Calling all Nimitz-class CVN fans

[intruder500]

Hi Guys:

I need the placement of CIWS and Sea Sparrow launchers for the USS. Ronald Reagan. My model is coming along and do not want to mess it up at this point. Would rather keep going accurately. Thank you in advance!

Stephen C.
intruder500@msn.com

[Timmy C]

Navsource has a lot of pics of the Reagan: http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/76.htm

From what I see in the photos, she has a RAM on the starboard stern and port forward sponson and Sea Sparrows on the portside stern and starboard forward sponson. No Phalanxes.

[simon b]

Forward port - RAM
Forward STB - Sparrow
Aft port - Sparrow
Aft stb - RAM

Check this link for a ton of detail pics

http://www.resinshipyard.com/pictures/Reagan/

[Jeffcsr]

Why the reference "PCU" is found in front of the Ship's names on several of Navsources Pics? I'm referring to the George H.W. Bush and the Ronald W. Reagan ? Have they come out with a new prefix to replace "CVN" or some other meaning?

[Timmy C]

PCU means "Pre-commissioning Unit".

[rtheriaque]

Indeed. It'd hard to believe the new Virginia-class SSN PCU North Carolina could land aircraft!

[Jeffcsr]

Ah thanks Timmy, was hoping I wasn't "that" far out of touch with modern CVs.

Another issue that brings my attention, which kits (Trumpeter 1/700) of the Nimitz class have the new RAM & SeaSParrow Only armament or are they all the BPDS/SeaSparrow/CWIS ?

[Mark McKinnis]

Ah thanks Timmy, was hoping I wasn't "that" far out of touch with modern CVs.

Another issue that brings my attention, which kits (Trumpeter 1/700) of the Nimitz class have the new RAM & SeaSParrow Only armament or are they all the BPDS/SeaSparrow/CWIS ?

I have purchased all of the Trumpy Nimitz class except Nimitz 2005. None of them have the RAM System. I believe Nimitz 2005 will have that though. The Nimitz refit in 2003 included RAM.

[simon b]

Yep the Nimitz 2005 has 2 RAM. I think JAG also do some in 700 scale resin

[Jimmy Conway]

USS " George Washington" watches Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Visit the link.

Source:

http://www.naval.com.br/blog/

[Jeffcsr]

My apologies if this thread is not the right place to ask, but, Any opinions on the Italeri and/or Revell 1/720 Ronald Reagan?

I've been studying these Nimitz class ships and I MUST have a Ronald Reagan. The New Island/Mast and bow make this ship look SO much more appealing than the previous Nimitz class ships to me. I'd pay the premium for a Trumpy CVN-76 but since it doesn't exist I'm stuck with these 2 for my choices... or a lot of scratch building which I'm not very good at.

TIA,
JEff

[roym]

For a start, you are in the right place.

Secondly, the Italeri and Revell kits of CVN-76 are the same tooling. They are both from the original Italeri Nimitz moulds. I have nearly all the Italeri Nimitz class kits and there are differences in them.


CVN-76; where do I start! This has all the original goodies of the as-built Nimitz/Ike kits; the added sponsons, CIWS, newer missle launchers etc from CVN-74 and 75 kits; the extra aircraft sprue from the new issue CVN-71 kit; and another (4th) sprue with all the Reagan bits, including a brand new island and mast, bulged bow section for under the waterline, and inserts for cut-outs under the sponson beneath the island. The decals come with an amendment with the CORRECT size CV numbers for both flight deck and island. All the original parts are there bar the Phantoms, so you can use this kit to build any of the ships! You will have a supply of spares too. Highly recommended!�. But still you will have work to do�..

