The Ship Model Forum

Jim,

Just enjoyed scrolling through your build. Outstanding work at an amazing pace. I'm a fan and will be following this build in the future.
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the great work!

_________________
John
Currently on the bench:
- Revell 1/720 USS Enterprise CVAN-65 ca.1968
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=146736

Thank you for the kind words John "mighty", I'm glad you're following this adventure. I truely hope it will give lots of enjoyment for everyone. I know I'm having fun with it. Be sure t


o check back in from time to time, as I will be amping up the speed of the project.
Thank again.
Jim

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Well good evening everyone, I have had a marathon of painting ships today, I have just finished a 12 hour sesson and I am tired. I focused on the SARATOGA, FORRESTAL, and BUSH, painting the flight decks and all the VLA's. I do have more painting to go still, but most is done. I'm hoping to have these done tomorrow (painting) that is, then finish the rest of the builds by Sunday. Oh, if anyone has a 59 & 61 deck decal please let me know, I destroyed mine today and and I really don't want to paint them if I don't have too. I had a back up 61 but tore the damn thing sliding it off to the ship. So, if you got a spare let me know PLEASE.
Now here are some pictures for you, hope you enjoy them, and as always comments are welcomed.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

And a few more pictures

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

We'll here is a quick update, Ranger and Bush are finished except for wipes and gatherings here are some pics for ya...

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

And now pictures of the RANGER.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Ok here's the FORRESTAL, she's done except will and weathering.
Also I've started another NIMITZ CVN will be the WASHINGTON or ROOSEVELT, just the basic assembly for now.
Well here's the pictures.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Hi everyone,
Well have three new builds coming in the mail, hopefully in the next week or two they arrive.
One is LCS4 CORONADO,
The others are CVN 72 LINCOLN, and the myth CV67 GEORGETOWN, which is a KITTY HAWK/AMERIClsA with JFK decall eaasy to modify into a JFK, since the flight deck is the KENNEDY'S most of the modification will be to the sponcions and the island. I'm actually looking forward to this build, since this was my last carrier I served on.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Well another NIMITZ CLASS is haze gray, the flight deck is painted black, now after it dries will do the detail painting for the ladder lines, the center line, and all the other things including decals.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Damn that's quite an ambitious project, Jim! Especially considering the additional ships you're adding. The subs, hopefully, shouldn't give you too much trouble to assemble and paint. Looking great so far. I can't fathom taking on a project like that.

_________________
-Shane

Dallas, Tx

Working on: Revell 1/426 USS Arizona BB-39

In the Stash: USS Arizona 1/700 Dragon Premium, DKM Bismarck 1/700 Dragon Premium, Admiral Graf Spee 1/700 Trumpeter, & Prinz Eugen 1/700 Trumpeter

Hi Shane , thanks for your kind words and interest it this project. Yes, it is quite an undertaking. But if you love ships and love to build them then what better way to display them then in a diorama, and one large enough to add to and change around the ships so it will always be different. I have been working on a lighting diagram to go by so the buildings can be lite up at night time. Plus not to mention building ships at record speed. There will be lots more to come so stay tuned.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Jim, You have to be a machine to get all this work done ( in perfection ) in such a short time.Love it can't wait to see more.

Hi Jim,
I join you this link,
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=33372
« I am THE Friend » and with The etching help of Bruno, I make this Dio !
Your dio is very ambitious and I Like the USS 59 Forrestal!
What period do you want represent?
Forrestal and Nimitz are not in the same “Times”!
Friendly,
Jean

Hi Jean &Pro,
Well first thank you for checking out the progress of this masses ive project. As well as the kind words.. Progress continues at break neck speed. As far as FORRESTAL I really have no set time period other then the later side of her career. My main goal is to build entire classes of ships. As far as the Mare Island project, that Sir is a masterful piece of craftsmenship. I only can hope that mine is hafe as good. I've visited the Mare Island project severial times in the past and it is really a fantastic build and to be done from mostly all self made photo etch is truely remarkable, you Sir have my complete admiration. Again I thank you for looking at my humble work, and hope you will continue to follow the progress.

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Oops I did it again, built another in two days........
Well here it is USS THEODORE ROOSEVELY CVN-71
Hope you like it....

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Ok of the 19 modern carriers from FORRESTAL to BUSH the following are now built
CV-59, 60, 61
CVN-68,70, 71, 73, 74, 76, 77
Thats 10 carriers so far.....
Now of those 10, 3 are going to be rebuilt, simply because I can do a better job and I wasn't satified with the end results these are CVN-68, 73, 76
And still in the stash is CV-63, CVN-65, CV-67
My first ENTERPRISE met an unfortunate end, and so I bought another to build.
So, once I get these builds complete I will focus on the remaining carriers hell its only 9 more ....

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Anyone wondering which one is next?
Well here is a clue.....

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Got something new to build.....

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Hi everyone,
Just got through doing some research on the LCS ships, and I just learned that the FREEDOM CLASS is actually three different classes. The first three ships are seperate designs, the biggest change is of coarse the monohull and the trimiran hull, the other is the the FREEDOM and FORT WORTH are different in designs by the length of the hull. The FREEDOM is shorter then the FORT WORTH. So, if your building these ships keep in mind these differences. I was actually surprised about these differences, but research shows LCS3,5,7,9,11 are identical and LCS 2,4,6,8,10,12 just as these trimarion hulls are identacal.

Hope everyone found this helpful, and as always comments are welcome and Happy Modeling

_________________
Jim Varnell
ABH2 USN/RET.
89-00
Eastern NC Modelworks

Up coming projects:
1/700 scale rebuild of diorama project 960 square feet.
(Table 1 underway)Feb.2017
1/350 USS ALASKA CB-1(started Aug. 2017) 70% completed

Minor correction: it's actually the Freedom (LCS 1) and Independence (LCS 2) classes. Those are the two main variants, monohull and trimaran respectively. As you noted, however, the Freedom monohull variant has differed significantly beginning with LCS 3 due to the lengthened hull and other minor changes (bridge window angles relative to centreline, for example). As each ship is being built and tested, the subsequent ships incorporate changes to address deficiencies found in the earlier vessels, so each ship, at least the first few anyway, will differ from each other in small ways. Whether they are visible for our modeling purposes is a different matter.

_________________
De quoi s'agit-il?