Skunkmodels 1/48 WWII USN Wooden Carrier Deck Display Base Review

By Michael Benolkin

Review

Lucky Model recently sent three new display bases for 1/48 aircraft modelers and the first we examined was the USS Nimitz Carrier Deck w/Jet Blast Deflectors which provides a nice dynamic scene for a modern naval aircraft model to be posed on the catapult for launch. This was an all-plastic deck comprised of a puzzle-like group of modules that piece together into a display that would accommodate even an E-2C Hawkeye or EA-6B Prowler. Next was the Modern USN Carrier Deck display base and these was comprised of six modular squares that snap together into a display base with an outer edge that would accommodate one of three printed card decks. I assumed that this display for World War II would be a smaller variation of that snap-together display. Well...yes and no.

Where the Modern display was six modular squares, this one is indeed only four (WWII carrier aircraft were of course smaller). Like the Modern display, this one also snaps together into one solid unit, but unlike the Modern display, this display doesn't use printed cards. This wooden flight deck is WOOD!

As you can see in the upper image to the right, there are four squares plus the clip-on system to assemble the display. In that wood-colored bundle to the left are a stack of wooden sections that lay into the recess of the assembled deck. Between every two sections goes a smaller thinner wooden piece that serves as the base for the strips of photo-etch that lay across the deck for aircraft tie-down points. You can see in the second image that I have all of the tie-downs off to one side and the deck sections are simply pressed into place for this shot. When next you see this display, the tie-down sections will be interspersed between the deck sections and the deck will be painted and weathered accordingly.

I must say that I'm really impressed with this display base. I was expecting another card stock display and instead you have real wood for your wood carrier deck and photo-etch for the tie-downs. If you wanted to permanently mount an aircraft to this display, you'd be able to chain it down to the deck just like the full-scale aircraft were at sea.

Kudos to Skunkmodels for producing these great looking displays and at reasonable prices. These are available from Lucky Model and I'm looking forward to putting these to work!

For a look at this display base finished, look here.

My sincere thanks to Lucky Model for this review sample!