Looks like there aren’t any threads on the Hobby Boss 1:700 USS Kearsarge (LHD-3). So I’ll go. This is my first real post here... I hope it works!
This was my first model in almost 25 years. It’s also the first model ship I ever built. Considering that my skills were basically a rusty version of my 13-year-old self, I’m pretty happy with it. On this model I got reacquainted with the basics, learned how to work with some photo etched parts, and used water slide decals the right way (unlike 25 years ago).
There’s no weathering on it because I hadn’t started learning how to do that yet. There’s also no rigging. I still haven’t learned how to stretch sprue and I was afraid of breaking things with monofilament.
I also have to admit I chickened out on the railings. The kit came with a ton of photo etch stuff – some of it absolutely required, like the catwalks, and other stuff optional, like the radar – and I screwed up a goodly amount of it. So when it came time to do the railings, I was so far along with the model that I was really scared of ruining it with bent brass and gobs of glue. I bought an aftermarket railing set but I only used a little bit, for accents here and there. I wasn’t worried about accuracy, just wanted to get the feel for it.
I had a lot of trouble with the wheels on everything. At 1:700 scale, there was just no way I could get them on. So most of the helicopters sit flat on the deck, and the crane wheels are made out of sprue. This was the most frustrating part of the whole model, and the only point since I’ve gotten back into building that I actually glued my fingers together. (I’ve since learned, from another thread on the forums, that working with nothing but CA is like doing crosswords in pen. If only I’d known that then.) That said, I really do like all the detailing on LCACs and LCUs, and the tiny vehicles that go on them.
I think it’s an awesome kit, and a better builder could really do an incredible job. As it is, I’m really happy with it. Being able to finish this kit got me back into scale modeling. If there are other threads on the Kearsarge that I missed, I’d love to see them! I may attempt this kit again someday, to see how it goes with more experience.