Sadly, affordable plastic models of 1/96 or 1/100 scale aircraft are hard to find. And when you can find them, they are seldom WW2 carrier aircraft!
One option you may not be aware of: Back in the early 90s, Lindberg relesed a small collection of simple, old kits called "Fighters Four." In the box were two jets (a USAF F-80 and a USN F7U Cutlass) and two props- an F6F Hellcat and a F4U Corsair. You may be able to find one on the auction sites.
Another option may be die cast models-- though the scales are all over the place. A series advertised as "1/100" scale may have models ranging from 1/90 to 1/110-- they may scale them up or down to make the various subjects closer to the same size. Other downsides are the weight of the models, adn the fact that many are molded "in flight" with wheels up.
Escort carriers were used extensively as aircraft ferries in the Pacific-- less so in the ETO. In the PTO, all types of Army and Navy aircraft may be carried as cargo. These planes were generally not carried in "fly-off" condition, as that greatly limited the number that could be carried.
Here's an example-- a CVE carrying a deck full of P-47 Thuderbolts and some twin engine patrol planes. Note that the P-47s don't carry any squadron markings-- they probably wouldn't be assigned to a specific squadron until after delivery to the forward base.
