I don't have any experience with any Academy kits, in any genre.
There are a couple of Hornet kits out, in both the half sister to Yorktown and Enterprise, and the later Essex class.
Lots of choices in the CV-N 65 Enterprise. In 1/350 all of these are going to be around 30 inches long.
All of the above are also in 1/700, 1/2 the size of the 1/350's, but harder to work with and detail.
The Revell PT is not an expensive kit at under $20 in most places, but have never built it.