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USS Lexington (CV2) 1927-1942

Stage 19: hull (part 2) and dry run

Kit parts: 15
Scratch parts: 32
PE parts: 14
Time: 4.5 hours

The ‘brows’ (B16 and B17) were fitted to the completed hull and flight deck assembly to ensure a good fit between the two. They both extended 1mm beyond the edge of the flight but this was easily rectified by slicing off the protrusions, filling the resulting gap and finishing off.

Nine jack rods (stretched sprue) were fitted to the underside of each of the ‘brows’. There should be ten, but my datum point was the hawse hole approximately midway along, divided by the length to the front edge of the flight deck. The distance between each worked out at 7.2mm, but there was insufficient length to fit a tenth before the light AA sponson.

Three jack rods were fitted to the underside of each of the forward light AA sponsons. A horizontal jack rod around the periphery neatly disguised some rather poor moulding detail in this area.



Above: Jack rods fitted to undersides of ‘brows’ and light AA platforms .



The braces (B10 and B11) were a little too long and were therefore cut a corresponding amount short at the hull end to match up with the locating holes.

The internal platforms (A18, A19, A20) in the port side boat pockets were used as they were correct apart from cutting to length to suit the detailed interiors. The GMM PE ladders (F14) were exactly the right length. This was a surprise, not because of any inaccuracy on the part of GMM, but because they had to fit an exact dimension on a combination of the Nautilus wooded deck superimposed on an inaccurate and distortion-prone hull.



Above: Port side boat pocket platform extension and external ladder.



In contrast to the rest of the kit, the elevator well assemblies are a delight in terms of accuracy and detail. The only additions were two polystyrene rectangular section beams secured across the bases of each of the elevator wells on which the elevator platforms would sit.



Above: Elevator well assemblies and platform support beams before fitting to underside of flight deck.



With all the major assemblies complete, it was time for a dry-run to check that everything was coming together as it should. I planned to paint the major assemblies separately so as to avoid any necessary masking off between, for example, the bridge and stack assemblies and the flight deck. This would also make it easier to paint decks and then assemble further structures on top.





Above: Dry run of major assemblies before painting.