U.S.S. Shangri La and U.S.S. Essex . 1/500 One Renwal and one Revell

Renwal 1/500.

All the various Revell Essex Class 1/542.

The value of the Renwal of course depends on its condition to a collector. To a builder, it was rerelease S pretty recently so new boxing S can be had cheap.

I would imagine that some of the Revell ones go for a fair amount of money again depending on condition. John Steel did some really great paintings.

Oh Yes !

You are certainly right about the Steel boxtops . T.B.

H-353 - U.S.S. Essex - 1958

H-384 - U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard - 1961

H-426 - U.S.S. Lexington - 1962

H-370 - U.S.S. Oriskany - 1968

H-375 - U.S.S. Wasp - 1968

H-354 - U.S.S. Hornet - 1970

H-442 - U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard - 1975

H-444 - U.S.S. Lexington - 1976

2555 - U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard - 1979

G.M.,

There is an interesting website called www.shapeways.com  that sells 3-D printed islands for the Revell and Renwal Essex class carriers, each unique to a particular ship at a particular point.  They are quite nice.

Bill

I built this kit as a teen ager, not knowing that I would wind up serving aboard her a few years later in the engineering Dept. I've got the Revell H-353-249 kit. It is supposed to represent the ESSEX CVA after her angle deck conversion. I think I paid around $200.00 for the kit several years ago. I want to build it up in her ASW configuration, 1961/1964, as it was when I was aboard her. There are a number of issues with the kit, although it really looks pretty good and can be built up nicely. I have invested in a bit of aftermarket stuff. Probably have as much or more invested in aftermarket as the kit cost me. The kit does not have a hangar bay. The hull is too narrow so the island appears to hang over the hull edge. The kit aircraft are wrong for ASW. The flight deck detail is raised instead of recessed. Aftermarket - purchased; A hangar deck (resin) - this will widen the hull correctly, although it calls for a waterline build. I do not want a waterline, so will cut off the hull bottom, install the hangar deck, re-attach the bottom and build out the gap with styrene and epoxy putty to the correct contours. Hangar bay doors will be opened up, and lighting installed. The island is incorrect so a resin replacement will be installed. Aircraft are wrong era. I want a full compliment. I found appropriate resin aircraft for that. The problem is the PE sets only have helicopter rotors for 4 aircraft, two deployed and two folded, sooo I am in the process of making my own PE rotors to get to the full compliment of 18 helicopters. New decal set made for this kit. Collected the correct paint colors using White Ensign paints. Gold Medal's PE set in the correct scale. Will be a lot of work, but I really want to get "MY" ship right. Sure wish they would do a 350 scale of her in the late 50's/60's era.

So that'll be a job, for sure.

Somewhat related, I have the old Revell Midway and a partially completed Saratoga that I bought for nothing, and plan to make the Midway a full hull following the Mike Ashey FSM article from some years ago.

I love that conversion!  It really isn't overly difficult.  I have often done the same thing to correct the problems with the Revell USS Essex lower hull, grafting the Lindberg Uss Yorktown lower hull to the Revell kit.  I am considering doing so again and modifying the overall kit with the shapeways parts.  And, I would love scalemate to start producing corrected parts for other carriers as well.

Bill

So I bumped another thread on this, "Angle deck Essex class", in which Rex unloaded an absolutely mind blowing amount of information on the topic.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/7/t/138031.aspx

G.M.,

I just posted on that thread about the shapeways replacement islands.  Thanks for bringing back that thread!

Bill

Hey GM;

Looked around a bit for the Midway hull fix you referred to with no luck. Could you steer me in the right direction. Might be of some help to me restoring my ESSEX hull bottom. Thanks, Forgot to say I had a resin fix for the hurricane bow as well. Yes, a lot of work, but a labor of love. EJ

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Oh , " G "

    That is one I have tried fruitlessly to find in buildable condition .I was in the Midway's Marine Detachment .Prior to that , when I hit a dead end because of Navy cut-backs I trained damage control persaonnel on her .On loan from another ship ! T.B.

I have that old article that I would be willing to send.

Bill

well, B Morrison did give ME my copy...