Does anybody know if theres a companey that makes any after market parts this kit and is it just a rebox of the origanol revell kit? My uncle served on the Tarawa and wold like to build this kit for him and would like to make it as nice as posible. any help would be apreciated
Thanks Rob
I would assume it’s just a rebox of the old kit. If you haven’t bought it yet, a better option would be the Dragon version in 1/700. There’s a review of the Dragon kit at http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/ships/misc/amphib/700-tarawa/tarawa.html along with a preview of an etch set from Gold Medal Models (700-26)
1/700 is a little to small for me i built the a 1/700 uss essex and it about killed me.
Smokin - I’ll have to think back to when I built that kit. As a ‘representation’ of the real ship it was adequate. When was your uncle on her? I am also a gator sailor. I was on the USS Guam LPD-4 and USS Guam LPH-9. The LHA’s were pretty much the same, the older ones had some wild deviations between them. (Like the LPD’s and LPH’s)
I think it was 1952 to 1953 then he was sent to the uss benington. yea i built the revell kit wen i was about 13 and that iam 34 i think i can do a better job.
I am a little confused now… If he was on USS Tarawa in '52-'53 then it would not have been LHA-1 (Commissioned May 1976), it would have been on the “long hull” Essex class carrier CVA-40.
Incidentally, a “long hull” Essex is available from Dragon in the form of CV-15 USS Randolph, a very recent kit, with quite a bit of PE in the box. (Review here )
Witch means he was on the carrier version of the tarawa, do they make a bigger kit of that class carrier, or do i have to settle for a 1/700 scale kit?
Trumpeter makes a “long hull” Essex (CV-14 Ticonderoga) in 1/350. This kit has only just hit the market as far as I am aware.
I could only find a short “preview” here
(Edit) Actual kit details here
Thanks Phil_H guess ill have to wait and see if they come out with some after market stuff for then i have to get one.
The only USS Tarawa after 1945 is the LHA-1. I’ll keep reasearching.
Hey seasick i was fartin around and found this
USS TARAWA was one of the ESSEX - class aircraft carriers and the first ship in the Navy to bear the name. On October 1, 1952, the TARAWA was redesignated as CVA 40 after she had been decommissioned from June 30, 1949 - February 3, 1951. On January 10, 1955, TARAWA was redesignated as CVS 40.
USS TARAWA was eventually decommissioned on May 13, 1960, and placed in reserve at Philadelphia, Pa. While there, TARAWA was again redesignated when she became AVT 12 in May 1961. On June 1, 1967, her name was struck from the Navy list; and, on October 3, 1968, she was sold to the Boston Metals Corp., Baltimore, Md., for scrapping.
The following are available for the 1/350 Essex Class (most of which should be usable)
White Ensign Models PE 3536
Gold Medal Models 350-22 350-22A
Tom’s Modelworks 3530 (can’t find a direct link to their site but there’s a review here )
I’m sure there’s more, but there’s enough to choose from here. [:)]
Iam useing Toms PE set for the uss arizona and dont like the instructions. Toms they arent vary well represented in the info if ya know what i mean. Id go with WEM or GMM more money but ive heard the instruction are much better.
The best web address for finding out the status of USN vessels is:
Naval ship registry