USS Antietam (CV-36) was an Essex class aircraft
carrier commissioned in the closing months of WWII on January 28 1945,
too late to see any combat. The USS Antietam was stationed in the
Far East for three years until 1949, its air wing providing support for
Allied occupation forces in China, Manchuria and Korea. When the Korean
War broke out in 1950, USS Antietam was reactivated, thus participating
in the only operational deployment of her career. The carrier was stationed
off the coast of Korea, its aircraft supporting UN forces with a variety
of missions against North Korean targets.
She returned home in April and rejoined the Pacific Reserve Fleet briefly.
She was reactivated later that summer and, in August, transited the Panama
Canal to join the Atlantic Fleet. In September, the warship entered the
New York Naval Shipyard for major alterations. In October, she was redesigned
an attack aircraft carrier, CVA-36. In December Antietam emerged from the
yard as America's first angled-deck aircraft carrier. The conversion primitive
with braces holding up the overhanging section. The angled deck allowed
the carrier to simultaneously launch and land aircraft safely. If the aircraft
missed a landing wire, it could hit the throttle and go around to try again.
Antietam became the pattern for a whole new generation of Essex class carrier
upgrades that extended their useful life and allowed them to operate the
larger heavier new Jet aircraft. Later the braces under the overhang were
faired over. As newer larger carriers entered service Antietam was redesigned
CVS-36 and operated in an ASW role. She ended her career as a training
carrier until relieved by the USS Lexington.
Antietam (CV-36) earned two battle stars for service in the Korean conflict. |
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| This latest carrier from Dragon represents yet another
evolution in the Essex class design. This one represents the first angled
deck Essex in 1/700 plastic. There are actually two versions you can build
from this kit. A 1953 version with open bracing under the angle deck or
a 1956 version with a faired over underside. Parts fro two different mast
and radar fits are included. |
| HULL |
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| The hull is one piece with a separate hanger deck and lower
hull.. There is some really nice porthole detail with eyebrows (rain gutters)
above them and plenty of piping, vent, and other detail. The many openings
to the hanger deck are all left open with separate roll up doors that can
be shown open or closed. |
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| HANGER DECK SPRUE A |
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| Probably the most exciting item on this kit, is this detailed hanger
deck. It included some interior details and nice deck plate details. |
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| FLIGHT DECK SPRUE B |
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| The flight deck is all new with the angled portion built
on. It features nice wood deck planking and nice detailing. If you are
building the original test version, a sprue of simple angle braces is used.
A smooth faired over panel is also provided for the final version. It is
nice to have a choice of which version you are going to model here. |
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| CLEAR FLIGHT DECK OPTION |
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| You even get a clear flight deck that will allow you to
show off that detailed hanger deck. The deck is smooth without surface
detail so you can clearly see into the hanger. A clear sprue like the one
included with the gray one is also included. |
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| SPRUE B |
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| This sprue also labled B is new to this ship. It included some of the
island specific details such as the new funnel and some mast parts. |
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| SPRUE C |
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| This sprue is identical to the one in the Essex kit. It contains some
of the walls that form the hanger deck as well as the separate roll up
doors. Various platforms and other details are very sharp. You might also
notice that there are carly floats molded on the underside of many of these
platforms. One other thing that I noticed was the absence of those dreaded
Aztec
stairs. Finally a kit that you don't have to try to scrape them off the
platforms. |
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| SPRUE D |
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| This sprue is similar to the one in the Essex kit except it has been
extended on the bottom side to include the four platforms and sponsons
shown below. The other items on the sprue include the walls and doors seen
on the above sprue. It also included the boat cranes and deck edge elevators
as well as the folding deck antenna masts. There are two different deck
edge elevators; one with molded on underside detail and one without. The
latter is designed for use with the included photo etch fret shown below.
Again the modeler is presented with a choice in how they wish to build
their ship. |
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| SPRUE E |
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| These sprues include many of the gun platforms and bridge platforms.
Notice that in most cases the underside bracing is present. There are also
several extra platforms that are not used on this kit. Stay tuned for details
on future releases. Dragon has more in store for us in the future. Also
notice the open grills in the top of the funnel cap, nice! |
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| SPRUE G |
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| This sprue contains many platforms used on the Antietam. |
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| SPRUE H |
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| The sprue includes some of the enclosed bridge parts molded in clear.
This should allow you to mask the glass area off and paint the parts. When
your done you can peel away the mask and have a clear window. |
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| SPRUE J |
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| A stand is included to mount your ship on if you chose the full hull
option. |
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| SPRUE K (x 2) |
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| This is the weapons spure and there are two of them in the kit. It
includes the many anti-aircraft guns and various fittings used on the ship.
