The building of this model has been a true adventure. I've never considered myself to be a true model builder. On the other hand I have enjoyed wood working my entire life. As for my story on the model... it started by making small wooden cars, trucks, trains, planes, etc., for my youngest son Reese when I decided to build a ship. Searching the web on "battleships" I found this site on the USS Washington, and from that moment I was on a mission. The fabulous information contained on this site including; the diagrams, the photos, and the inspiration of the other models left me with a strong desire to build a model. I emerged from our home office, and when my wife asked if I found a ship to build, I laid out the two diagrams from this site plotted to scale. When I said this is it, she thought I was kidding. The next day I purchased a few boards and began construction of the hull. The rest of the ship is built from scrap wood from my garage. My wife Sue, daughter Chrissy, and sons Warren, Tony, and Reese have all watched as the ship has taken shape one piece at a time.