My Review and Build of Tamiya's 1/350 scale Kit #78005,
The USS NEW JERSEY BB-62 1980'S MODERNIZATION
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Last updated: November 30, 2015 - Decals, rigging, and completion
Introduction - USS New Jersey, BB62
The USS New Jersey, is an Iowa class battleship built during World War II. Four vessels were built, the USS Iowa BB61, the USS New Jersey BB62, the USS Missouri BB63, and the USS Wisonsin BB64.
The New Jersey was the second in class and was commissioned in May 1943. The four Iowa class battleships were the largest battleships the US Navy ever built, and the strongest. Their main battery consisted of three large turrets, each carrying three 16" (406mm) 50 caliber guns. The effective range of these guns in their day was over 20 miles. They displaced, full load, over 58,000 tons. They were 887 feet long and had a beam of 102 feet, precisely enough to allow them to fit through the Panama Canal.
As stated, USS New Jersey was commisisoned in May 1943. After her shake down cruise and outfitting, she conducted her work up exercises and then went to war in January of 1944. From that time until returning homwe from the War and Occupation of Japan in 1946, she took part in all of the following operations:
- Marshall Islands Invasion
- Attack on Truk Island
- Mille bombardment
- Aitap Invasion
- Saipan/Mariana Invasion
- Battle of the Philippine Sea
- Invasion of the Philippines
- Battle of Leyete Gulf, covering for Halsey's carriers
- Attack on Formosa
- Iwo Jima Invasion
- Okinawa Invasion
- Overhaul in Puget Sound
- Flagship of Japanese Occupation
- Operation Magic Carpet, returning US forces to the US
After returning home from the end of World War II, USS new Jersey was decomissioned in June 1948 and put in reserve. However, with the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, she was recommissioned in June 1950 and served during the Korean war and thereafter.
She was again decommissioned in August of 1957 and again placed in reserve. Almost eleven years later, in April 1968, after a significant modernization to her sensors and the removal of most of her 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns, she was called upon again, this time for the Vietnam War. She provided fire support to US and South Vietnamese forces in 1968 and throughout 1969. At the end of that time, she was was decommissioned in December of 1969.
Again, she spent several years in reserve. But in the early 1980s, a good twelve years later, after the election of Ronald Regan as President of the United States, she was called upon again, being recommissioned in December of 1982. This was in support of Reagan's desire for a 600 combat ship Navy.
She was significantly modernized under a program where all four Iowa Class battleships were modernized to the same standard to be used as the centerpieces of large modern Surface Action groups.
With this modernization, all of the Iowa clas received modern sensors, the ability to land and fuel modern helicopters, new modern armament to compliment the 16" and 5" guns. This new armament consisted of four Phalanx 20mm Close-in Weapons systems (CIWS), eight Box Launchers carrying four Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles each for a total of 32 Tomahawk missiles, four quad launchers for Harpoon anti- shipping missiles for a total of sixteen of those missiles, and a flight pad supporting helicopters from the SH-60 Seahawk ASW/SAR to CH-47 transport helicopters. As stated, each vessel also received all of the modern radars, sensors, communication, computer, and defense systems to to go with it.
The refit vessel retained all nine of the 16" main guns in their three turrets. It cut back on the number of 5" guns turrets. The original fitting for these battle ships was five twin 5" turrets on each side, for a total of ten turrets and 20" five inch guns. After the refit, there were three twin turrets on each side for a total of twevle five inch guns. When you conisder that the most any US destroyer or the new Toconderoga crusiers had at the time was two single 5" gun turrest, this was a huge increase in 5" fire power. Not to mention the 16" guns.
Because of the modernization work that had already occurred on the New Jersey beofre her 1968 deployment, including the removal of her older anti-aircraft guns, the New Jersey was the cheapest of the four to modernize, and also the quickest.
Her firepower, which had been used in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, spoke again. They were used quickly in 1983 off of the coast of Lebannon to attack terrorist camps in response to attacks on US Marine peace keepers. Throughout the 1980s, her presence was a credible deterence and powerful addition to US naval power around the globe, along with her three sisters.
Finally, in 1989 and into 1990 she provided a powerful presence in the Pesian Gulf.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, she was scheduled for deactivation and decommissioning in February 1991, and so missed out on being used in Desert Storm which her sisters, USS Missouri and USS wisconsin participated in.
