Calling all Forrestal-class & Kitty Hawk-class fans

[gtbred]

any word on Forrestal being scrap?

[Mark McKinnis]

Mark,

I tried to PM you but since I am new to the forum it would not let me. I am looking to build a model of the KITTY HAWK and I was wondering if the Fujimi kit was a full model or a waterline model. I was also wondering which model has the KITTY HAWK closest to it's decommisioning? Thanks for your help.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Sorry it took so long to respond. I dropped off of the radar for awhile with work.

The Fujimi Kitty Hawk is the best kit of Kitty Hawk on the market I think. It is a waterline model. There are a couple of versions that Fujimi does. There is a 1998 version that is pretty acurate for the late years. Their 1968 version, same kit, is pretty good as well. As usuall, check photos to get it as acuarate as you want.

Good Luck,

MM

[JevJanson]

I see this thread has been quiet for awhile...

So, I decided to build these ships in 1/350 scale. It is an attempt to have a set of nice displays and also bring life back to this thread.

USS Ranger CV(N)-61. I am doing the proposed nuclear conversion for this build. Model to be build as in commission c. 2016

USS Midway CV-41. Reactivated as a helo carrier.

USS Kitty Hawk CV(N)-63. Proposed nuclear conversion. c. 2016

[Hippy Ed]

I see this thread has been quiet for awhile...

So, I decided to build these ships in 1/350 scale. It is an attempt to have a set of nice displays and also bring life back to this thread.

USS Ranger CV(N)-61. I am doing the proposed nuclear conversion for this build. Model to be build as in commission c. 2016

USS Midway CV-41. Reactivated as a helo carrier.

USS Kitty Hawk CV(N)-63. Proposed nuclear conversion. c. 2016

Interesting.... keep us apraised on your builds...

[boomstick68]

USS John F. Kennedy was originally classified as the fourth Kitty Hawk class wasn't she? I've also read somewhere that she was considered a single class carrier. Was her official classification a Kitty Hawk? BTW, where is she docked? I've heard Mayport and I've also read somewhere she's sitting at Norfolk?

[sixman]

The USS JOHN F. KENNEDY was the last conventionally-powered aircraft carrier built by the US Navy. Originally scheduled to become the fourth KITTY HAWK class carrier, the JFK received so many modifications during construction that she formed her own class.

The Navy initially wanted to decommission the KENNEDY in mid-2005 because the carrier was in bad shape and was in need of expensive repairs that just did not seem to be cost-effective. However, the Congress decided to keep the KENNEDY in service to have a total of 12 active aircraft carriers. The JOHN F. KENNEDY was subsequently berthed at the Mayport Naval Station for several months. Her flight deck was not certified for aircraft operations and the Navy was just waiting to finally decommission the ship. In late 2006, the decision was finally made to retire the KENNEDY. The KENNEDY made a final voyage up the east coast for a final port visit to Boston, Mass., in early March 2007. The decommissioning ceremony for the JOHN F. KENNEDY was on March 23, 2007, at Mayport, Fla. The official decommissioning date for the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY was August 1, 2007.

The Kennedy was towed to Norfolk, Virginia on 26 July 2007. She remained in Norfolk until a shoaled area near Pier 4 in Philadelphia could be dredged to enable the ship to safely dock. On 17 March 2008 at about 1700, she was seen leaving Norfolk Naval Station under tow of the Tug Atlantic Salvor. On 22 March 2008 Kennedy arrived, with the afternoon high tide, at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.[19] She is currently laid up in the Philadelphia reserve fleet.

In December of 2010, a contingent of the Rhode Island Aviation Hall Of Fame (RIAHOF) leadership, USS JFK Veterans, volunteers and consultants were able to visit BIG JOHN while laid up in Philadelphia. RIAHOF is presently working to preserve the JFK and turn her into a museum in Rhode Island. More information about the project can be found at http://www.ussjfkri.org/.

[alleydude]

Hello everyone. First post, wanted to show you my Independence I am working on. I am converting a Revell Saratoga into the Indy as it was when I served on her in 1988-1990. I was a CIWS technician (FC1), so the Saratoga having the CIWS mounts really attracted me to the kit. However, The entire rear port sponson and CIWS mount was completely incorrect for the Indy. Once I got started "fixing" the port aft CIWS enclosure, I realized there was a whole lot more fixing that needed to be done. Below are some pictures of my modifications so far. I have also added some PE 1/600 scale railings from Toms Modelworks. This really added a whole new level of detail to the kit.

