USS ESSEX in 1944

Modeling Subjects Ships
1

Hi Guys,

Last month, I bought Dragon’s 1:700 USS ESSEX from Art Rohloff, but he has told me that he gave the kit’s plane away to another modeler. So, as soon as I got the kit from Art, I bought an after-market plane set in 1:700 on Ebay (from a place in Japan). The set has 10 each of F4-Us, F6-Fs, SBC2s and TBFs. Kyle Lord has agreed to build the kit for me.

Now, on Tracy White’s excellent website, he said that, in 1944, the ESSEX had F6-Fs, TBFs and SBCs. So, if I have Kyle put 5 F6-Fs, 5 TBFs and 5 SBCs on the flight deck, that’d be acccurate?

Additionally, off of Amazon, I bought a SKYWAVE 1:700 USN Equipment set which has 5-inch/38s, 20mms and quad-40mms, radars and life boats and floats, and anchors and fire directors for the 5-inch/38s (I guess). What radars did the ESSEX have in 1944? And, did she have quad-40s in 1944?

Thank you,

Tim

2

http://www.steelnavy.com/essex_data.htm

As far as aircraft, you mean SB2C for the dive bombers, which your set has.

Thisll be a nice model.

3

As far as the air group goes, IIRC, in early 1944 there would still be SBDs on board. But by late 1944 the SB2C would have replaced them. So it depends upon which period you want to depict.