ModelMonkeyPennsylvaniaFunnel350

Of the many products designed by Model Monkey and produced by Shapeways, there are a series of releases to convert the HobbyBoss/Banner 1:350 scale USS
Arizona into her sistership, the USS Pennsylvania BB-38, USN Pacific Fleet flagship on December 7, 1941. There were a number of differences between the two
ships, one of which was the differences between their funnels. These included pipe location and appearance and side structure top deck. Model Monkey has a two
piece USS Pennsylvania funnel that was carried by the ship from 1936 to 1942. One piece is the funnel with side structures and piping and the second part is the side
structure top deck. Before painting the funnel, wash it in soapy water and then let it cure in sunlight. The Model Monkey funnel is a beautiful piece. Take a look at the
comparison photographs contrasting the Model Monkey funnel with the HobbyBoss/Banner Arizona kit supplied funnel. Who with a brain in their head would want to
use the kit funnel? If you are building the Arizona, Model Monkey has an Arizona funnel as well (Model Monkey Arizona Funnel Review by Felix Bustelo).

For the Model Monkey Pennsylvania funnel, I decided to paint it with Tru-Color 5-D paint. This paint is ready to be sprayed right from the bottle but my air brush
was having problems, so I decided to brush paint it. I painted it before Dr. Martin Cohen of Tru-Color posted on the message board that to brush paint the
Tru-Color paints, a small amount of the paint needs to be poured into a lid and be allowed to evaporate for a little bit to thicken it for brush painting. I had to use
several coats of the paint in brush painting the funnel because I didn't allow it to thicken. This however, allowed me to give the funnel a streaked weathered look.

I find that the Model Monkey USS Pennsylvania funnel in 1:350 scale is a superb product for replacing the funnel in the HobbyBoss/Banner Arizona kit. The
contrast between the outstanding Model Monkey funnel and the poor kit-supplied funnel is stark.

Steve Backer
______________________________________________