¹⁄700

Niko Models are on a pre Dreadnought production roll and have released images of their impending release the 1/700th USS Illinois, 1901.

Check out these released images of the kitset.

If you love these era of ships anywhere as much as I do I do then no doubt you will see this as another superb release.

Like most of Niko Models products this kitset will be a quality resin kit with photoetch and turned brass masts. Details as to availability and price are yet to be confirmed.

We will of course update you with more detail as it comes to hand.

Images courtesy of Niko Models and Wikipedia.

Ships History

General Statistics

Displacement: 11,565 tons
Length: 368 feet
Beam: 72.3 feet
Draft: 23.5 feet
Speed: 17 knots
Complement: 660 officers and men
Armament: 4 x 13 inch guns
14 x 6 inch guns
16 x 6 pounder guns

The USS Illinois (BB-7), was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the twenty first state, and the lead ship of her class.

Her keel was laid down the10th of February 1897 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on the 4th of October 1898 sponsored by Miss Nancy Leiter, and commissioned on the16th of September 1901 with Captain G.A. Converse in command.

After shakedown and training in Chesapeake Bay, the new battleship sailed on the 20th of November 1901 for Algiers, Louisiana, for her first assignment where she was used to test a new floating dry dock.

She returned to Newport News in January 1902 and from 15 February to 28 February served as flagship for Rear Admiral R.D. Evans during the reception for Prince Henry of Prussia.

Bearing the flag of Rear Admiral A.S. Crowninshield, the battleship departed New York City on the 30th of April 1902 and arrived at Naples on the 18th of May, where the Admiral took command of the European Squadron. Illinois carried out training and ceremonial duties until the14th of July 1902, when she grounded in the harbour of Christiana, Norway, and had to return to England for repairs. She remained at Chatham until the 1st of September 1902, then proceeded to the Mediterranean Sea and South Atlantic for fleet maneuvers.
Illinois was detached from the European Squadron on the 10th of January 1903 and assigned to the North Atlantic. She engaged in fleet maneuvers, gunnery and seamanship training, and ceremonial operations until December 1907, when she joined the Great White Fleet for the cruise around the world.
The USS Illinois was placed in reserve commission on the15th of April 1912 and recommissioned the 2nd of November 1912, in time to take part in winter fleet exercises and battle maneuvers with the Atlantic Fleet.

During the summers of 1913 and 1914 Illinois made training cruises to Europe with Midshipmen.

In 1919 the ship was again laid up at Philadelphia Navy Yard until she was loaned to the State of New York on the 23rd of October 1921 for use by the Naval Militia.

Excluded from further use as a warship by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, Illinois was fitted out as a floating armory at New York Navy Yard in 1924 and was assigned to the New York Naval Reserve.

She remained there for more than 30 years, though reclassified IX-15 on the 8th of January 1941 and renamed Prairie State to allow her name to be assigned to a projected new battleship. During World War II she served as a Naval Reserve Midshipmen Training School at New York. Following the war, she was retained on loan to the State as quarters for a Naval Reserve unit until the 31st of December 1956.

Prairie State, after over 50 years of useful service to the Navy and the Nation, was towed to Baltimore, Maryland, and sold for scrap to Bethlehem Steel Company on the18th of May 1956.