JAG Fine Ship Models 1/700 scale US Navy Stealth Carrier

Manufacturer: JAG Fine Ship Models, JAG Collective Inc., 7307 Presidents Drive, Orlando, FL 32809, 407-812-1710 www.jagcollective.com
Kit: No. XXXX
Scale: 1/700
Price: $120
Comments: Cast resin, 387 parts (291 photoetched)
Pros: One-piece hull includes hangar deck, elevator stations, and pri-fly molded in, photoetched aircraft parts and safety nets, laser-etched flight deck
Cons: Basic instructions with no background on the carrier's design

What the heck is that? That was the comment at my local modeling club meeting when I placed this model on the table. Well, "that" is a possible aircraft carrier of the future, a stealthy design less vulnerable to radar-guided antiship missiles such as the vaunted Exocet.


This particular concept was featured in the Oct. 1998 Popular Mechanics magazine. Certain elements of the design make perfect sense: the landing area is at the top level of the ship, while two of the four catapults are stationed on the side sides of the ship, on the hangar deck level. The sides of the hull and superstructure are angled to deflect radar. I don't know why the port-side take-off deck has a saw-tooth edge, while the starboard is straight. Also, the take-off decks are only 30 feet off the water - heavy seas would make launches risky.


The most impressive piece of the model is the one-piece resin waterline hull, complete with a hangar deck and a clear acrylic flight deck with all the deck markings, catapult slots, arresting gear, and tie downs laser etched into the plastic.

A good selection of aircraft is included: 38 proposed Joint Strike Fighters (these look like an early design phase of the Boeing entry), seven V-22 Ospreys, and a pair of SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters. Also provided are a resin island, catapult launch station, jet blast deflectors, two "tilley" cranes, and eight deck tractors.


The large photoetched fret includes safety nets for the deck edges, Osprey and Sea Hawk rotors (but only one set for the two choppers), and vertical and horizontal stabilizers for the JSFs.


Assembly is very simple. The acrylic flight deck is easy to paint (there are no decals); just use the etched markings for masking guides. The deck fits perfectly into the resin hull. Adding the tiny photoetched landing gear to the fighters will quickly drive you mad, though.


The photoetched safety nets for the deck edges fit well, and there is a simple diagram for the sections that go on the saw-tooth deck. The instructions don't say what to do with all the rest of the net, and there are no color recommendations. I painted the decks dark gray with a black landing area, and the sides of the ship medium gray.


The finished model is 171/2" long and certainly eye-catching. I spent only nine hours on it, most of that masking the deck markings and fiddling with the photoetched parts.