1:700 Model Set US Navy Assault Carrier WASP Class

Wasp class amphibious assault ship in 1:700 scale from Revell

An injection-molded plastic kit of the American Wasp class amphibious assault ship in 1:700 scale from the German manufacturer Revell. The set comes in the Model Set edition: alongside the sprues with the parts, the decals and the instructions the manufacturer also adds the basic paints, a brush and cement for polystyrene. The manufacturer lists a waterline hull, a detailed internal deck, a well deck that can be left open, and shipborne aircraft and helicopters.

The real subject

The Wasp class are multipurpose amphibious assault ships that carry a United States Marine Corps landing force. They look like an aircraft carrier with a full-length deck, but their task is a different one: to put a Marine Corps battle group with its hardware ashore. That is why they have a floodable well deck in the stern for landing craft, cargo decks and a hangar. Helicopters and short take-off and vertical landing aircraft operate from the flight deck, so the group secures its own air support over the landing.

Building and painting tips

Decide at the start whether you will leave the well deck open, because that governs both the build sequence and the painting. Paint the internal decks before you close them. A waterline hull sits well in a base of cast resin or of plaster painted blue. Paint the small aircraft and helicopters while they are still on the sprue and cut them off only at the end. Once the gray hull paint is dry, lighten it slightly with a dry brush on the edges so that the model does not look flat in this scale.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of modern warships in 1:700 scale
• Modelers who want everything for the build in one box
• Admirers of the Marine Corps and of amphibious operations
• Builders of waterline models for dioramas

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. In the Model Set edition the basic paints, a brush and glue are included in the package; other accessories are not.