Merit 1/350 USS Enterprise CV-6

[Wedgie01]

With most of my kits in storage in preparation for a home move, we're now locked down from COVID with so many others. Stay safe and well fellow modellers.

Luckily, my family and I are well, but to help get through I've purchased a couple of new models (yes, our local Hobby Shop remains open!) First up, I am making my first trek into building a model aircraft carrier. I would love to have grabbed the 1/200 Hornet, but thought it best to start smaller and cheaper, so have picked up the Merit 1/350 USS Enterprise CV-6.

USS Enterprise - Box Art

At present I'm mostly in research mode, picking up the David Doyle book on the Enterprise's Yorktown Class sister ship USS Hornet, and browsing the internet for photos and model build logs. One of the main issues reviews and builders have with this particular kit is the over emphasised hull plating. The hull is a solid one piece mold, but yeah, that hull plating looks terrible. So, as many before me seem to have done, I'm making my first task the reduction of those panel lines. Starting with the stern, I'm working one side at a time. And this is where I am......

Removing the raised plating detail.

More to come.

[MartinJQuinn]

Good luck! I just finished this model recently. I opted to leave the hull plating on, under a coat of paint, it doesn't look so bad. I admire your tenacity in taking it off.

The instructions are lackluster - I made a boo boo attaching the hangar bulkheads just aft of the forward 5 inch gun tubs on the starboard side, which f**ked up the whole alignment of the flight deck for me.

[marijn van gils]

Even though Martin's model looks great when finished, I feel the reduced plating looks much better than the original on your unpainted photo. Good work!
I guess you just took sandpaper to it? And I guess it will be followed by a couple of finer grades to smooth out the scratches?

[Wedgie01]

Hey Martin,

Many thanks mate. I note the instructions seem a bit light on, but hope to take it slowly, especially when I get feedback such as yours. Model looks good. I'm just about ready to prime the hull, so will post some more pics then; probably tomorrow.

Cheers,
Steve

Good luck! I just finished this model recently. I opted to leave the hull plating on, under a coat of paint, it doesn't look so bad. I admire your tenacity in taking it off.

The instructions are lackluster - I made a boo boo attaching the hangar bulkheads just aft of the forward 5 inch gun tubs on the starboard side, which f**ked up the whole alignment of the flight deck for me.

[Wedgie01]

Hi Marijn,

Thanks for your comments, and I agree Martin's model looks good. Love the wooden base he has used. I have used a combination of a small flat blade chisel and sanding files and just finished with removing all the raised vertical panels this afternoon. Giving it a final sand, then will coat with a grey primer and further attack any blemishes before a final prime and fine sand. Will post pics as I progress.

Cheers,
Steve

Even though Martin's model looks great when finished, I feel the reduced plating looks much better than the original on your unpainted photo. Good work!
I guess you just took sandpaper to it? And I guess it will be followed by a couple of finer grades to smooth out the scratches?

[Wedgie01]

Finished the basic removal of the oversized hull plating on the hull. Some remnants remain, even after priming, but I think it looks better overall than the original.
Getting ready to paint the hull, so will post again after that is complete.

Port Stern view.

[Wedgie01]

This kit comes with quite a good bit of PE, but there's always room for more. I obtained the Eduard PE set for USS Yorktown class AA guns, which upgrades all the armament aspects of the kit. Some of it is unseen, such as the bases of the 5/38 gun mounts, and others quite small, like the ammo box on the side of the 50 cal machine guns.

The FWD port sponson of the kit, with original mold, and with Eduard PE base replacement.

Overall, not a bad addition to this kit.

Two of the FWD 5/38 gun mounts, with Eduard PE.

[Dadeo911]

Looks like a great start.

Take care,

Chris