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WWII Essex Class Carrier Ship Models
THE ESSEX CLASS CARRIERS
Attention all Essex Aircraft Carrier veterans you can now build
a replica of the ship you served on in a detailed plastic Model.
We have added hyperlinks to
each Carrier Click your Ship below!
The carriers that have the
xx
after the name you will need 6.00 extra for that ships
decals.
1)
Kit# A111 - Essex = WWII Essex Class
straight deck CV - 16" long.
30.95 plus decals 6.00
=
$36.95
Short Hull Version
2)
Kit# A119 - Hancock = WWII
Essex Class straight deck CV - 16" long.
30.95 plus decals 6.00
=
$36.95
Long Hull
Version
Look
on the bottom of the page to see which |
WWII USS Intrepid built by Bill Cianci.
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Or straight from the Box.
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Essential Skills Scale Modeling
|
Essex Class Carriers
The Essex class of carriers was, though you may argue that point, in my opinion the best weapon in the world when commisioned, and stayed the best carrier class until the Midway class became available in October of 1945.
The Essex class was the successor of Hornet. Just as Hornet, it was designed after the limitations of the Washington Treaty were lifted in1936, and it was thus not necessary to obey to any rules other than thosedictated by common sense. As a result, a class was devised which was to follow five main rules:
Each of these rules was followed. When USS Essex was commisioned into the Navy in early January, 1943, the US Navy had received all it had wanted. The carrier was able to carry up to a hundred planes, and, due to a aircraft lift to the port side ofthe flightdeck, she was able to recover her planes while storing them in the hangar, and likewise for launching.
The ships were also highly
survivable. During the two years the Essex class saw service in the Pacific, none
of them was sunk, not even under the worst circumstances. This includes the devestation of
USS Franklin, hit by two bombs off Okinawa in March 1945, during the preparations
for the landing there. She suffered horrible fires aft, destroying planes and exploding
"friendly" bombs. With 724 dead and 265 wounded, the carrier's captain was given
permission to abandon the ship, but refused and saved Franklin. Bunker Hill, Admiral
Marc Mitscher's flagship, was hit by two Kamikazes in May, 1945, and survived as well,
with 389 dead or missing, and 264 wounded.
This may be to a great part
attributed to the reluctance of the crews to let their ships die, but also to the rugged
construction inherent in this class.
The Essexclass
saw heavy service in the Pacific, beginning with the occupation of the Gilbert Islands in
Mid-1943, and the second carrier raid on Rabaul, with Essex, Bunker Hill and the
light carrier Independence.Throughout the war, the Essex class was the
spearhead of all Central Pacific operations, and temporarily supported the South Pacific
thrust of General MacArthur. Planes from these carriers were responsible for the
decimation of Japanese air units in the Marianas, the Philippines, Formosa, and eventually
Japan itself. With these carriers, the US Navy build up what was called the "Air
Navy", and with these carriers, the US Navy became the most powerful navy in the
world.
The Essex class was also highly
adaptable to modern technologies, and although not importantin the World War 2 context,
the Essex class was to receive steel and angled flightdecks to permit operation of
jet fighters. The service of these great ships was
welcome addition to the US Forces in Korea and in Vietnam.
The last Essex was
scrapped in 1989.
Armament |
(Essex,1943):
12 x 127mm L/38 in fourtwin mounts, two each for and aft of the island, plus two guns each on the left side before and behind the superstructure. 32 x 40mm L/56 44 x 20mm |
Stats |
(See below, 1):
Displacement: Standard: 27100 tons Full: 33000 tons Length: 267.2 meters Beam: 45.0 meters Draught: 7.0 meters Height (Mast): 44.8 meters Crew (Officers/Crew):340/2900 Speed: 33 Knots |
Complement (Planes) |
(Essex, 1943):
VF-9: 36 F6F3 Hellcat VB-9: 36 SDB Dauntless VT-9: 18 TBF Avenger |
Ships in class: The length of the class slightly different between two types: the so-called short and long hull versions.
If you are building anyone of these carriers below get either the USS Ticonderoga or the USS Hancock kits- A110 or A111. |
Long hull
ships are CV-14 & CV-15, CV-19, CV-21, CV-32-37,CV-39, and subsequent.
Length of long hull ships is 270.8 meters