Various radar's and other detail items are also included. 5" 38 cal guns
are included in both open and closed types. The 40 mm guns are not bad
but the gun barrels are a little thick. The 20 mm are also a little thick,
but I really like the way they are molded. The front shield is offset from
the pedestal and the separate gun can be mounted at any angle just like
the real ones. You also get Mk-51 directors, searchlights and even some
pelorus mounts. All are as fine as injections molding permits in this scale.
Not to be overlooked are the nice life rafts that have some nice netting
molded on. |
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| SPRUE L |
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| The island is another really nice part in this kit. The main sprue
pictured below is from a very complex multi-slide mold that allows for
detail to be molded on almost all sides. On a conventional mold, there
are two halves and the parts need to be able to slide out of the mold.
This prevents some surface detail from being included as it would be scraped
off as the part was ejected out of the mold. The mold used here has what
are called slides that pull from different directions. This allows detail
to be cast on the sides and then before the part is ejected those parts
of the mold slide out of the way preserving the detail. These types of
molds are expensive and require quite an engineering effort to design.
This goes to show that Dragon is committed to offering the most
accurate kits to modelers and is willing to invest in the Research and
Development to bring it about. |
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The bridge has all kinds of detail on it from extensive conduit piping,
to the watertight doors and molded on ladders. The four dual 5" 38 cal
gun mounts on this sprue are a testament to how detail can be preserved
with this type of molding technology. The sights on the gun houses rival
that that we see in resin kits. |
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| SPRUE M |
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| This sprue contains some of the quad 40 mm gun tubs that mount under
the flightdeck. |
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| SPRUE P (x 2) |
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| This is a second weapons sprue that adds an important weapon to the
kit. Specifically 20 mm twin mounts. Dragon has created a brand
new fret to add this weapon that was added later in the war. Additional
40 mm quad mounts and gun directors are also added. |
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| PHOTOETCH |
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| Two photoetch frets are included that will allow you to
replace some of the molded on details. The lower frame of the deck edge
elevator and open radio antenna. You also get radar's and other platforms.
There is also a variety of deck personnel in various poses that will lend
action to your deck.
The second fret includes the later radar for the Korean War era. |
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| DECALS |
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| The decals by Cartograf include the aircraft insignia that were used
during the war and include the red outlined insignia used briefly by some
squadrons. The deck striping and lines are well done. They are all nicely
registered and much improved from the typical kit supplied decals. |
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| AIRCRAFT |
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| The aircraft are all new and based on the typical 1950's
airwing. Included are newly tooled Grumman F9F-2 Panther and Douglas AD-6
Skyraider aircraft. Sikorsky H-5 Dragonfly helicopter, Grumman F9F-8 Panther,
McDonnell F-2H Banshee jet aircraft all molded in clear plastic. |
| AD-6 Skyraider with wing tanks, One with wings extended and
one folded. Includes separate landing gear and propellers. |
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| H-5 Dragonfly helicopter. Two included with separate propeller
blades and landing gear. |
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| McDonnell F-2H Banshee. One with extended wings, one with separate
wings for folding. Includes separate landing gear. |
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| F4U Corsair. One with extended wings, one with separate wings
for folding. Includes separate landing gear. |
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| F9F2 Panther. One with extended wings, one with separate
wings for folding. Includes separate landing gear. |
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| F9F8 Panther. Includes separate landing gear. Two motor
tugs are also on this fret. The Panther is a little out of place on this
carrier. But it is possible that some did do some test landing of the new
angled deck configuration of this carrier. |
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| F7U-3M Cutlass. This aircraft is all new for Dragon. Two are
included with separate verticle tail and landing gear. |
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| INSTRUCTIONS |
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| The instructions are an eight page booklet showing the assembly in
a step by step process that is easy to follow. It looks like first pages
that show the weapons call for too many 20 mm guns. You will have to do
a little research depending on what year you are building your CV to represent. |
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| BONUS SPRUE N (x 2) |
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| Here's another nice touch, a bonus tug boat to help you dock this carrier.
It will help give you an idea of this ships immense size when displayed
alongside the carrier. This tug is not just an extra thrown in, it is an
all new mold produced with the slide molding technology that is fast making
Dragon famous. |
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| CONCLUSIONS |
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 This
kit is the first angled deck Essex class carrier ever offered in 1/700
plastic. It has been a long time coming, but the results are well worth
the wait. It is extremely well designed and packed with options. The modeler
has many choices when building this kit. Full hull or waterline, Open hanger
doors or closed, clear deck or opaque, and your choice of original or modified
angle deck versions.
Dragon USA lists this kit with an MSRP of $34.95 US. More than
a fair price when you consider the extras. It even improves on their previous
release the Essex. I am extremely pleased to see Dragon expanding their
Essex line to include Korean era, and can hardly wait to see what's next. |
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