiser
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Introduction
With the signing of the 1921 Washington Naval treaty the size and armament of various types of ships that each country was allowed to possess was decreed in specific tonnages and ratios between navies. The maximum size for heavy cruisers was set to 10,000 tons and with an 8" main battery. Britain developed the ubiquitous County Class, Japan the Aoba, Myoko and Takao classes while the US replied with the Pensacola and Northampton classes By the time of the London treaty of 1930, further new designs were being considered to take advantage of the lessons learned with their predecessors. These second-generation treaty cruisers were ultimately to be known as New Orleans Class and the first to commission was CA-38, the USS San Francisco.
The second ship to bear the name USS San Francisco, CA38 joined the fleet on 10 February 1934. After the usual working up period in the Pacific she spent her pre-war years in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic. December 7, 1941 found her berthed at Pearl Harbor for a needed refit. At the time of the attack her anti-aircraft weapons had been removed on preparation for the 1.1" mounts being fitted. These were added overnight and on the 16th December she sailed to the war zone where she was to be in the thick of the action for the next year, taking part in the deadly night battles around Guadalcanal. Following a refit in early 1943 she then headed north to the Aleutians before returning to the South Pacific to provide gunfire support for various stages in the strategy known as 'Island-Hopping'. The end of the war on 14 August 1945 war found her in Subic Bay, Luzon where she was preparing for the invasion of Japan.
After the war the USS San Francisco was decommissioned and placed in the reserve fleet on February 10 1947 - 13 years to the day after being commissioned. Stricken from the Navy list on March 1, 1958, she was then scrapped between December 2, 1960 and May 26, 1962.
In 1976 it was announced that a new Los Angeles class attack submarine, SSN 711, would be given the name San Francisco.
The Kit
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Packaged in Trumpeter's usual sturdy box, the kit contains 263 parts on eight gray and two clear sprues. The hull may be completed as either full hull or waterline with both options included. Hull detail includes portholes and propguard. The portholes are recessed and not drilled right through, while the prop guards are molded in place as solid structures. The superstructure is provided as a series of bulkheads with portholes, hatches and ladders molded in place. Underwater details include prop, shafts and rudder.
As per previous Trumpeter kits, the parts are clean and crisp with no flash or sinkmarks apparent. The latticework for the searchlight platform amidships is open, while that of the aircraft cranes and catapults are closed and can stand replacement by the inevitable aftermarket photoetch.
There are abundant supplies of 20mm Oerlikon, 40mm Bofors, 1.1", open 5" and 8" guns included - not all of which are for use in the present kit. The various bridge levels have thin splinter shields.
There are two, nine-part seaplanes molded in clear plastic. These aircraft include stringer and rib detail and will be interesting little models in their own right.
Documentation consists of a 16 page booklet with 25 steps for the construction. Also included is a full colour painting guide showing the top and both sides of the ship and aircraft. As provided in this release, the San Francisco is in Measure 11, which was an overall 'Sea Blue' on all vertical surfaces and 'Deck Blue' decks. If the more 'racy' MS 33/13D is desired, drastic modifications to the bridge and searchlight platforms will be required (or wait for a later release with fingers crossed).
Conclusion
20, or even ten years ago, who would have thought that we would have the number of injection molded ships in 1/350 scale that are now available. Trumpeter is now arguably the leader in this field and this kit will establish this position further. With the addition of an aftermarket PE set, this kit will undoubtedly be a contest winner. It will definately be interesting seeing what else Trumpeter comes out with in the future that was once thought to just be in the realm of expensize resin kits.
My thanks to Stevens International for the Review kit
