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USS LEXINGTON AIRCRAFT CARRIER MODEL

The aircraft carrier USS Lexington was originally designed as a battlecruiser. She was launched on October 3, 1925 and commissioned December 14, 1927. During construction, she was converted into an aircraft carrier to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, which terminated all new battleship and battlecruiser construction. 

The Lexington class aircraft carriers had two ships in the class: USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. Both aircraft carriers saw action in WWII and were instrumental in demonstrating the value of aircraft carriers in naval warfare.

Historical significance of the USS Lexington aircraft carrier:

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, imperial Japanese forces were unstoppable, winning battle after battle.

By mid-April 1942, US naval planners had determined that the Japanese planned to continue their expansion south and conquer the Coral Sea as part of a plan to capture all of New Guinea. To counter that move, the US established Task Force 17, a two-carrier naval force centered on the USS Yorktown and the  USS Lexington. Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch commanded carrier operations from Lexington. The opposing Japanese force was divided into three divisions aimed at capturing Port Moresby on New Guinea to control the straits between New Guinea and Australia and capturing Tulagi, one of the Solomon Islands. 



In March and April, from intelligence, admiral Chester Nimitz deployed aircraft carrier USS Lexington and Yorktown to the South Pacific in order to stop the Japanese advance. The result was the Battle of Coral Sea, the first aircraft carrier battle in history



On the morning of May 7, aircraft from USS Lexington and Yorktown destroyed HIJMS Shoho, the first Japanese carrier sunk during the war. On May 8, aircraft from the main bodies of the two opposing fleets found each other. American aircraft inflicted severe damage on Shokaku. In return, the Japanese hit the USS Lexington aircraft carrier with two torpedoes and two bombs, and also damaged Yorktown. Although Lexington’s flight deck was restored to service, a series of explosions ripped through the ship in the early afternoon. When the fires became uncontrollable, the ship was declared a total loss. Five torpedoes from an escorting destroyer sent USS Lexington to the bottom. In the battle, aircraft carriers USS Lexington lost 200 crew members and 35 aircraft.

The Battle of the Coral Sea was a strategic victory for the US and its allies; Japan did not capture Port Moresby and never again pushed that far south. The battle was the first major setback of the war for Imperial Japanese Navy. It halted Japan's relentless advancement in the Pacific.

Aside from the tactical and strategic results, the battle in the Coral Sea is notable because it was the first naval engagement in history where opposing ships never came within sight of each other. The battle ushered in a new form of naval warfare in which big-gun ships had no role, with all action taking place at long range via airplanes.

The USN learned much from the sinking of the USS Lexington aircraft carrier, in particular regarding damage control practices and the dangers of flammable fumes spreading through a damaged ship. These lessons would help save carriers in future battles, such as USS Enterprise on several occasions, and USS Franklin in 1945.

At 3,000 meters, Lexington aircraft carrier was too deep to have the attention of the wreck salvagers. When Paul Allen's team found her on March 4, 2018, she was well preserved, with gun mounts and even aircraft in good condition.



This primarily wood USS Lexington aircraft carrier mode is 30" long x 9" tall x 5.5" wide (1/350 scale) $3,170 Shipping and insurance in the contiguous USA included. Other places: $300 flat rate. This model is in stock and can be shipped within five business days.

For other sizes or the USS Saratoga, email us for a quote. ModelShipMaster.com is the only one who can build massive models, as much as the door of a full size truck can accommodate. Click here to learn more: very large ships.

Learn more about the USS Lexington aircraft carrier here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Lexington_(CV-2)