So here are some picures. Be kind, I have been away from modeling for a LONG time. This is my second kit in about 15 years (the first is of my first model was the Midway, listed in the Gallery on this site).

This is the port aft sponsor that had to be extended to match that of the Indy.



Here is what I had to go by as far as how the sponson goes the entire length. It's weird that there are so few good clear port aft pictures of the Indy. This pictures was pre-CIWS, and there is another change to the sponson that you will see in a second.



Another view of the Sparrow launcher sponson.



This is where I worked while on the Indy. I was LPO of Mt. 22, the forward port mount. I wish I'd thought to put a quarter next to this assembly, because it is really small.



And this is the Port Aft CIWS Mount (Mount 24). This is what started all the dang rebuilding and railings and such because this went together so well. I am almost jealous that this wasn't the actual mount that I worked on while on the Indy, but oh well...



And this is what it actually looked like (except for the lack of CIWS and Sparrow). Note the "box" area on the sponsor that replaced the boat platform. I had to scratch build this, as you can see in the first picture.

So that's it for now. I hope I posted this in the right place. Suggestions, and critiques welcome.

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Looks great!

[gtbred]

looks great to me. I did a 1/350 papercard plastic scracthbuild years ago.

[alleydude]

That's very impressive. Do you have any completed pictures of it on here somewhere?

[Cliffy B]

How's this for some diorama inspiration?

CVA-60 with SSR-267 and SS-418 Alongside for repairs and supplies Aug 17, 1958.
http://collections.naval.aviation.museu ... vQuery.php

Remember to click the image for the high-res version. To save it, right click and select "copy image" and then paste into Paint/Photoshop/etc... If you simply select "save image" it doesn't work for some reason.

[gtbred]

That's very impressive. Do you have any completed pictures of it on here somewhere?

i made them for friends. the Indy went to a bud and never heard from him again. the TopGun is own by Hippy ED he still working it.

[gtbred]

finished my Saratoga. but i wanted a new painted flightdeck and hull.so all aircraft and deckcrew and equipment were taking off. this is how she look before drydock.

[Hippy Ed]

How's this for some diorama inspiration?

CVA-60 with SSR-267 and SS-418 Alongside for repairs and supplies Aug 17, 1958.
http://collections.naval.aviation.museu ... vQuery.php

Remember to click the image for the high-res version. To save it, right click and select "copy image" and then paste into Paint/Photoshop/etc... If you simply select "save image" it doesn't work for some reason.

Jolly Good pic Cliffy!!

[alleydude]

Here is the starboard aft sponson of my Indy. Having more trouble getting good clear photos of this area, and am a bit confused how the Sea Sparrow director(s) are to be placed. The Saratoga kit that I am working with did not have a Sparrow launcher on the aft starboard sponson, so I had to build a launcher and director. If someone has a good, clear photo of this part of the ship, I will try to get it closer. Looking closely at the pictures I do have, and judging from the port sponson, I am guessing I need to fabricate another director, but I am not certain how to place it. I also had to build up the area under the director as well. Just about everything I am fabricating is from .030 sheet Evergreen styrene.

[gtbred]

looking good man.

[alleydude]

So I started detailing the fantail. I just keep opening up more and more cans for worms. It's amazing how different the Independence fantail is compared to the Saratoga.

[alleydude]

Here you can see that I placed the port aft CIWS enclosure onto the hull. Don't look too close or you will see where my fat fingers crushed some stanchions. Didn't notice it until I started formatting the pictures for upload.



My biggest gripe about this whole thing is that the CIWS enclosure sits way too high up the side of the hull, almost to the flight deck catwalk. I think it is because either the hull is not an accurate height, or the CIWS mount is too darn big. If I had dropped it lower it would not sit in correct relation to the sparrow sponson. I decided I would just live with it too high.




Looking at my model, I probably could have fixed it by slicing off the bottom of the enclosure to make it shorter, but I am too far into it now to go back. Next time.



And back to an earlier problem I faced, I found this picture of the starboard aft sponson with the two directors. I guess I have a bit more work to do on that side.

[alleydude]

Went a little further this weekend. Finished the starboard aft Seasparrow director platforms.



I also started on some of the island structures. Here is the antenna platform that was much too short on the Saratoga kit, and CIWS MT. 23 on the island.

[alleydude]

Did some work on the island. Had to raise up the area above the bridge, angle the stacks, create the missile director platforms, and mounted the ciws mount and the radar platform.





From the other side...