1/72 Admiral Kuznetzov

[Guest]

Mick

I don't claim to be as capable as some of those who have given you ideas about your flight deck but for what it's worth hear are some suggestions from my small experience.

Make it in fibre glass - size is only limited by the size of the sheet of glass (as in windows) you can handle 1) get glass, clean and wax polish (car wax will do) 2) paint on a Gel coat - allow to dry.3) Lay up ordinary matt - as many coats as you need. 4) When dry pop the whole sheet off the glass - result huge sheet with one side glass smooth. Only problem i can see is the Ski Jump on the bow. Try it on a small piece of glass.

All carriers have air intakes and , more importantly Exhausts Make the exhausts work by fitting a computer fan to the inside on as many as you feel you need - may help

Paul Bannon

[ozpirate]

Thanks guys been very busy here with other things in my life. Will post some updates soon.

[Ticonderoga]

hi Mick,

Good to see you around.

Andrew

[ozpirate]

Well it's been a while since I posted anything so here's an update.
Last year (2010) I spent most of my time working on getting the trailer ready to transport the Admiral Kuznetsov around. With quite a bit of help from Paul Nixon and Peter Stradmann here in Sydney, I think we finally have something that works. Early January I toyed around with a portable crane on the trailer but this turned out to be over sized Would have been perfect but just too big for my use.
Now during this the model spend almost 2 months outdoors under a tarp. Here in Sydney we have had pouring rain and blistering heat, today 39C and for the next 7 days about the same each day . I like it hot but not that much....
Its good we had these temps because having my boat outdoors showed some problems. First the hanger deck which I was quite proud of has warped due to heat extremes. Looks like I have to figure something else for that part of the ship. No big deal just annoying. The other problem was some cracks in the hull between the wooden part of the hull and the fiberglass. Again not a big problem, just dig out the putty and reinforce the section and re putty the hull.
I have just started making the over hanging parts under the flight deck (Not sure of the name or this part of the ship) If all goes well and this bloody heat dies away I may be able to attach the first part soon.
Below are some pictures on the new trailer and some flooding inside the ship.



Leaky tub


My Friend Peter in the background of the picture.

[Ticonderoga]

Hi Mick,

She is one huge model Every time I see a new picture I am always impressed with your determiantion and ambition. I think my Kirov will be as big as I ever dare do.

Itching to see the progress as you get stuck in again this year

Andrew

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Mick do you intend to have water ballast? As Andrew has said it is one big model. I saw pictures of the guys from Waaga launching the big 72nd Enterprise; I think it was the big E? This took a veritable "crew� to get the model waterborne for the first time! When do you hope to get the Kuznetzov in the water under power?
Dave Wooley

[ozpirate]

Hi Mick do you intend to have water ballast? As Andrew has said it is one big model. I saw pictures of the guys from Waaga launching the big 72nd Enterprise; I think it was the big E? This took a veritable "crew� to get the model waterborne for the first time! When do you hope to get the Kuznetzov in the water under power?
Dave Wooley

Craigs Big E has weights not water balast. Yes the Big E needs a crew to launch also.
As for the Admiral Kuznetsov still working on what ballast I plan to use. Water would the the obvious using pumps. At least with the flooding she had I know that water stayed in one compartment only. I hope to by March this year (2011) to do a run with her what ever stage she is at. See if the motors can handle the ships requirements. Start STOP and cruising, not to mention turning.

[HvyCgn9]

Hey Mick just came across this video of a 1/72 Admiral K !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... T5up-T1Pa0

[ozpirate]

Hey Mick just came across this video of a 1/72 Admiral K !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... T5up-T1Pa0

Yes he has his model in the water and from Argentina. His ship line are not the best if you look at the pictures but he did his best. if you wish to see his ship pictures goto:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kuznetsov1.72
I think considering all facts a well done for him and his work.

[Dave Wooley]

Hey Mick just came across this video of a 1/72 Admiral K !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... T5up-T1Pa0

Wow the model sails magnificently but he was troubled by the occasional bit of windage non the lest superb looking model out their on the water.
Dave Wooley

[HvyCgn9]

I reckon there was a pretty good swell going in that video 2!! That's a 4+metre model cruising about pity no escort ships 2 give a sense of scale. I know from seeing Mick's Admiral K. at the Annual regatta that she is a monster!!

