Aircraft Carrier GB 2016

Looks good, scott.  

You probably ran across some research indicating that the Navy was using 5-N as a substitute for 5-S very early, and that Enterprise was put into Measure 11 using the Navy Blue.

I opted for Sea Blue, too, when I built Enterprise--since so many carriers received 5-N when Measure 21 was adopted.  I thought it made a nice alternative, and the references I used also indicated 5-S.

Hang in there Raider, you are making great progress.

As for me, well, this MS11 5-S is taking getting used to.  Got all the pre-build painting done.

This build makes my head hurt. Almost done with the port side. Starboard side this weekend.

Thanks, Mark.  

I'm just about finished with the Dauntlesses, so can maybe post photos soon, and get them installed on the hanger deck.

Next major step will be all the little PE parts--always "fun" and challenging.

allan

Bish, you pulled it off! Really nice to see a ship coming off your bench.  

 

Thanks allan, it was nice to be able to build one.

scottrc

I couldn't stand it any longer, and although I am knee deep in another build, I am starting my Enterprise today.  Laid out the colors, planes from Trumpeter, Starfighter decals, and PE from Tom's. 

 

checkmateking02

scottrc:  I hope you do get started on Enterprise!  It'll be fun to see your progress.

Here's as the basic hull painted up.  I'm planning on putting some Dauntlesses on the hanger deck.

Installed a couple of parts on the foredeck.

Parts for the afterdeck.

And installed.

The Dauntlesses getting their paint.

 

Bish, you pulled it off! Really nice to see a ship coming off your bench.  

Wasp is a pain in the butt. Lots of reshaping gallery guns and bulkheads. Post some photos tonight.

This is good to see, scottrc!  

One issue I've run into is the fit of the forward 5" gun tubs.  I glued them in, then found when test fitting the flight deck, that something put pressure on them (the tubs), and lifted them up at the front end--which made a wide gap.  

I disassembled everything, and filed and sanded where I thought there might be an obstruction.  Nothing seemed to work, so finally I sanded the back part of the catwalks, indicated in the photo below.  I thought maybe they fit too snugly, and were forcing the hull sides together, thereby forcing the gun tubs out of position.

The red lines show the area I sanded down--along the whole length of the backside, but the photo was taken before I did it.  I ended up sanding very close to the locating holes, pins and those two grooves.

When I test-fitted the flight deck, it seemed to help, but I don't know if it completely cured the issue.

Maybe you won't encounter the same problem.  It would be good if you don't--but just some information, in case you do. 

I couldn't stand it any longer, and although I am knee deep in another build, I am starting my Enterprise today.  Laid out the colors, planes from Trumpeter, Starfighter decals, and PE from Tom's. 

Underside of flight deck, forward.

Underside of flight deck, aft.

Catwalks aft.

Catwalks forward.

I removed the extraneous 20mm gun tubs.  Chopped them with sprue cutters, then filed and sanded smooth.

That's a good idea, Baron--putting the kit aircraft into the hanger deck!  I've always replaced everything with Trumpeter, but since you can't see into the hanger deck very well, it wouldn't matter much.

Great idea!  Thanks for the information!

checkmateking02

Baron:  Yes, it's the Tamiya kit.  I have all three Yorktown class, and they are identical to each other, with the exception of some different sprues/parts to distinguish between them.  Mainly these seem to be in the types of catwalks around the flight deck.

I didn't have them "back in the day," when they were first released in the '70's, so I don't know if they updated anything at all.  I haven't researched Hornet yet (except to find that the flight deck is not correctly shaped), but I can say that Enterprise's parts (catwalks, some gun tubs, etc.) are not accurate to any specific fit, and not very close to the Midway era at all.

Yorktown is also inaccurate for some of the weapons placements.  Tamiya gave her too many 20mm positions (where she didn't have any) and no .50 caliber positions at all--when she apparently went to Midway with some 24.

Enterprise and Yorktown also had gun tubs for .50's off each side of the forward flight deck, and Tamiya did not include these.

There also seems to be no difference in any of the kits' island structures, although each ship in the class was somewhat different.

