Calling all Tarawa-class (LHA) & Wasp-class (LHD) fans

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Expand view Topic review: Calling all Tarawa-class (LHA) & Wasp-class (LHD) fans

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Admhawk » Fri Feb 28, 2025 6:20 pm

ESzczesniak wrote:How commonly are the hangar doors open on the LHD class? Most pictures are from a slightly high angle and that area is in the shadows. But I think I�m seeing them mostly closed.

I�m trying to decide if it�s worth trying to scratch build something on the 1/700 Hobby Boss LHD-1 USS Wasp. I feel like I�ve seen them open a lot on the CV�s, but as I�m digging in to tue LHD�s I don�t know if I�m seeing this very often.
A quick look through my photo collection and I see the doors open more than I see them closed. That said, they are closed more often than on the Carriers. I also see them half open a lot.

Possible reasons, Less aircraft in the hangar than a carrier. Carriers get pretty crowded and it can get pretty stuffy in the hangar, especially with jet fuel, oil leaks, grease and vehicle exhaust. (forklifts, cranes, towers, etc)
Also, with more aircraft comes possibly more elevator usage, making the door operation a time waster.
Could also be that Marines think they're tougher than sailors, so don't need fresh air.

You're probably good with either open or closed.

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by ESzczesniak » Fri Feb 28, 2025 3:03 pm

How commonly are the hangar doors open on the LHD class? Most pictures are from a slightly high angle and that area is in the shadows. But I think I�m seeing them mostly closed.

I�m trying to decide if it�s worth trying to scratch build something on the 1/700 Hobby Boss LHD-1 USS Wasp. I feel like I�ve seen them open a lot on the CV�s, but as I�m digging in to tue LHD�s I don�t know if I�m seeing this very often.

1/350 USS Makin Island LHD8

by MAJOR-B » Sat Feb 18, 2023 5:11 pm

Good day I have the wasp in 1/350 doing research right now.. how hard would it be or is it possible to convert to the Mankin Island. The biggest difference I see is the stacks they are angled.. I not looking for a perfect build just something that looks like it..I saw this in Facebook said that a great project [img][img][/img][/img]
Attachments
5F71D6AF-6069-44E6-8B11-7B3F6F73F2B7.jpeg

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by One-Oh-Four » Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:56 am

Hi guys,

I'm currently building USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 in 1/350. One area that I can't wrap my head around is the UNREP-crane with the hose attachments on the island. Does anyone have good photos of the attachment of the hoses to the fuel pipes from the ship? How the fuel probes are stowed? I assume they are not just hanging around, only kept in place by the line that wraps around the hoses..? And preferably too of the lines go from the drums, through the crane to the hoses? The best pic I have is the included US Navy Photo.
I know I don't ask much...

Thanks!
Erik
Attachments
170710-N-NB544-193.jpg

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Admhawk » Fri Jun 12, 2020 5:00 pm

You can get lots of decent LEDs on eBay from China. I've never had an issue with any of the ones I've purchased. I like to get the ones that already have the resister attached. Strip lighting vs individual LEDs doesn't really matter, they all work great. What matters is where and how you mount them. If you want a row in a hangar bay, get strip lights.

Keep an eye on voltage, many are 12v, if you don't want that, look for other voltages.
Something you may want to experiment with is putting 6v on a 12v led. Modern LEDs are very bright, way too bright for small models. Reducing the voltage will help make them look more too scale.

Also look at the sizes, there are a few standard sizes for small LEDs. Make sure you get the size you need. And finally, if you get strip lights, check the spacing. Some strips have the lights closer together. Get the one that's close to what you want.

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by rbargoalie19 » Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:44 pm

Hi all,

I am new to the forums and have just got back into modeling after about a 35 year layoff. I am currently building a Trumpeter 1/350 USS Texas BB-35 and roughly halfway through the build.

I have a Trumpeter 1/350 USS Wasp LHD-1 with the complete WEM photo etch upgrade kit in queue for my next build. I would like to put LED lights in both the well deck and the hangar deck, so that you are able to see inside each deck.

I have a couple questions for those that have added lighting to their models:
1. What is a reputable company to buy LEDs from?
2. What is type is better to use, chip, strip or fiber-optic?

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Timmy C » Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:54 pm

RAM launchers and some masts and bits - Sprue I on the Peleliu kit, specifically. Compare the Peleliu pics here: https://www.super-hobby.com/products/U. ... -LHA5.html
with our review of the Tarawa kit here: http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... arawa.html

The Peleliu kit also has Harriers and LCACs, which I think are also in the Saipan kit.

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by D-Boy » Tue Mar 03, 2020 7:33 pm

Scalemates reports that the 1:700 Dragon kits of the Tarawa Class went through several boxings (alternating Tarawa and Saipan) and changes in cover art... until issue of the Peleliu, which notes "changed parts." Can anyone comment on what was changed in the release of this kit (Shanghai Dragon 7032).

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by alberto_palmieri » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:57 pm

Hey guys, happy new year! I got a 1:700 Trumpeter USS Saipan (3102) cheap ocasion , kit pretty poor (I thought being Trumpeter would be something better), late 90 . The issue is that the instruction sheets are very poor, with lack of clarity and details of the assembly: there is no indicated completion from deck to stern with barrel or CIWS, nothing that with photos can not be assured correct option. Some would have some data/link sheet instructions or where to see these details for mounting ?? (on 1� page where the images are located, it is not possible to see them). Thank you,

Alberto

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by RagingBulldog » Thu Aug 01, 2019 8:53 am

Currently working on a Hobby Boss 1/700 USS Iwo Jima. I'm going to display it with F-35Bs instead of AV-8Bs. The Orange Hobby F-35B kit is fantastic, but the decals are horrible and the wrong color. Does anyone know where I can get decent 1/700 F-35B decals that are actually light gray (or even white) instead of dark gray or black? I'd honestly settle for just decent roundels if I have to.

