u/idkman1738_

This was a really fun pace changer. No major complaints or fit issues. For whatever reason I could not get the drop tank seams to totally go away — it looks much worse on camera than irl.
Any critiques or suggestions for how to improve are always appreciated.

Got bored and decided to throw one of these together!
(1/48 F/A-18C for reference)

It’s pretty amazing what you can do with some stretched sprue and leftover photo etch

Not one of trumpeter’s better kits to say the least. There’s a reason why this kid has been started in shelved many times. It also hasn’t helped that try to get cheeky and use the decals on the flight deck unfortunately those are gonna have to be ripped off and just painted. The worst part is that when I bought this one it also came with Essex

It’s definitely heavy, but that’s kinda the point. Now just the waiting game…. Hopefully the PE shows its ugly head soon.
The waterline seem is so bad, I wish I didn’t start this years ago

Always wanted to do a heavily weathered carrier, while definitely not the norm….there are definitely some examples of them being this weathered out there. I’m really happy overall…. Now just rust and weather streaks.

Saratoga 1944 (Back)
USS Pennsylvania 1944(front) the problem with both is I signed up for more scratch building than I previously thought the super structure on Pennsylvania is scratch built and it shows lol

It allows you to do side by sides of ship or **insert vehicle here** that is hard or impossible to do irl and that’s always been really neat to me

I’m shocked by how well this together and the detail is really good not only in the plastic but with the photo etch. trumpeter is really stepped up their game and I’m glad to see

Took about 1 3/4 months a lot quicker than I thought, glad I got it done before summer semester…..otherwise this probably wouldn’t have gotten done till the fall. But it’s a pretty easy kit…. And it helps that there aren’t a ton of AA Guns

A lot more work than the TBD’s. I listened to an uncomfortable amount of divorced Dad rock for someone my age just to get through.

I had to channel my inner factory worker to get these all done. I included one with the yellow wing because on the Yorktown wreck you can see yellow wing from a TBD. Undoubtably it was one that was in the rafters of hanger…. It probably would’ve been painted over if it ever saw service, but I wanted something to break up the all blue air wing

Finally got the island done just need to weather it Has anyone else noticed that the other trumpeter family brands( I.e ilovekit or hobby boss) seem to not have as great of instructions as trumpeter themselves but literally everything else is the same?

Overall it’s a pretty good kit. It just falls into the dragon tropes. The instructions aren’t great.(ie missing part numbers and unclear at times.) but everything else is not bad. There were a few fit issues with the main deck and then the hanger bay walls,the anchors, and the main mast. but in case of the hanger Bay walls I just needed a little attention, nothing crazy. But I enjoy kits that aren’t just “ shake and bake”. I’m gonna miss dragon hopefully these moulds were picked up by Zimi
TLDR: it’s a 7/10 dragon kit

Still have a ton of little parts to go plus a base

Sorry for the munted camera work, this thing is too dang big