USS Lexington (CV-2)

Built on partially completed battle cruiser hulls, USS Lexington and its sister ship, USS Saratoga, were the largest carriers in the world when they were launched in 1927. “Lady Lex,” as she was affectionately referred to by its crew, spent almost its entire life in the Pacific. Both the ship and its air wing were modernized several times in the 1930s, but Lexington would have a much shorter wartime career than Saratoga, being sunk at the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942.

The big carrier’s history is the subject of USS Lexington (CV-2) — From the 1920s to the Battle of Coral Sea in WWII, part of Schiffer’s Legends of Warfare Naval series. After a short introduction about the conversion from battle cruiser to carrier in light of the Washington Naval Treaty, the 144-page hardcover comprises just two chapters. The first, and largest, covers the prewar years from keel-laying, construction, fitting out, and commissioning to multiple cruises, air operations, modernizations, and refits. Over 118 pages, this story is told in fascinating photos including the hull and propulsion in drydock, armament, the crew, and, naturally, the aircraft. The last are seen in photos and color profiles with types covered including the F6C, T3M, T4M, F3B, O2U, SF-1, F2F, TBD, F4F, and SBD. Line drawing of some details complement the photos and text. The last chapter covers the ships six month war service with photos of armament changes, aircraft, and its loss.

There’s plenty of detail here for modelers, especially if you aim to finish Lexington in its prewar configuration with the deck crowded with yellow-winged aircraft.