Model Monkey Sneak Peeks

[Angeliccypher]

Hi and thanks for your patronage!

I don't have a video posted but there are threads by two modelers making the conversion. Here they are:

1/350 scale: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=162943

1/700 scale: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=162753

Hope this helps and thanks again!

Steve

Hey Steve,

I have most of the Pennsylvania parts for 12/7/41. Is there a similar video or thread you are aware of for her in 1-350?

[ModelMonkey]

Hi Gabriel,

Thanks for your patronage!

Here's a link to Mark "Mgunns" conversion in 1/200 scale. The process is nearly identical in 1/350.
viewtopic.php?f=60&t=161619

Hope you really enjoy the build and the parts.

[Mark McKinnis]

Hi Steve,

Does that mean that a 1/700 scale Intrepid SCB-125 Island is within a few days of completion?

[ModelMonkey]

Hi Mark,

[edit: Yes, a 1/700 scale Intrepid CVS-11 island, 1968-1973, is now for sale. Cheers!]

[Mark McKinnis]

Hi Steve,


The Yorktown Island works for me. The 1950s Islands will work so I would advise you to not pursue the others in 1/700 scale. Way to much work for not much bang. Another approach would be to make a 1/700 scale pri-fly to convert the 50's Islands that you already offer. That appears from the outside looking in to be a much simpler operation.

They look great though. I am getting back into finishing my 1/350 Kearsarge SCB-27A ship and your Island looks great perched on top of her.

Thanks,

MM

[ModelMonkey]

Heaven has been smiling on us. Miracle received!

Mark, Christoph, Jodie and others who have been waiting very patiently for a very long time: good news. After considerable effort, the design for a 1/700 scale Essex SCB-125 island has finally passed Shapeways automated tests. The design, for USS Oriskany CVA-34 is getting final tweaks and detailing and may be released later today or tomorrow.[edit: DONE! and for sale]

Its features are specific to Oriskany as she appeared in 1968.

[Christoph Mentzel]

fantastic Steve thanks for your work !

Best regards
Chris

[Mark McKinnis]

Awesome!!


Do you have plans to attempt more in 700th scale? Maybe the three or four of us attempting conversions should start a thread to generate more interest???

As an after thought I was wondering what is your level of effort after you get the first island set up? Do you have to start from scratch for each configuration, Intrepid, Yorktown, Shangri La, etc. or can you leverage the first one to make the subtle changes between the other ships?

I was showing off the 1/350 Kearsarge Island the other day. Quite a piece of art!

[jpeeler]

Heaven has been smiling on us. Miracle received!

Mark, Christoph, Jodie and others who have been waiting very patiently for a very long time: good news. After considerable effort, the design for a 1/700 scale Essex SCB-125 island has finally passed Shapeways automated tests.

Steve, you are doing blessed work. My billfold hates what you are doing but, my goodness, are you making so many other things in my life very happy, and making a lot of long-held wishes come true. Thank you for doing all this.

Jodie Peeler

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks, Jodie and Chris! I really appreciate your encouragement and patronage. Your continued support helps make all this possible so thank you, too, Jodie's wallet.

Well, I didn't get the island done today but tomorrow it will go live.

Awesome!!

Hi Mark, thank you, too!

...Do you have plans to attempt more in 700th scale? Maybe the three or four of us attempting conversions should start a thread to generate more interest???...

Let's see how this one sells before I commit to more Essex islands. There has been very little interest in the Essex islands designed so far, or surprisingly other products for Cold War subjects generally, probably due to the lack of injection plastic Cold War-era ships to put the products on.

After Oriskany, I need to get back to the Forrestals for a little while. Along with you, Mardis Hall is anxiously waiting for one too but in his case it's an Independence island in 1/350. Once Forrestals are done, I'll likely begin designing a Pennsylvania BB-38 1944 superstructure. Many have been patiently waiting for that product.

...As an after thought I was wondering what is your level of effort after you get the first island set up? Do you have to start from scratch for each configuration, Intrepid, Yorktown, Shangri La, etc. or can you leverage the first one to make the subtle changes between the other ships?...

All of the islands share one or the other of two versions of the same basic shape (the two island forms are "extended bridge" and "short bridge" - see rendering of the "short-bridge" version below). Note that the top portion, when viewed from the front, is correctly, slightly tapered. Many kits and aftermarket products miss the taper.

