Oh boy.. be careful with this one. It's the only model I ever owned that I threw into the trash bin after trying to do something with it for over three months. It's a poor representation of an Essex class carrier as it combines features of both the long and short hull (early and late) Essex carriers, and it does not accurately represent either version. It was billed as the "Yorktown" in its 1990s release, but it can't represent either the Yorktown or Lexington as those were short hulled ships, and this kit has the distinctive twin 40mm gun mounts fore and aft. It's most suited to younger modelers who want to glue up something fast to sink with a firecracker on the Fourth of July. If you are looking for accuracy, fidelity of scale, or detail, go get one of the Trumpeter 1/350 or Dragon 1/700 Essex class kits. Those who know me, would find this commentary out of character for me, as I usually find something good in most kits I build. Sorry Round 2, I can't find anything redeeming in this kit, not even from a nostalgia viewpoint. It only comes with a bunch of Hellcats for the air wing, and even those are poor representations. My Father was an Essex plankholder, so we built this kit along with the Revell angle deck Essex carriers when I was a kid-- and my Dad couldn't bring himself to put this on display, settling for the Revell versions that he never served on. In 1999, I bought this kit to try and do something with it as a presentation model, but alas, it's just too difficult to change it, you'd have to add gallery decks, shorten (or lengthen) the hull, replace all the guns, air wing, superstructure, sand the deck down, etc. just to get it to a point where it would look presentable. It also comes with a flat hull bottom, making it suitable for only waterline presentation. You'd be better off taking your $44 and putting it into one of the other manufacturers kits. Sorry Round2-- I really like some of the old kits you've recently released--but you should have "lost" the molds for this one. VR, Russ

I only ever saw it as a basic shape for scratch building purposes. But in the past 17 years there has been a ton of after market released for the box scale Revell and other ship models of 40 years ago so you can get new guns and an island as well as a new flight wing if you so desire. But why when there are excellent kits in other scales? Some are just wedded to the 1/500-1/600 ship models. And Revell is reissuing their Essex as Oriskany and the Hornet and the reissue of the Renwal carrier both sold out. And since the last reissue by Lindberg was fairly recent the molds are in good shape.

Stephen, Folks should not be fooled by this kit. I'm afraid no amount of aftermarket or scratchbuilding can correct the significant problems this kit has. To advertise it as "historically accurate" as they have in thier advertising is just a downright untruth. This is probably the only model I have such a negative opinion about, and I'm sorry to see Round 2 bring it back as I think it's a both a disservice to them and anyone who spends $44.99 (you've got to be kidding!) for this old dog. There are so many nicer Lindberg kits they could have brought back, as Tim has mentioned before (the Columbus kits and the Chinese Junk for example) As far as a nostalgia item, I suppose some might find it inticing as a remembernce of their childhood, but no one should buy this kit thinking they are getting an even close to accurate model. The box art is nice, but even it's incorrect (look at the bow) that's the nicest compliment I can give it😢. VR, Russ

No argument from me. Especially about the other kits they could have picked to re-issue!! There is nothing worthwhile about this especially since the Yorktown version is still readily available, new in box, for $10 less. They are just trying to cash in on the Revell carrier reissue thing. Now if someone could just fix some of the Pyro, Life-like molds that Lindberg owns but never re-issued.