USS Yorktown

USS Yorktown

The Yorktown-class aircraft carriers were built in a series of three. Of these, only the USS Enterprise survived the war. The USS Yorktown was sunk during the Battle of Midway, the USS Hornet during the Battle of Santa Cruz.

The USS Yorktown was commissioned in 1937 and named after the 1781 battle. After Pearl Harbor, the USS Yorktown transferred to the Pacific and took part in some of the first American offensives of the war around the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. She also fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea, where her aircraft (along with those of the carrier Lexington) sank the enemy light aircraft carrier Shoho, before attacking the main Japanese carrier force the following day (May 8, 1942). During this final phase of the engagement, US carrier planes damaged the IJN carrier Shokaku, but in return, the USS Yorktown suffered severe damage. The Lexington suffered worse damage and was later sunk.

Upon her return to Hawaii, repairs were expected to take two weeks, but just 48 hours after leaving dry dock, she was able to put to sea again to play a decisive role in the pivotal Battle of Midway. Her aircraft were instrumental in sinking two Japanese fleet carriers. Her presence also diverted Japanese air attacks from the USS Enterprise and Hornet. Although crippled by Japanese aircraft, it was optimistically hoped that she could be partially saved. These hopes were dashed on June 6 when torpedoes from the Japanese submarine I-168 struck her twice. Further hopes of repair were abandoned, and the ship sank the following day.

Models are supplied unassembled and unpainted.