When researching the islands, I was amazed to find so many significant differences between ships of the class (differently shaped decks and bridges, different flag lockers, radar platforms, splinter shielding, deckhouses, door and porthole/rigol number and positions, exterior piping, etc., etc., all different, and noticeably so).

So, from that basic shape, the 3D designs are all made differently, some in just a few ways, others more so, in order to capture the conspicuous features unique to each island and therefore each design becomes essentially a new design. Depending on the complexity of the geometry and the availability of references, each island takes between 1-4 weeks working full time to research and design making them very time-intensive subjects and thus very costly to design (time = money).

Once the design is complete, each design then has to be adjusted to meet printing requirements for the intended scale, meaning a unique design for each scale is produced. This means that there are actually more than one design of any one island. Printing requirements are much tougher to meet for subjects in smaller scales while trying to keep the design looking realistic. So there is an iterative process (adding even more time) in adjusting features until it will pass Shapeways design analysis software checks before being offered for sale. Until last week, the 1/700 Vietnam War-era island did not pass the checks. Once it passed, I was able to start adding all the details, and there are many.

I was showing off the 1/350 Kearsarge Island the other day. Quite a piece of art!

Thanks so much! I'm excited to see your build finished. I think the SCB-27 island on a straight-deck Essex looks so cool.

[ModelMonkey]

Chris, Mark and Jodie, today's the day. Thank you for your considerable patience!

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=163596&p=727589#p727589

http://shpws.me/P9CU

[ModelMonkey]

Two related projects in the works that are likely to be complete by December are World War Two-era Essex class islands of two types, a "short bridge" (1943-1944) and an "extended (long) bridge" (1944-1945). They will have open doors, open director tower battle lookouts and accurately shaped open uptakes. These models will be made available in several popular scales.

Here are the designs at about 50% complete.

[ModelMonkey]

Here's the "short bridge", early war Essex class island design at about 90% complete. More details will be added and some adjustments to what you see here will be made and then the design will be released. The "long bridge", late-war design will be released soon afterwards.

Intended scales are 1/700, 1/525 and 1/400.

[ModelMonkey]

The World War Two-era Essex islands are proving to be popular products. Thank you all!

For those who also enjoy modernized Essex islands, here's the next release, the island of USS Hornet CVS-12 (1969) at about 95% complete. Further piping detail, whistles and whistle platforms, some tweaks to shapes, and the addition of venturis (wind deflectors) are yet to be added. The island was in this configuration when Hornet recovered the three astronauts of Apollo 11 after their famous mission to put man on the Moon for the first time.

[R32WA]

The World War Two-era Essex islands are proving to be popular products. Thank you all!

For those who also enjoy modernized Essex islands, here's the next release, the island of USS Hornet CVS-12 (1969) at about 95% complete. Further piping detail, whistles and whistle platforms, some tweaks to shapes, and the addition of venturis (wind deflectors) are yet to be added. The island was in this configuration when Hornet recovered the three astronauts of Apollo 11 after their famous mission to put man on the Moon for the first time.

Yes!!!!

[ModelMonkey]

Thanks for your saint-like patience!

[gtbred]

Coming down the road. Thanks Steve!

[Thegreenmachine]

Is there a possibility to get the new modern life raft canisters in 1/350, too?
Would need them for a modern Aegis class cruiser.

[ModelMonkey]

Coming down the road. Thanks Steve!

Thanks Mardis! I hope the new 1/350 Indy island is a big help to you. Your Beehive Big E is looking sweet.

Is there a possibility to get the new modern life raft canisters in 1/350, too?
Would need them for a modern Aegis class cruiser.

I would very much like to offer them but so far I regret that sufficient authoritative, dimensioned 2D references from which to make the 3D design have not been found in the public domain. Perhaps someone with good references will see this post and share. I think the canisters would be a big help to many modelers.

Thanks for the interest!

[ModelMonkey]

A few more details, some final tweaks, and opening the funnel cap and then the USS Hornet CVS-12 island will be done. I hope to release it in 1/350 scale tomorrow or Thursday. Other scales will come shortly after. [edit: Done! Link: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=163596&p=735025#p735025]