¹⁄1200

Round 2, under the Lindberg label, has announced the May 2015 re-release of two Pyro Plastics USN warships in 1/1200 scale.

(from Round 2):
Tabletop Navy kits offer a great way to build a wide range of WWII battleships from around the world. Each kit features two historic ships. These kits pack loads of detail into models that range from 6 ½” to over 8” long. In this initial offering, The U.S.S. Intrepid is accompanied by the U.S.S. North Carolina. These models offer full hull or waterline options and are great for various tabletop gaming uses.

•Scale: 1/1200
•Skill Level: 2 (ages 10 and up)
• Includes Two WWII Ship Kits
•Models range from 6 1/2” to over 8” Long
•Loads of detail in small kits
•Great for tabletop gaming
•Build as full hull or waterline models
•Hull camouflage & flight deck decals

Item No: HL419

I built the Pyro 1/1200 Hornet several years ago, which I suspect is the same molding as this "new" Lindberg Intrepid. That kit sports an AA fit not quite right for CV-11 Intrepid, but approximately accurate for CV-16 Lexington in 1945. The kit is comparable to the old Casadio (aka Almark, Sablon, ESCI, MPC, Revell AG) 1/1200 “Mini-Ships” kits. Scaling out to about 1/1240, it would fit pretty well with them. Unlike the “Mini-Ships” it wasn’t designed as a snap together, so there is a little more detail and some smaller parts. It also has the option of a lower hull for shelf display, complete with separate shafts/propellers and rudders. No aircraft or decals are provided. The kit appears to date from the 1960s. Fit and molding quality are typical of that era, with some minor fit problems and a bit of flash here and there, but nothing serious. The model builds into a surprisingly convincing Essex class carrier. Overall outline is pretty accurate, and there are some nice details, like a decent tripod mast and useable separate AA weapons. Even the 5 inch singles are nicely rendered, and the 5 inch twins are not bad at all. Another aspect of the kit I appreciated was the separately molded 40mm quads, which make customizing the AA fit much easier. This is especially good since the arrangements aren’t altogether accurate: the 5 inch galleries on the flight deck edges fore and aft each have three 5 inch singles where there should really be two, with a 40mm quad or a fire control director in the third position. Also, the 20mm singles are molded in banks of four rather than the more numerous groupings actually found on a typical WWII Essex.

Surface detail is busy and generally accurate. On the flight deck, elevators are recessed, as if they were lowered a couple of scale feet. The deck edge lift is slightly too narrow, but this is not too difficult to correct. Tie-down strips, arrestor gear, catapults, guide lines and other details are represented with raised lines. There are also ladders, scuttles, even exterior avgas lines on the hull. It is all a little heavy, but the overall effect looks good in this small scale, especially under paint.

By the standards of Pyro’s “Table Top Navy” the Essex class CV is a pretty good kit. It is even slightly better than the Casadio “Mini-Ships” kits, although not as nice as those of the 1970s Airfix 1/1200 “Naval History Series”.