A long time ago I was looking at the updated Iowa class, not sure who made them. These days, I’d have to see what was out there.
Unfortunately I’m not going to have the time in the near future for a large project like that. I do want to get my older two boys into building models starting with snap-tite and working their way up.
I also have an Monogram F4F that has been partially painted but still on the sprues since 1999...
Tamiya made a great 1/350 scale version of the New Jersey which is the one I built. They still market that model.
Here’s a link it...about 80 bucks:
http://www.oakridgehobbies.com/default/tamiya-u-s-battleship-bb-62-new-jersey-ship-plastic-model-kit.html
I’ll post some pictures of the one I built. Had it since 1991 and she still looks good. Went so far as to buy the etched photo railings for the vessels at that time which really improves the look.
Nowadays the etched photo kits have the ladders, stairs, railings of various types (2-3-4 rail) most of the sensors in accurate detail, a lot of the platforms, even the extrieror watertights doors if you are willing to cut out the door locations of those you want to show open.
I bought the phot etch metal kits for the Kuznetsov (Russian carrier of the same class) and used it for this model. The model itself came with a small set that had the a lot of the sensors, but the railing and other platforms that matched the Chinese build I used off of the Kuznetsov kit.