Hobby Boss 1/700 USS Essex LHD 2 Kit First Look
By Dave Manter
| Date of Review | April 2013 | Manufacturer | Hobby Boss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | USS Essex LHD 2 | Scale | 1/700 |
| Kit Number | 83403 | Primary Media | Styrene, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | Lots of options for the load on the flight deck | Cons | No interior provided for the rear interior of the ship |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $63.99 |
First Look
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The USS Essex is a US Navy amphibious assault landing ship in the WASP class. It was launched in 1991, and official service started the following year. The ship carries 6 AV-8 Harrier vertical attack aircraft, numerous helicopters and various landing craft.
In addition, the USS Essex has advanced medical facilities including 4 operating rooms, 2 accident and emergency departments and a 14 bed intensive care unit. The WASP class ships also have enhanced command, communication and control capabilities.
The HobbyBoss kit of the USS Essex LHD-2 consists of over 550 parts on 41 sprues including the hull and 38 detail parts in photo etch. All of the parts feature great detail and are molded crisp with very little flash. The kit features numerous smaller vehicles as well including:
- Tanks
- Trucks
- Humvees
- Guns
- LAV's
- LVPT's
- 2 LCAC's
- 2 LCU's
- 4 V-22's
- 4 CH-53E's
- 4 CH-46's
- 2 AH-1W's
- 4 AV-8B's
- 2 SH-60F's
Construction looks to be pretty straight forward and the main parts do fit well. The elevators can be positioned up or down, but there is no details provided for the interior at the rear of the ship.
With all of the options of aircraft, the flight deck will look great after construction. The decals are very well printed and will provide a little color to the deck.
Yet another great ship kit from HobbyBoss. Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!