Atlantic Models 1/700 Ark Royal

[Pieter]

This is my finished Ark Royal (IV) in 1975.
I used the Atlantic Models for which I wrote a first look back in 2018 here
viewtopic.php?t=166983
And some building notes can be found here, on page 240 and 241.
viewtopic.php?t=18158&start=4780
After that the only things to do were the crew, deck tractors, crane and the airgroup.
Now that Starling has mastered 3D printing the tractors, crew and crane were very easy builds.

As Starfighter makes decals for USS Forrestal in 1975 this became the time frame for my build.
I had some clear plastic Phantoms and Intruders in my spares box.
If you remember to mask the cockpits and spray paint the sprues in black primer before you start building them these sets are easy to use and the starfighter decals worked really well.

For the F4Ks I used the same phantoms and added the ECM fairing on top of the tail. I do not think the difference between J79 and Spey powered aircraft is visible in 1/700 so I left it at that.

I was less lucky with the rest of aircraft.
Opening the cockpit of my Gannet was relatively easy though.

I built the kits' Wessex as a camera helicopter as the TV series Sailor was filmed on Ark Royal a year or so later and Ark Royal seems to have had film crew on boadr almost permanently.

And at that point the build stalled. I was not happy with the kits' Buccanneers and L' Arsenal announced split tail Buccanneers.
Note that these aircraft always have their airbrake tail open on the flight deck and on my Victorious build this meant using two aircraft for one split tail example.When they arrived after a year or so they looked very nice. I did replace the front wheels and the refueling probes as they were very fragile. And I built two Palouste starting carts from spare drop tanks.

And after that it was rigging, re-painting some spots and taking the beast out to ESM in Houten.
I enjoyed this build, even though (or maybe because) it was not your typical over detailed modern injection molded kit. The kit is currently not available.
I'm not sure f there will be a second production run of this kit but I really hope the excellent photo etch set and the nice decal sets (you really need two though) will keep being produced as they are badly needed on the modern 3D prints coming out in a certain auction site nowadays.

[Pieter]

One more view. This was not a large flight deck and it looks quite busy with only 18 aircraft.

[JoeP]

That is quite an impressive build. Aircraft really make a carrier.

[Pieter]

Thank you. Aircraft are sometimes more than 50% of the work.

[Walter Sonderman]

Hi, Pieter, great piece of work again!

Cheers, Walter

[Pieter]

Thanks Walter.