1/350 CVN-65 USS Enterprise 2001

[DWD]

Holy cow! Looking amazing! If this is just the island I can't wait to see the rest of the ship

Thanks ArizonaBB39. It's those dang HD photos that keep showing all that detail and I just keep adding to it. I kind of feel like the island is pretty prominent and I wanted to add as much detail to it as possible. It's coming along. Still have a bit to do though. I'm actually still waiting to purchase a few more things that I will need to start on the hangar and hull of the ship. Thanks again.

Nice work DWD. You should make a master cast of that island and make a killing. I'm waiting for someone to make a beehive island. Hey, I can dream.

Had I thought about it sooner and knew anyone would be interested I might have considered it. Didn't know it was going to evolve like it did. I just keep adding detail to it. Probably too complex to cast now. Speaking of the beehive island. Are you gonna purchase the 1/700 CVAN-65 Dragon kit when it comes out . . . . whenever it does?

[DWD]

Added the storage locker to the island that faces aft.

[DWD]

Still going. . . . .

[anyahajobuzi]

Hey Doug!

Your Island is amazing!!!!! You are GOOD! or God?!:) keep the good stuff coming!

Laci

[DWD]

Thanks Laci. Much appreciated. But honestly, your stuff's good. Thanks for following.

I got a few photos for the front of the island that I have been detailing. The ladder for the front of the island is actually hand holds or rungs and attached individually instead of being one continuos ladder, so that's what I did, or tried to do rather. When working with parts that tiny it's hard to keep everything lined up and straight. I bent each individual rung "like" the actual rungs are. I took a strip of masking tape cut close to the width of the ladder and marked dots on each side of each rung to assist in attempting to keep them all straight if possible. Once marked I removed the masking tape and added each rung. It turned out pretty good I think. Just took a long time and A LOT of patience. Tried mine a few times. . . . . .

[anyahajobuzi]

Ok, Doug!

If you are going with this level of detail throughout the whole project, then let me finish my Nimitz tomorrow so can add it your ship as a lifeboat or something....YOUR skills are freaking amazing!!!!! I am scrapping my Nimitz. F... it....)))
Every new post of yours amazes me to a new level! Hats off! Where can I see your other builds?

Laci

[DWD]

Ok, Doug!

If you are going with this level of detail throughout the whole project, then let me finish my Nimitz tomorrow so can add it your ship as a lifeboat or something....YOUR skills are freaking amazing!!!!! I am scrapping my Nimitz. F... it....)))
Every new post of yours amazes me to a new level! Hats off! Where can I see your other builds?

Laci

I'm LMFAO. I'm just trying to keep up with you. I appreciate you following along and your comments. DO NOT scrap your Nimitz! I've gotta see your Nimitz through to finish. Like you and your Nimitz build, I have been planning this build for some time with the Enterprise. Kind of a build of a lifetime as you said. I'm trying to take my time and make everything I put into it worth a decent end result. As far as any other builds. I only have one other finished build that I have ever posted. It was a 1/720 CVN-70 Carl Vinson (http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery ... /index.htm) that I built for a friend. I've only been posting stuff since around November of last year, nothing before that. Thanks again Laci.

[DWD]

I took a break from detailing the island for a bit. . . . I was getting tunnel vision. I started looking at some of the high resolution photos of the Enterprise's hull and tried to figure out a way to represent the hull stiffeners around the ship. I used some of the thinnest sheet plastic I could find, which is dang near paper thin. After a few attempts and making them different sizes to see what looked more like the real thing I came up with one I though worked and will base the rest off of this one's dimensions. I used the bow section to start the first one. I also worked on moving some of the vents that weren't right in the first place. I will probably end up redoing most of, if not all the vents around the hull. The first photo shows the bow with all of the drain pipes and the hull stiffener is at the end.

[NigelR32]

This is one beautiful build going on...

If I were you, I'd stop looking at HD pictures, they're driving you insane!!

