USS Midway (CV-41) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the lead ship of her class. She was laid down on October 27, 1943 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, with a revolutionary hull design that gave her superior maneuverability over all previous carriers. She was launched on March 20, 1945 and commissioned on September 10, 1945.

Midway's shakedown in the Caribbean began on November 7, 1945. Most of the cruise was spent on air and gunnery practice simulating all kinds of wartime conditions. Afterwards, the carrier began eight years of service with the US Atlantic Fleet. In March 1946, she set course for Operation Frostbite, sailing to Arctic waters to test equipment and techniques for cold weather operations.

In September 1947, Midway test fired a captured German V-2 rocket from her flight deck in Operation Sandy. The purpose of this project was to see if a large rocket could be launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier with little to no modifications. It was the first such launching from a moving platform. On October 29, 1947, Midway sailed for the first of her annual deployments in the Mediterranean. She trained between deployments and received alterations necessary to accommodate heavier aircraft as they were developed. In 1952, she participated in North Sea maneuvers with NATO forces, including Operation Mainbrace.

In December 1954, Midway left the Atlantic for a world cruise, sailing via the Cape of Good Hope for Taiwan, where she joined the Seventh Fleet for operations in the Western Pacific. In September 1955, she entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for the first of her two major modernizations.

Midway was decommissioned at Naval Air Station North Island on April 11, 1992. She was opened to the public as a museum ship on June 7, 2004, attracting 879,281 visitors in the first year of operation.

With the USS Midway 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 professionally-packaged wood crates via FedEx Next Day Air. More than just a display piece, the Midway ship model is a work of art.