Aircraft Carrier Reviews

USS Independence CVL-22, Light Aircraft Carrier 1943, Dragon 1:350 Scale - Dragon brings all the detail found in their 1:350 scale destroyer kits to the big time with their USS Independence CVL-22 1:350 scale aircraft carrier. The kit is loaded with options throughout assembly from fit to aircraft complement. With outstanding execution of plastic parts and optional brass parts provided for equipment, which plastic can’t adequately capture, the Dragon Independence covers all of the bases.
Conte di Cavour 2009, Modern Italian Carrier/Amphibious Warfare Ship, Delphis Models 1:700 Scale - If you want a excellent model of the flagship of the modern Italian Navy and the largest warship built in Italy since the battleship Roma was completed in World War Two, then the Delphis Models 1:700 scale Conte di Cavour is for you. This is a large hull carrier done all in resin with no photo-etch parts. Instead smaller parts are provided in resin, which can be difficult, but Delphis pulls it off successfully. 
USS Long Island, FDR's Baby, Loose Cannon 1:700 Scale  - The Loose Cannon 1:700 scale USS Long Island is an extraordinarily impressive kit packed with detail and a large number of parts for construction of FDR’s baby, the first USN escort carrier. It presents a delightful mixture of odd, asymmetrical and generally bizarre construction features for a carrier conversion slapped on a merchant hull at the President’s direction and features a profile higher than any other escort carrier. Because of the intricate and numerous brass flight deck support structures, the Long Island is not really suitable for beginners. 
USS Ticonderoga CVA-14, SCB-125 Angled Deck Modernization, Ships & Co 1:700 Scale - At long last the angled deck Essex is back and bolder and more beautiful than ever in the 1:700 scale incarnation of USS Ticonderoga CV-14 from Ships & Co. The all resin kit contains resin parts and a non-specific decal sheet. The kit is marred by poor instructions. Although final touches, such as photo-etch and aircraft, will need to be procured from a third-party source, the SCB-125 design is present in all her glory. 
Kaiyo, Japanese Escort Carrier 1944, Fujimi 1:700 Scale - Fujimi provides one of the lesser-known Japanese aircraft carriers of World War Two in the form of the Kaiyo in 1:700 scale. The kit includes a ship specific photo-etch fret that allows glazed bridge windows. This converted passenger liner may not have the name recognition of Akagi or Kaga but it did have one thing they did not, it survived the war. As an added bonus, it will appeal to British modelers as the FAA roughed her up in July 1945.  
USS Ranger CV-4, Iron Shipwright 1:350 Scale - The one-off USS Ranger was always second string. Although she packed a large air group, her deficiencies precluded her use in the Pacific in a combat role. Although the USN admirals may have considered her to be a bench warming sister of the pine, there is no reason this unique and historical ship can’t receive her time at the plate. The Iron Shipwright 1:350 scale USS Ranger CV-4 provides all the parts to recreate the first USN carrier designed from the keel up, whose best features are still retained on the nuclear carriers of the USN of the present day. 
Akagi 1941, Hasegawa 1:350 Scale - Big, bold and beautiful perfectly describes the 1:350 scale Akagi from Hasegawa. Always a flagship, the Hasegawa Akagi will be the flagship of any Imperial Japanese Navy collection. This is a massive kit of the proudest of the Japanese fleet carriers and about the only thing missing is brass photo-etch. 
Akagi, Three Flight Deck Aircraft Carrier 1927-1935, Hasegawa 1:700 Scale - A must have. I admit it, I like the early Akagi design. That three flight deck design really intrigues me, especially when it is filled with biplanes. Hasegawa has produced an excellent 1:700 scale kit of this impressive one off carrier design as she appeared from 1927 to late 1935. All it needs is a dedicated set of brass photo-etch. Hopefully Hasegawa will follow up with the three flight deck Kaga. 
USS Essex CV9, SCB-27A Fit 1952, Iron Shipwright 1:700 Scale - The Iron Shipwright SCB-27A USS Essex is a nice but not excellent kit. Casting is good but not perfect, as there are some voids and broken parts. The Chainsaw flight deck has outstanding detail that is carried off very well in plastic. Photo-etch is good but not excellent. The instructions are clearly sub-par and will need to be supplemented for complete assembly. However, this kit can make into a very attractive model of one of the major fits of the Essex class. 
HMS Biter, British Escort Carrier 1944, L'Arsenal 1:700 Scale - No one will call the HMS Biter graceful. This homely escort carrier shows her merchantman origin with every tubby line. However, as any movie-goer knows, the supporting actor often steals the show from the prima donna. The L’Arsenal 1:700 scale HMS Biter is a beautifully executed kit, which will let this character packed Walter Brennan steal the show from the big fleet jobs. 
USS Princeton CVS-37 1954, Essex Class Anti-Submarine Carrier, Dragon 1:700 Scale - Bring on those subs! Your attack carriers won’t have to worry about those sneaky red subs with the USS Princeton CVS-37 clipping along at 32 knots with them. With the Dragon USS Princeton CVS-37 in 1:700 scale, you’ll get the carrier and aircraft to successfully prosecute those scurrilous back-stabbers. 
USS Antietam CV-36 1953, Angled Deck Test Carrier, Dragon 1:700 Scale - This has to be the most unusual Essex class kit yet! As the test ship for the angled flight deck, only the Antietam had this fit. Not only does Dragon provide parts for the initial 1953 fit but also optional parts for the 1956 fit, when she went back to active operations. As an added plus the delightful Cutlass makes its appearance among the aircraft included.
USS Bon Homme Richard CV-31 1951-1952, Toko-Ri Time, Dragon 1:700 Scale - Ready for a go at Toko-Ri? With a 1:700 scale William Holden in the Dragon F9F-2 Panther and a 1:700 scale Mickey Rooney in a Dragon Dragonfly, flying from the Dragon Bon Homme Richard, you’ll certainly be ready for it. The Dragon USS Bon Homme Richard CV-31, you’ll have one of the retread Essex class that were crucial for the United States in the first two years of the Korean War, errrr….Police Action. 
USS Commencement Bay CVE-105, the Big Baby Flat Top, FleetNet 1:700 Scale - Send in the Marines! If your gyrines and jarheads are going to hit the beach, they need close air support from the "Marine Carriers" of the Commencement Bay class. With the FleetNet 1:700 scale resin and plastic model of the big baby flat tops of the Commencement Bay class, your fleet can have the platforms for those Corsairs and Avengers providing the CAS the mud marines need, as well as F6F Hellcats for their nighttime entertainment. 
USS Belleau Wood CVL-24 1945, Dragon Premium Edition 1:700 Scale - The Dragon Premium Edition of USS Belleau Wood in 1:700 scale is a somewhat different kit from the DML Independence. The Belleau Wood depicts the light carrier in 1945 with two catapults and 26 40mm guns. Two brass frets provide an extra level of detail not found in the Independence. Whether hitting the Hiyo, going after Yamato or fighting Typhoons, the Dragon Belleau Wood will do the job.  
USS Hancock CV-19, Long Hull Essex Class 1945, Dragon Models 1:700 Scale - Dragon Models has expanded upon their previous Essex class kits in 1:700 scale. This time it is the USS Hancock CV-19 1945 fit, showing a late war version of the long-hull variant. The kit furnishes a tremendous amount of detail for the price. With over 600 parts, two brass photo-etch frets, comprehensive decal sheet with specific Hancock aircraft markings and a huge number of options for the modeler, the modeler can build the late war long hull version of the class to a great degree of detail. Review by Steve Backer. 
USS Independence CVL-22 1943, Dragon Premium Edition 1:700 Scale - The Dragon Premium Edition of USS Independence does provide a significant improvement over the previous versions of the USN light carrier design. Although some sprues appear to be the same ones found in the earlier kits, new sprues and other inclusions significantly improve the kit. Review by Steve Backer. 
USS Midway CVB-41 1945, Loose Cannon 1:700 Scale - Loose Cannon has produced a huge, beautiful model of the first appearance of a carrier class that stayed with the United States Navy for half a century. The 1:700 scale Midway, as built in 1945, has all of the bells and whistles expected of a full-fledged multimedia kit with plenty of resin parts, two brass photo-etched sheets and three sheets of decals. Review by Steve Backer. 

Arromanches, French Colossus Class Light Carrier, L'Arsenal 1:700 Scale, Photographs of the Master Pattern - Mystery Model Revealed! - The April 2005 Mystery Model #1 generated a lot of speculation but no answer correctly identified all of the required elements. Everyone said that it was a Colossus Class light carrier and opinions were divided as to the scale. However, no one thought that the model was coming from L'Arsenal. Well, it is in 1:700 scale and here are photographs of the master pattern.

USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CV-42 1954, Original Revell 1954 Release - Come with us now to the days of Yester-Yore, when things were simpler and a fleet was a fleet. Get into the Way-Back Machine for a quick trip to the days of the Cisco Kid, and Ozzie and Harriet. Travel a half a century into the past to see injected plastic warship models in their infancy. Welcome to this edition of Blast from the Past, where we will examine the grand-pappy of all plastic aircraft carrier models, the original 1954 Revell release of the Franklin D. Roosevelt. Review by Steve Backer.

USS Randolph CV-15, Essex Class 1944, Dragon Models 1:700 Scale - Dragon Models has released another classic in 1:700 scale. This time it is the USS Randolph CV-15 1944 fit, showing an early version of the long-hull variant. The kit furnishes a tremendous amount of detail for the price. With over 500 parts, brass photo-etch fret, comprehensive decal sheet and a huge number of options for the modeler, the modeler can build the early long hull version of the class with a great degree of detail. Review by Steve Backer. 

USS Essex CV-9, Essex Class 1943-1944, Dragon Models 1:700 Scale - Dragon Models has released a new classic in 1:700 scale. This is the USS Essex CV-9 1943-1944 fit. The kit furnishes a tremendous amount of detail for the price. With over 500 parts, brass photo-etch fret, comprehensive decal sheet and a huge number of options for the modeler, the modeler can build the first of the class to a great degree of detail. Review by Steve Backer.

Admiral Kuznetsov, Soviet Carrier, Trumpeter 1:350 Scale, Test Shots - Here are the first photographs of the Trumpeter 1:350 scale Admiral Kuznetsov Soviet aircraft carrier. The photographs are from Mike Bass of Stevens International. The Admiral Kuznetsov is currently slated for a release in October 2004 and has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $199.00.

USS Nimitz, Trumpeter 1:350 Scale, First Test Shots of the New Kit Coming from Trumpeter - Mike Bass of Stevens International sent these photographs of the first test shots of the 1:350 scale model of USS Nimitz coming in September 2004 from Trumpeter.

HMS Furious, Aircraft Carrier 1918 - A carrier with an island in the middle of the flight deck. That is just one of the features of the HMS Furious, in her 1918 fit, that compelled Jim Baumann to build the 1:700 scale kit of Furious, produced by Loose Cannon Productions. This is another article that is of such high quality, that it fits into the aircraft carrier gallery, diorama gallery and aircraft carrier reviews. 

Trumpeter 1:350th Scale USS Yorktown CV-10 - John Sheridan reviews Trumpeter's latest kit: CV-10 USS Yorktown. John gives you the lowdown on this latest offering plus some tips on other Essex Class CVs you can model with this latest offering from Trumpeter. Also included: a listing of aftermarket parts available for the Essex CV kits.

Trumpeter 1:350th Scale USS Essex kit - One of the most anticipated kits in 1:350th scale has finally arrived on our shores from Trumpeter Models. John Sheridan takes a look at the USS Essex kit.

HMS Furious 1918, The First Aircraft Carrier - The HMS Furious was the first large warship design to carry wheeled aircraft as its primary weapon. In the summer of 1918, aircraft launched from her deck made the first carrier strike in naval history. Loose Cannon Models now has a 1:700 scale model of the Furious as she appeared from March 1918 to 1921.

USS Hornet by Trumpeter - The 1:350 scale kit of USS Hornet CV-8 released by Trumpeter has been the most significant plastic warship kit of 2002. This In-Box Review has extensive photographic coverage (112 photographs) of all of the components of this groundbreaking kit.

Béarn, French Carrier - L-Arsenal has released the 1:400 scale model of the first French flightdeck aircraft carrier. An unusual design, built on a battleship hull, the Béarn lasted a half a century, from the hayday of the battleship in 1914 to the advent of modern nuclear powered carriers in 1967. In-Box review by Steve Backer.

HMS Hermes, British Carrier - The HMS Hermes was the first warship to be designed from the keel up as an aircraft carrier. John Currie looks at the new H-P Models HMS Hermes in 1:700 scale.

Courageous & Glorious, British Carriers - H-P Models of Germany has produced resin models in 1:700 scale of these two British carriers. John Currie presents a photographic preview of the kits.

Béarn, Instructions for the 1:400 Scale kit from L'Arsenal - The instructions for the new plastic, resin and brass kit of the Béarn from L'Arsenal are 24 pages in length. Here are photographs of those pages.

1:350th scale  CV-2 USS Lexington kit By John Sheridan

USS John C. Stennis CVN-74 - The Italeri 1:720 kit is examined by M. W. Yung in this In-Box Review.

Soryu, Japanese Fleet Carrier, 1941, First Look at the components of this new multimedia 1:700 kit from Hi-Mold/Pit-Road.

Preview of the Béarn On September 1, 2002 L'Arsenal and Navires & Histoire will release a 1:400 plastic, resin and brass kit of the first French aircraft carrier, the Béarn.