WIP: South Dakota-class battleships [1939 design]

4-28-12: First up; the 10x 5"/38cal non-flagship version. Based on the USS Alabama (BB-60); this can/will also represent the USS Indiana (BB-58) and Massachusetts (BB-59) as she appeared during 1942... Aircraft to represent the OS2U Kingfisher (2x per ship)

EDIT#1: Right, I shouldn't have looked for pics (LOL...?) for the other ships Indiana (BB58) and Massachusetts (BB59) - MaritimeQuest, Navsource and/or History.Navy.Mil ... I noticed that their boat cranes are present during 1942/43. Realizing Alabama being the last ship of the class, I cannot get over this difference and will have a model for those two (with boats and cranes... worse, have a different model? we'll see)... but will have to do it *after* I'm done with the lead ship USS South Dakota (BB57) with only 8x 5"/38cals...
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5-2-12 #1: The BB57 South Dakota is done. Photos of her during her shakedown cruise in 1942 are widely known, but I based her appearance on Photo# 80-G-36088, late 1942 according to the caption (during the Guadalcanal campaign/Battle for Sta. Cruz Islands). This link will take you to her (BB57 South Dakota) entry in the National Historical Center.

Additionaly, this link directs you to BB60 Alabama's Battleship Photo Archive over at NavSource Online

5-2-12 #2: Next up BB58 Indiana. Modded the Alabama sculpt to coincide with the photographs, please see this link for some very good (large-ish) pics; focusing on the year 1942 (render below BB58)

5-6-12: Done with the BB59 Massachusetts. As said earlier, modded SoDak sculpt with the additional pair of dual 5"/38s. Platforms to correspond, and the addition (subtraction?) of an indent on the mid-portside of the forecastle, forward of the A turret...

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US BB57 South Dakota[1942] 

Lead-ship of the class. Built to serve as flagship; she only had 8x dual 5"/38cal

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US BB58 Indiana[1942] 

Note: additional 5"/38cal turrets (10x vs. BB57's 8x) and presence of boats and cranes (vs. BB60)

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US BB59 Massachusetts[1942]

Mod of the BB57 South Dakota[1942] sculpt, with additional 5"/38cals;

quad 40mm Bofors in place of  the 1.1in; modified platforms.

Note indention (with 20mm AA) on portside of the forcastle, just forward the A turret

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US BB60 Alabama[1942] 

Note absence of boat crane abreast of mainmast

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US Navy's New Orleans class heavy cruisers [1942]

Sister ships:
- New Orleans (CA-32)
- Astoria (CA-34)
- Minneapolis (CA-36)
- Tuscaloosa (CA-37)
- San Francisco (CA-38)
- Quincy (CA-39)
- Vincennes (CA-44)

The sculpt for this class represents their general appearance during 1942 (3 of the class: Astoria, Quincy and Vincennes were sunk during the First Battle of Savo Island)

Note I've put in a support strut in between the cranes on top of the hangar. The 1/4800 pack contains 14x aircrafts representing SOC Seagulls (also in 1/4800); as usual and at this scale, extra care is advised when handling/painting these tiny aircrafts (~2mm wingspan).