Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:31 pm

Here's a more direct link.
Only thing I can say is

brandon · Post by **brandon** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:43 pm

HEllo everybody

I am nearly new on building aircraft carriers. I recently bought USS Essex of Trumpeter scale 1:350 I just wonder if there is a website to look if this vessel had any camo colours during the WWII and iof so what kind of colours were they.

When I look into the cataloque of Dragon scale 1:700 I can see a camo but looking to Trumpeter its all the same grey

I hope that somebody can help me

thanks and regardsd

Wim

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:06 pm

According to ShipCamouflage.com http://shipcamouflage.com/usn_cv.htm, Essex wore Ms. 32, 6-10d in 1944. Photos of the ship wearing this measure seem to be rare.

Floating Drydock sells a camouflage design sheet for USS Essex wearing Ms. 32, 6-10d. See http://www.floatingdrydock.com/camo.htm

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/020942.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/09.htm

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:53 pm

Ms. 32, 6-10d

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f2/ga ... -6-10d.jpg

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:29 pm

That's a scan of the Dragon instruction sheets, for what it's worth.

Capt652 · Post by **Capt652** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:45 pm

Anyone have pictures of the area of the bow under the flight deck between the three large braces of what was stored there or function areas? I have seen the side view of that area on CV-19 from starboard looking to port earlier in this post, some pages back, I was wondering about layout of anchor chain and paravane chain and access, also other machinery located in this area. And in that same thought... the area of the stern especially on the main deck, I think the Trumpeter instructions show storage of two paravanes there too. Anyone?

Thanks

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:59 pm

Ships plans will show you the general arrangement of anchor chains & cable spools, etc. I think Ive got some photos of this area from the Fine ARt models Intrepid I can pop online but I won't be able to access them until probably next saturday... pop me a PM then to remind me if I don't.

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:39 pm

Got home earlier than expected:

Click for VERY large version

jgrease · Post by **jgrease** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:28 pm

Ok gents - new question:

Time to add the flight deck onto the hull. Do you:
a. put the pieces together on a table, glue them and paint, then assemble.
b. put them together on the hull, fill, sand, paint.
c. get disgusted with the build and look at the hull for the next 2-3 years.

Right now, my money is on c. I'm looking at the pieces and wondering what I should do next.

PS - My thanks to Sharps4570 as well as Starfighterace for their kind help with aircraft for my Essex build - true gentlemen who make this hobby fun for me again!

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:33 pm

1) Cut off the tabs for the flight deck as it will only make the fit WORSE.
2) Glue the flight deck together using th emethod I wrote about in my So you want to build a Lexington? article.
3) Selectively shave off the guiding lines on the bottom that are going to mess up placement and just keep the ones you need to hold it where you want it as you glue it down.

Whether or not you paint the deck before gluing it down or after I think is personal preference. I prefer to glue down and then paint myself....

ModelWarships Gallery Page · Post by **ArizonaBB39** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:20 pm

Hey Tracy, or anyone else,

Are the Trumpeter Ticonderoga and Hancock kits in 1/350 identical? The review for Hancock here on the site doesn't work. Can any of the long hulls be built from either of these kits without major modifications? More specifically I'd like to build one in a dazzle scheme. Is there one ship I can build from these kits without having to change anything, or atleast not have to change more than the flight deck cutouts? THanks!

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:04 pm

As far as I know the only difference is markings.

The reviews worked for me based on the links I dropped at the beggining of the thread.
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... eview.html
http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... eview.html

SeanF · Post by **SeanF** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:36 pm

I just got the new Dragon Bon Homme Richard - wonderful new planes (the Skyraiders and Cougars even have drop tanks!), just wish it had more of them. I'm a bit dubious about the painting instructions - light gull gray hull and intermediate blue flight deck. Nothing specified for the other, non-flight decks. I was thinking post-WWII FS36270 hull and dark gray decks, but the hull does look very light in photos, and I wouldn't be surprised if ship paint schemes were still in transition. Anyone have anything more specific?

