Dragon Models Ltd

1/700 USS Princeton CVS-37

Kit Number: 7079

In-Box Review by  Charles Landrum, IPMS# 26328

MSRP: $39.95 Review kit provided by Dragon USA: www.dragonmodelsusa.com If this kit looks familiar, it should because Dragon continues on its run of 1950s era axial deck Essex Class carriers. I find this release of USS Princeton CVS-37 particularly exciting because it models one of the unsung heroes of the Cold War, the anti-submarine carrier (CVS). I have included some pictures from navsource.org of Princeton underway. These ships formed the core of hunter-killer groups, which consisted of dedicated ASW assets - the descendent of original groups formed in the Atlantic in WWII. The hunter-killer task force of the 1950s was formed in response to the burgeoning Soviet submarine threat to the sea-lanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. CVS was the fairly lightly armed, both in self-defense weaponry and air assets. The air group consisted of dedicated ASW aircraft, S2F Trackers and UH-34 Seahorse helicopters configured with a dipping sonar. The escorts not only provided the requisite defensive capabilities but were also modernized with a potent array of anti-submarine warfare weapons. Since the threat was diesel submarines active sonar was primarily used, with the ships in close formation due to the limited detection ranges of the equipment. Good ship handling was paramount! Like the other Dragon kits of 1950s Essex CVs, this is a multi-media kit packed with parts. And also like the other releases this kit offers additional sprues to augment the basic Essex kit. Princeton by this time had lost a lot of its armament, so your spares box will pick up a lot of extra parts; and if you replace components with aftermarket PE you will likely end up with more spare parts. The plastic is the standard gray styrene and unlike previous releases there is no option for a clear flight deck. I think Dragon realized that the see-thru flight deck was an unnecessary option, perhaps popular only in Japan. The shape and detailing of the parts is very good. This boxing includes: · Sprue A - Detailed hangar deck and forecastle, centerline elevators. · Sprue B - Axial flight and assorted parts. · Sprue b - angled deck sponson, side elevator and small bits (only the small bits are used). · Sprue C,D,E,G - assorted parts. · Sprue F - assorted parts, none of which are used. · Sprue H - which includes 20mm platforms for the catwalks, variations on bridge levels and additional mast detail. Only 2 parts are used. · Sprue h - molded in clear plastic it includes the pilot house, flag bridge, radar dishes, boats and a island level. The clear parts are intended for the bridge windows and radars, everything else could be gray styrene. · Sprue J - display stand. · Sprue K (x2) - miscellaneous fittings. · Sprue L - part of the island. · Sprue M - Island and hull parts, only 4 parts are used. · Sprue N (x2) - Full hull tug boat. · Sprue P (x2) - 40mm guns. · Parts M and Z - The hull in two halves, above and below waterline, so you can build the model full hull or waterline.

· Sprue d (small b) x 4 - HUS-1 (later redesignated UH-34) Seahorse helicopters molded in clear styrene. 8 total are included: 2 spread and 6 with the tail folded. All of the rotors are too thick and none are molded in the folded position (see below). · Sprue e (small e) x 2 - enough parts for 4 S2Fs, two spread and two that can be folded. Each plane is a small kit unto itself.

General observations: · The kit has the usual exploded view isometric instructions. · The gray styrene flight deck is gorgeous and since Princeton retained the wood deck, accurate for this model. Dragon includes the angled hull plating and earlier brackets from the Antietam kit in this kit. Neither are used and are shaded as such in the kit. · The hangar deck plating is over exaggerated - it looks like a series of cargo hatches. This deck should be smooth in this scale. · The hanger roll up doors are very exaggerated. · The aircraft and bridge windows are still molded in blocks of clear plastic; no value added in my opinion.

As typical of the new generation of Dragon kits, a petite fret of photoetch is included. This set specific to this kit and offers details previously offered, plus some new details: · Girders for the deck edge elevator - a distinguishing feature of this class. · Mast platforms. · Air and surface search radars. · Individual helo blades. · An LSO platform (a first). · Antenna assemblies for each corner of the flight deck (also new and specific to the late 1950s). · Small section of railing for the island. · Figures. Not included are basic PE parts like railings, ladders, a replacement crane or some of the other details offered by the aftermarket manufacturers. It is nice to have the deck edge antennas, although the brackets are double relief etched and solid rather an open grid as they should be. The modeler will need an aftermarket set to properly complete the model.

The decal sheet is large and more comprehensive than previous releases. The white is white, unlike older DML releases. Everything is crisp and in register. This sheet includes a lot of options for multiple CVS carriers: · Stern names for Princeton, Boxer, Tarawa, Leyte, Valley Forge and Philippine Sea. · Two sets of hull numbers 1- 0. · Two sets of flight deck numbers 1 - 0. · Flight deck markings in yellow and white. · Aircraft markings for Gloss Sea Blue and Gull Gray over White schemes. · Name plate decal for Princeton. · Unlike previous release no flags are provided. It is always to good to have decals in the spares box! In summary Dragon continues to get my vote for progressing the Essex Class beyond World War II. What I like about these kits is that it has appeal to all skill levels. With the PE included, it will not require much other than a basic aftermarket PE set to finish this kit as a showstopper. But for modelers with limited experience with PE, they can still build a nice replica. Pick up one of these nice kits!

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