The Iowa-class battleship USS Missouri carried three turrets, each mounting three Mk.7 16”/50 guns. More than 66 feet long from chamber to muzzle and weighing 267,900 lbs., it could fire 1-ton projectiles with a range of up to 24 miles. Each barrel could be elevated and fired independently, and each turret was operated by a crew of 79 men!
Takom’s 1/72 scale USS Missouri Mk.7 16”/50 gun turret comes with a seven-page instruction booklet which includes paint diagrams and color callouts for Ammo by Mig Jimenez paints. The kit’s 136 parts come in three parts trees, three large turret assemblies, and one photo-etched metal (PE) fret, so while it’s a good-sized model, it’s not an extensive time investment.
The instructions break down assembly into 10 steps; I went to Step 6 and glued the turret top (Part C) and bottom (Part D) together. Then I assembled the two large housings (parts B34 and B35) and attached them to the turret, careful to leave off the railings until later. After installing the parts shown in Step 5, I slotted the turret to the provided deck base, making putting on the railings and other parts much easier. However, while the base has engraved deck planks, the detail is so fine that it’s hard to see; I re-scribed each line for more definition.
The gun barrels came in halves and required sanding before assembling the housings. Each barrel has the option of two housings depending upon the angle of elevation you want to display. They snap into the turret without glue, allowing you to adjust elevation later if you wish.
To make the baskets in Step 7, I formed the PE mesh around a wooden dowel first, assembled the plastic frame, then slid the screen into the frame. This was the hardest part of the build and required slow, careful work. The PE life raft tie-down wires were extremely thin and I could not get the glue to hold them in place. Stronger wire or stretched sprue would do the job.
Rather than Ammo paints, I went with Model Master Light Ghost Gray for the turret sides and Blue Gray on top. I painted the deck Tamiya Buff (No. XF-87).
After completing this kit, you might want to build the rest of the ship! I spent less than 15 hours building the turret, and I must say, it would look good on my display shelf even if I were not a ship guy. This is an easy model to build and is great for someone who wants something different.