1/350 USS Princeton CVL-23 (Dragon)

This model was built from the Dragon USS Independence CVL-22 kit.  For many years I always wanted to build the Princeton mostly because of the VF-27 hellcats with the cat mouth on their nose. They stood out among other naval fighters.  Little did I know at the time of purchase that Dragon would release the next one as Princeton with all the extra parts to make her late war version. Lesson learned on patients.  I did purchase the Princeton as well probably to build into the Independence.

These two kits are very detailed and go together with ease.  However the only thing I did not care for was the clear aircraft.  I ended up using Trumpeter aircraft on this one.  Since I wanted a full squadron I needed more decals then what was supplied. I had the cat mouth custom made for me. So we now have 25 hellcats and nine avengers.  I went a little further and made wheel chocks for all ac and hand painted the canopies.
 
After the hull was assembled I did my usual hull plating technique with tape and paint to build up the plating. Using .005 plastic as the stiffening plates where the seachest are located.  The hull plating diagram can be found on micro film at the National Archives at College Park, MD.

I went with and the only one at the time WEM PE. WEM gives all parts needed to do a late war CVL using the early war Independence kit.  This is where the two fwd. triple 20mm gun tubs came from.  The life rafts are kit supplied but they show to just glue them to the railings. If you look at ship photos you'll notice they each have their own support frame that holds them in place. These I made from some old PE from the scrap box. I found something that looked very much like the raft brackets and they worked out just fine.

Paint used:  Colourcoats Norfolk 65 anti fouling.  Poly Scale for all other colors except Testors Model Master gloss black for the boot top which turns a satin shade after dul coat has been applied. You'll notice not only did Princeton have all her flightdeck over hanging areas painted white but even some of the hull had white in with the camo pattern.  Other colors are pale gray, haze gray and navy blue. The openings of the elevator area are navy blue with the bulkhead top scale six feet dull black.   Deck tractors and jeeps are ocean gray.

Overall this was an excellent kit to build. The most difficult area was doing all the PE catwalks and railing while trying to keep them in order and straight and not let paint fill in the perforated holes in the catwalk decks.   Lining up the four stacks can almost ware you out getting them in line so as viewed from fore or aft they look as one.

On to the next project.

Gallery updated 3/8/2018

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