After fruitlessly searching for two days now I have to apeal to the group to see if anybody knows what era the forthcoming Trumpeter Lexington (CV-2) will be ?
Personally I'm hoping for her pre-war configuration with the eight inch batteries and the original narrow forward flight deck.
My bets would be the configuration at the time of her sinking. Trumpeter's kits seem to be mostly the ship's "final" configuration, either when they were sunk or the end of the war.
RLM
Not much to go on for that assessment, I think. Hornet has only slight differences between commissioning and sinking, and Trumpeter provides a couple extra parts and directions for final fit. Their Essex is in original fit (given a couple of small deviations from the actual CV-9, making it more of an averaging of all the early short-hull Essexes) The recent Yorktown (CV-10) and Franklin kits are certainly late-war fit, but then they are essentially identical releases. (Only difference is Franklin's painting sheet and a set of Corsairs) With only four kits to go by, I don't think we can conclude anything. Personally, my guess is that Trumpeter will follow Fujimi's lead: Lexington in her beginning of war fit (8" turrets, AA guns on the funnel, and widened deck) and Saratoga in late war fit. Maybe they'll include the option to have Lex's 8" removed. However, I really doubt they'll give us Lexington with the narrow deck. Just a feeling I have. (Not that I wouldn't like it, mind you!) Wonder if they'll give us some Vindicators and Buffaloes to go with it?
- Sean
Actually the Franklin has some other changes to the island so there is more than just a new decal sheet and some F4Us. Not a lot but it is not just a rebox of the Yorktown.
My apologies. While I did check for things like the number of catapults, I did not scrutinize the two kits for island differences. (Compared them in-the-bags at a local hobby shop for about 15 minutes a couple weeks back). This, of course, means that I have some new-found appreciation for Trumpeter! (Better that what ICM did with their Konig and Kurfurst, that's for sure!)
- Sean
Sean:
Care to expand on what you didn't like about ICM's Konig and Kurfurst??
Bill Shuey
What is the address/method of getting to steelnavy and modelwarships? Jerry 47
It's been a while since I looked at the parts, but as I recall the sprues for these two kits really were the same, as were the instructions - except for the historical information and painting instructions. As the Konig kit included torpedo net booms, I had expected the Kurfurst to make use of them (especially given the box art). But alas, same parts tree, but no new directions. The parts and instructions provided seem to be accurate for one ship - Kronprinz, I think - that had the heavy pole foremast without the additional round enclosure at the same time as having the casemate guns in the forward superstructure, and no torpedo nets. But for the other ships... the kit is not quite right. As for the build-up, many parts didn't fit right and needed considerable shaving and thinning. To bring this back into focus... so far I am much more impressed with Trumpeter's handling of their 1:350 ship line that I am with ICM's. Which is not to say that I don't like ICM's kits... my Konig is proudly displayed above my desk at the office, and I do intend to build the Kurfurst... eventually. Now, if Trumpeter can expand their 1:350 line to include battleships, and perhaps heavy cruisers... Scharnhorst, perhaps... maybe the Alaska... Roma... Baltimore... Royal Oak... Well, anyway, until then I hope their carrier fleet continues to do well. I hope that Lexington is a good one!
- Sean
FWIW The references I have state that the heavy pole foremast was a post Jutland refit feature, as was the removal of the torpedo net installation. This was done to all four ships in the class. Your comments are correct in that if you want to use the torpedo nets you must alter the formast, change the casemate arrangement and I believe their were fewer 88mm. A.A. guns fitted in the pre Jutland configuration. I would still like to see their promised H.M.S. Hood see the light of day.
Bill Shuey
White Ensign makes a cast metal early foremast - I ordered one for my Kurfurst project. (Makes that real easy :) ) The casemates in the kit are, as far as I could tell, correct for early fit. You have to plate over the openings in the conning tower for the post-Jutland refit. You're right about those AA guns, but I can't remember the exact differences. As for the late masts, according to Breyer's Battleships and Battlecruisers (just found my copy), the Kronprinz was completed with the heavy foremast. The other three had them installed post-Jutland.
Oh, absolutely. Though at the rate they're going, I think Trumpeter might beat them to it.
- Sean
from what i know the Lex will have the 8" guns and the wider flight deck bow. This would be in the 1941 outfit I think.
mike
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