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General Ship Modeling
Discuss modeling techniques, experiences, and ship modeling in general.
REVIEW
USS Independence CVL-22
goldenpony
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Zimbabwe
Joined: July 03, 2007
KitMaker: 3,529 posts
Model Shipwrights: 2,419 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 02:28 AM UTC
Ahoy Shipmates!!!

MSW Crewmember Julian Sallows[gremlin56] shares his thoughts on Dragon Models newest Smart Kit, the U.S.S. Independence CVL-22.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
blaster76
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Texas, United States
Joined: September 15, 2002
KitMaker: 8,985 posts
Model Shipwrights: 3,509 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 04:52 AM UTC
What a wonderful review. was remotly considering theis kit leaning toward the Gambier Bay, but after this review, I am seriously considering it.
TracyWhite
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 18, 2005
KitMaker: 527 posts
Model Shipwrights: 464 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 06:01 AM UTC
Full Disclosure: I helped Dragon with the CVL kit.

I've built up both the Gambier Bay and a couple CVL test shots. I think the Hasegawa kit is an easier build, partially because they didn't push the detail envelope as much as Dragon did, and mainly because the CVEs were just much simpler ships in many respects. My "report" if you will is that the Gambier Bay *with PE details* is more expensive but an easier, quicker build, and the Dragon kit will give you fine detail and much more possibility for detail due to the hangar bay and included figures, vehicles, etc.

Yet both will leave carrier fans happy with what they have to work with. I don't think you can go wrong with either kit.
Gremlin56
Joined: October 30, 2005
KitMaker: 3,897 posts
Model Shipwrights: 3,301 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2011 - 06:19 AM UTC
Hi Tracy, I had gathered you had something to do with the Independence from some of the remarks you made online. I have seen a couple of reviews of the Gambier Bay by Hasegawa online. The hull detailing looks like the ship was built by a blind welder, wearing dark goggles on a foggy day. The Dragon offering is much more refined.
cheers,
Julian
TracyWhite
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Washington, United States
Joined: January 18, 2005
KitMaker: 527 posts
Model Shipwrights: 464 posts
Posted: Monday, January 24, 2011 - 12:33 PM UTC
Yeah, I spent about two and a half years in direct consultation of the kit, so you could say I had a bit to do with it

I'm not a big fan of hull plating in 1/350th scale and will admit that bias up front; those who think it's the bees knees can ignore me. The Hasegawa hull plating is nowhere near as fine as it should be to be a legitimate effort. The reason I say this is that the gasoline lines on the exterior of the hull are pretty much about the same size as the hull plating and are completely lost in the details. You have to get REAALLY close to see the plating, not so with the gas lines, yet from pretty much any distance you can't tell the difference. I'm going to try making a shadow underneath the gas line with a wash on mine just to make it stand out a bit more the way it should.
CaptSonghouse
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California, United States
Joined: August 08, 2008
KitMaker: 1,274 posts
Model Shipwrights: 1,236 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 08:44 AM UTC
I've built one for my next diorama and I must say it went together cleanly. The reinforced molding for the waterline version results in a surprisingly heavy hull when built in a full hull version. The fiddly bits along the catwalks aren't as daunting when actually installing them as they appear in the directions.

Budget lots of time for tackling the elaborate mast structure--it's almost a kit in its own right! The PE works well, especially in rendering the radars, but it was excessive for my fumbly fingers in setting up the tiny seats for the gunners on the twin Bofors mounts.

The decal sheet is extensive and fortunately, the aircraft roundels do not have any excessive film so you get just the insignia when they slide off. I wish, however, they had included numerals for sister ships as my scene required modeling the Cowpens.

My only real gripe is the layout of the instruction sheet--some of the sprue trees are actually misidentified (!) and the elaborate use of call-out scrap drawings is confusing to follow unless you set the sheets down and look at them from several feet away!

All in all, the model captures the distinctiveness of the CVL and I am glad I have a second one on hand for another go-around.

--Karl
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