Reviews

1/350 Yankee Modelworks
USS Lexington CV-02
Photo Etch Set
reviewed by Timothy Dike

The new Trumpeter Lexington is another welcome addition to the growing line of 1/350 ships. It is state of the art for plastic injection molding, but is lacking in the detail department. Before this kit was on the market the Yankee Modelworks USS Lexington was the way to go. The Yankee Modelworks kit is a really nice resin kit with an extensive photo etch set that went with it, but it was expensive to produce and out of range for the average ship modeler. While I personally prefer the resin kit over plastic, most modelers will elect to go with plastic. Some of those photo etch items have found their way onto this two fret set drawn up by Mike Bishop of Blue Water Navy fame. This set will allow you to build the Trumpeter kit as shown on the box in her 1942 fit.

Fret 1

Click to enlarge images

The first fret contains the splinter shields, cranes, and 20 mm guns among other things. The fret is relief etched which allows the bracing on the splinter shields for the guns tubs to really stand out. The main radar is really nice, I really like the way the bracing behind appears to be a separate part.

Close ups of the fret details

Replacement yardarms and mast mounted fighting lights will give your ship a more to-scale appearance. The netting for the life raft bottoms are included in case you want to cut the solid bottoms out of the plastic parts in the kit.

Fret 2

The second fret includes the safety netting that is used around the flight deck. Like the other fret this one is also relief etched. Platform braces are included as well as inclined ladders and other detail items.

Close ups of the fret details

The instructions are six pages with several isometric views from the Trumpeter instructions that are marked up with numbered PE locations. At first glance this is pretty good, but the PE parts are not always shown and you will have to figure some of it out on your own.

Also lacking is a Bill of Materials for the fret to help identify what all the parts are. Plan and elevation drawings showing correct placement would have been nice too. I hope Yankee Modelworks will consider adding to these instructions so that modelers can take full advantage of the parts on the fret.

Conclusions: This fret is #YKM3000, it has just about everything you would want to use on your USS Lexington. If you have been waiting for a photo etch set for your kit, wait no longer this one is available now at Trident Hobbies for $34.99.