USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) was the second of three Midway class aircraft carriers, serving in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1977. Initially launched as Coral Sea, she was renamed on May 8, 1945, following the death of President Roosevelt. To her crew, she was known as the “Swanky Franky” or the “Rosie”, with the latter nickname the more popular of the two. During her active service, Franklin D. Roosevelt achieved several historical milestones. In 1945, she was the platform for the first fleet use of helicopters. In 1949, she became the first US aircraft carrier to have the fresnel lens landing system and she was the first carrier in the Navy to win three Admiral J.H. Flatley awards for aviation safety.

During her shakedown cruise, Franklin D. Roosevelt called at Rio de Janeiro in February 1946 to represent the United States at the inauguration of the Brazilian president, Eurico G. Dutra, who came aboard for a short cruise. On July 21, 1946, Lieutenant Commander James Davidson, flying the McDonnell XFD-1 Phantom, made a series of successful landings and takeoffs aboard the ship in the first US test of the adaptability of jet aircraft to shipboard operations.

During the next few years, Franklin D. Roosevelt took part in intensive operations off the Virginia Capes, along the east coast and in the Caribbean, and made four tours of duty in the Mediterranean. Assigned to extensive conversion at Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard, the carrier sailed from Norfolk on January 7, 1954. Too large to pass through the Panama Canal, she rounded Cape Horn, and arrived at the shipyard on March 5. She was decommissioned there on April 23, 1954.

In February 1957, the recommissioned carrier sailed to the Gulf of Maine for cold weather tests of catapults, aircraft, and other carrier equipment, including the Regulus guided missile. On October 24, 1958, Franklin D. Roosevelt supported the transport USS Kleinsmith in the evacuation of 56 US citizens and three foreign nationals from Nicara, Cuba as the Cuban revolution came to a climax. Along with USS Independence and USS Guadalcanal, she stood by for possible evacuation contingencies during the Yom Kippur War between Israeli and Arab forces in October 1973. By the late 1970s, Franklin D. Roosevelt was in poor material condition. She completed her final cruise in April 1977 and was decommissioned on September 30, 1977.

With the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt wooden ship model, one can almost hear the roar of the ocean waves. It is an exact replica of the original, handmade with vigilance, from the very first to the last step. Master craftsmen diligently carve high quality mahogany to create the ship's form. After it is sanded and puttied, skilled artists paint on the intricate details. Hand-casted resin and handmade metal parts also constitute the model. Clear lacquer provides the finishing touch and long-lasting protection. Each ship comes on a a display base with brass pedestals and a brass name plate. All items then undergo quality control and are delivered to eagerly waiting customers in protective double-lined boxes with high density foam. More than just a display piece, the Franklin D. Roosevelt ship model is a work of art.