Angle deck Essex class

Revell made a 1/530 scale kit of that class of carrier under several different guises (Essex, Oriskany, Lexington, Wasp) over the years. Recently it was re issued or slated for re issue as USS Hornet +3 with the ASW aircraft and the Apollo 11 capsule, kit # 85 3014.

Gold Medal Models makes a PE set for that kit

http://www.goldmm.com/ships/gms5usac.htm

Even with the same kit, check your references before building.

There were 2 SCB 27 modifications, 27A and 27C.  The angled deck change for the Essex-class was actually SCB 125.

Once the angled deck and "hurricane" bow was added, the 27 Charlies, got bridle arrestors for the steam cats mounted at the bow.  These are those "buck toothed" looking things sticking out in front.   The 27 Alphas didn't get them.  The Charlies became CVA attack carriers, the Alphas became CVS anti-submarine carriers.  

Check and make sure when you decide which carrier you intend to build. Since I've never built the kit, I'm not sure the kit has the option.  Doing different carriers means more than just the number on the flight deck!

Have fun with your project.

stikpusher

Revell made a 1/530 scale kit of that class of carrier under several different guises (Essex, Oriskany, Lexington, Wasp) over the years. Recently it was re issued or slated for re issue as USS Hornet +3 with the ASW aircraft and the Apollo 11 capsule, kit # 85 3014.

The reissue has been cancelled.  The molds are too damaged to produce without a large (and expensive) retooling effort.

What you sees is what you gets

I listed the kits (forgetting Wasp) in the duplicate thread.  I also mentioned that Gold Medal Models makes a nice PE set. EdGrune is correct . . . not all Essex class conversions were identical.

Bill

If you ain,t proud and will work in a smaller scale there is always the U.S.S. ANTIETAM in 1/700 . I don,t know much about carriers except  I did NOT like duty on them (to much dingle bell brass running loose , if you knowhatImean !) She,s not a bad kit , and I don,t like to work this small because these old eyes . But , she builds up into a gorgeous shipmodel when done !         tankerbuilder

USS Hornet just reissued by revell germany!

And Revell USA is going to be re issuing the Renwall USS Shangri La in the near future.

one thing about the Revell reissue of the Renwall 27C kit,,,,,,,,you need to check to see which ship you want to build,,,,,,,of the 27C+125 ships, the kit will only build Shangri-La, Lexington, and Bon Homme Richard without major deck surgery,,,,,,there were two groups of 27C+125 ships, with the starboard elevator and crane swapped forward and aft in each set (changing the deck shape in the process),,,,,,,,also, CVA-34 Oriskany had other differences, since she was really a 27A, with a later 125A mod, but with steam catapults (grouped with the 27-Cs because of mission capabilites)

also, the 27A set that you build from the Revell reissue of the original Revell kit were CVA at first after they got the -125 angled deck mods, then changed to the CVS mission after doing CVA cruises,,,,,,,,they got CVS mission after the Midways and Supercarriers started showing up, as the Straight Decked CVS Essexs were decommed

(showing the work dept:,,,,,,,Essex had ATG-201 and CVG-10 cruises, Hornet had CVG-14 and ATG-4 cruises, Kearsarge had ATG-3 cruise, etc, etc)

Rex

So it sounds like the Revell and Renwall kits build up into different versions of the angle deck Essex Class?

Picked up the Hornet, and the Shangri La in the local hobby shop this weekend.

yes, Stik, they do

they build up into Two of the Four main shapes of the Essex class,,,,,,Five if you count the Oriskany's different hull width

the cool part of the Angeled Essex is that you can build them in Air Groups and ASW Air Group mixes so that no two would look exactly the same on your shelf,,,,,,,the Air Groups were in so much flux and aircraft development were so varied that between the aircraft on the deck and the distinctive markings,,,,,,even if two ships happened to look the same at the same time, the aircraft would give you variety

I once did a build list of the Angled and Straight decked ships for a Steel Navy member,,,,,and it is possible to build more variations than the total number of ships built (24),,,,,,,,one year, every Angled Essex that was done at that date had a different Antenna arrangement or Island configuration, creating a different look

There is much to learn here I see. Kind of like I do with certain armor and aircraft kits- same base kit into different versions. That is what makes this hobby so fun.

stikpusher

There is much to learn here I see.

We have Hornet AND Shangri La here now according to Chasd 25. Lots of possibilities to be had as described by Rex. Starfighter is putting out decal sheets for these kits to cover markings....

lol, I DO know this info,,,,,,,,and *I* also have more to learn on this subject, hah

let's just tackle the five shapes of the Essex angled deck ships for a start

there is the shape of the Antietam, the first angled deck carrier in the USN (she actually had two different shapes on the Port side in different time periods)

After the Antietam, there was the Oriskany, completed as the prototype for the SCB-27A straight deck ships

Then, there is the shape of the -27A +125 ships, they were modernised as 27A straight deck and then after serving awhile, got the -125 angled deck mod,,,,,,,,later, after they moved from CVA (Attack) carrier use, some of them got mods to become CVS,,,,,,,still the same basic shape as the Revell kit, though

after the 27A+125 batch, the Oriskany got the ACB-125A angled deck mod, making her another one off in shape, the most noticable being the wider hull than the "Hornet group"

3 ships were receiving the SCB-27C straight deck upgrade, and served in that config, then later received the -125 angled deck mod

then 3 other ships (as in the Renwall kit) received the -27C and -125 mods in the *same yard period*

the two batches of Angled 27C differ in that they have the starboard rear elevator and crane in the opposite order,,,,,including *moving the hole in the starboard hull that the elevator exits into the Hangar Bay through*,,,,,you don't just "glue the crane in front of or behind the elevator",,,,,the deck right in that area also changed between the two 3 ship batches

so, you end up with Angled decks as follows

Antietam (with two different landing area sponsons)

SCB-27A+125AOriskany (wider hull than the other 14)

SCB-27A+125 as the Revell kit builds (7 ships, different for CVA and CVS times)

SCB-27C+125 with elevator entrance forward

SCB-27C+125 with elevator entrance rearward

total of Five different appearances, plus the two additional variations in parentheses

Rex, the Accidental CAG ("ShipWriterTN a very long time ago")

Were any of the ships change from one ange deck configuration to another during overhauls?

