I'll second the positive posts on using the clear aircraft in general. You paint-well, really, it's the primer coat-them in the interior color, so, for USN yellow-wings, use a silver or aluminum color, and for USN WWII, use your favorite interior green. Then paint the exterior color. You can tape the canopy to preserve the clear part. When you've finished, in that scale (and even in 1/350), it really does give the effect of looking into the cockpit of the aircraft.
As to Trumpeter's little kits, well, they're well-engineered, and well-detailed, but relatively expensive. I got a box each of F6Fs and TBFs, to replace the air group of the Hasegawa 1/700 Essex, but there are only 6 aircraft in each box. and they were around $9 apiece from Squadron, plus shipping. On top of that, the kits do not include photo-etch for the more delicate parts, so if you want to go that extra mile, or if you consider that level of detail part of your requirements, you'll have to buy an additional photo-etch pack from someone else. Though, in my case, I think either Tom's Modelworks or White Ensign, or another of the photo-etch makers, includes propellers, landing gear and interplane struts (for biplanes) on their brass sheets.
But so far, I haven't found anything else to use. For me, I do want the look of the clear canopy, so I'll suck it up and pay the price. Though, I have been working on an idea to use clear plastic sprue stock to replace the canopies on the kit aircraft, but haven't quite gotten it right yet. Otherwise, they're going to flesh out the views of the hangar deck.
Regards,
Brad