The Ship Model Forum

Two separately scaled designs for the island of USS Intrepid CVS-11 as it appeared circa 1966-1967, intended for the classic Revell and Renwal Essex class kits, is complete and uploaded to Shapeways.

[Edit]: An island for USS Shangri La CVA-38 is also available.

1/530 scale (for Revell) and 1/500 scale (for Renwal) are available now.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey



Recommended for:
1/530 scale design:
- Revell 1/530 USS Bon Homme Richard CVA-31 (# H442)
- Revell 1/530 USS Essex CVA-9 and CVS-9 (# H353)
- Revell 1/530 USS Hornet CVS-12 (# H354 and 05121)
- Revell 1/530 USS Lexington CVA-16, CVS-16 and CVT-16 (# H426-300 and H444)
- Revell 1/530 USS Oriskany CVA-34 (# H370)
- Revell 1/530 USS Shangri La CVA-38 (# 5077, see below for 1/500 Renwal kit)
- Revell 1/530 USS Wasp CVA-18 and CVS-18 (# H375)

1/500 scale design:
- Renwal 1/500 USS Shangri La CVA-38 (# RM7819, see above for 1/530 Revell kit)
- Renwal 1/500 USS Ticonderoga CVA-14 (# S611-198)

This multi-part kit represents the modernized island of Essex class aircraft carrier USS Intrepid CVS-11 as it appeared about 1966-1967 during combat operations off Vietnam. It is intended as a more accurate, direct replacement for the kit parts found in any classic Revell essex class carrier model. It can be adapted for other Vietnam-era angle-deck Essex class carriers including USS Hornet CV-12, USS Ticonderoga CVA-14, USS Lexington CVT-16, USS Wasp CV-18, USS Bon Homme Richard CV-31, USS Oriskany CV-34 and USS Shangri La CV-38.

Features:
- open bridge and PriFly windows with delicate framing
- decks properly offset to port - the plastic kits' decks are positioned too far to starboard and should NOT be centered on the island
- properly positioned deck features
- wiper motor details, proper number and placement, on the navigating bridge
- deck supporting structure details accurately positioned as confirmed by photos of the real ship
- delicate exterior piping detail
- porthole rigols ("eyebrows")
- correct style A/T doors
- door overhead rain deflectors
- correct number and position of PriFly splinter shield ribs
- properly slanted and positioned antenna base outriggers
- open funnel cap (grille not included), ready for your favorite photoetch

Occasionally, for first releases, Shapeways may determine some feature too fine to survive cleaning and then Shapeways may cancel your order. Never fear! Shapeways will advise me on which part needs adjustment. It will be ready for re-ordering the same day.

Some part cleanup will be necessary. The 3D printing process uses a waxy substance to support certain part features. Although the parts are cleaned by Shapeways, some waxy residue may remain. It can be safely removed with water and a mild aqueous detergent like "Simple Green" using an old, soft toothbrush, Q-tips or pipe cleaners. Customers report that "Bestine" and "Goo Gone" also work well.

During the printing process, liquid resin is cured by ultraviolet light. Microscopic bits of resin may remain uncured. Let your parts sit in direct sunlight for a few hours to fully cure the resin.

Water-based acrylic paints meant for plastics is strongly recommended. Other paints, especially enamels, may not cure on Frosted Detail 3D-printed plastics.

© Model Monkey Book and Hobby. This 3D-printed item may not be copied or recast.


Model kit photos: Scalemates.com

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Hello Steve,

wonderful work and very impressive ! Could you offer this island also in 1/700 scale ( ? ) I have done a Jim Shirley Oriskany in 1/700 sclae years ago and I'm not satisfied with the resin kit island. It would be a pleasure to replace the kit part with your piece of art !

Another desirable Essex Island would be the korean war Version for the ISW 1/700 resin kit or for a conversion of the Dragon or Trumpeter Essex kits !

After I have seen your beautiful Miami brigde, have you also any plans to do some of the modern Baltimore's brigdes of the 50 and 60 years ?

Best regards

Chris

This is incredible. Thank you for doing this, and I certainly hope more stuff for these kits is in the works. Those old box-scale Essex-class kits are among my favorites and I'm happy to see them get this kind of attention.

Jodie Peeler

Thanks so much, Chris! I am a great admirer of your models. I'll do my best to make the design printable in 1/700. To do so, the bridge window framing will be noticeably heavier but I hope will still look good.