The revised island on the Reagan extends all the way back to include the formerly separate radar tower aft of the island. On flight deck level, there are cut-outs to allow the tractors to drive through to the outboard side of the island, known as the bomb farm, since spare ordnance is often stashed at the deck edge, before being struck down below using an ammunition elevator. The flight deck cut-out is about where the island ends on previous ships of the class. There is one fewer deck in the revised island, although it is of the same overall height as the other ships - there is more headroom on each of the remaining decks.
The design of the USS Ronald Reagan did away with the #4 wire (and its arresting gear room on the 03 level, below the flight deck). The other three wires (and the barricade stanchions) & sheaves to run wires below to the arresting gear machinery rooms are located as before. For the model, you'll just need to omit anything associated with the #4 wire.

Count the wires from the stern, so no.4 wire is the most forward one. The island info is related to my one concern with the kit. I think the Island is too short in length. The kit parts are the same length as the original ones. The cut-outs mentioned are there but in the same space as taken up by the original islands. The island also looks too tall, but as you read above it should be the same overall height as the originals. I cannot be sure as I have not built it yet! I have only done test fittings, but it doesn�t look right to me. I just can�t say why exactly! Still, I�m glad to have the kit, and plan on using another one to build a post 2000 refit Nimitz!

All in all, I am glad I have these kits, faults and all. For the price, they are worth it for the aircraft alone. I actually prefer the shape of the Italeri E-2s and A-6s over the Skywave ones. Put on some of GMM�s PE set for these kits and they become something a little more special.

Trumpeter have released a family of 1/700 Nimitz-class ships based on the superb 1/350 kit, but as the price - depending where you shop online- will be somewhere between $40-$60, (some listings are nearer $80!) I might buy ONE!.. I can get the Italeris for �13.99 each!!!
Trumpeter have also released aircraft sets in 1/700; EA-3Bs, EA-6Bs, C-2s and S-3s would be useful to the Italeri kits, as they do not include any of these.

Hope this helps!
Roy

Edit; pictures and sprue shots here...

http://www.italeri.com/product.aspx?item=5533S

click on the sprue pics for bigger shots

[Jeffcsr]

Thank you for the info!

I couldn't pass up on a Trumpy 1/700 U.S.S. John C. Stennis though... Too good of a bargain to pass up

I will be getting at least 1 Italeri Ronald Reagan, I kinda want 2 so I can do a late Nimtz as well.




Back to the general Nimitz topic, did all the current CV's have a "Last Tomcat Cruise" or were they faded out and only THE LAST cruise got all the hub-bub?


I'm mostly interested in the Reagan's AirWing... I'd like to use F-14s on it as long as it wouldn't be innacurate.

Thx,
Jeff

[roym]

AFAIK F-14s never deployed on CVN-76, her air wing's VF squadrons had converted to F-18E/Fs and became VFAs by the time she deployed with them.

F-14s may have done workups or carquals on her though, check elsewhere. According to GONAVY they didn't.

http://www.gonavy.jp/CV-CVN76f.html

HTH
Roy

[simon b]

If you really must use the Tom's on the Reagan, just remember this is a hobby and let it happen

[regemet]

Any Rumours of a 1/700th injection plastic model of this ship.

[Timmy C]

Doubt it would come within the next few years, regement - heck, public plans for the Ford class haven't even been published yet, and since the ship hasn't been built yet, it'd be hard for the manufacturers to include any details that's more than just conjectures and extrapolations of current Nimitzes.

[arnobiz]

HI,

I have a questions for you CVN experts

Is there an actual difference between the Trumpeter 1/700 CVNs or did they just change the decals?

Thanks,

Arnaud

[simon b]

The different kits represent the class at various times. Therefore the latter ones have all the new weapon sponsors and dome etc. The airwing also contains aircraft for the era represented. Other differences include the radar mast behind the island and the seperate hull section under the island also varies with latter ships, and the island deck levels themselves have a few variations depending the ship in question.

[arnobiz]

Thank you very much Simon. I am quite impressed Trumpeter/PitRoad took the time to do it so neatly instead of just changing the decals and the planes sprues like other manufacturers would probably have.

Arnaud