1/350 Dragon USS Independence CVL-22 Carrier

0Feature:
- Bonus: 6 SBD in transparent plastic
- 10 newly tooled 1/350 scale aviators
- 8 newly tooled 1/350 scale ground crewmen
- Intricate bridge is newly produced w/finest details
- Detailed crane is newly produced
- Finely detailed and newly designed quadruple 40mm Mk4 mount
- One-piece slide-molded upper hull w/undercut details realistically presented
- Slide-molded upper and lower hull accurately produced
- Delicated bilge keels w/sonar dome are represented on lower hull by slide-mold technology
- Waterline or full-hull version can be assembled
- 2 delicated 1/4 ton 4 x 4 trucks are included
- Open mount 5-inch gun realistically produced
- 4 delicated tractor tugs included
- 6 TBF and 6 F6F are conveniently constructed in transparent plastic
- Wings of TBF and F6F can be folded
- Canopy of SBD can be assembled open/closed
- Hangar bay walls w/great detail
- Hangar interior w/fine frames
- Flight deck elevators can be posed in either raised or lowered position
- Delicate funnel w/great details
- Photo-etched railings below island are authentically produced
- Rear of CVL-22 w/finest details
- Extra-thin shield wall reproduced for accurate 1/350 scale appearance
- True-to-scale ultra-thin propellers
- Rudder can be easily assembled
- Finest pattern on flight deck of CVL-22
- Finest tread patterns on CVL-22 flight deck elevators
- Accurately shaped flight deck side w/slide-mold technology
- Delicate tower structure is accurately produced
- Radars on tower structure w/delicate details are realistically produced
- Radars on flight deck side are truly reproduced
- Detailed island is finely produced via slide-mold technology
- Slide-molded crane boom w/details
- Slide-molded radar array reproduced
- Delicate paravane is realistically produced
- Rectangular liferafts look authentic
- Delicate whaleboat w/fine details
- Photo-etched safely net is produced
- Optional antenna on deck side can be folded
- Twin 40mm Mk4 guns reproduced w/delicate detail
- Finely represented Mk51 gun director
- Engineered for modeling enjoyment
- Plastic parts with enhanced detail
- Unprecedented value
- Ready for immediate assembly!


Commissioned on January 14 1943, the USS Independence (CVL-22) actually began life as a light cruiser before being converted into a light aircraft carrier during its construction. USS Independence was the first of a new class of such converted carriers, and its first combat operations in WWII took place in a raid against Marcus and Wake Islands in the Pacific. Later in 1943, the carrier took part in campaigns against the Gilbert Islands and Tarawa, during which it was hit by a Japanese air-launched torpedo. The 14,751-ton combat-loaded carrier was a pioneer in night operations, and it proceeded to fight in the Philippines, the Battle of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. After the war, USS Independence was used as a target for Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests in 1946, before the radioactive hull was eventually sunk near the San Francisco coast. This important carrier is the latest 1/350 ship kit from Dragon.

Following in the wake of the groundbreaking 1/350 scale Scharnhorst kit from Dragon, this latest ship model maintains the highest standards. What the Scharnhorst did for the level of German ship models, the Independence has done for American models! The impressively large kit makes widespread use of slide-mold technology, including a large one-piece hull. Instead of using old methods of separate parts, the Independence boasts a one-piece hull with undercuts and no gaps to fill. Modelers also have the choice of building their carrier with a full hull or with a waterline version. The focus of a carrier is its busy flight deck, and Dragons flight deck is indeed busy. The box contains no less than 18 true-to-scale fighters to line up, as well as eight auxiliary vehicles and 18 realistic-looking figures. The flight deck itself is one piece, allowing suitable texture to be rendered and full inclusion of deck-edge detail. For all those finer details, several photo-etched metal frets are included!