William Tompkins built 307 different model ships at a scale of 1/600. Mr. Tompkins started building his massive collection when he was in his early teens, and he continued to make highly detailed models throughout his lifetime. The fleet of model ships includes a wide array of models that span several decades, if not more, so the collection offers an insightful view of naval evolution over time. A portion of William Tompkins’ fleet of 1/600 scale model ships is on display in the Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad, CA.
Nicknamed “Showboat,” USS North Carolina (BB-55, 1941) was the lead vessel of the North Carolina-class battleships. This was the first newly constructed battleship to enter service during WWII. It took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific theater, and became the most highly decorated American battleship of WWII, accumulating 15 battle stars. The ship is now a museum and memorial kept at the seaport of Wilmington, NC. USS North Carolina was the lead vessel of the North Carolina-class battleships.