My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

[NWarty]

Closing up and completing the hangar deck after routing the LEDs today. Finished getting the ceiling cross members in place too.

A little bit more to go getting the jack stands, personnel and towbars in place. All the aircraft, tractors and fork lifts glued in place.

[sgtryan13]

Glad to see you back at it, she looks great Warty!

[NWarty]

Thanks Ryan!
Need to shoot you a PM as I have some questions. Just got the hangar deck completed tonight and ready to be closed up permanently tomorrow evening.

On to the flight deck!

[boatman]

HI THERE im very impressed with your build of nimitz she look's real an im building one too in 1/144 scale so its a little bigger but may i ask a question lookin on page 2 i see you have fitted ships boats in the bays on the port side does she really have them boats hangin like this ? or is this your way of doin them im askin as i was thinking of fittin some on my model
chris

[NWarty]

Boatman,
Thanks! and 1/144 is HUGE!

Yes, both boats hang by chain in the housings. The kit piece isn't very good, but I didn't feel like improving on it that much since only a couple of mm's of the piece can be seen.

[simon b]

Also, from what i know the boats were only stored early on in this manner. Anything from say 90's onwards (possibly earlier) would be stored on the mobile racks in the hanger.

[NWarty]

Great point Simon,
My Nimitz is modeled for Operation Eagle Claw in 1980


[EDIT] OMG...how on earth did I get a glue blob on the hull AGAIN.....

[DOUBLE EDIT] Fixed the glue blob. Grrrrr

[NWarty]

Alrighty, I'm back at it

Flight deck is assembled and base colors painted, gloss has been shot to prepare it for decals and weathering.

I do have a question though, even though I've seen several 1:350 Nimitz's, every photo I find of her in "Eagle Claw 1980" configuration does not show the foul lines.

Sorry for the small pics as I had to resize them. Just google them "Nimitz, Eagle Claw" and you can see the large versions.

Any insight?

- Blake

[NWarty]

[Follow up now that I'm home] Meh, they're molded into the flight deck, looks like I'm painting them. Rats

[NWarty]

Some photos from tonight

Lots to do in the weathering department. Can't wait

[gtbred]

nice work.

[sgtryan13]

Hey welcome back!

A note before you do your weathering and seal the flight deck decals down, in my researching of pictures for my past nimitz builds, I never saw the thick white lines that the kit decals include for the 2 waist catapults, so I left those off and just masked and painted the cats only. I could be mistaken, but have not seen these lines in any photos.

[NWarty]

Doh!!!!

Ryan many thanks man. Okay, no more beer drinkin' during decaling. Well, they're not sealed so I should be able to get that piece off no problem. The only photo I was able to find is this one.

[NWarty]

Just removed the decal and I'm going to have to touch up the decals a bit. But feeling better about the accuracy.

Thanks Ryan!

[sgtryan13]

No problem! To tell ya the truth, that photo you just posted above is the first time I have noticed the thick stripes ever. though the massive bow numbers would indicate that the photo is of the Nimitz when she was very new, perhaps on initial trials or something by the lack of aircraft.

[sgtryan13]

Oops, one more observation depending on how much of a stickler you want to be...

The aft radar mast behind the island is molded in the wrong place, it is supposed to be flush wihth the edge of the deck in that location. I missed that detail on my first go at this kit!

[NWarty]

Oh man...(facepalm.jpg)

After not working on this thing for such a long time, I forgot the little nuances like that. That's okay, I forgot to order the GMM CVN extras kit and I'm off to Korea for a week, so that gives me some time to dremel the lip down and repaint that section. Also have some Micro-Sol and masking tape en route too to get the decals snuggled down and mask the foul lines. No big whoop.

Thanks again man

[NWarty]

Another thing which I clarified regarding her markings, now that I have to change the bow numbers.

In doing a bunch of research this afternoon, Nimitz seemed to have sported the large bow numbers from her sea trials in 1975, first deployment in 76, to at least August of 1978. Somewhere between Aug 78 and Aug 79, the bow numbers were changed. This can be confirmed here and various other sources: http://www.defenseimagery.mil/imagery.h ... &chk=6cfe0 (Go to pages 19-22)

I'll try and post these up when I get home that show the differences.

But for now, I'll have to remove the large numbers too. This confirms it and now I feel a little embarrassed. Screen shot from "The Final Countdown"

[NWarty]

Alrighty, decals corrected. Now to sand off that pesky radar lip and get the bow catapults painted.

[NWarty]

Hey guys,
Long time, little to no progress.

About four days ago, I decided to dust the Nim off and get back to work. Part of the issue with putting her on the shelf was that the bow numbers and several other decals peeled severely when I was painting. Mainly due to my inexperience with ship modeling. Couple that with GMM no longer carrying the Nimitz decals and I felt like I was you-know-what creek.

Well, I went ahead and decided to mask and paint the foul lines, and hand mask and paint the 68 on the bow. So that turned out pretty good. Catwalks are cut and PE glued to them, just have to fasten them to the flight deck. Flight deck is glued down. Flight deck is completely weathered with pastels. Elevators are done. And a big thanks to Ryan for the colored pencil method for the tie-downs. Tedious, but a life saver.

I've stopped with trying to be perfect. This build should be FUN. I'm done beating myself up over little mistakes and just trudging on trying to get her done. She's not going to a show or contest but will reside in my Man Room. My friends and family wouldn't know an Airedale from a Ordinance Jettison Ramp.

Sorry for the blurry pics. No Macro lens this time.

And the Yamato was done as a side project to get me back into building a Ship