Trumpeter 1/350 Essex carriers

AHA!

 Bill ; having been one  member of the first group of Docent/Restorers on the Museum Ship C.V.12 U.S.S. Hornet I will say this .These folks should be delighted to help with photos or other media . Drop them a line .

 I used to do the school groups .I would have little kids jumping on the two and three wire , arms out , following the paddles with their arms( I used modified Ping -Pong Paddles ) " Coming in from a mission ." Great fun was had by all .You should've seen their eyes when I described the action on a war footed flight line while standing in Pri-Fly looking down on the deck . .

 All in all a wonderful time . I would like to visit on the " Lex " and I think , Now that I have been given a second chance , I will drive down to Corpus Christie and see her .  T.B.

There are many differences between the ships of the Essex Class, anything from radar configurations, the AA platforms around the hull, crane positions, and shapes of the bridge platforms, even after the various SCB conversions.  I am building the 1/350 USS Intrepid (CVS 11) as my father's old ship in the later 1960's, USS Hancock (CVA 19).  Fortunately, the Intrepid is nearly identical to the Hancock. They are the only two of the Essex class ships that had their crane positioned forward of the forward port side elevator.  I have been coordinating my building of the Hancock with the USS Hancock (CV 19) Association, and they have been most helpful and accomodating.  Why not contact the USS Hornet (CV/CVS 12) association and the museum on the old Alameda Naval Air Station, where the Hornet is on display?  I'm sure that they would be equally helpful.

Bill Morrison

I can now go to bed as i've learned my thing for today :)

I've done a couple, CV-20 Bennington and CV-11 Intrepid using Tom's PE...although the instructions aren't spectacular, they're pretty well laid out and make sense.

I'd suggest spending some time on the Naval Historical Center website looking at Essex Class images, there's some useful stuff there. If you've got the time, pick up the Warship Perspectives book on the Essex Class. It's written by my good pal Glenn Arnold, and has lots of detail photos and a set of plans folded into the back of the book.

Here's the link to take you to the NHC carrier section. It's always going to be a mix of WW2 era and post-war conversions (since the vast majority of the Essex Class received modernizations), Most of the WW2 era images will be helpful, since so many of the details were common to the class.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/shusn-no/cv-no.htm

If you run into any problems or questions, let me know, I have a pretty extensive collection of Essex detail pics.

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff, I got the Toms Essex set for the Franklin. Has anyone done an Essex Carrier using Tom's detail sets? They look good, although the instructions look not-so-good. Any tips?

Beau Mansfield

Most USN aircraft carriers had a series of beams mounted down the sides of the decks. It pivoted and when not in use was secured parallel with the deck. When in use, it swung out 90 degrees. The tailwheel of the aircraft was placed on the beam, and the aircraft was pushed back until it's main wheels were on the edge of the deck at which point the aircraft was tied down. Idea was to provide more space on the deck without having to strike aircraft below. If you look very closely at the Steel Navy pic, you can just make out the beam. Was used until tricycle geared aircraft came into wide spread use. Those simply get pushed back until the mains are at the edge of the deck with the tail hanging out over the edge.

Dave...

Guess I better explain this again...

USS Hornet (CV-8) is the Trumpeter kit. She's a Yorktown Class...here's her photo:


She was sunk in 1942...and they launched another ship, an Essex Class, that they named Hornet. She's CV-12, and here's her pic:


As of right now...there is no model of Hornet CV-12 specifically, but it's quite easy to make one from the Trumpeter Yorktown kit (CV-9) or Franklin (CV-13).

So...if you want the Hornet CV-8, yes, Eduard's set and Trumpeter's kit will work. If you want Hornet CV-12, use Tom's, GMM, or WEM pe sets with either the Yorktown or Franklin kit from Trumpeter.

Dang good thing Trumpeter didn't do a Yorktown CV-5 too, could you imagine the confusion?

Jeff

Has anyone noticed how the forward most aircraft sitting on the flight of the
Essex class aircraft carrier is defying gravity?
Take a look at the photo on the steel navy link.

“very interesting”!!!!!!!!

Dave,

Are you asking about Hornet CV 8, or Hornet CV 12?

If CV 12, the Franklin kit would be a good start with what detail changes the research would show required.

Ok, that helps, thanks.
How do you think the Eduards 1/350 Hornet detail sets would go on the Franklin? They have a set for the island (primarily) and one for the railings. Just wondering.

See the article on SteelNavy by John Sheridan which describes the differnces between the memebrs of the Essex-class of carriers

http://www.steelnavy.com/essex_data.htm

Well, the Hornet isn't an Essex Class, she's a Yorktown Class, entirely different ship altogether.

USS Essex represents her in her 'as commissioned' configuration, with a single deck cat and early bridge, and no starboard 40mm sponsons.

USS Yorktown is a mid-war version with extended bridge and twin cats, no hangar deck cat, and but she still lacks the starboard 40mms.

USS Franklin is a late war config, extended bridge, twin cats, no hangar deck cat, and 40mm sponsons.

Jeff