Neptun 1300X US Battleship Iowa 1943 MS-21 1/1250 Scale Model Ship
New Arrival: Iowa in Measure 21, 1943
Now in stock at Historia Emporium: the Neptun 1300X US Battleship Iowa 1943 MS-21 1/1250 Scale Model Ship. This Navis-Neptun release presents the lead ship of the Iowa class in a historically grounded Measure 21 paint presentation from 1943, ideal for collectors who track U.S. Navy appearances by era and camouflage directive.
Highlights
- Highly detailed metal alloy model ship with realistic paint scheme
- Historically accurate surface details, including armament, stacks, masts, and lifeboats
- 1943 appearance with MS-21 (Measure 21) coloring
- Compact 1/1250 scale format suited to fleet and desktop display
- Original box included
Historical Context: USS Iowa in 1943
USS Iowa (BB-61) was commissioned in February 1943, the first of four Iowa-class fast battleships. In her opening year of service she represented the Navy's newest generation of capital ships: long-range 16-inch gunnery, high speed for task-force operations with the fast carrier groups, and extensive anti-aircraft batteries arranged to meet mid-war air threats.
Through 1943, Iowa moved from shakedown and training into operational tempo: Atlantic assignments early on gave way to Pacific deployment. Once in the Pacific, she was positioned for the kind of raiding, screening, and shore-bombardment missions that defined U.S. battleship employment as carrier aviation took the leading offensive role. A 1943 MS-21 finish therefore captures the ship in a period when U.S. heavy surface forces were shifting fully toward the Central and Western Pacific offensives.
Measure 21 (MS-21) in World War II
During World War II, the U.S. Navy issued numbered Measures---standardized camouflage instructions that specified colors and placement so ships could be repainted consistently in fleet overhaul and forward bases. These were not random "paint jobs"; they were administrative schemes tied to theater, lighting conditions, and visibility against sea and sky.
Measure 21 is one of the best-known Pacific schemes. In its typical battleship application, Navy Blue (5-N) was used on vertical surfaces above the waterline---hull sides, superstructure, stacks, and turret sides---while Deck Blue (20-B) was applied to horizontal surfaces such as decks (subject to wartime interpretation and touch-up). The intent was to reduce silhouette contrast at moderate viewing distances in open-ocean daylight: a dark hull tends to sit lower visually against a deep-water horizon than a light gray hull, particularly when viewed from aircraft or from surface search ranges.
Models labeled MS-21 (Measure 21) help collectors and diorama builders match a specific moment in U.S. Navy wartime appearance rather than a generic "battleship gray" look. Paired with the Iowa's 1943 date, this Neptun piece targets a clear historical niche.
Collector Notes
This item is a finished display model (not a plastic assembly kit). The model will be packed carefully for shipment; minor adjustment may be needed after transit. Masts and gun barrels on metal ship models are fragile and may require careful straightening before display. In 1/1250 scale, length scales with the real vessel---a fast battleship subject like Iowa makes a substantial but still manageable display piece in this line.
SKU: NN1300X | Manufacturer: Navis-Neptun | Subcategory: 1:1250 Battleships | Scale: 1:1250 | GTIN: Does Not Apply
Order Yours Today
The Neptun 1300X US Battleship Iowa 1943 MS-21 1/1250 scale model ship is available now for $125.95. Domestic orders of $100 or more qualify for free domestic shipping.
See more newly arrived models at www.greathistorygifts.com and expand your fleet with Historia Emporium.
May 12, 2026 | Categories: Newly Arrived | Tags: Neptun, Navis-Neptun, USS Iowa, BB-61, Measure 21, MS-21, WWII, US Navy, 1/1250 Scale, Metal Model Ship, Battleship