Good news: a Korean War version is in the works. Research is nearly done. It will probably be USS Essex CV-9 as I have more research material on hand for that ship presently. To get some idea of what it will look like, imagine no aft radar dome and no overhead bridge windows.

I hope to do a Baltimore bridge later this year. Any help with research is appreciated!

Thanks so much, Jodie! I cut my teeth on Revell kit from the 1960s. They will always be special.

You both might really like this, too. By request, an island for USS Shangri La CVA-38 as it appeared circa 1968-1969 is now ready in 1/500 and 1/530 scales. It is a bit different in detail than Intrepid's design. Compared to Intrepid,
- the camera station is directly under the PriFly extension and has a different shape and different number of windows. Intrepid's camera station is a bit more aft
- the signal deck, starboard side aft, is a different shape
- there are only two flag lockers instead of Intrepid's four, the forward two remain. The splinter shielding shape is slightly different where the aft flag lockers were located
- steam pipes for the whistles are much larger and follow a different path

All these differences are captured in the new design.

Free shipping this week at Shapeways!

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Aye, Cap'n!

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Fantastic news indeed. After visiting the Shangri-La reunion last year as a guest of our fellow member Bob (ShangHist), I've been wanting to build the Renwal kit as a proper model of Shang. This may be what finally gets me to follow through. Thanks for doing this!

Jodie Peeler

Cough, cough YORKTOWN Class cough, cough. Cough, cough HORNET especially 1/350 cough, cough, cough. Sorry, something in my throat. Now, where was I? Oh, great work as usual Steve. Looking forward to other projects in March, cough, cough.

_________________
Some people make you happy, then they leave.
Others make you happy when they leave. (apologies to Oscar Wilde if he ever said anything similar, of which there is some doubt . . .)

Pending "life happens" events, I start the Yorktown class designs tomorrow. Gesundheit!

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Throat feeling a bit better, thanks.

_________________
Some people make you happy, then they leave.
Others make you happy when they leave. (apologies to Oscar Wilde if he ever said anything similar, of which there is some doubt . . .)

I didn't want to say anything either cough, cough, cough (Revell Yorktown) cough, cough (Yorktown class in general) cough, cough...

But I'm starting to feel a bit better myself.

Keep up the great work, Steve!!!

Kelley

_________________

Glad to help, Kelley!

Yep, the Yorktown class island design has begun. I'm using Booklet of General Plans drawn in 1/192 scale to make the initial design then rescale from there, with much advice from experts on this site to get the dimensions and details right. It's a HUGE island. [edit: Enterprise and Yorktown islands are now available]

And for you "Blue Ghost" fans, the design of an island for USS Lexington CVT-16 circa 1987-1993 is complete in 1/530 scale, 1/500 scale and 1/350 scale. It is noticeably different than Intrepid or Shangri La, with features unique to Lexington, and much more accurate than the kit's island.

Features for Lexington:
- fully assembled island and separate radar dome
- open bridge and PriFly windows with delicate framing
- details consistent with photos seen in "USS Lexington in Detail & Scale" by Bert Kinzey
- decks properly offset to port - the Gallery Models kit's decks are positioned too far to starboard and should NOT be centered on the island
- properly shaped decks and deck features
- accurately shaped SPS-40 radar platform with aft extension for Lexington circa 1987-1993 (different than Intrepid's)
- wiper motor details on the navigating bridge
- battle lookout details
- flag lockers and splinter shielding shape specific to Lexington
- deck supporting structure details accurately positioned as confirmed by photos of the real ship
- delicate exterior piping detail specific for Lexington
- porthole rigols ("eyebrows")
- correct style A/T doors
- door overhead rain deflectors
- correct number and position of PriFly splinter shield ribs
- correctly shaped and positioned television camera position (different than Intrepid's)
- properly slanted and positioned antenna base outriggers
- open funnel cap (grille not included), ready for your favorite photoetch set

Here's Lexington:

Compare to Shangri La:

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Lexington is ready in 1/500 now, perfect for Renwal's Shangri La which has now been re-released by Revell under the old Renwal label and boxart.

The Renwal kit's hull more closely represents USS Lexington rather than her sisters, and the model is 6% larger than the Revell kit, although less detailed. This island should go a long way in improving the Renwal kit.

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

USS Ticonderoga CVA-14 islands are now available in 1/530 and 1/500 scales. It has detailing specific to Tico.



