Building and Detailing Hobby Boss' 1/350 Scale USS Alaska CB-1 Book Review

By David L. Veres

Building Hobby Boss' 1:350-scale, 1,300-part USS Alaska? This handy handbook clearly – and masterfully – guides you through it.

Designed to meet – and defeat – Imperial Japan's most potent cruisers, fast, powerful USS Alaska (CB-1) packed 12-inch main armament in three triple turrets. Intended as the first of a six-vessel class, only Alaska and sister ship Guam saw completion and service in WWII.

Spanning 80 lavishly illustrated pages, Building And Detailing The Hobby Boss 1/350 Scale USS Alaska, CB-1 – part of Mike Ashey Publishing's privately printed "Comprehensive Scale Model Ship Manuals" range – shows you how to plan construction, prepare parts, build subassemblies, mask and paint components, and complete assembly.

Using nearly 400 crisp, clear photos, Ashey illustrates the whole process, including steps to modify and correct kit inaccuracies. He also addresses scratchbuilding and photoetch issues. And he helpfully lists all tools, supplies, paints, replacement parts, and references used for the project.

Don't worry about finishing, either. Contents clearly cover planning and painting Alaska's US Navy "Measure 32" gray & black camouflage pattern.

The manual comes printed on heavy stock glossy paper – pre-punched for storage in a customer-supplied 3-ring "D" binder. And front and back cardstock protects contents.

Roundly recommended!

My sincere thanks to Mike Ashey Publishing for this review copy!