Ultimately, all of the Iowa class battleships were once again put into reserve. By 1994, all had been decommissioned.
In 1996, Section 1011 of the US Congress National Defense Authorization Act required the United States Navy to reinstate two of the Iowa-class battleships. These ships were to be maintained in the United States Navy reserve fleet. The Navy was to ensure that both of the battleships were in good condition and could be reactivated for use if called upon. USS New Jersey and USS Wisconsin were chosen for this duty and were both reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register and placed in the reserve fleet in 1996.
However, in the US Congress Defense Authorization Act of 1999. Section 1011 required the United States Secretary of the Navy to list and maintain the USS Iowa and USS Wisconsin on the Naval Vessel Register, while Section 1012 required the Secretary of the Navy to strike New Jersey from the Register and transfer the battleship to a not-for-profit entity in the State of New Jersey. As a result, the Navy made the switch, and in in January 1999 the USS New Jersey was struck from the US naval registry, 56 years after she had been commissioned. In September 1999, the USS New Jersey was towed from Bremerton, Washington to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, for restoration work in the in advance of her planned donation as a museum ship.
After a review of plans submitted to the Navy for estanlishing the USS New Jersey as a museum ship, the US Navy selected the Home Port Alliance as the battleship's final resting place. Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig made the announcement in January 2000, and in October of that year, USS New Jersey arrived at her final resting place on the Camden Waterfront in New Jersey. In 2004, the State of New Jersey officially designated the battleship as an historical site and the New Jersey was then placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The USS New Jersey Museum Ship
In the end, after all of her campaigns, the USS New Jersey accumulated 20 battle stars. This made her the most decorated US Navy battleship in history.
All four Iowa class vessels are now Museum ships. But the Act of Congress establishing that the USS Iowa and the USS Wisonsin be available for service if needed still stands. It is unlikely that they will ever be used again, but a very popular sciencce fiction movie of 2012, called "Battleship," shows an exciting scenario where the USS Missorui is brought back to life. It's a good movie and I would recommend it.
What's in the Box
Tamiya began building large, 1/350 scale model vessels back in the 1980s and has been doing so ever since. They make OUTSTANDING 1/350 scale model kits for naval vessels.
I originally purchased and built this model in the mid-1980s while working for Structural Design Research Corporation (SDRC) in Milford, OH. There were no photo etch parts at the time and I worked after work in the evenings, in a shop in my basement. It took me almost 6 months to complete. But I really treasured it and took it with me, along with the unbuilt Tamiya model of the USS Enterprise, CVN-65, as we moved around after leaving SDRC. This took our family...and that model...to Montana, Utah, and ultimately to Idaho, where we live now and have lived for the last 18 years.
About a year ago I began thinking about building the model again. I had long since purchased and added PE railing to my older model, but I just thought it would be fun, after all of these years ,to build it again.
A year or two before this I had taken the time (about six months) to build my Tamiya 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, and really enjoyed it.
So, a few weeks ago I purchsased the Tamiya model of the USS New jersey online to build, thinking that I would sell my older one on eBay...which I may still do.
When I got the model in the mail, to my dismay, I found that the entire aft main deck piece was missing!
I contacted the seller and all they would offer was a partial refund. So, I contacted Tamiya USA and explained my predicament. I offered to purchase the part and pay for the shipping if they had access to spare parts.
To my pleasant surprise, they replied to me within two days and indicated that it would not be a problem, that they would send my a new part at no charge. And they did.
within a week I had the part and was able to continue with the build. I told Tamiya USA that I would surely mention this in my review and build page, thanking them and punctuating their good servicee, and so, now I am making good on that promise.
Thank you, Tamiya, USA! You guys exemplify good service and caring for your customers. In todays world, there are not too many that can say that.
Now...hehehe...if you guys at Tamiya would simply build 1/350 scale model kits of the following:
USS Gerald Ford, CVN-78 (or better yet, make it the USS Enterprise, CVN-80 to go along with the older Entrerprise model) USS Zumwalt, DDG-1000, the new, very modern and exotic US Navy destroyer HMS Queen Elizabeth (or HMS Prince of Wales) the new, modern Royal Navy aircraft carrier(s), INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, the two new INsdian aircraft carriers
If you guys build these, I would be forever even more in your debt...and you would immediately get a lot more of my money too!
