1:700 USS Des Moines CA-134 (Deluxe Edition)

The real subject

The USS Des Moines with the hull number CA-134 was the first ship of the class of the same name and was among the largest heavy cruisers ever created. She entered service in 1948, that is only after the Second World War, and her main armament consisted of nine guns of 203 mm caliber in three triple turrets. It was precisely these guns that were exceptional for their time with their automatic loading, which granted the cruiser a much higher rate of fire than the older ships of the same category had. A hull over 218 meters long gives a model about 31 cm long in 1:700 scale. The ship also served as a flagship in the Mediterranean and was stricken from service in 1961.

What the set contains

This is a kit of the ship in 1:700 scale in the extended edition that the manufacturer marks as the Deluxe Edition. The extent of this edition and the list of parts are to be found on the packaging and in the instructions.

Building and painting tips

In the seven-hundredth scale the result is decided by the cleanness of the work: sand the mating surfaces of the superstructures and the turrets so that they hold true, and fill and sand the joints on the hull. The postwar gray finish is monotonous, so the model comes to life only with shading of the individual areas, a fine emphasis of the edges and a careful emphasis of the decks.

Who it is for

For modelers with an interest in the American war fleet and in the equipment of the start of the Cold War. The smaller scale means that the model takes up little room in the display case and that a lot of work with detail can still be put into it. Paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery unless stated otherwise.