by Eric Mante
1/350 USS Montana BB-67 (Scratchbuilt)
The story of this model goes all the way back to about 2002/2003 or so. While visiting my best friend, we casually chatted about naval history and battleships. The discussion eventually turned toward the Iowa class battleship, Yamato class battleship, and what could have been built afterward if the war had continued. Talk of the Montana class ensued thereafter. It wasn’t long before we started wondering if somebody somewhere would have a model of the Montana battleship out. After much searching on the Internet and elsewhere, no model of the ship had ever been produced. As talk and interest in this subject grew, we knew that a model had to be built. To have a model of this “mystery ship” which had never existed would be a modeler’s dream come true.
A search was then started on the Internet and in books for as much info. as possible. Unfortuneately, very little information existed. What little that did was very confusing as specifications, designs, sketches, and other info. often contradicted each other as to what the ship had and what it didn’t. After numerous discussions and “often heated debates” on some model forums, a fellow modeler stepped forward and offered to cast a waterline resin main hull to make the Montana from. This hull measured 32” inches long and 4” inches wide, and was also quite detailed with various items added around the decks. After weeks of waiting, the hull was shipped and finally received. After looking at the level of detail provided, me and my friend were ecstatic. But unfortuneately, that enjoyment didn’t last long as upon closer examination, the hull tended to show numerous imperfections such as bumps, pits, holes, and cracks. It was later that I learned this came from mechanical/technical difficulties during the casting process. Faced with either scrapping the entire model project, converting a Tamiya Missouri battleship kit, or salvaging the resin hull, I decided to “keep my chin up” so to speak and stick with the resin hull. Despite the problems with it, I figured it would give me good practice and experience on working with resin for the first time.
Now that the hull was had, it was time to determine what configuration to build the Montana into: Either the “early” (1941) WWII final design configuration with the boat cranes and boats still amidships, or a possible configuration if the ship had been built and entered late in the war with numerous more guns and other changes. After much contemplation, it was decided to build the ship in a theoretical possible “late war configuration” with more guns and other numerous changes to show the ship in a more active role. Since no pics or other references exist which might show a Montana in a final late war configuration, it was left up to me to take a big guess as to how the ship might have looked. In order to get the necessary extra guns and other equipment to build the model, two extra 1/350 Tamiya USS Missouri kits were used for extra parts that my best friend provided. This was necessary as no company or model maker at the time that I was aware of, made aftermarket parts such as the amidships boat cranes, 5”/54 cal. guns, an individual North Carolina type bridge structure, and other various pieces that the Montana would have “originally” had. The following is a breakdown of parts used:
What follows is a listing of additions, deletions, and other changes made in the creation of the Montana.
Model was painted in World War II “Measure 22” scheme. Sides of hull are Testor Model Master Marine color 5-N Navy Blue. All vertical surfaces, ship’s boats, and most other equipment and fixtures painted with Tamiya Sky Gray to simulate Haze Gray color. All decks and horizontal surfaces painted with Testor Model Master Marine 20B Deck Blue. SC-1 aircraft painted with Tamiya XF-8 Flat Blue.
Wood base and plexiglass case built by John Ekins and Eric Mante. Name plaque designed and purchased by Eric Mante. Main resin hull cast by Chris Eddy. The two extra Missouri kits that extra parts came from, as well as invaluable help in reference material/information and also moral support, provided by my best friend Chris Mielke. All gluing, painting, and major/minor construction work on the Montana done by Eric Mante. The
“water” used around the ship actually came from using a model railroad product called “Realistic Water” from Woodland Sceneics.
The “balconies” that are amidships next to some 5” gun spots on the resin hull were removed. What these were for and why they were there is unknown since all available pics and sketches of the Montana do not show them.
A few facts and figures about the USS Montana model:
The model ship is 32 inches long and 4 inches wide.
From start to finish, this model project took about 4-5 years.
The ship has the following: The ship has twelve 16" guns in 4 triple turrets, twenty 5" guns in 10 twin turrets, 96 40mm guns in 24 quadruple turrets, and 72 20mm machine guns.
Wood display base measures 40 inches long x 10 inches wide. The plexiglass display case is 37 ¼ inches long x 7 ½ inches wide x approx. 8 ¾ inches tall.
Final notes:
While the model sorta looks like a "Iowa wannabe" so to speak, no matter what I or anyone else does, I don't think the “final true configuration” of the Montana will ever be truly known since the ship was never built. Had the war continued and/or the need for a few more battleships presented itself, then the Montana would have undergone numerous more changes to structures, guns, etc. The model I built was based on very little references and other resources. It’s ONE interpretation of what the ship could have looked like. Anybody else who builds one is going to build it in their own unique way, which is just as well since it's good to see some variation from modeler to modeler. I like a bit of variety. It spices up the modeling world. Not even Phil Raver's Montana in the May 1992 issue of FineScale Modeler is a "true" Montana either. But I still like it. Further information about the Montana can be found in this Modelwarship forum thread.
