USS Yorktown by Warlord Games

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, and the USS Hornet during the Battle of Santa Cruz.

The USS Yorktown was commissioned in 1937 and named after the Battle of Pearl Harbor in 1781. Following Pearl Harbor, the USS Yorktown transferred to the Pacific and participated in some of the first American raids of the war in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. She also fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea, where her aircraft (along with those of the aircraft carrier Lexington) sank the enemy light aircraft carrier Shoho, before she engaged the main Japanese carrier force the following day (May 8, 1942). During this final phase of the engagement, the US carriers' aircraft damaged the IJN carrier Shokaku, but in return, the USS Yorktown suffered heavy damage. The Lexington sustained even worse damage and was later sunk.

After returning 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 crucial role in the decisive Battle of Midway. Her aircraft were instrumental in sinking two Japanese fleet carriers. Her presence also drew the attention of Japanese air raids away from the USS Entreprise and Hornet. Although crippled by Japanese aircraft, there was optimism that she could be partially salvaged. 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 delivered unassembled and unpainted.