Seriously though, back to the reveiw and build of this kit.
This model is a 1/350 scale kit of the modernized USS New Jersey. She underwent a major refit in 1982, becoming a fully modernized battleship for the modern US Navy. This model depicts her after that modenization.
The model comes in a large, beautifully illustrated box, that is well built and very protective. Inside, the hull comes in a single large piece that is well molded without any excees flash. There is no "water-line" option unless you want to cut the hull yourself. In my case, I build full hull 1/350 scale models so this was perfect for me.
The main deck comes in three pieces (the aft portion of which was the one Tamiya sent me). Then there are six additional sprues with about 400 additional parts. The parts are well molded and have very little excess flash. They are molded in a medium gray, except for the stand, which is molded in black.
The main 16" gun turrets can each be built to rotate. All of the modern weapons systems are included in detailed, plastic assemblies for the Tomahawk cruise missile box launchers, the Harpoon missile quad- launchers, and the four 20mm Phalanx CIWS.
The kit, as all Tamiya kits, has excellent instructions, that, in addition to the painting guide, give painting instructions for each part as you build the model.
There is a decal sheet for the pennant numbers, campaign decals, ship's name, etc.
All in all an excellent model...just as I remember it.
I also purchased a Gold Medal Model Photo Etch metal kit for the USS New Jersey. It has all of the railing, sensors, and other fittings for the modernized New Jersey on two sheets of Photo Etch (PE) parts. I also have a couple of sheets of additional PE parts from other kits I will use as necessary. There are brand new kits (ie from Revell) that come with the PE parts included. But I elected to use the GMM detail kit on the Tamiya kit. It is a very complete PE kit and also very reasonably priced.
If you want to go all out and get a huge set of PE parts (six sheets), the complete wooden deck pre-stained, over 110 brass parts including all of the metal gun barrels which are bored out, and 85 more detailed, resin replacement parts, well then, you would have to consider the Pontos Super detail set for the 1/350 scale USS New Jersey. They do an extremely good, professional job...but be advised, that set will cost you quite a bit more than the model itself, usually from $130-150 dollars. But, as indicated, they also do very, very good job.
Here is the model, all of the parts, and the Photo etch parts I will use.
And here are all of the instructions:
...and finally, the decals and the Whie Ensign Model PE instructions:
The Build - Props and rudders, painting the hull, painting the main deck and dry fitting - November 9, 2015
I began this model by painting the waterline on the hull, and then adding the rudders, props, and supports to the aft end, on the underside. I then painted the wood deck in mix of flat brown and tan on the three main deck pieces:
After this, I masked off the hull and painted the hull red underside, below the waterline. I mixed 3 parts Insignia red, two parts flat brown, and one part Insignia orange (all Model Master) to get the standard US Navy hull red I use. I then dry fit the three main deck pieces onto the hull.
Then, I painted the two decks above the amidships main deck (they are the last levels using the wooden deck) and then dry fitted them to the hull
That's all for this first session. Here's how she looks with the existing deck dry fitted to the vessel:
I have some more main deck painting (the gunship grey for the aft end around the helo deck, and some deck details to add) before I glue them down, including completing the main turrets and assembling them so that they can be rotated in place.. That will be for the next round.
The Build - Main batteries, adding main deck, secondary and missile decks, funnels - November 12, 2015
Veteran's Day was during the last couple of days and I had the day off as a holiday. I spent pretty much all of that day working on the USS New jersey. Very fitting.
I started the session by asesembling and then painting the main batteries. This consists of three large turrets, each housing three 16" 50 caliber guns. There are range finders and hoists on each of these monster turrets.
Once the turrets were complete and dry, I then attached them to their various loctions on the main decks. I made the forward two turrets movable, but glued down the aft turret. I then attached the three sections of main deck to the hull.
I then assembled the next higher decks...the auxillary and weapons deck for the vessel. Forward, this includes the bridge and the base for the main superstructure and first smoke stack. Amidships it includes the forward deck holding the Tomahawk missile box launcher bases. Aft, it includes more Tomahawk box launcher bases, as well a being the location of the second smoke stack.