I had to kit-bash a Hornet and an Enterprise, according to Gordon Bjorklund's research on the warship forum, in order to get a reasonable Midway-era Enterprise.

I remember when Yorktown was released a couple of years ago, there was disappointment among ship builders that Tamiya had not re-tooled anything.

Even the aircraft provided were pretty primitive, so I've been using Trumpeter's versions. Trumpeter's are clear-molded.

Still, the ships look pretty sharp when finished.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought, then, the kit hasn't changed.  I've got some old boxings.  I'm taking notes on your build!

Yeah, for the Hornet, I think the shape of the island forward needs to be changed, too, doesn't it.  I think I recall at least one thread here in FSM that discusses correcting the details on the kit.

I have a stash of Trumpeter aircraft, too.  I think that was the single greatest improvement made in ship models, between the time I left the hobby in 1982 and my return in 1999.  Now the kit aircraft go in the hangar, where it doesn't matter that they're solid, and Trumpeter aircraft go on the deck.

Baron:  Yes, it's the Tamiya kit.  I have all three Yorktown class, and they are identical to each other, with the exception of some different sprues/parts to distinguish between them.  Mainly these seem to be in the types of catwalks around the flight deck.

I didn't have them "back in the day," when they were first released in the '70's, so I don't know if they updated anything at all.  I haven't researched Hornet yet (except to find that the flight deck is not correctly shaped), but I can say that Enterprise's parts (catwalks, some gun tubs, etc.) are not accurate to any specific fit, and not very close to the Midway era at all.

Yorktown is also inaccurate for some of the weapons placements.  Tamiya gave her too many 20mm positions (where she didn't have any) and no .50 caliber positions at all--when she apparently went to Midway with some 24.

Enterprise and Yorktown also had gun tubs for .50's off each side of the forward flight deck, and Tamiya did not include these.

There also seems to be no difference in any of the kits' island structures, although each ship in the class was somewhat different.

I had to kit-bash a Hornet and an Enterprise, according to Gordon Bjorklund's research on the warship forum, in order to get a reasonable Midway-era Enterprise.

I remember when Yorktown was released a couple of years ago, there was disappointment among ship builders that Tamiya had not re-tooled anything.

Even the aircraft provided were pretty primitive, so I've been using Trumpeter's versions. Trumpeter's are clear-molded.

Still, the ships look pretty sharp when finished.

checkmateking02

...Here's as the basic hull painted up.  I'm planning on putting some Dauntlesses on the hanger deck.

Nice progress on your Yorktown!  You're building the Tamiya kit, correct?  Do you, or does anyone else happen to know, if Tamiya re-tooled the kit since it was originally issued, back in the day?  I have a couple of them in my stash, for eventual building, but this looks better than I remember the sprues looking.

A PS-I know, the same kit was boxed as Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet (albeit Hornet included a sprue of B-25s for the Doolittle Raiders).

Nah, I just use a pin wash!  

From Enterprise CV-6 I built a while ago.

I wouldn't want to make things too complicated.  

scottrc

 

checkmateking02

Thanks, Bish. Yeah, they do have little panel lines. Your eyes are fine.

 

 

 

 

What, no pre-shading the panel lines?

 

Well, they do look like raised panel lines. So surely a bit of scribing will be needed first, don't you think.

Just a thought

checkmateking02

Thanks, Bish. Yeah, they do have little panel lines. Your eyes are fine.

 

What, no pre-shading the panel lines?

Some nice work there check. Is it my eyes, or do those aircrfat have panel lines.

scottrc:  I hope you do get started on Enterprise!  It'll be fun to see your progress.

Here's as the basic hull painted up.  I'm planning on putting some Dauntlesses on the hanger deck.

Installed a couple of parts on the foredeck.

Parts for the afterdeck.

And installed.

The Dauntlesses getting their paint.

Thanks guys, you are far to kind.

And thanks Mark for hosting this, makes a nice change for a GB.

Nice job BIsh,

Checkmate, you starting on your Yorktown is hopfully motivating me to start on the Enterprise.  

Bish you have done a beautiful job on the Old Vic.....Cheers mark