US ALASKA Class Large Cruisers - Availability Delayed until further notice

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Category: Heavy Cruisers

Last Updated: Wednesday, 23 November 2022 12:24

The Alaska and Guam were to be a class of six ships built for the USN during WW2, but the war ended before any more than 2 could be completed. These ships were designed as enlarged heavy cruisers to take on Light, Heavy and Battle Cruisers of the German and Japanese Navies.

These ships were given the designation of 'CB', which has been interpreted ever since as to mean these ships were Battle cruisers, if so, these are the only battlecruisers ever built and completed for the USN. Alaska and Guam were excellent ships with superb defensive fire power, a good turn of speed and good sea keeping, they also carried the excellent 50 calibre 12 inch guns in three triple turrets. They did have their faults though. They were under armoured in the stern area, and they only had a single rudder which meant a very large turning circle. These two did not enter service until late 1944- early 1945 and only saw action around Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. By the time they were completed, the ships they were to combat, were already sunk or were never actually built. During their service in the pacific, Alaska and Guam were celebrated as excellent carrier escorts and land bombardment ships and well thought of by the fleet. Being both expensive to build and operate, these two ships only saw 32 and 29 months service respectively. They went into reserve in 1947 and were scrapped in the early 1960's after many plans to convert them to missile cruisers fell through.

This 1:72 scale hull comes with ships plating, armoured belts, shaft exit positions, 'A' bracket positions, rudder position and anchor positions moulded in.

3,423mm long and 389mm wide.

(Available mid to late 2021) hull master well under way

Price for hull: A$ 1,000.00 + freight *

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