Number one thing to change out- the 4" guns.
I have not built this kit in 40 years or so, but have done quite a few larger ones in other scales with the same armament.
I would cut the whole gun off of it's pedestal with a horizontal chop.
Then use a couple or three diameters of plastic rod sections to make the basic 1-2-3 shape of a breech loading navy gun. They haven't changed much in 100 years, at least in 1940.
Then gussie it up with various bits. All a major improvement over what the kit supplies.
We need an updated and truly steel flush deck model in 1/350...