# U.S.S. JFK carrier kit



## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

I saw an old ('60s-'70s at latest) Monogram (I think) kit of the Kennedy today for $12. I think it's complete and am in the mood to build something different. Was it a quality kit for the time? Small scale, too, box was not much over a foot long.

I _think_ it was Monogram...


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

It's a pretty crappy kit... one of Monogram's 16" box scale carrier kits. The same basic kit has been sold as the Kennedy, Kitty Hawk, Constellation and America. Part of the problem is that detail in the smallish scale is lost, omitted, or crude and heavy. Kit came out around 1973. 

I would pass on it myself but for $12 it might be ok to mess with.

If you want a GOOD Monogram ship, Revell recently reissued the old Monogram USS Chicago guided missile cruiser. It's another of their 16" box scale kits but it is real close to 1/500 scale. Overall it is a real nice kit for its vintage. I would replace some of the rear structure with a scratchbuilt replacement made from Evergreen styrene rod. The real ship has some latticework that Monogram molded solid with the detail just represented by raised lines. Painting the hollow areas black doesn't look real convincing. Aside from that its a cool kit.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

If you're looking for an aircraft carrier then try one by Italeri, instead of a 1/800 or so scale they are 1/750 and a hell of a lot better detailed.
The carrier classes are Forrestal, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

Thanks for all the input. Given the size of the box, the detail would have to be pretty basic and unsatisfying. I wonder if this kit was later converted to Snap-Tite, a pic of which I saw online - the box looked about the same size.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

What I'd really like is a reasonably priced kit of the LHD Wasp class, but every one I've ever seen is horribly expensive.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Monogram;s snap tite carriers are about 5" long... not the same as the 16" kits

The 1/350 USS Wasp by Gallery (and reboxed by Revell) is pricey but Revell's 1/700 USS Wasp LHD is excellent and inexpensive. Avoid Revell's old early 70s vintage Tarawa... its pretty crappy.


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

djnick66 said:


> Monogram;s snap tite carriers are about 5" long... not the same as the 16" kits
> 
> The 1/350 USS Wasp by Gallery (and reboxed by Revell) is pricey but Revell's 1/700 USS Wasp LHD is excellent and inexpensive. Avoid Revell's old early 70s vintage Tarawa... its pretty crappy.


And it's a similar but wrong class (LHA, if memory serves).


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Yeah the Tarawa's are older (Vietnam vintage) and replaced by the newer ships. But it is similar and I figured if you were looking at the Wasp and saw the Tarawa on the store shelves (has been reissued).


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## Vindi (Mar 20, 2009)

djnick66 said:


> Yeah the Tarawa's are older (Vietnam vintage) and replaced by the newer ships. But it is similar and I figured if you were looking at the Wasp and saw the Tarawa on the store shelves (has been reissued).


The LHA's of the Tawara class (there were 5; Tarawa, Saipan, Belleau Wood, Nassau and the Peleliu). The keel for the Tarawa was laid donw in 1971 and it was commissioned in 1976. The LHA's were not Vietnam vintage ships. You might be confusing them with the LPH's which were Vietnam era ships. 

I was stationed on the Saipan LHA-2 for 3 years in the 80's.

Good ships, but they rode like a "cork in the water"


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## frankenstyrene (Oct 5, 2006)

I was on LHD-1 starting in '89, when she was commissioned. She rides somewhat better...you could _just_ feel heavy swells, but you'd really have trouble gaining your sealegs on something that big (I got mine before that on a fall NorLant op on the Mt. Whitney...hoo boy, what a way to lose your cherry). :drunk: Fun shore visits, though.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Vindi said:


> The LHA's of the Tawara class (there were 5; Tarawa, Saipan, Belleau Wood, Nassau and the Peleliu). The keel for the Tarawa was laid donw in 1971 and it was commissioned in 1976. The LHA's were not Vietnam vintage ships. You might be confusing them with the LPH's which were Vietnam era ships.
> 
> I was stationed on the Saipan LHA-2 for 3 years in the 80's.
> 
> Good ships, but they rode like a "cork in the water"


I suppose... the original Revell box art shows Super Jolly Green Giants and M-48 pattons in landing barges heading towards a very Nam like jungle... Early 70s is still close to Vietnam compared to say today. 

Still a crappy kit and its 1/720 which was a dumb Revell scale they picked to compete with 1/720


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