In 1956, Intrepid arrived in Brooklyn Navy Yard to receive SCB-125 which enclosed her bow and added an angled flight deck for recovering aircraft. Back in service in 1957, Intrepid conducted Operation Crosswind to assess the effects of cross-winds on catapult launches. In 1962, Intrepid was back at Norfolk and was reclassified as CVS-11. Intrepid was the last ship through the New York Naval Shipyard receiving SCB-144 (FRAM II) in 1965, and with the yard closing before work was completed, Intrepid finished the refit in New Jersey. With SCB-144, Intrepid received the distinctive SQS-23 bow-mounted sonar dome.
USS Intrepid began the first of three Vietnam cruises as an auxiliary attack carrier in 1966 with Carrier Air Wing 10 (CVW-10) embarked. The final cruise ended in 1969 and Intrepid returned to Atlantic and Mediterranean operations before her decommissioning in 1974.
Features and Options:
- Full-hull design with separate SQS-23 dome on bow (hinting at other versions coming in the future)
- Very straightforward construction
- Awesome photo-etched details under the elevators
- Positionable forward flight deck elevator
- Positionable port side elevator
- Positionable aft-starboard elevator
- Positionable crane
- Photo-etched radar dishes
Aircraft
- 4 x A-4B/C Skyhawk
- 2 x E-1B Tracer
- 4 x A-1H/J Skyraider (identified in instructions as EA-1F)
- 4 x F-8C Crusader
- 4 x UH-2B Seasprite