[Bigdaddy Mark]

OK, now I need to go down to the basement (Navy Cave) and take a hammer to my Bataan.

I do have a question that's been bugging me since I came back to building ships and I got my airbrush.
How the heck do you paint the walkways and decks after you've added your railings? Or if you paint the walkways first, how do you paint the railings without messing everything else up.
I'm coming to the point in my build that I'd like to know how to pre-build everything like you'r doing before I paint it, I just don't have a clue how to do it.

[DWD]

This is one beautiful build going on...

If I were you, I'd stop looking at HD pictures, they're driving you insane!!

Thanks for the comment and I'd have to agree with you on that one!!!

OK, now I need to go down to the basement (Navy Cave) and take a hammer to my Bataan.

I do have a question that's been bugging me since I came back to building ships and I got my airbrush.
How the heck do you paint the walkways and decks after you've added your railings? Or if you paint the walkways first, how do you paint the railings without messing everything else up.
I'm coming to the point in my build that I'd like to know how to pre-build everything like you'r doing before I paint it, I just don't have a clue how to do it.

Thanks Bigdaddy Mark, your Bataan is awesome man. I have been checking it out since you began. I have the WASP kit to build sometime in the future so I have been gathering ideas and watching you guys go to town on detailing these. I especially like that you took the time to light it the way you did. Outstanding work man!

In regards to the painting, most of the time if I pre-build something without painting it first, I know I will be able to go back and paint and mask as necessary without messing up any of the work. On part of the island, I painted some of the decks and masked them off already while I continue to build. I figured it would be too difficult to paint and mask them later so I did it now and then I will just remove the mask later. Another suggestion if you do this is to make your masks in easy sections to remove once you've completed the painting. You may get to a point where you will have to paint some things first prior to assembly and then go back and touch them up with paint after you attach them. I even sometimes pre-paint the railing prior to attaching them. I don't think there is a magic way of doing it. Just whatever you find works for you. Hope this helps at least give some ideas. Thanks again.

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Great tips. I'm getting close to the island, and I can see where this will come in handy.

[DWD]

I did some of the same structural work to the starboard side bow section and added the rest of the drain pipes and a stiffener to the hull as well as stiffeners to the sponson. The sponson isn't glued on yet. I think it will be easier to build the catwalks from the flight deck without it attached yet. The vents on the sponson aren't finished yet either. I just drilled them out and cleaned them up.

[ArizonaBB39]

Excellent work Doug. I love seeing your progress.

[DWD]

Thanks for following ArizonaBB39. I appreciate the comment. I've been doing some work on the starboard side of the ship on one of the platforms. Hopefully if I get time tonight, I will try and post some photos. If not, maybe tomorrow. Thanks again.

[anyahajobuzi]

Yes, YES! Keep the show going! I keep re-visiting your photos of that island.. insanely insane! I can't wait to see it painted and finished!

[gtbred]

That is great work on your island DWD Started on my scracthbuild Beehive islands.

[boomstick68]

Yes, YES! Keep the show going! I keep re-visiting your photos of that island.. insanely insane! I can't wait to see it painted and finished!

I second that!!

[DWD]

Have not been making a lot of progress lately it seems. I have been doing some work on the RHIB deck sponson. This is just the start of it, as I still have quite a bit of detail to add to it. I also have a little work done on one of the smaller sponsons on the starboard side. Same thing, still have quite a bit of detail yet to add to it. It's coming along. Sorry I am kinda jumping all over the place. I am continuing to add the hull stiffeners as I go. I only added parts of them until the small starboard sponson is finished and in place, then I will be able to finish the hull stiffener which will cover the seam between the sponson and the hull. I also tried my hand at finishing one lonely hose reel to see how it would turn out. One down . . . . .

[anyahajobuzi]

Nice job on everything, but especially on that ONE reel. 63546925 to go. Keep up this standard! Very beautiful!