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hello all, so ive been into rc for about 20 years but ive always had cars, trucks, planes and helicopters. i really want to get into this hobby but i need a good beginning ship. ive been looking at the south dakota class from http://www.battlersconnection.com/html/southdakota.html and was hoping to get everyones opinion on it. im not sure what kind of fighting ill be doing either. im thinking fast guns or big guns. has anyone bought this kit before and can give me some details on it and some recommendations? any help would be appreciated. thanks

 

I would determine what type of battling you are interested in. My local group is a Big Gun club so hence, I am building my first two ships for Big Gun Warfare. Currently I am working on an Iowa Class hull and the Arizona. My Arizona kit is from Strike Models http://www.strikemodels.com/products/ships/uss-arizona/ and it is a beautiful ship. The fiberglass hull is outstanding and the hardware and deck kits and superstructure are tailor made for the kit. It has been a joy to work on and I would definately recommend this kit to anyone.

 

does it require fiberglass work? i mean do you have to cut it or shape any when you get it? are these your first two ships ever or just in big gun? im kinda looking at fast gun but i think id have a blast in either so right now im looking for a good solid ship thats relatively easy to build.

 

Yes these are the first two ships that I am building. I have been around my group for about a year or so and was helping some of the guys with various electronic / mechanical work that was required for their ships. I decided that I want my own ships, so I planned the purchases that I wanted to make and with the help of the group found the best ships for me.
The fiberglass work that you have to do is cut windows into the hull for your penetration areas. I have been using a dremel and it seems to work well. It makes a hell of a lot of fiber dust. Definately not an indoor job .

 

Also you want to find a the best choice for fast gun or big gun by location what the closest club is using like rule set.

 

South Dakota is a very good ship on the allied side, with triple stern guns and good turning. It is in the medium speed catagory for capital ships and has a lot of internal space for batteries and equipment. Some other equivalent ships on the Allied side (at least in building skill terms) would be North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, Maryland, or Queen Elizabeth. On the Axis side, some equivalents would be Baden, Konig, Scharnhorst, Fuso, Bismarck, or Littorio. Obviously these are all capital ships and are more complex. Most folks start with a more 'rookie' ship that is a little smaller and simpler to build right out of the gate, such as a cruiser or smaller battleship/battlecruiser. Some of the more popular ones are the Houston, Clevelend, Brooklyn, Des Moines, Lutzow, and Prinz Eugen classes for cruisers; Moltke, Von der Tann, Invincible, Lion, and Andrea Doria for small battleships/battlecruisers.

 

thanks for all the input guys, ken i followed your advice and checked into the arizona and really liked what i saw. so i emailed stephen at strike models and he ended up calling me and spoke with me for 20-25 mins and answered all my n00b questions about the kit...hes a really helpful guy. anyways so ive ordered an arizona kit =DD ill prolly make a south dakota kit my second boat...so i dont know if its considered "laid down" or still in planning..but ill be starting work on my arizona very soon =)

 

Stephen is a great guy, he was very helpful with my Arizona order and changed the hardware configuration to meet my needs for a big gun warship. I know you will be excited when your kit arrives. Perhaps this weekend I will post some pictures of the progress on my Arizona build.

 

oh man id love some pics...im super excited already! =)

 

That Strike Models Arizona is a gorgeous hull. Very well made with the bulge. You are going to like that hull.