The Ship Model Forum
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/

My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=57995
Page 1 of 17

Author:  NWarty [ Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:54 pm ]
Post subject:  My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Hey fellas,
Well, figured I'd start a thread for my 1:350 USS Nimitz build as I hope to gain some knowledge, tips and tricks, and any help from everyone here.

This is my first 1:350 ship build. While a teenager in the early 90's, I built both the 1/700 Enterprise and Forrestal. After many years of wanting to build a large ship, I bit the bullet and bought the Trumpy Nimitz since I have a lot of time on my hands now.

As of today, I'm on step five in the build with some minimal PE attached. But...I started on an A-6 as a test-bed for the carrier wing.

After construction, she was painted with Model Master Flat Gull Gray and hand-painted in Acrylic white. What I learned from modeling Armor was the use of water color filters that were used on my 1/16 Tiger I build. Using a pea-size drop of water color, mixed with a drop of dish soap and some water, mixed in shot glass, the mixture was applied across the model. After drying, I dipped my small flat brush into water and wiped off the excess and began to wipe away the areas outside of the panel lines. Although the photos show the uncomplete filter wiping, the effect is beautiful, giving depth to the model and that nice-dirty-carrier-ops-plane-look :)

I ordered the WEM CVN-68 aircraft wing PE set today, so CVW-8 will get the full compliment of PE goodies. After finishing up this A-6, which includes gloss coat, Starfighter decals, PE set, she'll sit in the hangar deck. I learned a lot with just this one model and am going to try some other techniques with the rest of the aircraft.

Man, my eyeballs are going to explode.... :dead:

Thanks for looking guys,

V/R
Blake

Attachments:
A61.jpg
A61.jpg [ 93.72 KiB | Viewed 8432 times ]
A62.jpg
A62.jpg [ 90.44 KiB | Viewed 8432 times ]
A63.jpg
A63.jpg [ 114.25 KiB | Viewed 8432 times ]
A64.jpg
A64.jpg [ 80.68 KiB | Viewed 8432 times ]

Author:  simon b [ Sat Aug 14, 2010 6:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Looking nice thus far :thumbs_up_1:

Author:  ArizonaBB39 [ Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Looking good so far :thumbs_up_1:

Author:  jester63 [ Sun Aug 15, 2010 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Looking great so far! :big_grin: Keep it up! :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: Look forward to your updates!

Author:  NWarty [ Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Thanks fellas! :thumbs_up_1:

Finished the decals last night over a gloss coat, then sealed with dullcoat. Will apply the WEM PE aircraft set tonight. Picked up some plastic rod to build the droptanks and looking into resin casting (something of which I've never done).

A little bit of work done to the fantail last night; fill, sand, rinse, repeat.

Pictures to follow shortly.

- Blake

Author:  sgtryan13 [ Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Blake,

Befoer you get too far invested in the airwing, check your painting references. I am almost 100% sure that for the timeframe you are modeling the Nimitz, all of te aircraft had the top surfaces of te tail wings painted white. The trumpeter kit does not display this correctly, they show the tail wings grey. Like I said I am almost completely certain about this detail, so check it out. The intruder and weathering look good though man! I just stated a build of te Harry S Truman out of this kit this weekend, she should have her own in progress thread soon!

Author:  NWarty [ Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Ryan,
Got your email by the way and many thanks.

You're right about the stabs being white. Trumpy has one color, Starfighter has it flat gull gray, as does many other VA-35 resources. Easy fix though and luckily it's just one plane instead of 12 :P

Author:  NWarty [ Mon Aug 16, 2010 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

About 75% done, stabilizers corrected, minus filtering, droptanks and PE. Canopy not attached and hard to tell in this light, but the canopy got the Future-treatment also.

[EDIT] quick shot of the Intruder squadron drop tank master and fantail construction.

Attachments:
IMG_2887.JPG
IMG_2887.JPG [ 139.73 KiB | Viewed 8291 times ]
IMG_2888.JPG
IMG_2888.JPG [ 108.62 KiB | Viewed 8291 times ]
IMG_2892.JPG
IMG_2892.JPG [ 110.87 KiB | Viewed 8287 times ]
IMG_2893.JPG
IMG_2893.JPG [ 111.39 KiB | Viewed 8287 times ]

Author:  NWarty [ Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

PE and drop tanks attached. Working on the Corsairs and Greyhounds currently.

Attachments:
IMG_2895.JPG
IMG_2895.JPG [ 92.59 KiB | Viewed 8214 times ]

Author:  NWarty [ Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

C-2 Greyhound with scratchbuilt flaps and gear doors from sheet and rod. Will decal her tonight and attach the aerial antenna and wire.

Attachments:
IMG_2896.JPG
IMG_2896.JPG [ 101.1 KiB | Viewed 8165 times ]

Author:  GTDEATH13 [ Sat Aug 21, 2010 1:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

The planes are awesome... :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:

Do you intend to build the whole air group before starting the ship?

Author:  NWarty [ Sat Aug 21, 2010 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Thanks Nick. :big_grin:

No, these aircraft are just some test-beds for certain techniques. The exception being the Greyhound since I've always loved the plane. As of now, most of the outer hull is done and I'm about to begin work on the hangar deck.

Author:  glue mark [ Sun Aug 22, 2010 9:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

What sort of references do you use for the hangar deck?

Rusty

Author:  NWarty [ Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Rusty,
Good ole googlin' for images and I'm about to purchase the Ray Bean CD. Also received some a couple of images from a buddy who works on carrier retrofits. Unfortunately photography being prohibited from the deck doesn't help. :scratch:

But I did get the hangar deck floor painted last night and about to begin framing the walls.

Attachments:
IMG_2902.JPG
IMG_2902.JPG [ 101.27 KiB | Viewed 8031 times ]

Author:  jacobew [ Wed Aug 25, 2010 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Absolutely incredible!

Author:  jester63 [ Wed Aug 25, 2010 7:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Those Aircraft look absolutely amazing!!!! Great work!

Author:  NWarty [ Mon Sep 06, 2010 7:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Started work on the hangar deck this evening and will fill in with putty the adjoining pieces later. Just slow-going at this point. Majority of hull build-up is done and I'll leave some of the PE off until it's painted later this week.

Attachments:
IMG_2936.JPG
IMG_2936.JPG [ 146.22 KiB | Viewed 7900 times ]
IMG_2940.JPG
IMG_2940.JPG [ 140.52 KiB | Viewed 7892 times ]

Author:  Yuth [ Wed Sep 08, 2010 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

the details on your planes are amazing...

great start ! :)

Author:  sgtryan13 [ Wed Sep 08, 2010 2:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

looks like your off to a nice glean start on the hangar, good job!

Author:  NWarty [ Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

Thanks Ryan and Yuth!

I actually just ordered the battery-operated LED lights about an hour ago. They're the tiny bulbs that are smaller than your standard LED. The entire circumference of the hangar is framed and I'll start in on the elevator bulkheads with the Dremel tonight. Deck seam is filled, sanded and repainted.

[EDIT] pictures taken with my cellphone

Attachments:
0909001920a.jpg
0909001920a.jpg [ 109.28 KiB | Viewed 7784 times ]
0910001749a.jpg
0910001749a.jpg [ 118.21 KiB | Viewed 7783 times ]

Page 1 of 17 All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
https://www.phpbb.com/