Cyber-Hobby 1/700 USS New York LPD-21
Cyber-Hobby 1/700 USS New York LPD-21
Reviewed by Timothy Dike
The USS New York is the fifth ship of the San Antonio class Amphibious Transport Dock ship. She was laid down in 2004 with 7-1/2 tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center towers used in her bow section. She was commissioned on March 1, 2008 and is home ported at Norfolk, Virginia. 

Amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport, and deliver 700 Marines anywhere they are needed. These ships have a large well deck that can accommodate LCAC, and conventional landing craft. With three vehicle decks they can transport a large contingent of tanks, trucks, and other vehicles. Their large flight deck can carry V-22 Osprey or any of the Navy's helicopters. These ships are replacing many of the Navy's older Amphibious landing ships.

Cyber-Hobby has rushed this USS New York to market to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9-11. An all new tooling, the kit features some really nice molding and even a bonus Marine Amphibious Forces sprue.
 


The reader might want to take into consideration that I consulted for Dragon on this kit. My opinions might be a bit biased. However I think the photos speak for themselves. 
SPRUE A
The main sprue contains the upper superstructure and the covered masts, the Bushmaster II 30 mm guns and the loading crane. Slides molding is used to allow for detail to be molded on several sides of some of the parts. The is evident on the superstructure parts. The crane assembly looks nice, but it is fixed in the deployed position. If you want to show it stowed, you will have to cut the arms off and reattach them. A nice rolling airframe missile launcher is also provided.  Click images
to enlarge
SPRUE B
 The lower hull is well molded with that large bulbous bow and the stern with subtle propeller tunnels carved into hull. There are two sets of stern doors provided. One closed and the other separated to allow for it to be molded open. Nice five bladed propellers and hinged rudders are also included. 
SPRUE C
The main superstructure is molded as a single part thanks to slide molding. This leaves nice overhanging platforms, and surface detailing on all sides. The fit between this part and the hull is exceptionally nice. The seam almost disappears when the two parts are held together. There is a door that is right on the seam and it lines up perfectly.
SPRUE D
The upper hull is nicely molded and comes comes with a plastic bow protector to protect the fine detailing during shipping. The lines of the hull are nicely done. I am however disappointed that there is no interior for the well deck provided.
AMPHIBIOUS FORCES SPRUE
A big bonus is the return of the Amphibious Forces sprue. The sprue is an older tooling, but one that is sought after for all the vehicles and helicopters it contains. Dragon has released it to equip your LSD with an LCAC, 2 landing craft, 2 V-22's, 4 CH-46's, 2 AH-1 Cobras, 2 CH-53's, 4 Harriers, 2 AAV-7A1's, and 2 M-1 Abrams. The latter are newly tooled and replace the old M-60's. You wont need all these, but they will come in handy for other projects. I wish they were not molded in clear, but some modelers may appreciate this as it allows you to mask the canopy off, paint and then remove the mask. This gives you a clear canopy. The down side is clear plastic is more brittle than gray styrene. 
SPRUE Z
The base for this kit has been designed based on how most modelers like to display their ships in full hull mode. The stands which resemble lamp finales are even slide molded so they have no seams to fill and sand. Hole locations are provided so all you have to do is open them up with a knife or drill. 
PHOTOETCH
A simple photo etch fret is included with safety netting and the sliding doors for the hull side. 
DECALS
The decals are sharply rendered and include the standard hull numbers and flight deck markings. Also included are markings for the aircraft and LCAC. Window and door decals are a nice touch as are the low visibility Marines markings. 
INSTRUCTIONS
The instructions are six pages with lots of subassembly views that are easy to follow. The last page features a painting guide showing decal placement. I am including a color painting guide as a bonus for our readers on the right. 
BUILD UP PHOTOS
These are photos of a fully assembled production version of this kit built out of the box. 
CONCLUSIONS

This latest kit from Cyber-Hobby is a fitting tribute to USS New York and will make an excellent addition to your modern fleet. The kit is well engineered for a great fit and the bonus amphibious forces vehicles are a great addition. 

These kits is shipping now. Look for them on the shelves of your favorite hobby shop or get it direct from Dragon USA or Cyber-Hobby for $39.95

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