Thanks.

- Sean F.

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:53 am

I received in the mail yesterday a set of "Gators Masks" to paint Ms. 33/10a for Yorktown in 1/350. The masks also include flight deck numerals and stripe markings. Total cost to include shipping was $20 US.

Although I haven't applied them yet, out of the tube they look very, very good.

Gator offers Essex class camouflage masks for other measures and in 1/700 as well. Has anyone else tried these yet?

http://www.gatorsmask.com/cv.html

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 11:51 am

Steve, his 1/700 Essex markings didn't take the shape of the bow and stern into affect, which would distort the pattern in these areas due to the compound curves. Can you see if he fixed that for the 350th offerings?

SeanF wrote:I just got the new Dragon Bon Homme Richard - wonderful new planes (the Skyraiders and Cougars even have drop tanks!), just wish it had more of them. I'm a bit dubious about the painting instructions - light gull gray hull and intermediate blue flight deck.

Generally, you want to follow Mrasure 13 Guidelines, although there may have been a paint formular revision post war... I don't believe so. It should be the neutral Haze Gray (1945 revision) and not the earlier Wartime Haze based on blue.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:04 pm

So I am finally making some headway on my USS Essex. Here are some images:
Overall hull shot. I haven't done the boot top stripe yet - that will come later. For the life of me, I could not blend the seam between the hangar deck and the hull - I think that's what separates each of us as modelers.

Port bow. I am quite happy with the look of this area.

View of hangar deck from the stern. Some touch-up painting is needed, but it's good enough for me.

The stern area - needs some work, but the look is there for me.

I would genuinely like to hear what you guys think. Please post comments.

ModelWarships Gallery Page · Post by **ArizonaBB39** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:09 pm

Thats a very nice looking Essex!! Is that the 1/700 kit? She looks very good so far.

One thing you could try to hide the seam is to paint the black waterline stripe either just above the seperation or below it, but not on it, the black paint will "hide" the seam. Just a suggestion!

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:19 pm

Tracy and I were discussing some Trumpy kit's hull shape problems off-thread and here's the gist of what we were
talking about.

One of the inaccuracies of the Trumpy 1/350 Essex kit hull is that it is too slab-sided below the hangar deck. A real
Essex hull, especially at the bow near the hangar deck catapult opening, tapers. Notice the red line in the photo below
showing the taper. Interestingly, Hasegawa captured the hull shape taper more correctly in their classic 1/700 kit.
The kit hull is probably not worth the trouble to try to correct but it is annoying since the real Essex hull is much finer
than that represented by the kit.

Tracy White · Post by **Tracy White** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:37 pm

That's a very tasty picture for a number of reasons Steve! Notice the boom for the refueling lines and the double water tight doors underneath? Those were late-war additions. The hose is coming out of a chock welded into the shell/superstructure (not sure actually if this section is part of the shell or superstructure... guessing the later) that Trumpeter also missed as a detail.. we've talked about that earlier in the thread. This was originally a single watertight door and chock for the purpose of mooring and docking.

Post by **ModelMonkey** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:58 pm

I am afraid that I can't recall the source of the photo of USS Boxer, CV-21, a long-hull Essex, and regret that I am unable to credit that source. But here are some more. IMHO, these photos are very helpful for the model builder intending to add detail to his/her kit's hull.

In the first photo, you can see some hangar deck lateral bulkhead detail through open roller doors. I believe the structure that angles upwards near the bulkhead to be a 5" ammunition hoist. I found these details to be irresistibly interesting. This photo was one of the reasons I decided to open all the roller doors on my Yorktown and fabricate the transverse bulkheads. You can also see the hull's plating pattern very well.

The Ship Model Forum

Calling all Essex-class (WWII configuration) fans

Camo colours USS Essex

Progress on Essex