Cheers Bruce

[ozpirate]

Bruce your correct with the swell in the vid from the owner of the Admiral Kuznetsov in Argentina. There is one thing I hope my model does a bit better in and that's the side swell and wind blasted from the side. Looking at the vid when the ship turns and gets these forces act on his model I don't like what I see and I don't know how hard the wind was blowing either.
Could be interesting either way.
B.T.W. the Admiral WILL be at the Wagga show and will be operational. I'm working this week on the side sponsons and RC for the Admiral. You coming again?

[HvyCgn9]

I hope 2 get over for it Mick, I need 2 get another car soon as mine is currently stuffed! Still got a few months before the Wagga event, so we shall have 2 wait and see.

Cheers Bruce

[ozpirate]

Time finally for an update of my model of the Admiral Kuznetsov and scale 1/72.
Where do I start. Over the last christmas break we finally finished the trailer to transport this model. There has been a problem in that the weather has caused with warping some parts of the model. I'm lucky this happened now since it was easy to fix now rather than later.

All the work on the inside of the model has been scraped due the buckling with heat and cold conditions. Guess I will have to try something else.
There has also been some cracks in the hull where it attaches to the wooden part of the inner box. I used the wrong type of putty and well is cracked. I dug it all out and put long screws from the wood area into the lower part of the hull. Then back filled with the correct putty this time and then fiber-glassed in on the inside of the hull over the putty and exposed screws, somehow I doubt it will come lose again I hope

Now that's all behind me I replaced the bulge keel on the model with something much stronger that what I had. The printed circuit board I used just was to weak for this model and I replaced it with Aluminum L bracket. I now can put the full weight of the hull and it doesn't move, so far.

Wow that's a lot of work so far and now come the part I have been looking forward to for such a log time. Just hopes my money don't run out. I started with the overhang part of the hull. Pictures follow. These parts are constructed with fiberglass sheets cut to fit.

Mid section below the main superstructure


Aft section


Forward section also showing the bulge keel. Still need to putty this area. This forward section will be problematic later in construction.


More images at: https://picasaweb.google.com/Mick.Elst/ ... ovMickElst#

[Richard J OMalley]

Hi Mick
Good to see you back at work on Admiral Kuznetzov . I have had some trouble with the temp. change to .Coudn't afford to heat my shop this winter and when the temp went to twenty degrees then warmed up small cracks appeared.

[Dave Wooley]

Hi Mick Good to see you back on this build . I understand only to well the ravages of temprature and climate .Question when the model is completed what will you do about storage , for me that is the single biggest headache and my build are minatures compared to yours.
Dave Wooley

[ozpirate]

Hi Mick Good to see you back on this build . I understand only to well the ravages of temprature and climate .Question when the model is completed what will you do about storage , for me that is the single biggest headache and my build are minatures compared to yours.
Dave Wooley

Question when the model is completed what will you do about storage? hmm not sure yet since later this year I will be moving out of Sydney. Not even sure if I will have a shed or garage or NOTHING Wait and see. As for when not sure myself.

[carr]

... I will be moving out of Sydney. Not even sure if I will have a shed or garage or NOTHING.

Don't worry. You can always switch to 1/700 scale. There's always room for those!

[HvyCgn9]

sorry 2 read about scrapping your epic hangar mate! Maybe just do the areas of hanger visible from the elevator doors??
Hopefully you will get a shed or place with decent Carport mate.

Cheers Bruce

[ozpirate]

Its been a while for an update so here we go.
Over the last few months I have been able to get back on the hull and do some construction work in the area that will be under the flight deck. I have put the hanger area on hold for now and just concentrated on the outside of the ship. I made sheets of fiberglass which was laid on a window and poped of very easy. This would give me clean sheets to work with and I would not have to worry to much with expansion of the sheets and hull since they are the same material. Around the front of the ship I used bog to make more complex curves.
I took the model and showed it off at the Taskforce 72 Carrier and Escort Weekend. (https://picasaweb.google.com/tf72au) Many comments were made. I tried to float her but to my disappointment I found I have 2 leaky areas inside the ship. I was planing to get a tow around and some shots on the water but was only able to get static lad shots. I even brought along some batteries. 520km just to show off and not get wet, bugger! Next time I hope to have more luck.
Picture say 100 words so here they are.

Image shows area at front where joins are difficult so bog is used



This image shows some of the work done



Overall shot


Some of the aircraft I MIGHT use


More pictures : https://picasaweb.google.com/Mick.Elst/ ... lKuznetsov