Eduard has come out with several photo etch sets for the 1/200 Scale, Merit, USS Hornet CV-8 (kit# 62001). This is Part 1 of the series, and provides new aircraft and boat cranes for the starboard and port sides, and detail parts to upgrade the ships main aircraft and boat crane on the flight deck.

The new aircraft and boat cranes for the sides are an entire crane assembly. They replace the existing cranes.

The main aircraft and boat crane for the flight deck includes replacement parts for existing kit parts. You get a new boom, hooks, stays, man rails, platforms and ladders.

Assembly is straight-forward but extremely fiddly. There are a bunch of very tiny parts that need to be bent and shaped. Most of the small parts are hard to hold and glue at the same time. This makes for a time consuming and sometimes aggravating assembly. Thank you Eduard for providing some extra parts.

History

The 056 Class patrol ship replaces the older 037 Class and was first suggested in the 1980’s but did not emerge until 2012. The ship is a thoroughly modern design with a modular hull featuring stealth properties. It weighs 1,400 tons fully loaded and has a length of 89 meters and a beam of 11.6 meters. Power is provided by 2 marine diesel engines giving a maximum speed of 28 knots and a range of 6500 kilometers. A mixed armament is carried consisting of a 76mm gun, 4 x YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, 10 x HQ-10 SAM missiles and 6 torpedo tubes. The rear deck has a helipad to operate small to medium size helicopters. A total of 20 ships have been ordered for the PLAN, and the type has been offered for export with a different hull and armament options.

The Ship

Launched in April 1943 and commissioned four months later, USS Intrepid (CV-11) participated in numerous actions in the central and western Pacific from early 1944 until the end of the Pacific War, including Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. She was hit twice by kamikazes but was still on station at the end of hostilities. Intrepid underwent modernization twice during the 1950s, which enclosed her bow and gave her an angled flight deck. Reclassified as an Anti-submarine Carrier (CVS-11), Intrepid was the lead ship for the NASA’s Mercury Aurora 7 and the Gemini 3 splashdown recovery. From April 1966 to February 1969, she made three deployments to the waters off Vietnam. She ended her active career back in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, being decommissioned in 1974 with over 30 years of service. In August 1982, Intrepid was reopened as a museum ship in New York harbor.

Background

The website description of this title, “Written by US Navy expert Mark Stille, this book offers a unique insight into the Standard-type classes of US battleships. It provides a detailed investigation into the histories of each of the warships in the Standard-type battleship classes, the first three of which, the Nevada, Pennsylvania and New Mexico, formed the US Navy's main force in the inter-war period. The Standard-types reflected a new design philosophy: by designing each class to meet common standards of maneuverability and handling, vessels of different classes could operate as a single tactical unit without being limited by the performance of the slowest and least maneuverable ship. At the time of their construction, these ships incorporated the latest design features such as triple gun turrets.

Master Model from Poland specializes in metal turned parts for aftermarket kits. In my personal option they are among the best in the market. I really like their products.

This set is devoted to the USN 16in/45 Mark 1 cannons (with blast bags) and it includes a set of 8 metal barrel which is very nicely detailed down to the holes on the end of the barrels. It can be used for the USS Colorado, USS Maryland and USS West Virginia.

The instruction sheet clearly describes where to cut and how to modify the plastic part to receive the aftermarket detail part. It is a very easy task and any modeler with a bit of experience modifying parts will run into no problems.

This aftermarket set will enhance the looks of your finished model.

Recommended to the average modeler due to the need to replace plastic parts.

I would like to thank Master Model Poland and IPMS/USA for the review sample.