Calling all Nimitz-class CVN fans

[sgtryan13]

Correct, though in my experience, when I did the dark gull/ light gull scheme, after weathering you can not tell at all that there are two different shades of grey used, so it was a waste of time.

What I do for all my low-viz carriers is paint each aircraft a single color, BUT, I use a mix of about 4 or 5 different greys to paint different planes. If you look at a picture of a modern carrier, you will see a huge variation in colors of different aircraft, even though they are all painted the same color. This is due to fading paint, different batches of the same color, and re-paints after repairs. Click on the link in my signature line to see how this looks when applied to a big airwing on my USS Reagan.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

I need to place some crewmen on the fantail area of the ship. Who would normally be the types of crewmen that would be gathering in this area? I don't have any aircraft engine maintenance being portrayed, so I doubt there would be any technicians back here at this time.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Is there a list anywhere that will give me the number of each type of aircraft that was assigned to each squadron of carrier Air Wing 8 in late 1980? I would like to get the number of aircraft on my model correct, since I will have a few types of planes down in the hangar deck.

This is a link to the Go Navy website. This was an exercise Nimitz/CVW-8 did in late 1980.

http://www.gonavy.jp/CVW8-AJ1980.html

You could add an EA-3B and a C-2 to the mix and be accurate.

Here is the main page to that website. Where you see a blue tab with BU.NO. you get to the page I linked above. Great place for info on Air Wings!!

http://www.gonavy.jp/CVf.html

Good Luck!

Mark

how many of those aircraft would have been aboard in late 1980? the EA-3 possessed a nuclear delivery capability if I am remembering correctly?

only now just got a new printer so I can finally print out the reference material from those sources given.

[DennisJP]

You also must paint according to the scale of ship your building.
I as on the Nimitz and when she was next to the pier she looked a neutral shade of gray with a little blue. (Haze Gray) When I flew on board her in a helo from a distance she looks sky blue.

[DennisJP]

Interior paint was always white with dark gray base board. The hangar was white with dark gray up 1/4 of wall from the bottom. sponsons ere haze gray with dark gray base boards. I remember the Nimitz patch "Team work a tradition" was painted on the hangar bay 2 ballistic doors, if I remember correctly.

[DennisJP]

how many of those aircraft would have been aboard in late 1980? the EA-3 possessed a nuclear delivery capability if I am remembering correctly?

only now just got a new printer so I can finally print out the reference material from those sources given.[/quote]

LATE 1980"S
We had:
Tomcats ( 2 squadrons) (10 aircraft apiece)
Intruders (2 Squadrons) ( 12 aircraft apiece)
Corsairs (2 squadrons ?)
vikings (1 squadron (10 aircraft)
Sea king Helo (6 Helos)
Hawk eyes ( 4 aircraft)
Whales (ounce in the Med we had 2 or 3) Was reconfigured from a bomber to recon plane.

This I remember as the type of aircraft for my 1987 med/world cruise and my 1988 west pac cruise.
after that cruise we got rid of the A-7 Corsairs.

[DennisJP]

Also 4 EA-6B Prowlers.
The tankers were just refueling pods that were on the intruders.
As to the fantail no one was aloud back there during flight ops. Was used for aircraft engine testing from the engine mechanic shop in the back of the hangar bay #3.
We would take a look though some times when no flight ops.
Also that is where the stairs was for us to go ashore overseas. The hatch is in the deck of the fantail and a portion of the back of the ship that sticks out with the ships name on it lowers to the floating barge and forms a ramp.
There is also piro lockers we kept flares in on the upper walk way on the fan tail we had to check every ounce in awhile.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

how many of those aircraft would have been aboard in late 1980? the EA-3 possessed a nuclear delivery capability if I am remembering correctly?

only now just got a new printer so I can finally print out the reference material from those sources given.

LATE 1980"S
We had:
Tomcats ( 2 squadrons) (10 aircraft apiece)
Intruders (2 Squadrons) ( 12 aircraft apiece)
Corsairs (2 squadrons ?)
vikings (1 squadron (10 aircraft)
Sea king Helo (6 Helos)
Hawk eyes ( 4 aircraft)
Whales (ounce in the Med we had 2 or 3) Was reconfigured from a bomber to recon plane.

This I remember as the type of aircraft for my 1987 med/world cruise and my 1988 west pac cruise.
after that cruise we got rid of the A-7 Corsairs.

Thank you for that information. I'm going for late 1980 during the time she would have appeared in the final countdown. I also plan on having a couple of F-8 Crusaders, EA-3's and maybe a couple of C-2s, as I have been informed that the aircraft were typically part of a detachment that would join the ship in mid cruise for a period of time before disembarking again.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Also 4 EA-6B Prowlers.
The tankers were just refueling pods that were on the intruders.
As to the fantail no one was aloud back there during flight ops. Was used for aircraft engine testing from the engine mechanic shop in the back of the hangar bay #3.
We would take a look though some times when no flight ops.
Also that is where the stairs was for us to go ashore overseas. The hatch is in the deck of the fantail and a portion of the back of the ship that sticks out with the ships name on it lowers to the floating barge and forms a ramp.
There is also piro lockers we kept flares in on the upper walk way on the fan tail we had to check every ounce in awhile.

