USS Des Moines CA-134 1:700 Very Fire 700907

Plastic model kit: USS Des Moines CA-134 1:700 Very Fire 700907

The plastic model kit USS Des Moines CA-134 in 1:700 scale from Very Fire is an excellent choice for enthusiasts of naval history and modeling. This detailed model represents the heavy cruiser of the United States Navy, which was the first ship of its class equipped with automatic 8-inch (203 mm) Mark 16 guns. These were the world's first large-caliber guns with automatic loading, making the USS Des Moines unique for its time.

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:700
• Manufacturer: Very Fire
• Catalog number: 700907

History of USS Des Moines CA-134: USS Des Moines (CA-134) was the lead ship of the United States Navy's heavy cruiser class. It was launched on September 27, 1946, at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, and entered service on November 16, 1948. This ship was the second in the history of the US Navy to bear the name of the capital of Iowa, Des Moines.

USS Des Moines served worldwide until it was decommissioned in 1961. During its operational career, this cruiser participated in numerous exercises and missions aimed at maintaining the combat readiness of the US Navy. The ship regularly cruised the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic, and the North Atlantic waters, serving as the flagship of the 6th Fleet.

From 1949 to 1957, USS Des Moines annually sailed to the Mediterranean Sea, and in 1952 and from 1954 to 1957, it conducted training cruises with cadets, visiting ports in Northern Europe. The ship also participated in NATO exercises and served as a command center during the Lebanese crisis in 1958.

Deactivation and further fate: After being decommissioned in 1961, USS Des Moines was placed in reserve at the South Boston Naval Annex and later at the Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. In 1981, an assessment was conducted to evaluate the possibility of reactivating the ship as part of the 600-ship fleet plan. However, due to high costs and lack of space for modern weapon systems, the ship remained in reserve until 1993, when it was stricken from the register.

Despite attempts to convert USS Des Moines into a museum ship, it was ultimately sold for scrap in 2005 and dismantled by 2007. Parts of the ship, such as the twin 5-inch/38 caliber guns, were donated to the USS Lexington museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. For assembly, separately sold modeling tools are needed (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.