White Ensign Models
1/350 Scale USS Enterprise CVN-65 Detail Set
Photo Courtesy of the United States Navy
1/350 USS Enterprise “The Ship”
£32.50
(about US $46.00)
1/350 USS Enterprise “The Airwing”
£18.95
(about US $27.00)
USS Enterprise “The Ship”
White Ensign Models of England has recently
released a pair of photoetch upgrade sets for Tamiya’s classic 1/350 scale USS
Enterprise CVN-65. There are two sets, one for the ship and a second for the
airwing.
The first set is for the ship itself, and it
is awesome. The parts are flawlessly etched in a single 11 ¼ inch by 7 11/16 inch
brass fret, providing over 300 separate parts to really dress up your Enterprise.
The set is very comprehensive, and the etching is some of the nicest I’ve
seen. I especially liked the relief-etched safety nets, delicate radars and numerous
hose reels. The illustrated 5 page instruction leaves no mysteries, and the
assemblies are intelligently designed, straightforward builds. The set includes:
3 bar guard rails (standard), 3 bar
guard rails (close stanchioned), 2 bar guard rails, bar guard rails (close stanchioned),
elevator safety rail safety net (deck angle front), safety net (bow corners), safety net
(bow center), safety net (elevator edges), safety net (roundown), safety net (port fwd
phalanx), safety net (port bow catcher), safety net (stbd bow catcher), folding side
antenna handles, 4 point aerial spreaders, 3 point aerial spreaders, side sensor deck
grid, SPS 10 radar antenna assembly, SPS 49 mounting safety nets, mast lower yardarms
assembly, wind direction vanes, mast upper yardarms assembly, SPS 49 radar antenna screen,
SPS 49 radar antenna assembly, SPS 49 radar screen backing, frames, safety net small deck
angle, SPS 48 radar antenna screen assembly, SPS 48 radar screen support braces, approach
radar scanner center probe, island starboard director platform supports, island port
director platform supports, island starboard upper sensor platform braces, aft SPN 41
platform supports, island vertical ladders and cages, cone antenna (upper yardarm
starboard), island forward aerial spreader, island aft aerial spreader assembly, mast
approach radar platform assembly, mast sensor platform assembly, long inclined ladders,
short inclined ladders (starboard fitting), cable and hose reel assemblies, boat falls,
island VHF antenna, DF antenna, short inclined ladders (port fitting), stock inclined
ladder, stock vertical ladder, island pole antenna, arrestor wire guides, accommodation
ladders, island munted hose reels, catapult operators deck hatches, WT doors with
handwheel, standard WT doors, quick acting WT doors, inner side WT doors.
USS Enterprise “The Airwing”
This set is also relief etched in brass.
It contains detail parts for the following aircraft: F14 Tomcat, F/A18
Hornet, A6 Intruder/Prowler, A7 Corsair (8 sets each), S3 Viking (four sets), E2C Hawkeye
(two sets), and one each SH 3 Sea King spread rotor, folded rotor, tail rotor and cargo
door. In addition WEM provides nine startcart hoses, eight sidewinder missile
trolleys, seven aircraft towing frames, six high capacity aircraft jacks, six flatbed
trailers, five forklifts, five fluid replenishment trolley carts, and even a finely etched
flight deck crash barricade.
Tamiya’s 1/350 scale Enterprise was
arguably one of the finest model kits ever produced when it first appeared in the late
1970’s. It remains today an impressive model, and these magnificent upgrade
parts are just what you need to bring the old girl into the Twenty First Century.
The sets can be had directly from WEM at White Ensign Models, South Farm, Snitton,
Ludlow, SY8 3EZ, U.K. or ordered online at http://whiteensignmodels.com/brochure/index.htm.
Thanks to White Ensign Models for the review samples.