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Rick_H » Mon Jul 15, 2019 8:09 pm

re the numbering of the decks:
The waterline has nothing to do with the designation of any deck. The "main deck" is identified as the highest deck that runs completely forward to aft. On a regular carrier, that is the hangar deck, as the 01 and 02 levels (officially not "decks") are not uninterrupted. The Main deck is the First Deck, and the Second Deck is below. This continues down to a point where the decks again are not continuous, and below that they are called Platforms.

On regular aircraft carriers, above the hangar deck there are two levels of galleries, that surround the hangar. These are 01 and 02. Below the flight deck is the 03 level. It is an unbroken run from forward to aft, but the galleries below it have started the 01, 02 nomenclature. If anyone is excited about the name for the flight deck, it is officially the 04 level.

I would expect that pattern to hold frow for the big gators too.

That is the standard terminology for the US Navy. I can't state for foreign navies.

So the relation of the waterline to the decks your best guess is to determine the height of a deck/level, and use that unit of measure to go down to the waterline (your call - full load or light load waterline)

Rick

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Navy2000 » Mon Jul 15, 2019 5:59 pm

bootneck42 wrote:Can anyone here please advise me of the naming and order of levels of the decks for the Tarawa class? Obviously the top deck (level 01?) is the flight deck but how are they named/numbered from the next one down and so forth to the keel? Is there a cross-section diagram to illustrate this?

I am currently building a waterline level model of the Tarawa class but don't know which level the waterline is at.

Thanks in advance for any help here.

Mike
Hi Mike

Just in case you are still wondering. It should be just like the carriers. The hanger deck is the main deck and then the next one up from that is the 01 level and so one as you go up. I can't help you with the lower decks.

Duane

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Wolfman_63 » Sat Jul 13, 2019 9:53 pm

I had a few fellow modellers assist me with scaling. All i good now. So there are now hangar bay decal sets for the USS Wasp and the USS Iwo Jima! https://davidsscalemodels.com/decals/1- ... ecal-sets/

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Wolfman_63 » Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:52 am

Happy Friday! I need some help. Does anyone have the Trumpeter 1/350 USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 that is not built and can check something for me? I am making a decal set for the hangar bay and need someone to verify sizes.

Thanks!
Attachments
USS IWO JIMA LHD 7 SAMPLE.jpg

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by Admhawk » Sat Jun 01, 2019 11:30 pm

Go here to see types of deployed aircraft and sqns for all of Iwo Jima's Deployments.

http://www.gonavy.jp/meuD07f.html

I couldn't find actual numbers for the Marine aircraft, but they may be there somewhere, the site has a lot of info.
The Navy Carrier deployments seem to have more details on numbers of each type deployed.

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by veliko_pile » Sat Jun 01, 2019 3:53 am

Thanks! As I can see in that type of mix there are no MV22s, I didnt see both CH53 and Mv22 on deck the same time

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by MartinJQuinn » Fri May 31, 2019 12:37 pm

I built the Iwo Jima, which you can see here. I vaguely recalling using photos to spot the air group.

A quick internet search comes up with lots of photos, like these:
US_Navy_080906-N-1082Z-015_The_multi-purpose_amphibious_assault_ship_USS_Iwo_Jima_(LHD_7)_transits_the_Atlantic_Ocean.jpg
US_Navy_080906-N-1082Z-029_The_multi-purpose_amphibious_assault_ship_USS_Iwo_Jima_(LHD_7)_transits_the_Atlantic_Ocean.jpg

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by veliko_pile » Fri May 31, 2019 12:19 pm

Hello guys, starting in the Iwo Jima 1 350 here. Ive done some research back a couple of years but since they my Hard drive got erased and lost it.

Could you send some info or photos showing the layout of the airwings used, I would like one composed of CH53 , harriers uh1, but less Ospreys (2 to 4 Osprays would be enough haha, dont like the looks)

Thanks

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by CarrierFan » Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:30 pm

wvtomcat65 wrote:In a nutshell. The USS Wasp LHD-1 kit will do LHD-1 through LHD-4. The USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 kit will do LHD-5 through LHD-7. The differences are mostly to do with the weapons layout on the front of the island. And the island windows on 1-4 are more square, where they are rectangle on 5-7.... You can do a LHD-8 with the LHD-7 kit. The biggest difference in that LHD-8 has canted stacks...

Hope my info helps

Thomas

Yes it does. Thanks so much!

Re: Calling all USS Tarawa (LHA) & USS Wasp (LHD) fans

by wvtomcat65 » Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:35 pm

In a nutshell. The USS Wasp LHD-1 kit will do LHD-1 through LHD-4. The USS Iwo Jima LHD-7 kit will do LHD-5 through LHD-7. The differences are mostly to do with the weapons layout on the front of the island. And the island windows on 1-4 are more square, where they are rectangle on 5-7.... You can do a LHD-8 with the LHD-7 kit. The biggest difference in that LHD-8 has canted stacks...

Hope my info helps

Thomas

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