Combrig also makes a very nice resin kit in 1/700.



I do not mean to jump into the subject, but take a look at the following email about the Olympia.
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Hello Friends,
It’s time for another quick update and we have some exciting news to pass along. First and foremost we want to let everyone know we are now able to accept monetary contributions and offer tax deductable payment vouchers for donations made to Friends of the Cruiser Olympia. Secondly, we finally got an opportunity to meet with the board of directors of the Independence Seaport Museum and introduce ourselves as well as make known to them our intentions.

Even though the meeting with ISM wasn’t as productive as we anticipated, expectations have been set for us to meet before ISM will entrust us stewardship of Olympia. The number one priority for us is to raise 10 million dollars by 12/31/10. The second priority is taking over as caretaker of Cruiser Olympia 1-2-11.

We are asking our family and friends to help in initiating our fund raising efforts. This is a critical time for Olympia, we need for you to write your congressman or congresswoman, write your senators, contact your family, your friends, your coworkers, and help us spread the word. Above all we need donations, without donations Olympia’s fate is all but sealed in becoming that of an artificial reef.

If you would like to make a contribution, or volunteer your time or services, please go to www.fotco.org and feel free to help us out. Again we at Friends of the Cruiser Olympia would like to thank each and everyone of you for your continued support.

Regards
President
Capt Harry Burkhardt
Friends of the Cruiser Olympia

Friends of the Cruiser Olympia



This is what I meant when I said "iffy future" for this great ship. Thanks for posting this for me.

John

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Hello John, Revell makes a plastic kit of the Olympia that builds up nicely with a little TLC. It is an old kit and it is box scale, but it may be the only game in town. B&D Barrels has a set of brass barrels available for it.There was a kit produced by PYRO way back in the Dark Ages ( the 60's), but I think it is lost to the ages. I have never seen it re-released. I remember they molded it in white and released it as the Olympia and they molded it in gray and released it as the USS Maine, even though the two ships look nothing alike! Al