I managed to get hold of the GM 1/350 USS Wasp for a very reasonable price and I am very impressed with what is offered by Gallery Models. Reason enough to jump right in and build the model.
cheers,
Julian

I too got the Wasp on sale at hobby lobby. Also an extra PE sets from white ensign and a decal set from Hawk Graphics. My intent is to do the kit as ESSEX LHD2.
I'll be interested in following your build as my skills are somewhat limited, having restarted kit building after 60 years. AC carriers are my interest having served on ESSEX CVS-9 in the 60's, but I want to build the frigate ESSEX as well. Quite an undertaking for me and I'll probably never finish them all, but boy, am I having fun.

EJ

Welcome aboard Eugene, it's never to late to start up building again
Sounds like you have some nice extras to use on the Wasp, PE and decals.
I read an article on line by someone who noted that it was rather weird that nowadays it seems to be "not done " to do an OOB build. It has become normal to buy the model, then splurge on an expensive PE set of which you use about 50% during the build. In the worst case you buy some resin parts to finish of the build having by then successfully doubled the original price of the model.
The Wasp contains some nice PE parts so I am going to see if I can produce a good looking build OOB here.
Cheers,
Julian

P.s. I have labelled this as a carrier build and I am not too sure that that is the correct description but I couldn't stand the idea calling the USS Wasp a "Military support vessel" so please excuse me here.

I have heard that the Gallery Models Wasp is not as good as the Revell version...

I am in for a look Julian.

That would be a big surprise if the Revell version was better than the GM model Warren: same model different box and both with a strong Trumpeter DNA profile
I have been eyeing the Revell version that was here in the stores for a rather hefty 190 Euro's for about a year now. I was pleasantly surprised when the GM version turned up for 130 so I bought it.
Cheers,
Julian

Yes Julian, I know,, attempted humour..

I can't find your 1/200 Arizona build. Could you please post the threads address?

Thanking you
Warren

Sorry mate, missed that Have been home for the past week with pneumonia, munching penicillin and codeine, so not feeling like the brightest light in the room at the moment.
The Arizona is slowly slipping from view but you can find the thread here:
http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/176600&page=1
(that is if the d*!% thing works).
cheers,
Julian

I've got the Gallery Models offering, too, but no time to start the build. I think about applying PE... will follow your build to determine if it is necessary!

Hi Daniel, I think a very reasonable OOB build can be pulled off with the parts and PE supplied. I also just received confirmation from "Der Sockelshop" that the paint I need for the Wasp was dispatched at 10:30 this morning. Seeing as I only ordered it at 06:45 this morning I am once again impressed by the service supplied by Frank Brechmann and his team. This is "Sehr Schnell" in any language
This means the paint will be delivered tomorrow. I'll try and get some photo's and my impressions of Gallery Models offering posted this weekend. I will not be doing a big review on this model: there are plenty of reviews, in box reviews and some builds around.
There are some fine points I would like to draw attention to though.
Cheers,
Julian

Hey Julian! When I opened the box, I also thought this kit to be great OOB. But then I saw the WEM PE sets for the landing craft and the air wing... I think these could be a great addition to the kit. And then I thought, why not buy the whole WEM set... da*n!

The KA set is very impressive too but I don't know how thick the PE sheets are.
WEM supply great quality and beautiful detail so you are safe there
Julian

Yes, WEM products are impressive. I applied their PE set to an Academy Perry FFG and it looks stunning. I've altough never used KA sets... so I'll try one of these on Revells Audi R8. Then I might decide which one... or, after looking at your build, I might even go OOB with the Wasp. Or only with the Air WIng set from WEM. So many ways to go...

The paint for this build arrived from Germany today as expected. A very beautiful Haze grey and a charcoal grey colour, (gunship grey/ dark sea green) for the flight deck. I also received a Gunze Sangyo semi gloss grey for the airwing.
Scouring the web for photos it becomes very clear that there is a lot of space for weathering the LHD class as they would appear to be very hard worked vessels. They don't become rust buckets but there is a lot of weathering on the hull around the elevator supports and hull join lines. This gives some elbow room to add some contrast. The flight deck is the big focal point though: weathered, oilstains, exhaust marks, weathered white and yellow lines. This part screams for some glazing and weathering.
I can't find any detail photo's of the refueling gear on the starboard side of the island and GM/Revell/Trumpeter have completely skipped this part of the model, so if anyone can help me find a good detail photo of the scaffold and hoses used to refuel while underway I would be much obliged.
I also find there is a nice mix of photos of the Wasp with black radar antenna's, masts and stack caps or with haze grey stacks etc. Can someone point out what is the most actual paint scheme.
Hope to get some pic's up tomorrow.
cheers,
Julian

Hey Julian, I don't have a photo of the UNREP systems... but have you seen all the 1/350 Wasp builds over there at modelshipgallery.com? http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/am/am-index.html

Edit: Found some pics of the UNREP installations on navy.mil






Cheers

Bless you Daniel, that is just what the doctor ordered !
There is plenty of reference material around but these photo's I hadn't seen.
Excellent stuff.
I have also made a U-turn worthy of a politician this morning: I have ordered the KA photo etch set from Lucky Models
After a close examination of the supplied PE I was very much not impressed and decided it would be a shame to skimp on the detailing......................................
Cheers,
Julian

Glad if I can be of help. I think these UNREP installations are part of the WEM set, but I don't know about the KA one. I'm looking forward to hear about the KA set, perhaps you could share some pics of it when it arrives.
Cheers, Daniel

Yes, no problem, when the set arrives I'll post some photo's.
Here is a sneak preview:
http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=KAM-MS-35021
cheers,
Julian

What was the status of that set when you ordered it Julian? Hope it wasn't 'Available'... They can take months and months to come through...