I already have crewmen positioned on the Stern area. I plan on modeling the ship during flight operations with aircraft being launched, so I Will have to accept that my model won't be technically accurate in that regard.

[Thomas E. Johnson]

The Sea Sparrow launchers in the trumpeter kit (1/350) are under scale correct?

[anytimebaby]

Hi guys ...I have only recently discovered this amazing forum and this is my first post, and I'm hoping someone may have an answer for me.
I'm just getting back into modelling after an extended break and have just commenced the 1/350 Nimitz which I'm converting to the Roosevelt.

I have gathered a lot of reference material re photos etc. and have noticed in several photos that CVN-71 had 'BIG STICK' titles on the bow edge of the flight deck.
I would dearly love to know when these Titles were applied and how long she carried them for as they are no longer there.

Thanks guys, any help greatly appreciated.
Cheers Cam

[gjholmes77]

Just a heads up to all of the Nimitz fans out there: a really excellent set of photos of Ronald Reagan popped up on Flickr tonight.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/135713236 ... 7686934179

Especially detailed pics of the mast and island.

Thanks!

~Greg

[wvtomcat65]

Nice set of pics!!... But they are of CVN-76 before 2013. In the pics she has no CIWS, which two were added in her 2012 Yard time. And the island is missing a few minor additions from that yard time as well... But still an awesome set of pics to help with building a kit. My hope is that we will in the future get a 1/350 CVN-76/CVN-77 kit. I'd like to see a 1/700 kits as well. I have the Italeri 1/720 of both 76 & 77, but it lacks detail...

Thomas

[Mark McKinnis]

I saw this individuals 3D Printer 1/350 scale Nimitz Details and dropped him a note regarding doing a 3D Printed Reagan Island for the 1/350 scale Nimitz. He responded that he is doing one for a 1/350 scale Busch and was considering it. Drop him a note with regard to your request and see what we can get done. I had the idea that if you took the Italeri 1/720 scale Reagan kit's Island and scanned it in, you might be able to get a pretty nice Island by scaling it up for both 1/700 and 1/350th scale. Looks like you might get a Busch out of it as well.


https://www.shapeways.com/shops/baconfist

[gjholmes77]

Hey thanks for the plug, Mark! Funny how I found that set of pics just a couple of days after you were asking me about the Reagan island... and it's a long weekend. Even though I don't have one of the Italeri kits on hand I might just make a start on it anyway this weekend. Of course, if I do the island I'll have to do all the sponsons too. Thanks wvtomcat for the tips on the dates. You could go crazy keeping up with all the differences on these ships.

~Greg

[boomstick68]

I think more importantly we need a 350 CVN 65 "Beehive" island.

[Mark McKinnis]

Hey thanks for the plug, Mark! Funny how I found that set of pics just a couple of days after you were asking me about the Reagan island... and it's a long weekend. Even though I don't have one of the Italeri kits on hand I might just make a start on it anyway this weekend. Of course, if I do the island I'll have to do all the sponsons too. Thanks wvtomcat for the tips on the dates. You could go crazy keeping up with all the differences on these ships.

~Greg

Hi Greg!

I did not know that you were on this forum. Of course, it all makes sense now. A CVAN-65 Beehive would be pretty cool!

Back on point though, a Trumpeter update kit with Islands, sponsons and such would be pretty cool. I know I would be buying at least one set and maybe more. Can you tell me what is the difference on your hanger entry bays sold individually and the set you have with all 4?

Thanks,

Mark

[ModelMonkey]

Greg, really nice work! Hope to see even more.

[gjholmes77]

Thanks Steve! Keep checking it out, there's plenty of cool stuff in the pipeline.

Hey Mark- There are no differences in the entry bays that are sold separately vs the complete set except for the materials they are available in. I did the set to reduce the price a little since there is a 'per part' charge as part of the shapeways pricing formula. Unfortunately, the complete set seems to be too complex for shapeways to print in the White Strong Flexible material (which is the cheapest) so they cancelled that product. Also the complete set is too large for the frosted extreme detail material. So the individual bays are a way to still get both the cheap and expensive materials.

And yes my not so secret plan IS actually an Enterprise beehive. Since there seems to be a lot of interest in that I'll make sure I show it off here when I'm done.

[Kagou]

Hi

I've a question about Trumpeter class Nimitz in 1/700 .

I have the 2005 Nimitz and I would like to know if the others references (Stennis , Roosevelt ...etc ) are the same kits with the same sprue

Best regards

Pierre