1:350 USS CV-2 Lexington carrier 05/1942

1:350 USS CV-2 Lexington carrier 05/1942, a Trumpeter kit

Injection-molded plastic kit of the American aircraft carrier in 1:350 scale from Trumpeter. The figure 05/1942 in the name denotes the condition of the ship as of May 1942, that is the form the vessel was in during her last weeks. It is not the year she was launched. With ship models this distinction matters, because the condition changes markedly over time.

The real subject

USS Lexington was, together with her sister Saratoga, the first large American aircraft carrier. She was created by converting the partly built hull of a battlecruiser after the Washington Treaty limited the construction of large gun ships. She entered service in 1927 and for two decades was among the largest aircraft carriers in the world. In the spring of 1942 she went through a refit in which she lost her original 203 mm main battery turrets. In the Battle of the Coral Sea on 8 May 1942 she took torpedo and bomb hits and was lost after a series of fuel vapor explosions.

Building and painting tips

The long flight deck is the biggest challenge. Glue it on a flat surface and keep checking that it does not warp. The wooden deck is best conveyed by layering several close shades and gently picking out the individual planks. Paint the hull separately and mask the transitions between the shades of gray. Add dark running into the funnel and the superstructure so that the detail stands out. Leave the fragile aerials, masts and cranes until the end of the build.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of American aircraft carriers
• Anyone interested in the Battle of the Coral Sea and the year 1942
• Modelers who build ships in 1:350 scale
• More experienced builders who are not put off by a large flight deck

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.