Kit manufacturer: Hasegawa

Vehicle type: Military

Engine Type: Coal-steam

Country of origin: United States

Model scale: 1:350

I present to you a model of escort aircraft carrier of the US Navy “Gambier Bay” in scale of 1:350.

This is my second model built within the frames of GB “US Navy” that took place in the past year.

I’ll take the historical reference of the prototype, with your permission, from the review I made two years ago.

Aircraft carrier Gambier Bay CVE-73 class “Casablanca” was built in 1943 by Kaiser Company, Inc ‘S, the shipyard on the Columbia River in Vancouver. The ship became the 19th aircraft carrier of this class in 1943, and the first above-plan one, due to which it was dubbed the “Bonus Ship”.

It took part in the transport and landing US Navy operations in the Pacific-ocean theater of war operations.

Historical reference about Gambier Bay ship

Sadly, but ship “Gambier Bay” became famous because of its death. October 25, 1944 as part of TG77.4 group under the command of Rear Admiral Thomas Sprague, located at the entrance to Leyte Gulf, closer to the east from the island of Samar, Gambier Bay was providing air support to the landing troops. At 6:40 am, American observers registered the approach of a large compound of enemy ships.

Escort aircraft carriers put a smokescreen and tried to escape from the enemy, at the same time raising into the air the attacking group of the aircrafts. Three destroyers of “Fletcher” type rushed in the counterattack. Despite the measures taken, low-speed escort ships came under the artillery fire of heavy cruisers of the Japanese fleet. Gambier Bay received several hits, lost speed, on the flight deck a fire burst out, and at 8:50 am the captain gave the order to leave the doomed ship. At 9:11 USS Gambier Bay CVE-73 disappeared in the waters of the Gulf.

Features of Gambier Bay ship model

The model kit by Hasegawa is just wonderful, the assembly was very easy and brought me only positive emotions. Almost all Hasegawa’s additional parts described in the survey were used. I liked the quality of the native etching very much. I had to replace Oerlikons with Master-Model, they are out of the competition, also I replaced the five-inch one with the one of resin by Veteran and life rafts by Voyager.

Painting: acrylic by Tamiya and Mr. Hobby. Toning: AK washes and pigments by Tamiya.

I express my deep gratitude to all my colleagues who helped me and simply expressed their interest in construction of this model.

Enjoy watching!

Happy New Year!!!