1/350 USS Reagan CVN-76

[LE BOSCO]

Hello Ryan


I missed the last advances !! it's just amazing great job
cheers
Nicolas

[MAJOR-B]

As always outstanding...love the mast..may have missed what are you using for the grated platforms...r the in your PE sets ???:

[boomstick68]

Probably the best example of scratch building to grace this forum. Lines are perfectly straight and plumb. The accuracy is beyond compare. With the CVN WIP's going on right now, there is no lack of motivation for me to finish IKE. Awesome work.

[sgtryan13]

Thanks a lot guys! And Laci, you couldn't be more right, the islands got a hell of a makeover, hell, even Reagan has had a good 3 of changes to her island in only 10 years in the fleet. none of this would be possible without ray bean's photo cds though.

Major, all the pe is modified from spares out of the GMM and WEM CVN sets. I just pick the leftover parts that look the best fit for what I need to make, then start hacking away!

[gtbred]

Well done Sarge!

[sgtryan13]

Main mast = DONE!!!

Topping out a a total of 3 1/16" tall, once the satcomm dome is added it is a total of 170 pieces. This thing took more time than I care to recall or admit, but the results I couldn't be happier with. It is totally different and much more complicated than the mast on the Bush, and as you can see in the one comparison picture, a far friggin cry from the mast in the kit. I would have to say that it is probably the most difficult thing I have ever attempted to scratch build, and it is also my best scratch work so far.

The island got it's decaling (debating weather or not to add any "E" awards for color and some ribbons, even though it would not be accurate for the year I am building her...

And a couple shots of what will be the signal flag area. On Regan, this consists of 2 rased platforms on either side of the island with a very large flag locker, and a bunch of the signal halyards running to the tall "rails" on these platforms. I think it will really dress up what is usually a boring area of the island, especially with a copuple crew members manning them.

[gtbred]

nice work Ryan! question: you make your own p.e set? because some of those platforms I never saw before.

[sgtryan13]

Thanks red! And no, I don't "make" my own PE per-se. What I did for this build is take spares from the GMM and WEM Nimitz sets and cut and shape them to my needs. I sure wish I was that computer savvy to design and make my own PE though!

[NWarty]

Beautiful work bud

[MAJOR-B]

How does this project keep on getting better and better. That Mast is outstanding .... You have set the bar so high... just think you are almost ready to tackle the airwing.. standing by to see more of the awesome work..
I give you HOOOORAH>>>>>>

[gtbred]

Thanks red! And no, I don't "make" my own PE per-se. What I did for this build is take spares from the GMM and WEM Nimitz sets and cut and shape them to my needs. I sure wish I was that computer savvy to design and make my own PE though!

just like a jarhead! take stuff that don't seem to work and make them work. You and Laci got me working on the Brokennawa when it seems is it worth it.

[sgtryan13]

You got that right Red!

The island is almost done!

The mast is pre-rigged and attached, I took a lot of time pre-planning the rigging scheme to hopefully make it go smoothly and come out perfectly, fingers crossed! I think the mast is aligned perfectly on all planes, I leveled the island, and put a piece of graph paper behind it to install the mast in order to assure that it is level and perfectly straight, with the ever scrutinizing eyes of the judges in the fore front of my mind

I forgot to take pics of the island interior, but I installed crew and some basic equipment consoles inside the island which are barely visible, but will be an extra little treat to anyone shining a bright light in through the bridge windows.

[boomstick68]

Holy Mother of God

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Outstanding!!!!!!!

[NWarty]

You should comb out that rigging like Marsha Brady's hair

[sgtryan13]

Ha! Well Warty, her hair certainly got a good straightening, that's for sure!

First, I'll start with an apology: Sorry for the obscene # of pictures of the island and mast, but screw it, I am proud of this one, and frankly it has taken up sooo much of my modeling time that I need to show it off a little just to console myself that I am killing so many beautiful days sitting at my workbench!

The rigging is complete! And I am completely confident saying that this is my best rigging job to date, and the first one I am truly happy with. All the pre-planning seems to have paid off in spades, and though the rigging took a butt load of hours, it was pretty straight-forward, and no major problems were encountered (another first).

The BIG American Flag is a spare from the New York kit, the rest are home made by me. No disrespect to the avy is meant by the placing of the USMC flag higher, I wanted them both up top, but they obscured the view of each other, so I opted to place the USN flag below, since the USMC one was the first one I placed, and hey I am a Marine, and there is no way in hell MY flag is flying lower than the squid flag! I really like how the flags came out, and I threw on the Reagan's flag as well becaude I liked it's shape like a cavalry flag. I don't want to over populate the yardarms with flags, so I am leaving her as is for now, and giving some thought as to weather I want to add any signal flags to her or not.

[sgtryan13]

A couple more

And then my next challenge, l'Arsenal crew figures! Wow, these things are tiny and fragile! I am doing these in small batches, right now is just a handful topopulate the outside of the island and a couple manning the flag halyards. the flight deck will get the same treatment, but seeing as it is flight ops on a VERY crowded deck, the CO has decided that all non-essential personnel are banned from the deck and catwalks!

[gtbred]

Just great work Ryan!

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Those people are a bit of a pain, but they sure do look good on the deck.

[boomstick68]

Great work on the island Ryan. The rigging is superb. Oh, it looks like there may have been a little residual beer left for those crew members?