--Originally posted December 21, 2009--

"Here are some photos of my progress with the Revell 'Lexington' kit modified as Wasp CVS-18 circa 1961-1962. First one is the flight deck:


Click on Image for FULL-RESPretty much OOB, but I added photoetch stairs and LSO safety nets, and used some aftermarket decals. The decals were printed on an ALPS printer, and were tough to trim and get to lay down without any 'silvering'. There are some sink marks on the deck, but I chose not to obliterate the detail to try and fix them!

Here is a shot of my work on the hull:


Click on Image for FULL-RESI have scratch built a full hangar deck, removed, deepened, and rebuilt the surfaces of the 5" gun sponsons, and waterlined the hull. I like to weather my ships and put figures on them, and when I do this they just don't look right sitting on pedestals! I used a Dremel motor tool to cut the bottom of the hull off after marking a guide line around the hull. Anybody want some prop shafts and the hull bottom? A note to anyone building a hangar deck for this kit - be sure to scrape off the guide tabs on the bottom of the flight deck, or it will not sit properly on top of the hull!

Here's a pic of some of the accessories for this build:


Click on Image for FULL-RES...including (Matt Stein Models') Trackers, Skyraidersand Seabats! I am going to detail the HUP from the kit and use it also. The flight deck elevators are done and ready to install. An assortment of radars are trimmed and ready for folding and assembly when I start on the mast. Anybody want some props? The Gold Medal brass set for this kit is really fantastic, and it has lots of stuff on it for my next project - an as-launched Forrestal. I picked up a nice, original 1959 Revell molding of this ship that doesn't have all of the later sponson modifications that are on the later offerings of this kit.

Here's a shot of one of the 5" galleries:


Click on Image for FULL-RES...with (Matt Stein Models') single 5"/38 cal. guns in place. What an improvement over the originals! These are really well done. Feel free to zoom in at will on this one!"


Matty here - and You Got It, Kevin:






And these two pics are going to find their way onto the Matty's Models website - I gua-raun-tee-it, buddy!

Oh and I'll take that hull-bottom and prop shafts off your hands, sir! (And make it into a Matty's Models hull correction and sell it back to you, too. ) Seriously, hang onto it for me, Kevin.

There's so much I can say - and agree with you - on your just killer crafstmanship on this kit, which really isn't all that bad, is it - particularly in such obviously expert hands as yours. But instead of stepping on your post too much (more), I'll reply in a response, below. GREAT submission to ModelFleet - keep 'em comin', buddy!

Cheers,

-Matty