The kit is of the ship as it appeared in WW2. We had to scratchbuild the hurricane bow and flightdeck, and also add additional sheet to the outer hull since the ships were widened when they were modernized for the period at which your father served.
Panda had hinted of a release of a modernized Essex many years ago but it never panned out. At this date , there are no manufacturers that make a modernized Essex class carrier.
Skywave makes a good 1/700 set of A4s, F8's, AD's, and H53 copter.
Scott