Academy 1/800 Kitty Hawk photo almost finished

Keilau,

To be perfectly honest, I have never seen the Trumpeter 1/700 Nimitz class kits.  However, the Reagan bridge is different from earlier Nimitz class ships in that the mast abaft the island in the earlier ships has been integrated into the island, and the bow below the waterline has been elongated to reduce water resistance. The Reagan kit also has the SATCOM domes the earlier versions of the Nimitz class ships don't have.

Also, I have not attempted to correct the Italeri Kitty Hawk/Constellation, deferring it for a future project.  I do, however, like the 1/800 scale offerings of these ships from Arii/Otaki/Academy/Kitech, etc.  Hasegawa has also released a Kitty Hawk in 1/700 showing her in one of her last refits, complete with the SATCOM domes.

After posting yesterday, I went to my LHS and bought an Italeri USS Saratoga out of curiosity to see if a decent model of a Forrestal class ship could be built from that kit.  I believe that it can. In outline, the model seems correct. The flight deck shape is also close to correct, including the flight deck extension aft of the forward port elevator. Two catapults have been molded running onto that elevator, which need filling. There is a prominent blister on the port island that should not be there. To be sure, there are other flaws, but none that can't be overcome.  The model does resemble a Forrestal class carrier.

Kustommodeler1,

Yours is a terrific model! I can't wait to see more photos!

Bill

Bill

warshipguy

The Italeri Forrestal class ships are horrible; even the port side catapult runs onto the elevator, among various other problems.  However, their America seems generally fine, but, their Kitty Hawk/Constellation starboard side needs work (the kits being duplicates of their America kit, the sponsons are wrong). Other details need to be checked for the period you are modelling.

What is the best reference for correcting the USS America kit (#5521)? I found an in-box review by Les Dorr at steelnavy.com. It has some easy to follow suggestions.

warshipguy

Their Nimitz class ships also seem generically okay, but each ship needs to be detailed to represent the real thing; Italeri simply re-boxed the same model to represent all the ships in the class. The hull shape for the bow below the waterline is incorrect.  The only exception is the Reagan, which is a retooled kit.

I have the Trumpeter kit (#5752 Eisenhower) and GMM PE for the Nimitz class. Paid a pretty penny for it. How would the retooled Italeri Reagon compared to the Trumpeter Nimitz class?

warshipguy

By the way, what color of gray are you painting the hull and island?

Bill

The instruction calls for Model Master 1730 flat gull grey. Any reason to change? I have not started on either kit yet.

Kustommodeler1, sorry for hijacking your thread. You have a very beautiful build. I have not started mine yet and are looking for help.

The overall hull forms of the 1/800 series carriers is generally better, but details can be very incorrect. The Arii/Otaki/Academy USS America is a duplicate of their Kitty Hawk/Constellation.  In other words, the island and the starboard sponsons are incorrect for America.

The Italeri Forrestal class ships are horrible; even the port side catapult runs onto the elevator, among various other problems.  However, their America seems generally fine, but, their Kitty Hawk/Constellation starboard side needs work (the kits being duplicates of their America kit, the sponsons are wrong). Other details need to be checked for the period you are modelling.

Their Nimitz class ships also seem generically okay, but each ship needs to be detailed to represent the real thing; Italeri simply re-boxed the same model to represent all the ships in the class. The hull shape for the bow below the waterline is incorrect.  The only exception is the Reagan, which is a retooled kit.

By the way, what color of gray are you painting the hull and island?

Bill

warshipguy

I like those 1/800 carriers. I wish that there were photoetch sets for them.  Nice job so far!

Bill

I have the Italeri 1:720 USS America CV-66 waiting to be built. Gold Medal Models has a PE set for all the Super Carriers in 1:720 scale costing about the same as the kit. I am debating whether to get the PE.

How do the quality and accuracy of the Academy 1:800 vs. the Italeri 1:720 Super Carrier kits compare?

I like those 1/800 carriers. I wish that there were photoetch sets for them.  Nice job so far!

Bill