Making flightdeck tilt antennas for 1/700 cold war carriers?

[dhenning]

Looking for info on how everyone makes the tilting antennas around the flightdeck on Vietnam era and forward US carriers? Are you using wire, stretched spruce, styrene rods, other materials? All tips and techniques would be greatly appreciated

Dave

[Pieter]

My whip antennae on Victorious are .3mm brass rod which was the smallest I could fin at the time. I would use .2mm now which is the smallest size in my current stash.

[MM2CVS9]

I used .36mm music wire on my 1/700 scale carriers. That converts to about 252mm or just under 10 inches. Still a bit over scale, but looks good to the eye. I dipped one end in white glue and let it dry, then shaping it a bit to create the "spring" at the base.

EJ

[dhenning]

Thanks for the ideas. Using wire of that diameter, I assume that tapering of the antenna isn't needed?

Dave

[MM2CVS9]

Thanks for the ideas. Using wire of that diameter, I assume that tapering of the antenna isn't needed?

Dave

Not really. Pretty hard to do that at that diameter.

EJ