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Trumpeter 1:350 Essex class carrier - or something like that


bootneck

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The holidays are more or less over, the evenings are starting to get darker earlier and so this would be a good time to start another WIP. The intention will be to let this one drag out extend over the autumn and winter months as a gentle pastime.

The donor kit to be used will be the Trumpeter 1:350 USS Hancock kit
uss_boxer_001_1024.jpg




I've started with the basic assembly, which takes me up to the hangar deck level
uss_boxer_002_1024.jpg


First hangar wall starboard side added
uss_boxer_003_1024.jpg


I shall spend a little time doing a bit of research now. That should keep me busy whilst the forum is down on Wednesday!

Mike

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Yes, it is an Essex class carrier that was built during WW2 but I plan to complete it as a postwar carrier.

Mike :popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

who's going to be building this if we're all sat eating popcorn? :shrug:

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Excellent!

We don't often see post-war straight deck Essexes built and, as you know, they are very interesting designs.

If interested, 3D-printed modernized Korean War-era Essex islands are available in my Shapeways store. http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey?section=1%2F350+Ship+Superstructures&s=0

They are available in 1/700 and other scales, too.

Best wishes on your build! I'll be following with keen interest.

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Are you going for Korean or Cuban time frame?

Hi Rade, I'm going for a bit later than that; how about 1960 - 1965?

If interested, 3D-printed modernized Korean War-era Essex islands are available in my Shapeways store. http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey?section=1%2F350+Ship+Superstructures&s=0

Hi Steve, there wasn't much changed to this carrier from it's WW2 fit. Probably the most obvious change was the bridge became enclosed but the rest of the island remained the same.

Mike

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Ah, yes.

Really looking forward to seeing your build. I have a soft spot in my heart for Essexes and it will be great to see one built as she appeared post-war.

Not trying to seal your thread, just as a kindred Essex fan, I've been building a 1/350 Yorktown CV-10 as she appeared in April, 1945 in fits and spurts for a while now. The kit is quite a handful but immensely satisfying. Here's a link: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=32648

You may find something there that will help you avoid a trouble spot or two with the Trumpy kit.

Making a 1/350 Saratoga CV-3 as she appeared in late 1944 (from scratch), too. Just love the old carriers.

http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=157271

Best wishes!

Steve

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Hi Steve,

some interesting stuff there. Thanks for these links as I'll certainly need some reference stuff when I get to the detailing parts.

As you can see by this image, the island has an enclosed bridge and I need to start constructing some bits to fit on the kit island for this.

Island.jpg

By the way, how did you get on with fitting the flight deck? I find that one piece fits but not all together and the lift openings are not aligning with the marks on the hanger deck.

Another thing I noticed was the lift wells appear to have been repainted grey post war, as in this link.

All the best

Mike

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On 13/09/2016 at 9:02 PM, parip said:

Hi Mike

Which ship of the class are you building?

Cheers!

Rade

 

Hi Rade,

I am going to be building this kit as LPH-4 USS Boxer.  It will have a few Choctaws and a Chinook on deck.

 

7 minutes ago, Rob 1 said:

This does look a great subject. I also do like the Essexes, and it would be good to see a post war modded Essex built. 

Hi Rob,

The LPH's weren't modified like the postwar CV's therefore this build will be of the straight flight-deck with just the bridge area of the island being modified.  There is a postwar modified Essex kit available as the USS Intrepid by Gallery Models

cheers

 

Mike

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On 9/13/2016 at 9:55 AM, bootneck said:

Hi Steve,

some interesting stuff there. Thanks for these links as I'll certainly need some reference stuff when I get to the detailing parts.

As you can see by this image, the island has an enclosed bridge and I need to start constructing some bits to fit on the kit island for this.

Island.jpg

By the way, how did you get on with fitting the flight deck? I find that one piece fits but not all together and the lift openings are not aligning with the marks on the hanger deck.

Another thing I noticed was the lift wells appear to have been repainted grey post war, as in this link.

All the best

Mike

When I fit the flight deck to Yorktown, it was with more difficulty than expected for the very reasons you state. After a bit of fiddling, I found that the hangar deck bulkheads were of slightly different heights badly affecting the level of the flight deck (looked more like Akagi than Yorktown!).  The bulkheads needed to be sanded a bit so that each bulkhead was the same height and the flight deck rested upon it evenly.  This was tricky to make level.  A large sanding block was useful and I took it very slowly, checking and double checking.  After sanding the bulkheads level, the flight deck elevator openings surprisingly lined up with the hangar deck marks more closely without having to modify them further.

 

Concur that the lift wells were painted gray post-war.  Hornet's certainly was.  See: USS Hornet CV-12 forward lift well in 1947

 

If you like, I can make 3D-printed enclosed bridges (navigation and flag bridge) and offer it on Shapeways to save you some trouble.

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Hi Martin,

thanks for the advice, I'll have a go with some sanding.  With ref to the enclosed bridges, I might have to go for your suggestion, mainly as I have no measurement details, or plan, of the island area of Boxer at all.

cheers


Mike

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks Steve.  I've just had a look and have one query:  would the Pri-fly still be there on the 1960's LPH version?  I only have one image of the island on LPH-4 and that is the starboard side, therefore any advice would be appreciated very much.

 

cheers

 

Mike

 

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Great question and I am afraid I cannot answer it.  My best references of the island only go up to 1959 so made the deck as per her Korean War fit.  The one 1959 photo of the port side of the island does show PriFly as I have designed it.  If you have good photos of her in 1960, please send.  I am happy to adjust the design for you.

 

CV-21 island in 1959, port side.

 

Although the flag bridge looks the same, her navigating bridge window configuration for 1964 (photo you have above) is a bit different than the 1953 design.  I'm working on that now.  Hopefully, we'll get a better look at the port side.  That design will be offered separately from the 1953 design.

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