¹⁄350

USS Lexington (CV2) 1927-1942

I constructed a proper bracket for the CXAM radar antennae from styrene sheet. This was modelled in the fashion of the bracket on the Saratoga for which there are ample photographic references.

Stage 15: Lower stack platform

Kit parts: 2
Scratch parts: 31
PE parts: 4
Time: 6 hours

The lower platform (D21) was discarded. The first reason for this was the illogical indentations on each side. I presumed that the makers of the kit had misinterpreted the dark area in this region shown in the final picture of the vessel intact at the battle of the Coral Sea. I think it far more likely that this visual effect was caused by the dislodging of the splinter mattress in this position from the shock of the previous torpedo explosions, or for some other reason.

The second reason for discarding it was that that it does not correspond with the plans of the ship or photographs. These clearly show that on the outboard side it extended around the rear face of the stack to a point close to the vertical ladder.

The third reason was that the locating holes for the vertical struts in the platforms are too far apart, although the strut spacing at lower deck level is correct. It is worth noting that the struts (D11 and D12) should be correctly orientated so that the tops are horizontal.

I made a replacement platform from styrene sheet, with semi-circular light AA sponsons incorporated at the rear quarters, and an open hatch giving access from the ladder below. Full bracketing (styrene sheet and PE) was built on the underside.



Above: Underside of lower stack platform.



To simplify construction – and make a stronger joint - I sawed out the slot in the aft end of the stack into which I could cement the platform, rather than trying to cut an accurate semi-circle in the platform to match the slot.

There must have been problems with vibration of this platform because additional stiffening brackets and webs were added during the ship’s life. That includes parts D21 (and their PE equivalents) under the outer edges, and tall triangular webs located on the rear faces of the struts below the platform. The four bracing rods between the struts and the underside of the platform were made from thin brass wire. There is close-up photographic evidence of an additional small platform (below the erstwhile lower platform) added late in the ship’s life between the struts and the aft face of the stack. There were no rails or lifelines on this, and it may have been added for structural reinforcement reasons.





Above: Details of lower stack platform.



I fixed two splinter mattresses (suspended from the second bar) at the forward end of the rail on the outboard side. This left an unprotected gap of the same length of a splinter mattress before the start of the shielding, as described in the first paragraph of this section. I couldn’t bear to continue covering up any more PE railing in this way, so didn’t fix any splinter mattresses on the inboard side.

Stage 16: upper stack platform

Scratch parts: 22
PE parts: 4
Time: 2.75 hours

The upper platform for 5-inch control (D22) was discarded because it is 3mm too narrow. That may not sound like much, but it translates into a 15 percent dimensional error that scales up to more than 1 metre. Furthermore, the raised platform at the forward end is irrelevant and there should be four (not three) longitudinal brackets on the underside.

Bracketing on the underside was constructed from styrene sheet and GM PE replacements for parts D24. As with the lower platform described above, to simplify construction – and make a stronger joint - I sawed out the slot in the aft end of the stack into which I could cement the platform, rather than trying to cut an accurate semi-circle in the platform to match the slot.





Above: Underside and top of upper stack platform.