I know the USS Midway underwent 3 different deck configurations, don't know if any of the Essex ships did though, I'm curious myself!

Charlie

the only changes to the decks, other than repainting, was in the deck cladding materials,,,,,,,,,,and the two different types of bridle arrestors (called "catapult horns" by some people),,,,,,,,,deck cladding,,,,,,many different thicknesses of different materials in sheets, plus paint and coatings over that,,,,,,,,,Alan Raven's old Essex book has a 1/600 drawing of Intrepid, with all the cladding and coatings marked in (8 different ones at that time?)

before the sponson type Van Velm Bridle Arrestors were installed, there was a spindly looking type that looked like it was made up of steel rods in a lattice pattern

I would really like to build a model of Lexington, she was my last ship before leaving active duty, but want to do her right.

don't use the revell lexington unless you have it already as a kit as will have to do a major rebuild to do it right. i'll do that with mine eventually after i do all my 15+ 1/426 arizona conversions.

Lexington is one of the three that the "new" Revell re-release of the Renwall kit will build into.

If you can find the older Revell Lexington kit,,,,then you will have the trainer aircraft for your Renwall conversion (Starfighter has the decals),,,,,,save the Phantoms from the Lexington aircraft for your Intrepid if you ever build one

if you pick the right year for Intrepid, in amongst the CVG-6 aircraft there would be ONE Phantom, Number 6 did deck trials on the Intrepid before moving on to the Independence,,,,,,,the other Phantoms can be saved for the straight deck Valley Forge (as long as you mark it with an 8 for the deck number) the Forge as LPH-8 moved VMFA-314 to Vietnam for their first deployment, along with a Skyhawk squadron

I do hope you didn't forget the Essex class carriers that were turned into helicopter carriers Tarnship.

TarnShip

yes, Stik, they do

they build up into Two of the Four main shapes of the Essex class,,,,,,Five if you count the Oriskany's different hull width

the cool part of the Angeled Essex is that you can build them in Air Groups and ASW Air Group mixes so that no two would look exactly the same on your shelf,,,,,,,the Air Groups were in so much flux and aircraft development were so varied that between the aircraft on the deck and the distinctive markings,,,,,,even if two ships happened to look the same at the same time, the aircraft would give you variety

I once did a build list of the Angled and Straight decked ships for a Steel Navy member,,,,,and it is possible to build more variations than the total number of ships built (24),,,,,,,,one year, every Angled Essex that was done at that date had a different Antenna arrangement or Island configuration, creating a different look

Mikey, I left them out on purpose, along with the straight CVS and Korean era ships

none of them was an angled deck carrier, the subject of the posts in this thread (straight deck talk would be converting the Lindberg into sister ships, long and short hull)

I did make mention of the Valley Forge in my "use the Phantoms" part of one post above

but, LPHs Boxer, Princeton, and Vallley Forge were all straight decked long hull former CVS carriers

NJJK, you have to fiddle with different years markings and air wing variations, but all the 27A decals that I know of are on this page  www.starfighter-decals.com/1540-de.html

no guarantees, but, since he is the guy that pushed for those two kits to get re-released, he may do more Essex decals now that the kits are finally here

Hi :

Hey , I am building that old REVELL beast . I have to tell you though , boy did they screw up the bow .I remember a lot of carriers , but , none looked like it hit a wall at speed ! Once that is done however she starts to look okay . Now nothing is actually changed except the bow on looks and the stem from the side view .they overemphasized the " Hurricane bow  "profile badly .

   With P.E. and the elevator/crane changes she will look darned good I think . I must advise any of you to be aware this vessel model has vertical sink marks the whole length of her hull ! They are noticeable ,so you have to fix them . That said she is not bad looking when done I hope !

I am not sure I follow what they got wrong on the bow,,,,,,,I built a bunch of those in their old release, and this release didn't get any updates (it was lobbied for, but denied), just mold repairs

are you saying they have the wrong version of these variations??

Essex, short hull ship, bow after angled deck mod on 27A ship

Randolph, long hull ship, bow after angled deck mod on 27A ship

Kearsarge, long hull, bow after angled deck mod on 27A ship

Hancock, long hull ship, bow after angled deck mod on 27C ship

and Lexington, short hull ship, bow after angled deck mod and 27C done in same yard period (3 ships)

as you can see there is a variation in the bows depending on whether the ship started as a long or short hull ship, whether they were 27A or 27C, and whether the mods were done in two different years on a ship, or in one yard period

I apologize for the poor black and white picture, but, they are copyright USN from a book published in 1971, and the one in color is from Detail & Scale Lexington cover

I hope this is of some help

Rex

The version of Lexington that I would do will be the 1970s era when she was CVT-16. The only aircraft she handled then were the white and orange Buckeyes and Skyhawks. (Including the Blue Angels' Skyhawks).

plus quals for the Air Wing Four aircraft on the East Coast, plus both a C-1 and a C-2 at different times

Not when I was aboard, just the A-4s TA-4s and T-2s.