Tamiya 1/700 U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier CV-3 Saratoga

This is a plastic model assembly kit of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier CV-3 Saratoga. It depicts her as she appeared in the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945. The CV-3 Saratoga was launched as the second ship in the U.S. Navy’s Lexington class of aircraft carriers in April 1925 and commissioned in November 1927. Fondly nicknamed “Sister Sara”, she was in fact originally laid down as a battle cruiser but converted into an aircraft carrier during construction. Thus, she had a more slim-line hull than other carriers and featured an enclosed bow that was unusual for the times but improved protection from higher swells.