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USS Lexington (CV2) 1927-1942

Stage 10: foretop 5-inch fire control platform

Kit parts: 3
Scratch parts: 37
PE parts: 5
Time: 2 hours

All moulded detail on the top side was removed and the platform filed smooth (apart from the two circular platforms for the 5-inch range-finders at the outer ends). Replacement shielding and life rails are best understood by reference to the photograph. I used styrene strip to represent the splinter mattresses hung from the rails.

Other additions included two work benches and the access hatch in the deck. Support brackets for the underside of the platform were cut from styrene strip.





Above: Foretop 5-inch fire control platform.

Construction of the rangefinder tubs and director pedestals are described below under 5-inch fire control.

Stage 11: stack structure

Kit parts: 18
Scratch parts: 65
PE parts: 11
Time: 11.5 hours

The base of the structure (kit parts C1 and C2) is accurate in dimensions and for the position of doors and scuttles. However, both parts are incorrectly joggled outwards near the aft end. On the inboard side this additional width would overlap part of the torpedo elevator in the flight deck. The joggles were easily corrected and C1 and C2 made flush. This was done by cutting, trimming and recementing, making adjustments for length on C1 by reinforcing the inside and inserting styrene strip in the resulting gap. The aft bulkhead (part C18) was reduced in width to fit and the scuttle holes filled.





Above: Joggles removed from structure and sides made straight. The rectangle of white styrene sheet on the deck head was to seal a gap left after removing some irrelevant moulded detail on the upper side.

The light AA platform on the outboard side is too high, being flush with the deck level for what was the No.3 8-inch mounting. It should be lower but, given that I planned to use the GMM PE supporting braces between the platform and the deck edge, and would not be able to reduce these in height, decided against altering the height of the platform. It runs too far aft so was cut back to just forward of the moulded-on vertical ladder on the outboard side. This ladder was removed, to be replaced with PE. At the aft end l removed all moulded splinter screen, gun tub and director base structure detail. With the joggles in the structure corrected as described above, the deck above it now exhibited the correct overlap. However, this was not the same width along its entire length and I narrowed it on both sides at the correct positions.

The two very prominent 8-inch ammunition hoists at the rear of the structure (never removed) were fashioned from balsa wood.

Splinter shields for the 1.1-inch mount aft of the stack were made following the same style as those forward of the bridge. Vertical stiffeners were added the length of the outboard gun gallery at 5mm intervals. Six vertical stiffeners in three pairs were added to the 1.1-inch mount splinter shield at the forward end of the stack structure.



Above: Aft end of stack structure showing scratch-built splinter shielding and 8-inch ammunition hoists on rear face.



Above: Forward end of stack structure showing vertical stiffeners added to gun tub and port side winch (see next section).

On the inboard side of the stack the moulded-on vertical ladder (not to be replaced) and clutch of nearby vertical vent pipes (the latter a distinguishing feature of Saratoga but not of Lexington) were removed. The horizontal jack rod along the base of kit part C11 is fine, but I removed this and fitted a replacement (made from brass wire, later replaced with stretched sprue) slightly lower down to help mask the join with the lower structure. The upper horizontal jack rod running all round the stack was removed (not to be replaced). All other vertical ladders were removed. Two of the doors on the inboard side were opened out and PE doors fitted in the open position. Three deck floodlights (square styrene strip) were mounted midway up the stack (note that these are not equally spaced), and a jack rod (brass wire, later replaced with stretched sprue) run horizontally on the inboard side corresponding to the moulded-on one on the outboard side.

I drilled and squared-off manholes in the gun gallery corresponding with the position of vertical ladders below and mounted rectangular styrene blocks representing the 0.5-inch ammunition hoist outlets. The vertical cables and 0.5-inch ammunition hoists running up the outboard side of the stack between the lower and upper gun galleries were made from different diameters of brass wire. There was only one vertical ladder running up the side of the stack and this was on the outboard side at the aft end. There was originally a shorter vertical ladder on the outboard side at the fore end leading up to a small intermediate platform that in turn gave ladder access to the secondary con and pri-fly positions on the forward face of the stack. When the latter were replaced by the radar cabin these ladders and the platform were removed. A PE ladder was fixed to the rear of the stack between the lower platform and the deck below.