The end of WW2 and the beginning of the Cold War fueled rapid development of naval aviation in ground tactical support roles. US war experience with amphibious assaults on hostile beaches brought about the combination of the traditional landing craft transports and the auxiliary carrier into a single vessel, designated Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH). The idea was to combine the strike capability of new aircraft types like the helicopter and the landing forces using landing craft and ground troops.
Early LPH vessels were converted from World War 2 medium and light carriers. However, these ships did not have the capacity to hold large numbers of Marines and lacked launching facilities for amphibious vehicles. The Iwo Jima class was the first purpose-built vessel dedicated to the amphibious assault role, the lead ship being launched in 1960. She represented the Navy’s “mailed fist” with the ability to provide air and ground elements in a single thrust.
The USS Iwo Jima had a long career between 1960 to 1993, serving in Vietnam, the Apollo 13 recovery, Lebanon and Desert Storm. Her motto was “Do It Right The First Time” and as the lead ship of her class, she certainly embodied that ideal.
At this time, none of the main plastic model manufacturers make the Iwo Jima LPH2 assault ship in any of the scales. This is not to be confused with the current USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, a Wasp Class assault ship which was launched in 2000. The only kit I could find was a limited-run resin kit made by Pitroads Japan which I had pre-ordered for a customer who had served on board the previous USS Iwo Jima in the 1980’s. The instructions provided are pretty sketchy and entirely in Japanese.
The kit required a substantial amount of scratch-building and does not include photo-etched parts for the necessary detailing. This kit is suitable only for the most experienced modelers. I added the metal details from the excellent Gold Medal Saipan/Tarawa class photo-etch kit and all kinds of bits and pieces from other previous US Navy kit parts that I had collected in my plastic spare parts box. For the aircraft and flight deck vehicles, I added parts from an old 1980’s Dragon Marines Amphibious Assault kit set.
The hull itself is a single resin cast with the flight deck details molded on. It is a pretty simple affair on its own, and most of the work involved is in adding the platforms and decks around the edge of the flight deck. The kit comes with a 0.3mm plastic card stock. The builder has to trace out 22 pieces of deck sections to fit. To do so, I made a 1/700 scale copy of the plan view and side elevation drawings and carefully traced out the sections using a pencil before cutting them out.
The next major task was to build the main mast out of brass wires and plastic card stock, again referring to the instruction plan. However the plan in the kit is inaccurate, and it is a confused mixture of features from different periods of the ship’s career. The impact of this will be seen later in this project. Once I had the main mast and the SPS-40 radar platform unit built, I tested their fit on the island superstructure.
Next, I started working on detailing some of the main platforms found around the island superstructure itself, like the 2 rear antenna platforms and their supporting struts made out of 0.3mm brass wire. By this time, I managed to find an archival photograph of the superstructure from 1987 that helped immensely.
There were some important details around the hull that needed fixing. For example,I scribed some shutter door lines onto the two huge hangar deck doors for the elevators to make them “look right”. This was done carefully with a sharp scribing tool and a steel rule.
After some careful alignment and dry-fitting, the elevator details and guides were installed on both sides of the hull (there are two separate aircraft elevators in the Iwo Jima class). I decide to position the port side one lowered to the hangar doors while the starboard side.
Then the deck sections that were cut out from card stock earlier were carefully attached to the main resin hull. As a limited-run kit, there are no locating features for assembly and I had to compare the deck pieces against the drawings of the USS Iwo Jima.
I started my paint job by applying Gunship Gray FS36118 on the main deck, and then going back and applying patches of darker tones and some lighter tones of that color to simulate the wear-and-tear of the flight deck. It is common for flight decks to show many different shades of gray as the re-surfacing will add a patchwork effect that can be seen from the air. Then I masked the flight deck and applied Medium Grey FS35237 lightened with flat white (3:1) for scaling effect to the entire hull and island superstructure.
While waiting for the main hull to dry, I painted the aircraft elevator sections. I decided to mount the port side elevator lowered to the hangar deck doors while the starboard elevator was fully raised flush with the flight deck.
Once the flight deck and hull have dried, I hand painted the flight deck markings with the aid of the cast surface details, and also using post-it notes to guide the lanes on this warship. The latter required calm, quiet nights and steady hands with the 000-sized brushes.
