Tamiya 77514 - 1:700 U.S. Aircraft Carrier Enterprise

Plastic model kit of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) in 1:700 scale

No other US Navy ship collected as many honours as USS Enterprise — "Big E" fought her way through almost every major battle of the Pacific War and survived it. Tamiya 77514 reproduces this carrier in 1:700 scale as a waterline model, without the lower hull.

The kit depicts the ship in her late-war configuration. Included are 16 carrier aircraft representing the air group of that period: F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair fighters, TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers and SB2C Helldiver dive bombers. The kit comes from a 1974 mould and belongs to the classic Tamiya 1/700 Water Line Series.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with hull, flight deck, island and deck fittings
• 16 carrier aircraft: F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair, TBF/TBM Avenger, SB2C Helldiver
• Waterline display base plate
• Metal ballast weight
• Marking sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:700
• Item number: 77514
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Assembled length: approx. 350 mm
• Model type: waterline (no lower hull)
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (small carrier aircraft parts)

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model requires assembly.

Building the model:

The hull and flight deck go together quickly, in the classic Water Line arrangement with a base plate and a metal ballast weight fitted inside. The most rewarding part of the build is the air group: the four different types of carrier aircraft are best painted while still on the sprue and then arranged on the deck with precision tweezers, creating a scene of preparations for launch.

US Navy greys are recommended for a late-war finish (for example Tamiya XF-53 Neutral Grey and XF-54 Dark Sea Grey), with a dark flight deck. Carrier aircraft of this period wore dark blue US Navy colours. Decals and markings are best applied over a gloss coat to avoid silvering, with a matt varnish to finish the model. For extra refinement, photo-etched sets for 1:700 warships (railings, radar screens) are available separately.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers for small parts
• Brushes in a range of sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decals and matt varnish for the final finish
• Wash to emphasise details

About the ship – USS Enterprise (CV-6):

USS Enterprise, the seventh US Navy ship to carry the name, was the second Yorktown-class carrier. Commissioned in 1938, she became one of the most important ships of the American fleet within the first months of the Pacific War.

"Big E" took part in most of the great battles of that war — from raids on Japanese bases through Midway, the Solomons and Guadalcanal to the final campaigns. Damaged many times, she always returned to service, and her crew earned a reputation as one of the most experienced in the fleet. Enterprise became the most decorated US Navy ship of the Second World War.

Despite many appeals to preserve the legendary carrier as a museum ship, she was withdrawn from service in 1947 and broken up for scrap at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s.

Specifications of the original (Yorktown-class carrier):

• Standard displacement: approx. 20,000 t
• Full load displacement: approx. 25,500 t
• Length: 251.4 m
• Armament: 8 × 127 mm guns, quadruple 28 mm mounts, 12.7 mm machine guns
• Propulsion: steam turbines, 4 shafts, approx. 120,000 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 32.5 knots
• Crew: approx. 2,200
• Air group: approx. 90 aircraft

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. It began as a timber business producing wooden models and released its first injection-moulded plastic kit in 1960. The brand built its reputation on precise tooling, excellent parts fit and clear instructions, which is why its kits are popular with beginners and experienced modellers alike. The 1/700 Water Line Series, to which the Enterprise kit belongs, was launched in 1971 as a joint venture of several Japanese manufacturers and remains one of the most recognisable warship ranges in this scale. The common scale and waterline format allow models from the series to be displayed together in collections and sea scenes. Alongside plastic kits, Tamiya offers a full range of paints, glues, tools and modelling accessories. The company is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.