CV-63 USS Kittyhawk 1: 800 Academy 14210

Plastic model kit: CV-63 USS Kittyhawk 1:800 Academy 14210

The plastic model kit CV-63 USS Kitty Hawk in 1:800 scale from the renowned company Academy is an excellent proposition for model enthusiasts and naval history buffs. This detailed model represents the American aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), which was one of the most important ships in the history of the US Navy.

Model details:

• Scale: 1:800
• Manufacturer: Academy
• Catalog number: 14210
• Type: Plastic model kit

History of USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63):

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) was a supercarrier of the United States Navy that played a key role in the history of the American fleet. It was the second ship named after Kitty Hawk in North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered flight. Kitty Hawk was the first of three Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carriers to be commissioned and the last to be decommissioned.

The construction of USS Kitty Hawk began on December 27, 1956, at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard in Camden, New Jersey. The ship was launched on May 21, 1960, and its sponsor was Mrs. Camilla F. McElroy, the wife of Secretary of Defense Neil H. McElroy. Due to the ship's weight and the risk of striking the shore of Philadelphia, it was decided to launch it by flooding the dry dock instead of the traditional sliding down the ways.

USS Kitty Hawk was officially commissioned on April 29, 1961, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and its first commanding officer was Captain William F. Bringle. For ten years, Kitty Hawk served as a forward-deployed aircraft carrier at the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. In October 2008, it was replaced by the aircraft carrier George Washington and returned to the United States, where a decommissioning ceremony took place on January 31, 2009. It was officially decommissioned on May 12, 2009, after 48 years of active service.

Interesting facts:

• After the decommissioning of the aircraft carrier Independence on September 30, 1998, USS Kitty Hawk became the second longest-serving warship in the United States, after the sailing ship USS Constitution.
• Kitty Hawk was one of three aircraft carriers that had the honor of flying the First Navy Jack, the historic flag of the United States Navy.
• Ultimately, after being removed from the naval register on October 20, 2017, USS Kitty Hawk was designated for scrapping. In January 2022, its transport to Brownsville, Texas, began, where it arrived on May 31, 2022, to be scrapped. 

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. To assemble, separately sold modeling tools are needed (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.