IOWA battleship to aircraft carrier conversion.

seadude · December 11, 2016, 01:00:23 PM

In World War II, there was a proposal to convert some or all IOWA class battleships into aircraft carriers. There's not much I've been able to find out about this proposal. Only one diagram officially exists of this never were project which is shown below.
Several days ago, I learned from a fellow modeling friend that he was thinning down his modeling stash and he had asked me if I wanted his partially built Iowa battleship/carrier model conversion. Being that he knew I loved doing what if model projects, I instantly said YES! I never even knew he had started something like this. And I've never heard of anyone else attempting this project either around the Internet or elsewhere.
So yesterday during the monthly model club meeting and Christmas party, he brought the unfinished BB/CV and gave it to me as a gift. To say I am speechless is an understatement. He also said there's some extra parts and photoetch for the model and that he'll have to mail all that to me. The only bad thing right now is that a balcony/walkway on the port bow side broke off when I was transporting it home from the club meeting. But it should be easily fixable.
I've always dreamed of starting a what if project like this in the future, but never dreamed that somebody had already beaten me to it. It's sad to see that my friend wasn't able to finish this model, but he said that he highly doubted he'd have time for it anymore, so he needed to find a good home/person who would have it rather than chucking it in the trash.
I feel honored to have this model and I hope I can eventually do it justice and make it an outstanding piece of work. Also, this model is in 1/350 scale. It might be a long time before I finish this BB/CV model project as I have 1-2 other model subjects to finish beforehand.

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seadude · December 11, 2016, 01:01:15 PM

seadude · December 11, 2016, 01:02:04 PM

sandiego89 · December 11, 2016, 01:52:50 PM

Wow, great gift!- he made a good start on it. I think the gun tubs near the bow look a bit odd. Great project!

seadude · December 11, 2016, 03:01:05 PM

Quote from: sandiego89 on December 11, 2016, 01:52:50 PM
Wow, great gift!- he made a good start on it. I think the gun tubs near the bow look a bit odd. Great project!

Yeah, there's a few things that look "odd" on the model. So eventually, I will be making additional deletions and additions, one of them being changes to armament and all the weapon galleries and sponsons. I want to try and get as close to the blueprint as possible........I hope. But whether the blueprint is a preliminary or final design, I don't know. $:-\$

kerick · December 11, 2016, 05:10:40 PM

Drawing says preliminary study so still in a pretty flexible stage. I'd say go with what looks good to you and reasonable in that time frame.
Looks like your friend had put a lot of work into this already. I can see why he wanted someone who might finish it. It has the potential to be a great model. Then of course you have to consider the air wing! Bearcats and Flying Flapjacks.

rickshaw · December 11, 2016, 06:00:14 PM

You will of course, do a "follow-on" rebuild with an angled flight deck, improved radar and a great deal more light AA, won't you?

seadude · December 11, 2016, 06:46:29 PM

QuoteThen of course you have to consider the air wing! Bearcats and Flying Flapjacks.

Or would that be Bearcats chasing the Flying Flapjacks and trying to eat them?

(joke)

Quote from: rickshaw on December 11, 2016, 06:00:14 PM
You will of course, do a "follow-on" rebuild with an angled flight deck, improved radar and a great deal more light AA, won't you?

I think one Iowa carrier conversion is enough to "test" my modeling skills and patience. I don't need any more headaches as it is. I'll concede and let you do the angled deck version.

kerick · December 11, 2016, 09:07:57 PM

And by the end of the war these ships had enough AA guns to make the ship look like a pin cushion.
The angled flight deck rebuild can be after they were brought out of mothballs for Vietnam.

Thorvic · December 12, 2016, 03:20:54 AM

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7220.15.html

There's a bit on our Sister site that puts the Freidmans US Battleships as a primary data source with Wayne Scarpaci's Iowa Class Conversion projects as a 2nd.

Not a lot in Wayne's book just a side profile and one of his paintings as efforts were better used in building the Essex Class and developing the Midway class than modifying the two incomplete Iowa's to a Carrier configuration that was less capable than the Essex class.

Should be a nice build once you correct it, I suspect your friend got carried away with the fit applied to the Essex class for his adlibs, plus a bit of the minds eye modelling, where your mental image overrides what your references actually show.

Captain Canada · December 12, 2016, 04:50:50 AM

Very nice ! Looks a natural like that. Can't wait to see more !

seadude · December 12, 2016, 09:21:21 AM

Quote from: Thorvic on December 12, 2016, 03:20:54 AM
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,7220.15.html

There's a bit on our Sister site that puts the Freidmans US Battleships as a primary data source with Wayne Scarpaci's Iowa Class Conversion projects as a 2nd.

Not a lot in Wayne's book just a side profile and one of his paintings as efforts were better used in building the Essex Class and developing the Midway class than modifying the two incomplete Iowa's to a Carrier configuration that was less capable than the Essex class.

Should be a nice build once you correct it, I suspect your friend got carried away with the fit applied to the Essex class for his adlibs, plus a bit of the minds eye modelling, where your mental image overrides what your references actually show.

I'll take a look through that linked thread when I have the time. Thanks for pointing that out.

I do have Freidman's US Battleships book and Garzke & Dulin's Battleships book. I consider both of them to be 1st and 2nd, whereas Wayne's book (Which I also have.) might be a 3rd........but just barely.

JoeP · December 26, 2016, 07:52:47 AM

Very nice work.

I am looking forward to the end result.

JoeP

seadude · December 26, 2016, 09:53:18 AM

I'll probably use the same name that Wayne Scarpaci mentioned in his book: the USS Santa Cruz. I kinda like the sound of that.

I am uncertain of a camouflage measure for the ship. I'll gladly take suggestions. But be warned: I don't have an airbrush. I do all my painting with a spray can and/or by brush painting.

PR19_Kit · December 27, 2016, 02:44:38 AM

Quote from: seadude on December 26, 2016, 09:53:18 AM

But be warned: I don't have an airbrush. I do all my painting with a spray can and/or by brush painting.

Nothing wrong with that at all, they're perfectly acceptable means of painting a model.

The current belief that modelling is just impossible without the use of an airbrush is a myth put about by people who are too young to have learnt how to paint with a brush.

[I'd say 'rant mode off' here, but I have no intention of turning it off!]