by John Leyland
1/720 USS Tarawa LHA-1 (Revell Germany and DML)
Tarawa was selected to represent US naval aviation in the decade of the 1970's. I wanted to show AV-8's on board and finally found a photo in Proceedings showing a Harrier operating from one of the LHA's in 1979. The operation of OV-10's from these ships without catpults or arresting gear is also notable.
The model was built using parts from both the Revell and DML kits. The well deck and hangar deck are detailed and lit with LED's. All molded detail was removed from the hull and various openings prepared with scratch interiors. The greatest challenge to modeling this class is to properly duplicate the structure of the gallery deck on the port side. It does not attach to the side of the ship as in the aircraft carriers, but is supported on a long row of stanchions between the lower walkway and the underside of the flight deck overhang. Neither kit is accurate in this regard and the whole assembly must be scratch built. The life raft canisters are from the Italieri Nimitz kit mounted on sections of bent railing. The flight deck was sanded smooth, tie downs drilled out, and markings masked and painted. The kit island parts were used with considerable superdetailing added. Masts, ECM gear, and electronics scratched. A Koku-fan article provided good photos of the yellow gear, esp. the large yellow conveyor trucks used to handle cargo to the helos on the flight deck. The helos are kit parts with correction work done on a master, then cast in resin. The AV-8A's, OV-10's, Cobra's and the Huey were cast from scratch masters. The LCU landing craft and cargo of M-60 tanks were scratched except for the trucks, which were modified from the Skywave LST kit. Photoetch is Gold Medal Models with Tom's Modelworks crewmen. The "water" base is Liquitex acrylic gel medium painted with enamels with wakes of Liquitex tube acrylic.
