In 1952, Intrepid left San Francisco for Norfolk, Virginia, where she underwent modernization and conversion to become more capable attack aircraft carrier.  During her yard period, she was reclassified as CVA-11, the "A" standing for Attack.   She left the yards and was recommissioned into the reserve fleet in June, 1954.   In October of that year, she became the first carrier to launch aircraft from US-built steam catapults (earlier versions were British built).  Shortly after this, CV-11 was fully commissioned and joined the Atlantic Fleet, deploying several times to the Med in 1955 and 1956. 

In September, 1956, Intrepid went back into the yards for seven months for yet another upgrade, to bring her up to SCB-125 standards.   These upgrades included the angled flight deck,  enclosed hurricane bow, mirror landing system, mark 7 arresting gear, air conditioning and having the Primary Flight Control moved to aft end of island.   She also had her #1 (forward) elevator lengthened (her #3 elevator had previously moved from centerline to starboard deck edge during the  SCB-27C refit).

Over the next four years, Intrepid operated in both the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, performing various duties, including carrier qualifications for the F-4 Phantom fighter.  In 1961, CVA-11 became CVS-11, signifying the switch from attack to anti-submarine carrier.   This switch also required a trip to the yards for more refits and upgrades.  In 1962, Intrepid was the recovery ship for the Project Mercury space capsule, which she helped recover on May 24, 1962.  Less than two years later, she repeated this role as recovery ship for the Gemini space flight, recovering both astronauts and space ship on March 23, 1964.  Later that year, she entered the New York Navy Yard for another period of upgrades, which were finished in Bayonne, New Jersey, after the New York Navy Yard was shuttered. 

Fresh out of overhaul and back to peak efficiency, the "Fighting I", as she was now known (according to Robert Sumrall in Warships Data 4, CVS-11 dropped the "Mighty I" in deference to the newer and larger USS Independence, CV-60) found herself off the Vietnam coast in 1966, launching her first strikes against enemy targets in mid-May.   During her time on station off Vietnam, her air group flew almost 5,000 sorties, destroying or damaging many trucks, railroad cars and bridges.   She ended 1966 on the East Coast of the United States, undergoing another refit, this time at the Norfolk Navy Yard. 

Ready for action in early, 1967, Intrepid headed back to the Pacific via the Med and the Suez Canal, arriving in the Tonkin Gulf in June of that year.  While on duty on Yankee Station, her air group flew over 9,000 sorties, wreaking much havoc from the DMZ to the Chinese border.   The success of her air group - they earned the name "Bridge Busters", due to their proficiency in taking down bridges - earned the ship and her crew a Navy Unit Commendation.   By November, she was headed home by way of South Africa, for another yard period. 

Following further refitting at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Intrepid returned once again to Yankee Station in June, 1968, to begin air operations against the enemy, coordinating strikes with her sister ship Bon Homme Richard.  Her aircraft once again devastated the enemy, destroying bridges, a SAM site, a truck park and the HQ of a Vietnamese Infantry Division.  In September, 1968, one of her F-8 Crusaders, piloted by Lt. Tony Nargi shot down a MIG-21, while his wingman damaged a second MIG.   Operations continued over North and South Vietnam and Laos until late December, 1968, when she once again headed for the United States, where she arrived in February 1969.

Intrepid was overhauled once more, this time at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, returning to service in September, 1969, once again functioning as an anti-submarine carrier.   She performed this role, sailing from the North Atlantic to the Caribbean to the Mediterranean to the North Sea until April, 1973, when she returned to the United States for the final time.   In July, 1973, CVS-11 was taken out of active duty and was placed "in commission in reserve" until March, 1974, when she was decommissioned for the last time.   Intrepid languished in the reserve basin at the Philadelphia Navy Yard until February, 1982, when she was transferred from the Navy to the Intrepid Museum Foundation, in preparation for her conversion into a museum and tourist attraction in New York City.   Opened in August, 1982, CVS-11 continues to perform this duty to this day, tied up to Pier 86 on the west side of New York's Manhattan Island, where she is visited by over one million people each year, according to the Intrepid Museum website. 

Intrepid - kit number 06743 - comes in a sturdy box, with an attractive painting on her launching aircraft on the box top. Upon removing the lid, you'll find the box packed to the top with parts, all nicely packaged.  Looking at the contents in the box and the layout of the kit, it strikes me as a scaled down, simplified version of the earlier 1/350 Gallery Intrepid.
 

A-4 Skyhawk 
E-1B Tracer
EA-1F Skyraider
F-8 Crusader
UH-2B Seasprite

Each of the aircraft, and their associated parts, are contained on one sprue.  Thankfully, the aircraft are NOT clear plastic.  All the aircraft are well molded and have decent detail, albeit heavy panel lines.  I would have liked to have seen more aircraft included in the kit, however. 

A one page painting guide is included, giving color callouts for the ship and the air group. 

After the release of the 350th Intrepid in 2014, a 700th scale, injection-molded, modernized, angle-deck Essex Class carrier has been a 'must have' item for many 700 ship modelers for a long time.  Now, your wait is over.  This is a very solid kit, with good molding and good details. 

Not to say it's perfect:  the scribed planking, holes for the tie downs and lines for the decals on the flight deck are a bit heavy, and, like the 350th version, the lack of detail in the hangar is a bit of a disappointment (though you can't see much compared to a World War II Essex), as is the omission of the underway replenishment booms and gear.   The relatively small air group and the lack of any deck equipment is also a bummer, but perhaps Gallery will release these separately. 

I really enjoyed building the 350th scale kit, and, if this scaled down version is anything like that kit, this should be a pretty straightforward - and enjoyable - build.  Recommended! 

Thanks to Russ Varga for the loan of the review sample. This kit is  your local hobby shop or favorite online retailer now! It is kit #06743 and retail price is $108.95.