And for those fans of the divine scale, a 1/700 USS Intrepid CVS-11 island is now available! [edit: temporarily off-sale pending changes per Shapeways' requirements] Compare the Intrepid design below to the Ticonderoga design above. You'll see there are several differences, all specific to the right ship, including different splinter shield shapes, television camera station shape and position, flag locker number and position, number and position of whistles, cabling position and route, radar stations for Tico (starboard side, high), etc.


As with any new release, especially when it comes to 1/700 scale products like this one with fine open window frame detailing, there is a chance that the first order may be canceled by Shapeways and your money refunded. Fear not! The first purchase sometimes gets canceled due to features that are deemed to be too fine to survive cleaning. If that happens, the product has to be adjusted by the designer before Shapeways will offer it for sale again and I will adjust it for you pronto.

Although every design is evaluated for printability by Shapeways' analysis software when the design is uploaded, it is only after an item is purchased that a human 3D printer operator "print engineer" evaluates the design to see if he or she believes it can survive cleaning and handling. The print engineer then makes a judgment call based upon his or her experience. Sometimes, the print engineer deems the product to have too fine features and cancels the order.

But no worries! Shapeways immediately informs the designer when an order has been cancelled. Shapeways sends a rendering to the designer with specific instructions on what to thicken. When that happens, I usually make the change the same day I receive notification and the product will be available to reorder later that day.

Please register on Shapeways. For clients who are registered on Shapeways, Shapeways notifies the designer of every sale and any cancellation identifying the purchaser by registration nickname. If there is a cancellation, the designer can contact the registered client and let him or her know when the adjusted design is ready to reorder. Clients not registered are called "guests" and designers aren't notified who placed the order or whose order was canceled.

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Steve,

As usual these look great. I will be getting one of the Revell ones once I decide on which ship to do now.... You know that be careful what you wish for thing....

Have you made any traction on a SPS-30 radar antenna for these beasts?

Thanks so much, Brocky!

Regarding the SPS-30, I'm still hoping to come across a dimensioned 2D drawing from which to make an accurate 3D design. Thanks to folks here, I have in hand good photos to help me understand the features' shapes. Without good dimensions, however, I'd be guessing on how big to make those features, and the design would certainly not be accurate, only representational.

The 3D design would probably only be printable in 1/530 and larger. The arm would have to be at least 0.80mm x 0.80mm in cross-section for Shapeways to print it, way out of scale for 1/700. The dish would have to be 0.60mm thick at the rim, the thinnest part.

If a speculative design is sufficient for most modelers until better information comes forth, I can give the design a try, post some preview renderings, and invite advice and recommendations from y'all.

Thoughts?

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Roger. Unfortunately, despite Phil's amazing design, he was unable to help and is looking for the same information.

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

Hi Steve, I'm actually looking for the Ticonderoga island in 1/700 - got the ship & co kit and the island need major improvement.

If you can release the model in 1/700 in shapeways, I can be the guinea pig and trigger the feedback process. What's the recommendation on finish (or does it make a difference?)? Should I choose the ultra fine?

Hi!
I hope to release Ticonderoga in 1/700 shortly. Shapeways so far has been unable to print the bridge window framing in 1/700 so the product is in redesign but just for that scale. 1/530 and larger are printing very well.

Regarding which type of finish, both options, Frosted Ultra and Frosted Extreme, use the same printer but at a different resolution. Frosted Ultra prints in layers 29 microns thick, which is very good. Frosted Extreme prints in layers 16 microns thick, for even better detail and smoother surfaces, especially noticeable on sloped surfaces.

Think of the difference in pictures when you change your computer printer resolution from 300 DPI to 600 DPI. Same idea.

Frosted Extreme is pricier because it takes nearly twice as long to print nearly twice as many layers (time = money).

Either way, clients are very happy with these products. I hope you will be, too!

Thanks!

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby

The island design for USS Oriskany CVA-34 as it appeared about 1971-1972 off Vietnam is complete and available in 1/530 (Revell) and 1/350 (Gallery Models).

Link: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey




Another design for Oriskany's island, as it appeared during the Korean War in 1953 when the ship still had a straight deck, is in development. Get out your FJ Furies, FH Phantoms, F9F Panthers and AD-1 Skyraiders! That design is presently about 50% complete. Compare the above Vietnam War-era design with the below Korean War-era design. There are several significant differences including an entirely different bridge window configuration:

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby