For the longest time, I have wanted to build the USS Enterprise (CV-6) as she looked before the Second World War. Now, with Trumpeter releasing various pre-war US Navy aircraft sets in 1/700th the time was right for such a project. I chose the old Tamiya Enterprise as the starting point for my conversion, as it had the correct bridge and mast compared to the Trumpeter Hornet. Modifications to the kit included the following. First, I removed all of the molded 20mm and 40mm anti-aircraft mounts, leaving only the eight 5"38 mounts and the four 1.1" Anti-air mounts fore and aft of the island. Then, I filled in the edge of the aft flight deck. The 5" mounts were replaced with aftermarket examples by Corsair Armada and the 1.1"s were extra parts from my Trumpeter North Carolina. Ships boats and searchlights were taken from various Skywave weapons sets. The F3Fs of VF-6, SBCs of VS-6, SBDs of VB-6 (SBDs substituting for the BT-1s), and TBDs of VT-6 were supplied from Trumpeter aircraft sets. Finally, the ship was painted with White Ensign Models Colorcoats and decaled with markings by Starfighter Decals.

Mike Wolfe

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