Lindberg USS Yorktown

Frankly it's a waste of time and will frustrate you. There are quite a few nice Essex Class kits out there.

I never did like Lindberg models, a lot to be desired! Too much fixing before even starting to paint, glue, etc. But that's my opinion.

Wanted to build a WWII Essex class that is bigger than 1/700 but cheaper than the 1/350 kits. Had this one in the stash so I figured it would do. Not looking for perfection, just a break from my usual stuff.

Revell produces a 1/487 Uss Yorktown. You might want to check that out, I don't know the price, but almost have to be cheaper than the 1/350 I would think.

Revell reboxed the 1/500 Shangri La, old Renwall kit. it's pretty nice too. It can be had for less than $ 30.

The 1/485 Revell kit is the older Yorktown, $ 14.95 on Amazon. It's pretty stripped down. But it is a really interesting subject.

There are PE sets available for the old Revell 1/535 Essex ships, and they do get re released from time to time.

Enough to go around, but if you're an avid carrier builder, it's worth the price. I had one back in the late 80's, 1/350, I think it went for around $300 big ones or $400, not sure right now, but it was a blast to build.

Wish I had kept it, but since I've seen your comments, I'm getting the itch! But it will have to wait til I finish the 1/72 Black Swan. NOW that's fun to build once you get started.

check out Gold Metal Models and Starfighter Decals for 1/500ish stuff that you might want to upgrade your ship with,,,,also White Ensign Models (look at stuff from the 1/480ish Yorktown class up to the 1/600 Forrestal class)

for updated guns, look at resin intended for the destroyers and cruisers in a scale near your kit, you will be surprised at what you find.

wanna be realllllly sneaky, build it with the number 8 on it, and fill the deck with Phantoms and Skyhawks (an some trucks),,,,,you will hear 100s of "that ain't right",,,,but, you will never hear it from any Jarhead that was in around the 1964-66 time frame

Rex

Rex,

Would you expand on this a little bit. It's a story I've not heard, but as an old Jarhead, I'd sure like to

Thanks,

Tom

I also have a 1970's era Revell 1/535 USS Bonne Homme Richard (w/ angled deck & upgraded island), but want to do a straight deck WWII or Korean era Essex class. I'll build the Revell kit later to show the upgrade. The Revell 1/487 Yorktown is the earlier type, sister to the Enterprise & Hornet. I think I'll eventually get one of those, but I'm working out of the stash for now.

Mr2bill4

Revell produces a 1/487 Uss Yorktown. You might want to check that out, I don't know the price, but almost have to be cheaper than the 1/350 I would think.

Tom, the USS Valley Forge (former CV-45) became the LPH-8 when the Super Carriers came along as the CVA ships, and the 27A angled deck Essex class ships took over the CVS duties from the straight decked Essex ships.

So, at the time that VMFA-314 (VW) was being sent from El Toro to Vietnam (to "USS Chu Lai"), it was decided to send the Phantoms as deck cargo,,,,on the flight deck with tarps over the canopies, and soft covers over the intakes and exhausts.

Later on, when VMA-223 (WP) was deployed in 1965 in A-4E Skyhawks, they also went as flight deck cargo, again with "soft protection", and again with the ground crews trucks full of gear, some on the flight deck and most on the Hangar deck

at the time of LPH-8's usage as a squadron ferry, she had already received the FRAM II upgrade, and kept two of her deck turrets, and had lost her "helicopter circles" on the flight deck.

Rex

Rex,

Thanks for the information. It would make an interesting model.

Tom

I once grafted the lower hull on the Lindberg USS Yorktown onto the Revell USS Lexington as a way to correct the Revell kit's sailing ship-type lower hull. The two kits were nearly the same scale; the Lindberg kit was slightly larger. It was a fairly easy graft to do but I believe that I got a much better model out of it. The major work was to convert the Revell kit to the USS Hancock (CVA-19), one of my father's old ships.

Bill

Found some photo-etch railings, radars, & 20mm guns w/ shields in 1/500 scale. I might be able scratch build details & work with the 5" turrets. Looks like I'll have to scratch build the 40mm bofors along with some aircraft (Helldivers & Avengers). I'm also going to replace the paper hangar deck w/ plastic sheet. This just might turn out to be a major diversion from my aircraft.

jb4406

Found some photo-etch railings, radars, & 20mm guns w/ shields in 1/500 scale. I might be able scratch build details & work with the 5" turrets. Looks like I'll have to scratch build the 40mm bofors along with some aircraft (Helldivers & Avengers). I'm also going to replace the paper hangar deck w/ plastic sheet. This just might turn out to be a major diversion from my aircraft.

"some" better Prop fighters are available here

www.starfighter-decals.com/resin-aircraft-for-aircraft-carrier-kits.html

also note that if you are open to building a Korean war version of the straight decked Essex, the above site has some of those early jets and props for that time period

Rex

jb I would like to repeat something I said earlier, and then I'll shut up.

The various reviews on the www of the Lindberg kit that I could find rate it "fair to poor".

I do not have first hand experience except that I generally avoid Lindberg because their molds are old and out of date.

I understand the economy of using something from the stash, I really do. I've been living off the fat of my stash for a while now in the current dismal economy.

But, when you start adding in PE, resin bits, starfighter aircraft and decals, I think you'd want to reset your base line to some kit that you don't have to fight with. I can recommend the Renwal Shangri La. it's only $ 28.00, it's 1/500 and in the box mine looks pretty good.

You'll also be putting many dozens of hours into this- ship models are like that.