Calling all Iowa-class (BB-61) fans

[Fliger747]

I strongly suggest that you look fully through Hank's build. The biggest issue with the kit and the one that most people will not notice is the hull shape fore and aft, though the aft is the furthest off. Look at what he did to correct the hull and decide at an early point if you want to do something similar or can live with it as it is. This can be a years long ship project depending on how far you take it, so it's a significant decision.

Good luck and welcome aboard!

Tom

[wojtekp90]

You are recommended to familiarize yourself with the compilation:
1: 200 USS NEW JERSEY ?

[chuck]

Yes. Those would be good references. (Hank�s New Jersey and FDD�s plans)

I also corrected the aft hull by sawing off the kit hull aft the superstructure and building my own with styrene plank on bulkhead method, and somewhat less drastic rebuilt of the forward hull where I emphasized correcting the bulbous forefoot but left the issue with bow entrance and size of bull nose. my project has taken me 1 year and 6 month so far. It is in my estimation 85% complete.

[bigjimslade]

More adventures in places that will never be on the tour.

This is the AFFF can storage under the port tub. You cannot stand erect here I guess it's about 5' high.

This is where the stern crane came in through the main deck. The blueprints show circular framing here. When they removed the crane, they took all remnants of it. The same goes for the catapults. There are no traces of them.

The BGP shows a hatch the main deck leading to the CPO mess. There's no trace of that either. The hatch is covered by the helipad but it was wiped clean as well.

This is as wide a shot as I can get of the NIXIE compartment. In the rear you can see where the tub pokes into it.

Here is a forward view. The hatch in the deck leads to storage room for the ship's store. That 15x23 hatch is the only way in so there was not room for anything bigger than cigarettes and chewing gum to pass through.

One thing about the Iowa's is that it is difficult to get from Point A to Point B. The main deck is the only one where you can walk the length of the ship.

This is the view in the other direction, showing the hatches at the stern for towing decoys.

[Fliger747]

The "Broadway' below the armored deck is what, maybe 35% of the length of the ship but access would end at the armored bulkheads?

[wojtekp90]

I have a question, someone has a Plan Book Floating Drydock in which format is an A4 or A3 book like that?

[BB62vet]

Yes - the original Floating Drydock MISSOURI Plan Book was in print form and is basically 11"x17" in size. I think you can print out the E-plan Book (Elec. version) in the correct size if you can find (or have) a printer that does 11x17.

I referred to my copy constantly - it is a MUST HAVE for this build.

Hope this helps,

[wojtekp90]

I have an Ebook Plan Missouri on my computer and it has 303 pages but it's a PDF format.

[wojtekp90]

I'll go to the store in Poland and ask if I can print it

[BB62vet]

If you do, make sure they print it FULL SIZE - no reductions or the drawings will not come out to scale.

[bigjimslade]

The "Broadway' below the armored deck is what, maybe 35% of the length of the ship but access would end at the armored bulkheads?

Broadway extends length of the machinery spaces. So it ends well short of the armored bulkheads.

There is boiler room, engine room, boiler room .....

The boiler rooms extend to the 2d deck so broadway forms a tunnel through them. The engine rooms only go to the 3d deck (broadway's level). spaces above are mostly 5" magazines and broadway gives access to them.

[Fliger747]

I knew that, but there is still access beyond vis passageways and compartments all the way to the armored bulkheads?

[bigjimslade]

I have an Ebook Plan Missouri on my computer and it has 303 pages but it's a PDF format.

I have an original printed FD Missouri Plan book ad it's 82 pp. I am wondering if I was missing something. There are a lot of gaps in my printed book.

[Roger Torgeson]

My copy has 124 pages not including the the inside of the back cover

[BB62vet]

Mine is packed away so I can't count the pages, sorry

[wojtekp90]

I have a question if someone did Missouri 1/200 As a RC, does anyone have experience in this matter?

[BB62vet]

Re. the NIXIE Room Photos:

Very good work, Jim - I never got down there when I was aboard. Of course, the A/C Crane was still in place and being used. We did have an early version of NIXIE but how it was setup/arranged etc. I have no idea about.

Thanks for the photos!

Hank

[BB62vet]

Wojtekp90,

OK, here is a recap of what & how I did the hull mods on my model. I reshaped both the lower bow and lower stern areas to more closely imitate the actual shape of the ship in which the kit hull is incorrect. The following photos and text are from a log I had planned to post, but I don't think I ever got around to it at the time (2016). Anyhow, there are photos of the station templates that I made (I've replied to your msg.) in place and you basically do the same in the stern area where you need to reshape the hull. Other photos of the hull are as I worked on it during the grinding down procedures.
Lower Bow:

Hull in stand with station lines marked

Fwd Hull templates located on hull

Templates for stations #6 & #7

Lower Stern:

View of stern with stations marked

Lower port side reshaped (compare to stbd side)

From my Hull Modification Log:
Preparations, etc:
The hull of the model needs to be mounted upside down on a stationary surface, so I shaped two basswood stands (one fwd, one aft) that could be bolted into the hull cross members with a couple small machine bolts on each stand. I then bolted the stand to my work surface to keep the model steady without movement.

The modeler will need a scaled set of hull templates to work from for the two areas that will be modified. These can be obtained by copying the body plan of the IOWA class from a good set of ship�s plans available from various online sources. You will need t cut out the various station elevations and mount on hardboard/cardboard etc. These will form the shape of the hull at that particular station along the length of the hull. The stations work out to be �� apart (1:200 scale) although I probably will only use every 3rd or 4th station (3/4� � 1� apart).

Lower After Hull Modification:
This modification includes the part of the hull that is 19� from the absolute stern of the model going aft about 4-5, possibly 6� inches in length.

The two areas of the hull that I modified were the two areas described above. One other area of the lower hull that is not correct would be the area below Turret 2 � I did not attempt to modify this part as it is not that much out of shape and is something I could �live with� as is.

Simply put, the bow area needs to be built out and reshaped as it is too narrow while the after section needs removal as it is too wide and misshaped. I started with the bow area and finished with the after section.

As I mentioned to you, all my modeling stuff is packed up - otherwise I would include a copy or two of the templates so you could see how they are printed out.

Before doing anything - I would write out a Build Plan for yourself - how you plan to do the model, what comes first (I would recommend any hull changes be made at the start), an orderly list of construction and so forth. I call this a Punch List - something to go by and check off as you complete. This model is a major undertaking, even for experienced modelers.

I hope this helps!

Hank

[BB62vet]

I basically did that also on my build and I may have included some of that description during the process. I can't recall exactly. It's in the Completed forum for those who wish to read it.

I'm trying to stay away from telling another modeler what construction methods to use on this kit - that's something they've got to figure out for themselves. In this situation there are quite a few ways to skin the proverbial cat, so to speak!

[chuck]

I sawed off the hull abaft the superstructure, and rebuilt it using FDD plans and styrene and bulkhead construction:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ajtk5jxqngz7y ... M.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m6t9r52ae4cq5 ... M.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7w02hbk9awvvn ... M.jpg?dl=0

I also built up the bulbous forefoot:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d9gyjv9pxd4df ... M.jpg?dl=0