1:350 USS Langley CV-1

The real subject

USS Langley, with the hull designation CV-1, was the first aircraft carrier of the US Navy. She came about by converting an older auxiliary ship, received a continuous flight deck and served mainly for trials and training, so it was on her that what operating aircraft at sea actually looked like was first worked out. That is exactly why she has an unmistakable appearance, strikingly different from later carriers.

What the photo-etched set offers

With ship models, etched parts are the usual route to keeping horizontal surfaces from looking coarse. Metal parts can be made far thinner than injection-molded plastic, and it shows on the model at once, because railings and similar structures on the real ship are made of thin material. In a large scale wire accessories would do this job as well, but in 1:350 etching is practically the only way. The exact contents of the set and the kit it is drawn for are given by the manufacturer in the instructions.

Building tips

Cut the parts from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface and sand the remains of the tabs away. Make the bends along the marked score line and press evenly along the whole length so the part does not twist. Glue with cyanoacrylate glue applied in the tiniest amount, as cement for plastic will not hold on metal. Degrease the metal before painting and spray a base coat, otherwise the paint comes off during handling. Fit longer straight parts at the very end of the build, when you no longer handle the model.

Terms of supply

The package contains an etched set. The ship model, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.