Tamiya Big-E - USS Enterprise 1/350

No, WEM is back in business under new management.  At least some of their old sets are available again - just look around. 

Jockster

Hi A.M., this might be too late for you, but I have recently bought a disc from White Ensign Models covering the Big E from 1961-2011. It's by a chap called Ray D.Bean and it is packed with over 750 pictures of the Enterprise, Hangar bay, Equipment and Airwings. It cost me £14 uk, I reckon that's about $20 us. Well worth the money and I'm glad I got it before I fully start my build.

Regards,

Jockster.

 

I've noticed that part # D46 with the fire hose reel is very inaccurate the vertical piping is too far over to the left and the flight deck control office is missing. 

Hi,

I new to this forum. I recently pulled the Enterprise out of my closet with a few of the books & magazines I have for reference material like the Detail and Scale book #39.

Jorge most of your earlier pictures are unviewable, is there anything you can do on your end?

Tanker . . .

The only two large-scale CVAN 65 kits I know of are the Arii and  the Aurora/Monogram kits in 1/400 scale.  The Aurora kit is rather plain but can be detailed, while the Arii kit is superb. Arii released two in 1/400 scale; the early version with the "beehive" and the newer version without.  Unfortunately, I do not know of specific photo etch sets for these kits.

Bill Morrison

Are you talking about the PE, something you've seen on a photo, or something else?  

If it's the PE, it may be the PE nose gear itself (looks like two lollipops pointing opposite ways, you double them up and make a wheel).  It might also be the tow bars (folded in a V and linked between a tractor and the nose wheel).  One other possibility is that it's the bar on the front of the geat that lowers to attach to the catapult shuttle.

If it's something you've seen in a picture, it may be the holdback bar which attaches when the aircraft is attached to the catapult to allow tension to build before the shot break a small metal pin in the bar and off you go.  It could also be the bar that links into the catapult shuttle mentioned above.

Groot

Can Someone tell me what the little white pieces are to connect the hose wheels?  Btw started my own enterprise 3 months ago.  Actually bought it 7 years ago worked on the planes for about 1 month before wanting to start the ship.  Unfortunately, certain circumstances caused me to pause my work and 7 years later, I finally gathered up the courage and will to start again.  3 months later and STILL going!!  Energizer bunny you got NUTHIN' ON ME!!  LOL.  But I digress.  Past month been trying to find the PE sheets and finally got the main sheet and the elevator sheets.  Fragile little buggers.  Suffice to say everyone here has been great with ideas, recommendations and suggestions!  So can someone tell me what the lil white thingies are, or what I can use?  Kinda look like lollypop sticks.  LOL.

I await your help

Al

I have to interject at this point :

     I have wanted that kit for years .I even told a friend I would give up all my car and plane kits for one with all the P.E and the " Beehive Island " .No takers so far.

   Thing is I know where some of the guys are coming from .When the Midway was yarded ,what a big pain she became . And she seemed big to us !

   I wonder what being crew on the " E " was like ?

Very good news!

CVW-11 Air Wings decals!

From Hobbyeasy.com

http://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/42dsbg1bn68fe1xhkhnu.html?t=1413798885

I have painted the Hull and screws, in process of fitting up hangar deck.  Long way to go, will get back into the drydock tomorrow and get some pics.

Post your pics.

After dusting off my box and getting motivated I am just about ready to start the build again.  I am however having reservations after reading your thread, in particular the deck painting and masking, I am trying to get my head around this E-normous task.   A.M.Jorge  nice build by the way.

Believe me, I understand!  Between teaching high school and college, planning lessons, grading papers, four young grandsons, my wife, etc., I am lucky if I can complete one or two real models per year! Most of my building lately has been with my grandsons, and like young kids, they want it built fast so that they can play with what we've built. Hopefully, they will enjoy this wonderful hobby as they get older.

Anyway, your Enterprise is so memorable that I had to look it up again after not seeing it in over a year.

Bill

A.M.,

Did you ever finish and mount the air wing?

Bill

great work sir.

Hi, thank you for the detailed post and updates on your build.

Your post is helping me a lot with my build of the USS Enterprise and I have used it as a reference several time. I was also inspired to document and include my build and it is available here

Your build is looking great.

Jorge if your doing the E in her early 1980's timeframe I do believe all the aircraft were grey on the top and sides and the underside was white with white control surfaces on the wing and white under the horizontal stabilizers. The overall grey scheme wasn't adopted till shortly before operation Desert shield/Desert Storm I believe sometime around 1987 or 1989 and you should be using light Gull Grey for the overall grey aircraft not Sky Grey what you have sort of looks close to Primer Grey.

A.M.Jorge

I forgot to say: protect the decals with a Future coat as soon as you print it or it will scratch.

Painting the two F-14 airwings, six planes each:

Than, coat with Future:

Next, cut the decal to the minimal surface:

Voila, that was good:

Decals became very thin. Don't use decal solver:

Prototype, too dark grey:

I forgot to say: protect the decals with a Future coat as soon as you print it or it will scratch.

Painting the two F-14 airwings, six planes each:

Than, coat with Future:

Next, cut the decal to the minimal surface:

Voila, that was good:

Decals became very thin. Don't use decal solver:

Prototype, too dark grey:

Printing decal sheet is very simple. I used Paint Shop Pro 4.12 and a color laser printer.

I designed decals over an A4 template but decal paper is Letter format. But, no problems.

Note that there is no white color. There is white decal paper to print, but not white color to print.

Nice documentation on the actual building of the BigE! I can't wait to see it finished and ready to set sail! I bought mine here in the Philippines this March as a graduation gift to myself. I've been visiting the local Tamiya dealer for the past 8 years just to check on this ship. Well, since I bought it, I just spray-painted the waterline and I think it was a mistake to be on a rush back then. This would be my 2nd build since my 1/700 CVN70 Carl Vinson mediocre build more than 4 years ago. I have read a lot of things since March and I think it is too much for a newbie like me to build this one. With the things you've done, I think it will take me a couple of years before really starting to build mine. I have read this thread since Christmas Eve and I find this fascinating! I hope to see more until you finish this! Great job!

Nice!

So, this is it.

I used Paint Shop Pro 4.12 (freeware), A4 paper, full page and mantaining aspect ratio.

VS-37 Sawbucks:

Hi griZouw, when I took out the 4th elevator on mine, I repeatedly scribed the outline groove with a sewing needle, light pressure! Took about 10 mins but the point never strayed from the line.

Nice neat cut!

Jockster.

I used a model microsaw, very thin.