At this point, I realized that I had the main mast built wrongly and proceeded to re-work it. I re-sized the 2nd tier platform and replaced the 3rd tier section with a larger platform to house a larger radar unit facing aft, the latter being scratch-built. The TACAN unit was also relocated to the antenna tower above the main mast. it was major work but the appearance looked much closer to the actual photograph.
With the mast correction out of the way, work can continue with the superstructure. The mast is painted matt black and attached to the island superstructure. Then the whole sub-assembly is carefully glued to the flight deck.
Another retrofit done here was to add a small extension at the aft of the island as shown in period photographs. This section was clearly extending beyond the huge radar dome but the kit part was made too short. I added this using plastic stock and additional photo-etched doors.
The crane, deck weapons (twin 76mm guns, missile launchers), deck railing and davits are added to the superstructure.
Deck railing are then installed around the entire flight deck perimeter and the life raft capsules added around the the railings. Flight deck safety nets are also installed across the fantail section and forward bow section.
Then the rigging were added to the superstructure and the ensign glued to the main mast. The ship proper has been completed. Now for the “passengers”.
A total of 7 CH-53 Super Stallions, 7 CH-46 Sea Knights and 2 AH-1 Super Cobras (the Terrible Twins) make up the aircraft for this project. Together with the customer, we decided to paint them Marine Field Green FS34097. The 2 AH-1’s were painted in the Marines 3-tone camouflage (Light Ghost Grey, Field Green, NATO Black). All the rotor blades were replaced with photo-etched parts.
Initially I arranged the aircraft as shown on the left hand picture. Upon examining file pictures, the CH-46’s in the forward section of the flight deck were arranged facing back towards the island. The right picture shows the final arrangement.
Lastly, I added these charming little fellas to tend to the flight deck. These were deck tractors, forklifts and a mobile crane unit. These are being compared to an US 1 cent coin (8mm diameter)!
Finally, the whole ship is carefully mounted onto the display platform with the sea “added on” around her. I decided to show a CH53 in mid-flight hovering off the port side of the ship. This kit was very challenging but a joy to put together once we got over the problematic bits.
Update 5-15-12: After checking the superstructure pictures, I found that the identifying numbers on the sides of the funnel were large metal sheets. i made these out of plastic card stock and they look a lot more like the original.
Enjoy the pictures!
Will we get to see something like the USS Ronald Reagan soon?
It all depends. My summer and fall build schedule is already full. Maybe in the winter, if I find the right kit.
WOW!!! This is neat and very accurate! I served on the Iwo from 71-73′ and she was a great ship. I still stay in contact with a few shipmates and am forwarding your site to them. You honour us with this model of a great US naval ship. Thanks!!!!
“Dandy” Don Dean Dean ABF-2 V4 Division.
Hello Don,
Thanks for the comment. It gives me great joy and satisfaction to hear from the former crew members of this majestic lady. Paul
Hello Paul,
I am amazed beyond belief at the detail, design, and beauty of your work. I am sure photos don’t do your real work justice. You are truly a master.
My best friend, Bob Crowe, was aboard the ship for a couple of years (’68-’69) before he was transferred to Hospital Corpsmen school were we met and became friends forever. We both have families and still have maintained a great friendship. I have always wanted to find the Iwo Jima and build him a replica. I soon will retire and will have time so I have started looking for a kit. But after seeing your work, I doubt if I could even come close to achieving something similar and I am finding out kits are hard to find.
I don’t know if you sell your work and it would probably be beyond what I could afford but do you have a price? If you are like my son, who is also an artist, he puts so much of his sole in to his paintings that sometimes it is hard for him to let them go. They become a part of him.
I understand. If you think there is a possibility that we could make things happen, I ask you to email and we can talk. Otherwise, I wish you well and will now continue to follow your craftsmenship. Thank you, LOUIS
Hello Louis,
Thanks for your interest in the replica of the USS Iwo Jima that I had built for another customer, so obviously the one that you see in my website was built to someone’s order. The challenge is to find another kit of the Iwo since this one was a special order that took us one year to get from Japan. I will certainly ask my stockist to see if there are any more available in some back storeroom somewhere.
