Photo: www.dailymail.co.uk
Whether or not it was a coincidence, the ship Scottish fisherman Jim McDonaugh worked so hard for was finished at the same time the world is celebrating 70 years after the ending of the World War II. The USS Missouri played an important role at this moment, considering it was the site of the surrender of the Empire of Japan.
Dubbed Mighty Mo or Big Mo, the US Navy Iowa-class battleship was the third ship of the US Navy to be named in honor of the state of Missouri. Fortunately, it also was the last battleship commissioned by the country. She gloriously fought famous battles such as those of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and even after the end of the WW2 it participated in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.
Two years later it was decommissioned in the United States Navy reserve fleets, only to be modernized and reactivated in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan. Even after all these years, the legendary battleship would still provide fire support during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. One year later it would be removed from service for good, and since 1998 has been showcased at a museum ship at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, being currently owned by the USS Missouri Memorial Association.
We have told you all these details because we are looking at a genuine piece of history that was the result of great engineering and saw some of the world’s ugliest battles at sea. The fact that brick enthusiasts like Jim McDonaugh are still creating scale models of it proves how great it was.
It’s not just the passion for classic warships that the Scottish fisherman was after, however, considering that when he started this journey, three years ago, it was meant to be the biggest Lego replica in the world. It didn't end up that way, eventually, with another Lego enthusiast building a slightly bigger issue.
As a matter of fact, McDonaugh’s Lego ship turned out that great the Battleship Memorial twitted a picture with it. The Lego-mad fisherman also claims that none of the bricks was glued, and that’s because he considers it would mean he was cheating. Here’s how he describes the ship himself on Lego builders community Mocpages:
“Nearly three years building this one. 10,000 parts. As for size, it now stands 4ft 6 inches high; 3ft wide and a massive 24ft 3 inches long. Not counted the studs LOL. The stern crane is motorized, and the bridge has lights as you have seen in my other updates. It was a struggle to get the turrets to sit with the weight of them, but bricks on their side worked well in the end. This is the WW2 version with as many guns as it had at the war’s end.”
Two years later it was decommissioned in the United States Navy reserve fleets, only to be modernized and reactivated in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan. Even after all these years, the legendary battleship would still provide fire support during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. One year later it would be removed from service for good, and since 1998 has been showcased at a museum ship at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, being currently owned by the USS Missouri Memorial Association.
We have told you all these details because we are looking at a genuine piece of history that was the result of great engineering and saw some of the world’s ugliest battles at sea. The fact that brick enthusiasts like Jim McDonaugh are still creating scale models of it proves how great it was.
It’s not just the passion for classic warships that the Scottish fisherman was after, however, considering that when he started this journey, three years ago, it was meant to be the biggest Lego replica in the world. It didn't end up that way, eventually, with another Lego enthusiast building a slightly bigger issue.
An 1:140 scale model worthy of a world record
According to Gizmodo, the 1:140 scale model of the iconic WWII vessel now stands 4 ft 6 inches high, 3 ft wide and a massive 24 ft 3 inches long. It’s big alright, but it also appears to be remarkably faithful to the original design.As a matter of fact, McDonaugh’s Lego ship turned out that great the Battleship Memorial twitted a picture with it. The Lego-mad fisherman also claims that none of the bricks was glued, and that’s because he considers it would mean he was cheating. Here’s how he describes the ship himself on Lego builders community Mocpages:
“Nearly three years building this one. 10,000 parts. As for size, it now stands 4ft 6 inches high; 3ft wide and a massive 24ft 3 inches long. Not counted the studs LOL. The stern crane is motorized, and the bridge has lights as you have seen in my other updates. It was a struggle to get the turrets to sit with the weight of them, but bricks on their side worked well in the end. This is the WW2 version with as many guns as it had at the war’s end.”
Jim McDonough's #LEGO build of the USS Missouri took 3 years. It stands 4ft 6 in. high, 3ft wide & 24ft 3 in. long. pic.twitter.com/Us8grr4auP
— Battleship Missouri (@USSMissouri) April 7, 2015
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