Free Time Hobbies just shipped the Very Fire BB-64 Wisconsin to me. While both the previous Missouri and Iowa kits appear to have been reviewed, I've found almost nothing on the Wisconsin. there seems to be some disagreement as to how much photo-etch actually comes in the kit.
Has anyone received this kit, or has seen a better description. I'd like to get the photoetch for it if needed, but not the full Prontos kit.

I am surprised by your statement about how little PE there is with the kit. For the price they are asking for the kit you would think that it had a lot of PE.

Mark

Not sure actually
But where the pictures of the Missouri and Iowa show a lot of Photo-etch, the couple I found of the Wisconsin showed a little.
I also read that the later releases of the Missouri will have a lower price, just a little PE, with the idea you'll buy the comprehensive upgrade set,
Not sure where the Wisconsin fits in. It has the price of the original Missouri release so does it have the large set of PE in it.
I emailed Free time hobbies but no response.

Model came today - good/bad on the photo etch question
The good - it looks like 90% of the railings on the superstructure, the various hose reels, Stack details and most of the radars and antennas on the two masts are done in photo etch.
The bad - the catapults, the crane, the gun controller radars are plastic. There are no gun shields for either the 40mm or the 20mm guns. Nor do you get the long main deck railings. You get about 1/3 of the photo etch that was in the original Very Fire Missouri kit.
You'll need to pick up something like the Tom's Modelworks Fast Battleship set to get the catapults, crane, and gun director radars plus a set to get the 20mm and 40mm gun shields.

Sort of disappointing

Michael,

Very Fire made the decision to remove the majority of PE in lieu of Detail sets. As you said, the original Missouri had a ton of PE but the ones being sold today have very little since Very Fire released the Upgrade set.

I have the original Missouri Kit that Very Fire sent me for the review. If you would like I can send you the PE that came with the Missouri since Very Fire also sent me the Missouri Upgrade kit for a review.

Let me know if your interested.

Dave

That would be great
My zip is 22046
Send me the cost and I can PayPal it to you
Thanks
Michael

Mike

Message sent, happy to help

Dave

Michael,

Be sure to post pictures as you go along. The Very Fire renditions of the Iowa class appear to be more detailed than the classic Tamiya kits, although the build looks a lot fussier, too. One surprise id that they failed to correct the most important weakness of the Tamiya Iowas, the sectioned main deck. More unfillable seams, it seems...

It will be interesting to check out the smaller details on the superstructure. While the 4 Iowa class ships were fairly "homogenized" when they were reactivated in the 1980's, from their launching in WWII through Korea, all 4 ships had individual details.
On thing I noticed on the Wisconsin is that there is a "mish-mash" of the radars and directors. Mk 8 main director radar, SK "bedspring" radar, mk 51 and mk 57 gun directors, and mk 12/21 5" director radars. Even on-line sources differ as to what was the Wisconsin's fit when. The mk57's were definitely late 1945 and while some sources say the Wisconsin had a SK radar until war's end, there are phots that show her with an SK-2 by war's end.

Tim,

I have not dived too deep in the Very Fire Missouri build but from what I have seen so far they fixed the main deck gap issue but they made the center deck part too long so it requires some plastic removal to fit flush.

Another issue is with the internal support beams, specifically the rear support. It is too short so when it is glued it tightens the hull too much and the rear deck will not fit. I had to cut the top portion of the rear support in order to get the deck to fit flush.

After I finish with the Ayanami I will begin working on the Missouri a lot more.

Dave

One thing I've found out about the Iowa class was that by the end of 1945, they all basically looked alike - the earlier bridges had been updated so all four had the square, enclosed bridge, so any one of the four ships could be built if you wanted to do the postwar period.
I'm a fan of the Korean War and I think that is the configuration I will build. The real problem with those 3 years is that you have to decide which boat, and which tour. Depending on that, there are updates to the directors, mast, radars, and anti-aircraft guns.
Looking at the kit - and doing some fitting of major parts - it looks very impressive. I am disappointed that there aren't shields for the 40mm and 20mm guns to substitute for the photo-etch - you will have to purchase a set of shields.

There were differences with them based on when they were last refitted, mainly radars and secondary weapons and paint job. The thing I did notice in photos of these ships is that they seem to sit lower in the water after each refit.

Mark