USS Mount Hood/USS America

Ships
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1

Hi Everyone,
Today I have two questions for the forum.

  1. Does anyone know of a kit or a suitable donor kit that could be easily modified to represent the Kilauea class ammunition supply ship USS Mount Hood AE-29 that served during the Vietnam War? My daughter’s neighbor served on the second vessel with that name after the terrible explosion that occurred on the first vessel during WWII. I’d really like to make him a representation of his vessel to thank him for his service. He’s told me that that used to resupply the USS Kitty Hawk during the war.
  2. My oldest brother served on the USS America CV-66 during the 70’s in the Mediterranean Sea. I have the old Iterali 1/720 kit of this ship and over the years have hoped for a new kit in 1/350 scale to be released. I’,m starting to realize that it’s probably not going to happen so my question to the community is the Iterali kit a good place to start or am I wasting my time?
    Thanks everyone.
2

A couple options.

You may be able to start with the Trumpeter 1/350 Liberty Ship and modify it to be the Mount Hood.
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You could also start w/the 1/350 Trumpeter USS Kitty Hawk since the America was a Kitty Hawk class carrier. Again, you may have to add/delete/modify it, but it would be close.
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3

An Italian company called Ships & Co had released a 1/700th scale Kilauea class ammunition supply ship ;

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ships-and-co-usns-kiska-t-ae-35–1107498

Here’s a review of another kit from them :

http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/misc/amphib/lsd41-700-snc/snc-review.html

H.P.