Sambini wrote:
What where the differences with the 8" guns and are there any detailed plans that will show what needs to be changed.
Lexington's features changed considerably during her career. If you want to build her with the 8" guns, but want to keep the conversion work to a minimum, it would be best to portray her somewhere in between her last two refits.
The 8" guns were removed after 26 march 1942, so after the raids on New Guinea but before the battle of the Coral Sea.
Before that, in juli 1941, she had her CXAM-1 radar and related equipment fitted. In late august 1941, her 3" guns were replaced by 1.1" quadruple guns, and she had a catwalk installed between the bridge and radar control room at the front of the funnel. So for minimal changes, best from september 1941 to late march 1942. Maybe during the famous raids in early 1942 would be an interesting time to set her?
This famous shot was taken a bit earlier, but shows her in this configuration:
Warship Pictorial 33 on Lex has some more nice shots from this period, from october '41, december '41, and early '42. Also one nice one from her entering Pearl Harbor for the refit in which the 8" guns were removed, and several shots showing the removal itself.
When the 8" guns were removed, some more changes were made however, so you will need to 'undo' these on the Trumpeter kit. You will need to:
- not place the three 20mm AA platforms in the boat wells, but configure these as boat wells.
- surpress the two 20mm platforms at the aft flight deck edges
- remove the 20mm platform on the starboard side of he funnel, and install a boat platform instead. This extends farther forward than the later AA gun platform.
- build the 8" fire control station at the aft end of the funnel, on the lower of the two platforms (which has two 20mm guns in the kit). I believe Model Monkey has a 3D funnel correct for this timeframe, including the fire control station, and much better detailed than the kit item, available on Shapeways.
- cut the upper level of the bridge back a bit. I believe Model Monkey has a 3D bridge correct for this timeframe, and much better detailed than the kit item, available on Shapeways.
But check your references further, maybe I forgot something…
Also, check which types of aircraft to use, and their markings (no tail stripes before late december '41!), as these might have changed during this period.
Note also that she had degaussing cables from may '41 onwards.
If you want to date her further back, more changes need to be made: weapons and their platforms, radar, and even forward flight deck shape if you go back far enough. At that point, the Saratoga kit would be easier to start from however, obviating the need for the YMW set.
Good luck; that sounds like a great project!
Marijn