I have just purchased the Trumpeter kit USS Essex 1:350 scale to build for my father. He served on her in the late 50's and early 60's. At this time she had an angle flight deck and was used in anti-sub functions. Can anyone tell me where to find a conversion for the ship in this configuration?

Any suggestions are helpful.

Regards,

SSgt Mack

I have not heard of any. Another problem will be finding scale aircraft for it as this would be around the time they converted to a jet air-wing. You might check into what is available from Yankee models and Iron shipwrights or Bluewater Navy as they ae your most likely sources.

You're looking for an SCB-125 conversion. One does not exist. Iron Shipwrights made a conversion to a Korean War version of the Essex, but that is with the axial deck. You probably won't see a conversion soon either, since there's been a person on both Steelnavy and Modelwarships insinuating that he's working with DML on a 1/350 angle deck Essex. Since this is the case, no resin company will come out with a conversion for fear of not making sales due to the rumor.

Haven't they come out with, or announced, a 1/700 angled deck Essex?

Hey Rodge...
I do believe that you may be thinking of this one, mate...

Argh matey, that be the one.

(Oh wait, we're not talking pirate talk any more, are we?)

Technically, no. The Antietam was a test bed for the angle deck system that the RN was developing. All that was modified was the flight deck, and that is to a different angle than the SCB-125 angles (6 degrees vs. 9 degrees I think). Also, the converted carriers, such as Essex, were blistered out to 110 ft to allow for the extra weight of the conversions, as well as provide more protection. The Antietam never was blistered. The Antietam also retained the WW2 style island as opposed to the streamlined SCB island. The Antietam kit itself (not to demean it) is just a way to utilize most of the existing components of the other Eseex class kit without having to do a lot of re-engineering. Credit does go to DML for making it, since this will be the first kit of this experimental design.

Panda had some angle-deck kits announced way back when, and when Dragon absorbed them the speculation was that Dragon would release them... Ray Bean is the aforementioned person, but according to him they're off the list for now.

I helped Dragon (through Ray) on the CV-16 Lexington and Antietam kit, but have received no "insider" information on plans.