Once the sub assemblies for these decks were all completed, I then glued them together to form each of the major assemblies.
Here's how each looks attached to the vessel.
At this point, I decided to go ahead and place the decals on the main decks. There are several markers/warning lines, as well as the helo landing area on the aft portion of the ship. It is important to put these down now before all of the smaller details are added to the decks which would make the placement of the decals more difficult.
Once this was completed, I built and painted the smoke stacks, and the forward superstructure and then placed them on the ship.
Now the vessel is sure enough looking like an Iowa class battleship.
There is still LOTS of detail work to be done. Hundreds of pieces to build into small assemblies, as well as many individual parts. Then there will be all of the Photo etch parts...and there are a lot of those too.
In the next session I hope to get all of the secondary armaments built and placed. This will include the six double 5" gun turrets. The eight box launchers for for Tomahawk missiles each. Four quad launchers for the Harpoon missiles. And finally the four 20mm Phalanx Close in Weapon Systems (CIWS).
The Build - Armament/Weapons - 5" guns, Tomahawks, Harpoons, Directors, CIWS - November 14, 2015
As stated, in this session I consentrated on the secondary armaments...the modern armaments being the main thing. It's the whole reason the vessel was upgraded...to give it these capabilites.
I started with the twin 5" gun turrest. There are three on each side of the ship. Each is a small assembly of five parts which needed to be painted and assembled.
Then, it was on to the eight Tomahawk missile box launchers. Each holds four Tomahawk cruise missiles for a total of 32 Tomahawks. Back then they could either be the land attack variety, or the Anti- Shipping variety. Mostly they embarked the Land-attack variety because of their dedication to support of US Marines ashore.
Each of these is a small assembly of three pieces that had to be assembled, painted and fixed to the vessel on their respective missile decks.
Then it was on to the Harpoon missile launchers. These are anti-shipping missile with a ranger of around 100 miles. There are four quad launchers, making for a total of 16 missiles carried.
They are an assembly of three parts each too, which were painted, assembled, then had their distinctive red war-shot caps painted on, and placed on the vessel.
After this, I built and placed the directors. There are a total of four of these and they are assemblies of three pieces as well.
Then it was on to the Phalanx, 20mm Close in weapons systems.
These are 20mm gatlin guns, with each system having six 20mm barrels which rotate and fire up to 4,000 rounds per minute. They are autonomous...meaning they have their radar and target acquisition built right into them. They are used to shoot down incoming missiles, or aircraft close to the ship. They can also be used for small craft threatening the ship close aboard.
Each of these was an assembly of three parts. They were painted, with their distinctive white radome, assembled, and then placed on the ship.
With all of the weapon systems aboard, and with all of the decks and main structures, and with the hull and decks all painted, she is looking very good now indeed.
In my next seesion, which I will use most of the weekend for, I will add a lot of the details to the various decks of the ship. Life rafts, ships launches, life boats, various sensors, cranes, a lot of mechanical equipment, etc.
There is a lot of it and it may take two sessions (or three) to do it all.
We will see how far we get...but she is looking more and more like a very good model of the USS New Jersey, Iowa class battleship.
The Build - Large Life Rafts, Launches, details, anchors, crane, & blast deflectors - November 16, 2015
Lots of different detail to add to the ship in this session.
I started with adding the two forward auxillary decks for life rafts. Nummerous large life rafts on these two decks (one port and one starboard). Each of these rafts can carry up to fifty people. These were made up of several parts for each deck. I painted them, assembled them, and then attached them to the ship.
Then it was on to the ship's launches and the davits and supports for them. There are two launches on each side, a large one and a smaller one. The large one rests on the main deck on each side, while the smaller ones rest on supports coming off of the deck house on each side. On the port side you have the covered motor launch, while on the starboard is the open motor launch.
There were then numerous details on the aft section and the forward section of the vessel. The large tie downs for securing the vessel while at dock, numerous vents and shaft, also the guides for the chains. All of these parts amounted to dozens of individual pieces that needed to be painted and then glued onto the various decks.
Finally, the directors and their supports on top of the main superstructure forward, and aft of the aft Tomahawk missle deck.
Once these were completed, there were a number of other things I wanted to finish in this session.
This included the anchors, the large crane near the aft main gun mount on the port side, and finally the blast deflectors located behind the Harpoon missile mounts to protect the deck house and funnel there from the exhaust blast from missile launches.
Most of these were individual pieces (although the crane was an assembly) that had to be painted and then afixed to the vessel in the appropriate places.
So, that's maybe half of the details I need to accomplish before the vessel starts to ge its photo etch metal railing, sensors, and other equipment. But with all of this detail, she is starting to look very good indeed.
That is looking nice.
In the next session I will complete all of the structural details for the ship, outside of the metal parts, and this will include the main mast aft of the main superstructure and around the first funnel, and secondary mast on the second funnel.
The Build - Main Mast, Antennae, props, more details - November 18, 2015
I had hoped to finish all structeres and details in this session, but alas, it was not so.
I started with the main mast assembly. This is an involved structure that sits just aft of the main superstructure and over the forward funnel. The main radar sits on top of it and it is high off the main deck so as to provide as much distance to the horizon in 360 degrees as possible.
It is somewhat of an involved assembly and you have to be careful cutting the pieces away from the sprues so as to not break them, and then provide care to make sure that they all line up correctly.
Then there are numerous distinctive antennae on the modernized New Jersey (and all of the modernized Iowa class). These provide for communications for the vessel. Again, care needs to be taken in detaching them because they can be easily broken. But once detached and painted, they were added to the ship, the principle ones being around the bridge. I also added the aft mount for the US flag.
Then it was time for the ships propellers. The Iowa class battleships are propelled by four large props, like the large fleet aircraft carriers. These, along with their large engines, allow the vessels to maintain their 32+ knot speed.
Once this was accomplished I began adding the final details. These included additional life rafts on the deck above the main life raft decks I added in the last session. It also included various vents and equipment on each of the funnels, and more sensors and equipment on the main superstructure.
With that, I had run out of time and needed to end the session. Nonetheless, she is very close to being structurally complete and is looking very good!
...and then there is this one I took, really showing her off at this stage of completion:
I have to add the forward communications array, which is a distinctive part of the modern Iowa class. I will do that and do some touch up paint work in the next session.
I will also add all of metal sensors and the metal ladders/stairways to the vessel in the next session. Once that is complete, the last session will then add all of the metal railing.
The Build - Bow Comm mast, Helicopters, Main Radar, Photo Etch ladders - November 22, 2015
I started this session by assembling and then placing the comm mast located forward towards the bow. I will add the comm lines later.
I then assembled, painted, and then added the decals to two SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters. Once they were ready, I then set them on the aft helo area. One sitting in its waiting area with its rotors folded, and the other having just landed on the landing pad.
I then painted, and then bent into ther proper form, the main radar for the main mast, a secondary smaller radar, the railing for the deck up on the main mast housing the radar, and a ladder allowing personnel to access that upper deck. All of this area on the New Jersey (and all of the upgraded Iowa Class) was painted a flat black.
Once the main mast was completed, I then painted and then bent into their proper orientation the eight photo etch stairways for the New Jersey. The kit comes with plastc stairs, but these have no railing and the photo etch stairways are much more realistioc and true to what is found on the vessel.
Lots left to do, but the vessel is looking better and better.
She is looking nice.
In the next session I hope to add all of the photo etch railing. There's a lot to add and it may take quite a while (particularly with the Thanksgiving Holiday this week).
The Build - UNREP details, Helo refueling, aft comm mast, life bouys, metal railing - November 28, 2015
I began this session by providing more of the detail that the photo etch set provides, while getting ready for the railing. First, I added all of the photo etch detail to the main crane, which also serves as the principle Underway Replenishment (UNREP), or Replenishment at Sea, (RAS) station for the vessel. I then added the two helo refueling stations on the after end of the vessel which are accessed via the old aft 40mm gun stations.
I then added the comm antennae on the aft end of the vessel. If you note, you will also see the medivac stretchers that the helos carry attached to the sides of that smll deck house. In addition, I added the numerous orange life bouys located around the vessel.
At this point I started adding all of the hand railing around the ship, starting with the railing along the horizontal masts and extending all the way down to the main deck. There was a lot of it. some of it was cut to the appropriate length (like the hand rails along each of the horizontal masts), others had to be cut to the right length and then bent appropriately to fit. There was a lot of it and this part took me several days.
