USS Iowa........Revitalised!

[seadude]

This is a kit that's been sitting on my kitchen table for quite some time. I only now just got back to work on it since I'm on vacation from work right now.



This is my 1/700 scale WHAT IF version of the IOWA battleship if it were revitalised and put back into service after that tragic No.2 turret accident in the late 80's.
Although far from done, this is a glimpse so far of mods I am making.
64 cell VLS between the funnels for Tomahawks.
All twin 5" turrets to be replaced with modern 5" gun mounts.
Phalanx CIWS added where the aft Mk.37 director originally was.
Two RAM launchers to replace the CIWS's that were between the funnels.
Harpoon launchers to be added in their original spots on either side of the aft funnel.
All 16" turrets to be kept in their original positions.
2 Phalanx to be added on either side of the conning tower.
Possibly a RAM or CIWS to replace the forward Mk.37 director that is originally behind the bridge.
2 Seasparrow launchers added for anti-aircraft defense that are on either side of the aft 16" director.
I want to add two more quad pack Harpoon launchers, but I'm not sure where. Any ideas?
I also need to figure out where to add the radar directors for the Seasparrow launchers. Anybody got any ideas?
I'm removing the Mk.37 directors that were on either side of the conning tower/funnel structure. I was thinking of putting some radar/director domes in those spots for the modern 5" guns, but I'm not sure.

Anybody else got suggestions and ideas?

[Hobbes]

You cold create another platform on the sides of the forward funnel for the directors.

[Thorvic]

If revitalised don't forget to put the Phalanx CIWS in their enclosed housings if possible and it might be an idea to build up a deck house aft of the funnel between the sparrows for reloads and to mount the Sea Sparrow directors.

[seadude]

If revitalised don't forget to put the Phalanx CIWS in their enclosed housings if possible and it might be an idea to build up a deck house aft of the funnel between the sparrows for reloads and to mount the Sea Sparrow directors.

What do you mean by "enclosed housings" for the CIWS? The problem with a deckhouse between the Seasparrow launchers is that I already have the blast shields in place. As for the directors for the Seasparrow launchers, I need a high spot to put them with good line-of-sight for directing the missiles. On either side of the conning tower might work, or I need to create a new mast to erect around the aft funnel.

[seadude]

Here's a new pic for tonight.
The radars/directors for the Seasparrow launchers have been placed on either side of the conning tower where the original Mk.37 directors used to be.
I only had four modern 5" guns instead of six, so I put RAM launchers at the front locations (One on either side of the bridge superstructure).
Three CIWS might be overkill on the sides and front of the conning tower, but I needed something to fill that original front Mk.37 director position.
The two white radar/director domes are for the 5" guns. One for port, and the other for starboard.
All the armament that I explained earlier and that you see in the pics may seem overkill or whatever, but I like lots of armament on ships. When I build an IOWA, I want an enemy to know that this ship means business!   

[arkon]

why not make it nuke power, get rid of the funnels and add more space for weapons !!!???

[Joe C-P]

Removing the engines and replacing them with atomics would essentially require cutting the ship in two, or cutting out the triple-bottom of the hull. The engines are very large and entirely within a very thick armoured box. Even the stacks have an armoured grate to ensure shells can't drop down the holes.

Everything else works! Lots of weapons on a battleship make me happy. 

[seadude]

Here's some more pics for browsing. All in all, I'm not fond of this build. I actually hate building 1/700 scale because it's too small for my poor eyesight. But the ship had been sitting on my kitchen table for a long time waiting to get finished, so I finished it. I still have to add some decals yet. I lost some of the rudder and propeller parts, so I need to find a way to make this a waterline model instead. Eventually, an idea will come to me. I also made a new shortened refueling post structure from spare parts. The refueling post from the kit would have been too tall and would have blocked the Seasparrow launcher.
Anyway, I put 2 extra quad Harpoon launchers between the Seasparrows. I actually wanted to have Nulka decoy launchers there, but didn't have any good spare parts that looked like Nulka launchers. I also put 2 extra CIWS at the fantail. You can't see the main radar mast in most of the pics except for maybe one. No big deal really. The main radar mast was built as is, so there's nothing changed on it. This ship was built "just for the hell of it". As I said previously, I like lots of armament on ships. So therefor, this ship has:

Nine 16" guns in 3 triple turrets.
Four 5"/54 Mk.45 guns.
Four RAM launchers.
Six Phalanx CIWS systems.
Two Seasparrow anti-air octuple launchers.
64 cell VLS for land attack Tomahawks or other missiles.
Four quad Harpoon anti-ship launchers on either side of the aft funnel.
(I'm not sure whether the Harpoon launchers between the Seasparrow launchers should be for extra Harpoons, or whether I should just use them as improvised Nulka decoy launchers?)













Rest of pics:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/USS%20Iowa%20WHAT%20IF%20battleship%20model%20project/DSC01222.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/USS%20Iowa%20WHAT%20IF%20battleship%20model%20project/DSC01235.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/USS%20Iowa%20WHAT%20IF%20battleship%20model%20project/DSC01238.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/USS%20Iowa%20WHAT%20IF%20battleship%20model%20project/DSC01237.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/icyhusky/USS%20Iowa%20WHAT%20IF%20battleship%20model%20project/DSC01236.jpg

[NARSES2]

It's making my eyes go watery just thinking of the work your doing in that scale 

[sandiego89]

I like it!  Nice job. 

[kerick]

why not make it nuke power, get rid of the funnels and add more space for weapons !!!???

What would a nuke powered Iowa class look like??  Hhhmmmmmmm.
The problem with building a new ship is some of the technology would have to be reinvented.  I don't know if anyone knows how to turn a 16" gun barrel anymore.  And the fire control for the guns is hardwired and made of relays, no micro chips in 1945.  Major research to make all that work on a modern scale. 
Still, it could be fun to whif.  No funnels as you say and maybe room for a proper hanger and flight deck.  Extend the flight deck onto a couple sponsons on each side.  Build the missle launchers into the superstructure properly so firing the 16" guns doesn't crush 'em.  Now like I need another project.

[NARSES2]

I don't know if anyone knows how to turn a 16" gun barrel anymore.   

About 20 years ago when a company I dealt with was involved in making some equipment for oil industry there was the need to produce a large diametre heavy walled piece of kit. They couldn't use some seamless tube (no idea why, this was just told to me in the pub one day). Anyway while they were discussing how to do this one of the older guys on the floor took the management types into one of the old storage sheds (steelworks are huge places) that hadn't seen light of day for at least 20 years and introduced them to a machine that had last been used turning battleship barrels back in the 30's 

They eventually managed to get it up and working again after finding some of the guys who remembered it before they retired and used it to produce what was needed. As far as I know it's still there but as Kerick says, whether anyone knows how to use it is a nother matter

[kerick]

How's the Iowa coming along?  Have you considered a couple Rolling Airframe missle launchers in place of some of the CIWS?

[Joe C-P]

I don't know if anyone knows how to turn a 16" gun barrel anymore.   

About 20 years ago when a company I dealt with was involved in making some equipment for oil industry there was the need to produce a large diametre heavy walled piece of kit. They couldn't use some seamless tube (no idea why, this was just told to me in the pub one day). Anyway while they were discussing how to do this one of the older guys on the floor took the management types into one of the old storage sheds (steelworks are huge places) that hadn't seen light of day for at least 20 years and introduced them to a machine that had last been used turning battleship barrels back in the 30's 

They eventually managed to get it up and working again after finding some of the guys who remembered it before they retired and used it to produce what was needed. As far as I know it's still there but as Kerick says, whether anyone knows how to use it is a nother matter

Watervliet is still there, I believe they still have the equipment.

[Captain Canada]

Lotsa choppas....I like it !

Great work.