Best regards….Paul
Paul,
FreeTime Hobbies has the Pit Road Iwo Jima you built here on sale with a limited number right now (Price is $109.99):
http://www.freetimehobbies.com/PIT-L-01.aspx
They also have the same model made for LPH-3 USS Okinawa
http://www.freetimehobbies.com/PIT-L-02.aspx
Both are in the same 1/700 scale you built here. I used to build 1/700 kits, but have since moved to 1/350 scale. I found the PE parts and very small parts had simply gotten to difficult for my 55+ year old capabilities.
I am involved in an ambitious, years long project to build 1/350 scale Carrier Strike Groups for all the major Sea Powers.
http://www.jeffhead.com/modelbuilds/
I have the carriers and their escorts already in stash for a US (USS Enterprise, CVN-65)), Chinese (Liaoning, CV-16), UK (HMS Illustrious, R06), Russian (Kuznetsov, 113), Japanese (Hyuga, DDH-181), and French (Charles de Gaulle, R91) groupings. Although the French are kits from Heller and therefore 1/400 scale as opposed to 1/350. Lot’s of fun and a LOT of work left to do.
I do have to say that am very, very impressed by your abilities in 1/700 scale! The attention to detail, the fine, intricate work with very little if any …even small amounts…of extra glue on the surfaces where the pieces join, the painting, the scatch building, etc. are all worthy of, IMHO, museum quality models.
Great job!
God’s speed and blessing to you and yours…with a fair wind and following seas.
Hello Jeff,
Thanks for visiting and looking at all the builds. Yes, FreeTime (ex-Pacific Front) brought in the limited resin Pitroad kits. However, the kit was short on metal parts (I adapted parts from the Gold Medal Tarawa set), and did not have enough helicopters and absolutely no deck service vehicles. The resin kits build up to be very nice but requires a lot of experience on the part of the builder.
I will check your website builds as well. Meanwhile, all the best for your 1/350 scale builds.
Paul
Crew member 1982-5, TAD 24th Marine Amphibious Unit HQ, Beirut and I triaged wounded from the BLT Hq bombing on the aftvHanger Bay at the elevator. Beautiful thank you for sharing!
When I was deploy on the Iwo Jima in 1983 to Beirut Lebanon, we had 12 CH-46, 4 CH-53E, 2 UH-1, 4 AH-1. Plus the ship had its own UH-1 that was painted Navy gray.
Dear Paul,
I was stationed on the Iwo Jima from 1982 to 1985. Toured in Beirut 1983 during the bombing. The model that you made really brings back memories. Thank you.
Dear Kevin,
I am glad that our little model serves as a time-traveler for so many people. That is one intrinsic value of this hobby that carries so much satisfaction to me personally. Thanks for leaving your comment.
Paul, I too was on the Iwo from 83 to 85. I was in Air Department, V-1
Division
Hello Matt,
Thanks to you guys for your service!
Paul
Hello, My name is Guadalupe Casanova.
My father was the yard foreman at the scrapyard where the Iwo Jima was scrapped.
He would bring small things from the ship home for me to keep.
He died in November and well I was wondering if or how I could get one of these built for m e to keep.
Hello Guadalupe,
You can email me directly on building this model at contact@paulooimodelworks.com.
Paul
I serve with the 3rd/3rd Marines when I was on board the sister Okinawa LPH-3. I can’t build in 1/700 anymore so got myself a 1/350 IronShipWrights waterline Iwo. Study your build and have been taking notes. Great work!
1/350th scale is a great one to work with and you can certainly fill it full of details. I am curious as to which kit are you building the Okinawa from?
IronShipWrights 1/350 Iwo Jima.
I am trying to build a model of the Guam for a friend who served on her, what did you use for the safety nets and the rigging?
I served in V1 from 1972 to 1975 you have brought a tear to my eye as these are days I would not trade for anything.
Hi Mark,
I have gotten similar feedback from other veterans who had served on the Iwo Jima. Glad that it brings back good memories for you.
Paul
Paul,
i will definitely refer to these photos when I start my build. I intend to build Guam LPH-9 (Circa 1992). I was the Repair Officer on her. Your model is nice and clean and well detailed. I will be consulting with you for advice.
Pat
I enjoyed your model Iwo Jima LPH-2, however I was on her 1964-1967. She went under a few changes since then. Great job.
