Reviews : HobbyBoss USS Balao SS-285

The kit is well detailed for it's size but has no railings for the conning tower as they would be so small and fragile that it is simply not possible to make them. The hull is either waterline or full hull the props and rudder are 1 piece and go in real easy. The front dive planes come either up or down they are 1 piece as well and go in real easy. The conning tower is only 2 pieces and 2 guns. the main gun just pops on, then your done except the stand which is 3 parts. It took about 20 minutes to build and another 2o0 minutes to paint and decal. Over all a very nice kit as is becoming the standard i expect from hobbyboss 1/700 subs by all means get this little guy it's cheap and doesn't suck up a lot of shelf space and is useful as a wargaming piece as well as a showboat on the shelf.

Much like the rest of the models in the series, the submarine is nicely detailed and cheap. The included stand is a very nice feature, although there is nothing more to write home about. At 1/700 scale, the model is 5 1/2 inches (140 mm) long and can NOT be used as a waterline model easily. The pieces fit together well, and the few pieces make assembly and painting a breeze. It would work well as a gift/beginner model as there is not much of a challenge.

This is a three star mostly because of the size. It is pretty small. About 5 1/2 inches long. With this size there is not much possibility for details. It is a good kit, however, to add to your collection.

Nice and easy for the price, good detail even for the size too