Yep, available. Well, I'll take that hurdle when it comes up.............
I also have a campaign lined up for January 1st 2012: Scapa Flow, fearturing the König with a PE set I already have in the stash
cheers,
Julian

I am still waiting for the KA Audi R8 PE from Luckymodel. But they told me that they'll have a KA restock in the first half of december...

Yup, there was conversation on a carrier photo site I follow too. The consensus was - It does "carry aircraft", so it would be considered an "aircraft carrier" and the pics could be posted. "Essex LHD-2" has a nice website and often posts pics.
For those not familiar with ships, an LHD looks much like a WWII ESSEX class straight decker.

EJ

A question of being patient Daniel, not one of the model builders best virtues
Julian

Thanks for clearing that point up Eugene.
Cheers,
Julian

I threatened to do a mini review with my impressions of what Revell/Gallery Models/Trumpeter offer in the model of the LHD-1 USS Wasp:

The packaging is typical Trumpeter; a heavy duty box that is absolutely crammed with carefully packaged and wrapped sprues of parts. The flight deck is carefully wrapped in plastic foam to protect the finer details. Sprues containing delicate parts are also wrapped in foam sheet.




All the sprues and parts fit the box like a well thought out jigsaw puzzel so that there is no possibility of anything moving around enough in the box to get damaged.
The instruction booklet and colour guide included are typical of Trumpeter models, well thought out, crystal clear and the colour sheet includes codes for several brands of model paint, (no Life Colour though
).

The parts are crisp and well defined with no flash at all and the positioning of the ejector pin marks well thought out so that they will not show up on the finished model.





The lashing points on deck and elevators are overscale IMHO but I don't think this will detract from the finished model, (especially if you don't accentuate them by painting them white I haven't found a single reference photo of an LHD with white lashing points on deck).





There are some very delicate plastic moldings included, ( support frames etc.) that will need gentle treatment when removing them from the sprues and cleaning them up for assembly. The wheelhouse has the windscreen wiper housings molded on above each window, (nice details).




The well deck parts are beautifully detailed and here you can go to town with additional paintwork, check out these details on the real deal that can be added:






I hope I am not trampling over anyone's copy write by using these photo's. If I have please contact me and I'll remove them from this review, ( would appreciate it if I can leave them on line though )






The LCU's and the LCAC's are beautiful little models in their own right. Well detailed they should look magnificent when built and loaded with the supplied munchkin sized marine assault force of armour and artillery.





The flight deck is a beautiful and delicate molding with crisp detailing. It also gives occasion to my first major gripe: the landing spots are marked with raised detail, reminiscent of 50's and 60's Aurora and Revell models. I cannot for the life of me figure out what sort of brainf**t led to someone deciding this would be a good idea




The hull itself is another crisp molding, one piece, so no joins, (although the keel will need some TLC as it would appear someone used a bolt cutter to snip off the pour plugs





The four sheets of decals are in register and seem to supply a comprehensive set of markings for the Wasp, the airwing and landing-craft and armour. Hope they fit over the raised deck detail




The model comes with 3 sheets of PE, containing railings, radar scanners and deck edge nets. My original plan was to do an OOB build but I have since altered the plan and have opted for the KA PE set including PE for the airwing and landing-craft. The PE supplied with the kit is reasonably flexible, (not like the stiff "girder grade" PE supplied by Italeri ), and is wrapped in sticky polythene to prevent pieces taking off when being cut and disappearing into the carpet monster.




The airwing is included in a carboard box and is extensive and beautifully detailed, (I would rather have had a couple more Harriers instead of four Ospreys but that is a personal view). The panelling is engraved, not raised detail, so that with care you can accentuate that. Unfortunately the entire airwing is molded in the usual transparent and very brittle plastic that I absolutely hate. Trumpeter has proved it is possible to make 1/350th scale aircraft that don't come in transparent plastic, ( I have several sets of Corsairs and Helldivers waiting patiently in my stash to be used on a WW II aircraft carrier that are molded in grey and black plastic and have the canopy added after painting. ) It is possible so why foist this transparent gunk on people

All in all the model of LHD-1 USS Wasp is a very tasty morsel for the jaded model builder and one that I would recommend despite a couple of "warts".

I would award this model a total of 90 points out of a possible 100.

Pro's: a very comprehensive portrayal of an LHD, crisply molded and well thought out.

Con's: raised deck details anno 2011? Transparent plastic airwing, yuck!

Oh yes, and a big thanks to my bank account for supplying this review model :-)

Hey Julian!
Nice review to look at on this early morning here in Switzerland! Especially appreciate those real life well deck pics you added. I wasn't aware of all these details. I'll join you in the critique of the air wing: the designer/manufacturer of this kit seems to have tried to please the favorers of different timeframes, since those Sea Knights and Ospreys haven't ever gone together on a cruise in this mixed fashion, as far as I know. So if one wants to have a (nearly) full air wing on deck, he will have to come up with Gallery Model's separate air wing set...