Paul –
I just stumbled on to your site about 30 minutes ago. I’ve been looking at the pictures of your spectacular model of the USS Iwo
Jima (LPH-2) ever since. Thank you for creating this piece of art.
I spent two years aboard her, 1969 and 1970. I was aboard her for a WESTPAC cruise and the pick-up of Apollo 13. My years aboard
Iwo changed my life, and viewing your beautiful work brought many wonderful memories back to me.
Thank you again.
Mark
Thank you for taking them time and effort to build one of the greatest ships ever built she was my home from 85 to 88 and I will never forget it. It was then best time of my life.
Hello Edward,
And I thank you for your service to our country. I hope I did your home justice with this project.
Paul
I served on her in 71-72 and am very impressed by your work. Is there any chance you have additional reproductions you might sell?
Good afternoon;
Maybe you can help me in my search. I served in the US Marine Corps and while in the Corps I was attached to the USS Okinawa for 13 months and have been looking for the USS Okinawa model kit for some time. The search had been so far unsuccessful but maybe you can change that luck. I want to build a few of them for a few buddies I served with on the Okinawa which will mean a lot to me. Maybe you can find model kits of her sister ships the USS New Orleans, Gaum, Guadalcanal, Tripoli, or the Iwo Jima. The USS Okinawa was LPH 3 and had some great times and some nervous times on her and my time on her will never be forgotten. That is why I am reaching out to you in that maybe you have or it or may know where to get a few of them. Hopefully you can end my search for that illusive model kit.
If you do locate the Okinawa or one of her sister ships please let me know.
I checked with Freetime hobbies and they do not have anymore of the LPH models.
Please Please Please Please let me know where I can get any of the LPH model kits.
Thank You
Steve Bramer
stevebramer@yahoo.com
Hello Steve,
If Freetime cannot get them, then they are truly unavailable. They did have some a year ago as USS Iwo Jima. I tried looking even at Japan sources and they state “discontinued”.
WOW! now i don’t feel so bad. i have been searching for a model for a couple of years and have not seen one. i hope the model manufacturers read these posts and decide to make more models of the iwo jima class lph.
I just stumbled across your site and am truly amazed at your abilities. I was a plank owner on the Iwo and served from 1960 to ’62. We were involved in the high altitude Nuclear test off Johnson Island. Your life will change if you ever observe a Nuclear explosion. It is truly humbling. The Iwo has undergone a lot of changes since originally built. We had no rocket launchers and only had 2 twin 5 inch guns. The mast was considerably different. The island was mostly aluminum and the mast was steel so galvanic corrosion began immediately. The mast vibrated so severely during sea trials the we lost several minor antennae. As an Electromic Technician I worked on the mast a lot. My father drove by the yard in South Texas where the Iwo was being scrapped and told a worker I had been on the Iwo so the worker gave him the brass plate from the anchor windlass. I attended the commissioning of the new Iwo Jima LHD 5 with mixed feelings.I truly enjoyed looking at the pictures and admiring your craftmanship.
Beautiful work.
If you will email me your own email, I’ll send you pictures of my 1:200, 38” scratchbuiot model of Iwo. I was the ship’s surgeon snd Amohibious Squadron 6 Medical Officer, 1978-79.
I just found your website, very interesting. I was part of the nucleus crew that was assembled in Bremerton Washington where she was built. She was commissioned on the 26th of August 1961.I am also a Plank Owner of Iwo Jima 2. I was a Radioman 3rd class.
I am glad you find things of interest to you in this website and thank you for your service to our country.
Paul
Paul, what a great job you did! I wasn’t on the Iwo, but I was on her sister ship the Inchon LPH 12. I too have been searching the internet for a model kit and had no luck. So, I have decided to 3D model one. Im using fusion 360 and let me tell you it has been interesting learning curve. I’ve found a few, but they were low polly versions. The version I have is a work in progress…
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Hello Andrew,
Nice job on the 3D. For whatever reason, that generation of early assault carriers have not attracted any big box manufacturers as yet. And these limited run resin ones are not for the faint of heart.
Paul
ok, thought it would add the pic. Here is a link to my Facebook with the images
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3243549559058233&set=pcb.3243550112391511