Trumpeter 1/350 Essex Class Carrier.

I am about 90% complete on my Essex. I think you are off to a wonderful modeling experience. Some pointers:

-PE parts will add remarkable detail to the model. The are worth every minute spent on them.
-Ships take much more time to build than aircraft because of the size and complexity. Be patient; expect to take months, not weeks to complete.
-Options for originality abound: open hanger doors with aircraft inside, deck -side elevator down with an aircraft on it, selection of radars depending on the period, camoflage painting (adds significant time but well worth it).
-To inspire you, go see what the pros have built. My favorite is Kelly Quirk's Yorktown on modelwarships.com, go to gallery, carriers, and find his photos.
-Studying the history will show you the differences between Essex's. As a history buff, I bought every reference I could find.
-Some PE parts are too small (less than 1/8 inch) are too small for my skill, so I left them off. No great loss. Things like railings and antenna towers are easy. Have a good bending tool (my favorite is EtchMate--but expensive) to make life easy for you.
-Be sure to check fit before glueing. I had particular fit problems with the hanger-to-flight deck side panels and the flight deck itself.
-Jeff Herne and others will help you all the way.

Good luck!!

Chris

The dark side is the wingy things and the crawly things, welcome to the light!!!!

The essex will dang near build itself. It is that good of a model. Relax, take your time and when you are done it will be awesome.. Also check out www.modelwarships.com

and see the models over there. They are inspirational.

Well Nick, that Essex will be good practice for you when you build a 1/48 version and 1/32 scale version for a place to put all your planes.

Let me know how "hooked" you become on this kit. Then we can talk about doing a Korean war and Vietnam war Essex class conversions to this kit. Once I can convince my finance committee (wife) to give me a grant to pursue this endeavor.

Welcome
Scott

If the Essex is anything like Trumpter's Hornet, you're going to love it. And Chris was right - the photo etched brass is worth its weight in gold.

Thanks for the prompt replies gents, I was looking in the box last night and started to drool!
I think you are entirely right about the length of time to do the build Chris having spent so much on the kit and the PE there is no way I want to foul it up I should have bought the ship when I was in the US instead of paying in sterling with the exchange rate at least for us being good with the PE kit and book on the Essex carriers it would have cost me a lot less! DOH! I would have paid $85 instead do the maths and muliply it by 1.74 AAaaaaarrrrgh!
However I am not going to give it back, all I need to do now is convince Kath we really need a digital camera, so if I get stuck to post pics to ask for advice.Thanks for the links as well guys
Scott ,I have worked out the length for a 1/48 VERSION ITS LONGER THAN OUR BOAT ON THE CANAL ! Now there's a thought ......... Kath I want to pull the deck off the boat nearly down to the water line that ok dearest ,love of my life, etc, etc

I get blamed for everything around here!!

J

I built one a few months ago, but I'm not satisfied, and will probably build another sometime. Unfortunately, one thing led to another and I built the Corsair Armada U.S.S. Honolulu, and now am looking at a Waveline U.S.S. San Francisco!
Aircraft carriers are a gray area between aircraft and ships. Don't fall any further! It is a slippery slope!

No way have you seen the drop off the edge of a carrier !

I'm supposedly an aircraft modeler! What am I doing building ships? At least the Honolulu carried a few float planes.