I just got my new issue of the Squadron catalog today and while looking through it I saw in the 1/350 scale ship section that Yankee Model Works has a USS Montana listed. It can be built either as a full hull or waterline kit and is all resin with a few white metal and photoetch parts. Its a little pricey, $522 but worth saving up for.
Hi,
Yes I know I have been watching for 4 years for someone to come out with a BB-67and a CB-1. As you stated $522 is a little pricey. I have also reviewed the ship planes and several pictures of the models that the Navy required to be built with a convertion in mind. A Iowa class 1/350 plastic model could be split and sectioned and modified with sheet styrene and home resin or white metal casting done. A convertion would be labor intensive but cfost less. However, I have paid $300 for a 1/72 airplane vacuform kit. Andy
A Montana from a Iowa would be tough road to hoe. While the profile may look similar the hull cross sections are more like the North Carolina with exteranal armor belt and torpedo bulges. If you waterlined it you might be a bit closer only having the armor belt visable above the waterline.
Although their profiles look somewhat similar, Iowas and Montanas are very different in proportion. Montana’s hull is just a little bit longer than Iowa’s, but much broader. Montana’s number 1, 2 and 3 turrets, and the bulk of superstructure are further forward on the hull to accommodate turret number 4 in the back.
Mike Bartel of International Hobby Products (mostly a model railroad company which dabbles in never-were ships) made a resin Montana in 1:700 scale which he sold under his label (now OOP). Mike made the master for Yankee’s 1:350 scale kit. Mike is perhaps the best ‘expert’ on the abortive Montana class battleship.
(You know what they say about experts – he’s the guy who is 50 miles away from home with a slide show!)
No offense to our hosts here at FSM, but the article in the mag a few years back on making a Montana by stretching a couple of Iowas is wrong. You can’t get there without a major rebuild.