That does it for all of the railing and photo etch details. I still have the final decals to add, and then the rigging. At that point the model will be completed. I intend to accomplish that in my next session.
The Build - Decals, rigging, and completion - November 30, 2015
I started this session by adding the decals, including the pennant numbers fore and aft, and the campagn ribbon markings on the bridge. I then added the rigging to the main and secondary masts. The rigging is made with some fine, black thread.I tie off and glue it at each point.
Once this was completed, it was time to do some touch up paint work and then add the two coats of dull coat (or what sometimes is called Flat Coat). The flat coat allows the completed model to have the same finish. When you add the railing and photo etch, and the glue for the rigging, the glue that holds these features in place, although generally transparent, has a different finish than the paint. So the dull or flat coat gives the model the same overall finish.
Once that was completed it was time for the finished pictures of the vessel.
...and here's a bunch of close up and detail pictures showing off the model:
This was a really fun build. Lots of details and it allowed me to go back...after twenty years...and rebuild the model I built that long ago. There are lots more aftermarket detail sets out for it now so it allowed me to add more to the build.
I think she turned out very well.
That's the USS New Jersey, BB-62, the most decorated US Navy battleship in history, and shown here after her 1980s modernization.
I have decided to next build the US Air Force B-36 Peacemaker.
Over the holidays I saw Jimmy Stewart in "Strategic Air Command," which is a movie about the development of the Strategic Air Command after World Wr II, first using the huge B-36. Many people do not know it, but Jimmy Stewart was a highly decorated combat veteran bomber pilot of World War II who went on to become a US Air Force general in the US Air Force reserve and who flew those B-36 bombers. He also went on to fly the B-47s and the B-52s. The movie goes on to the advent of the B-47, but most of it is about the B-36, the largest production bomber every built.
Anyhow I have a Monogram 1/72 scale model kit of it and intend to build her next. It's a HUGE model.
SCHEDULE for Future Activities as of November 30, 2015
- By Dec 31, 2015: Complete USAF B-36 Peacemekae in 1/72 Scale
- By Jan 10, 2016: Complete RN Merlin Helicopter in 1/72 Scale
- By Jan 20, 2016: Complete Complete RAF Typhoon in 1/72 Scale
- By Feb 14, 2016: Complete French Rafael M in 1/72 Scale
- By Apr 10, 2016: Complete USS Hornet, CV-8 in 1/350 Scale
The completion of the PLAN Carrier group was centered on the already completed Trumpeter's 1/350 scale PLA Navy's Aircraft Carrier CV-16, Liaoning, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in October, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, propbably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550 and thus build a PLAN ARG.
The completion of the US Carrier Strike group was centered on the completed Tamyia's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whichever Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build it as the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.
The US ARG will include Tamiya's 1/350 scale, USS Iowa, BB-62 (which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Bronco Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and another Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.
The completion of the UK Group featured the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious, R06 as its centerp[iece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released. When that happens, I will add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. The Royal Navy CSG will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs (one of which is already completed), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (one of which is already completed), and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN (which is also already completed) and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will use tt to start building a Royal Navy ARG.
The French CSG was completed and is centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle, R91. I also built the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, and the French Aconit D612 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These four vessels round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase it and add it to the CSG. One day, when the models come out, I will purchase two 1/350 scale Mistral Class LPDs so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.
The completion of the Japanese JMSDF group was centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-174, Kongo class (which I own), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami and DDG-111 (both of which are Takinami Class DDGs which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. Should a 1/350 scale Osumi Class LPD be relased, I will buy two of those vessels and create a JMSDF ARG.
The completion of the Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which I own) the Russian Kirov Class nuclear battle cruiser (CGN), the Peter the Great, by Trumpeter (which I own), the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter, a Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy DDG, Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN, the new Yasen class Russian SSN, and the Zevzda Oscar II SSGN, all in 1/350 scale.
Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I built the model as the Sao Paulo and thus started a Brazilian group. I will need to find a 1/350 scale Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use which are not available at present. I did purchased a set of 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhawks and S-3 Trackers and built those as a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.
Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian Carrier Strike Group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier, the Vikrant, and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.
Years more worth of work!
You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:
WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
...and most of their surface escorts at:
AEGIS AND AEGIS-LIKE VESSELS OF THE WORLD