I used top watch that show when I was stationed at Little Rock. I built a few models of the ship when I was in Okinawa and here, but one day I decided to try the conversion of the Tamiya kit. I managed to find one at a vender's table at Modelpalooza a few years ago and to my surprise it came with a second box of spare parts left over from another kit that had been salvaged for some reason.
After going over the idea with a few other bujilders it was decided there were too many things that needed to be done.
The kit sat on the shelf for some time and then I got an idea. Back during the war there were several conversions done that turned warchips into partial aircraft carriers. Then I found out about the Navy's idea to convert battleships into assault ships with most of the ship being turned into a carrier with different types of flight decks. I figured that there was probably a need for a space warship for the same purpose.One thing led to another and trhe result was the Space Asault Ship Toronaga, half Yamato (Argo) and the stern a whole different type of ship. Ir still retained features of the Yamato like large antennas or sensore, side mounted defense turrets that would move out for a better field of fire, and other things.
If your project proves to be too much, just do a different type ship using the same idea. Sometimes it's easier to bring back to life a sunken ship in a different role than start from scratch, assault ships, fire support, interdection, and so on, anything a water fleet might need, even repair ships.
not trying to steal your thread.