If you look, you will see the last deployment with Tomcats is the '97-'98 World Cruise for operation "Southern Watch". The only kink is that it's CAG-9, not CAG-11 and you made those beautiful decals already!
Good Modeling!
Michael Clare
On the Ways:
Scratch-building: 1/192 USS America CV-66
Finished:
Scratch-built: 1/192 USS Arcadia AD-23
Kits: 1/350 Adm. Kuznetsov & USS Wasp LHD-1
Yes Michael, i am going to represent the Nimitz in her 2003 deployment. I know that in this period she did not embark F-14, but i think that a carrier without Tomcats on her deck is not a carrier. So, this is the only license that i am going to permit myself, only one squadron from VF-31. I will have to desembark an F-18C squadron to let the F-14 squadron fits inside the carrier.
Thank you Goodwood. Yes i am back to the build (i hope ). I am currently building a 1/72 Seahawk helicopter that a friend has asked me to build, but i will try to continue building my carrier.
All I can say is WOW! Amazing detail and all scratch-built! Put's those of us who build from kits to shame. Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic build. I've learned a few things I'll be incorporating on my builds. Looking forward to the finished product. Keep up the absolutely great work.
Thank you very much John for your kind words. Currently i am building a SH-60 helicopter at 1/72 scale, for a friend, so, when i finish it, i will restart working on this carrier.
I hope that i have finally come back and continue with this construction. Here is a little advance in the F-18 squadron. In this case a F-18C that will be under maintenance in the hangar bay. The left engine has been removed and there will be people working on it.
The plane is not finishe yet, but i have been working in the engine bay and there still are a lot of details to be added.
I was stationed on board Nimitz from 1986 to 1990 and then from 1992 to 1994.
Your model looks really good. The flight deck and weathering looks really good as well.
The sponson where the zodiac boat is on the port side was where my shop was. Back then the port motor whale boat was a deck above instead of sitting on the sponson. Behind here the zodiac sits in a hatch that when you go there it ill take you up to the ships library and Chapel on the o3 level or you can go straight threw a ballistic hatch into the hangar bay #1. These hatches on the sponson are all the ballistic type. The other two hatches you have on the sponson are correct. One went to my shop and then through another ballistic hatch out to hangar bay #1 and the other was our shops as ell that used to be where they made the napalm during Vietnam War.
In hangar bay #1 there were two hatches on the starboard side close to the ballistic doors that divided the hangar bays. One went up to our shop on the o3 level and the other to the left of the first as the door to the air department hangar bay crew.
on he port side of the hangar by the ballistic doors as a platform with a ballistic hatch so you could go through into hangar bay #2 if the ballistic doors here closed.. When the ballistic doors opened they did not go all the ay back against the all like on the starboard side.
The forward part of hangar bay one was GSE where the support equipment for the weapons and aircraft were worked on and fixed. The weapons GSE as on the port side and the aircraft GSE was on the starboard. In between was what we called the tunnel. It was a walk way that went to the forward part of the ship and after entering from the hangar there ere two regular I guess you could say French style doors that opened up. (Two doors that could open in one door way.) These ere regular metal doors not hatches. There are hatches that went down to the right as you entered the tunnel into the forward mess and my divisions berthing area. then as you went through the double doors there as a hatch t5o the right that went down to the berthing forward of mine. These ere regular ballistic hatches the deck with scuttles in them that lifted up from the deck with stantions to hold up the hatch as you go down the ladder.
There as a big mezaneen in the forward part of the hangar #1 aswell above the GSE's.
In hangar bay three all the way to the back as the jet engine test and fix shop. Also to the left as you look aft as a hatch in the side of the wall in the back corner that went to the fantail and the incenorator for trash. On the right side as your looking aft was a hatch in the wall as well in the rear corner of the wall the same as the other side leading to the fantail.
In the middle of the hangar bay three all the way aft was usually where the boats ere parked on their trailors.
There as also a mezaneen above on the right side which held the gym.
The f-14's where always in bay #3. 18's where in bay #1. Helos starboard side bay #2 18's in bay #2 as ell port side.
I hope this info can help you.
Doing a great job.
Thank you very much Dennis, your information is unvaluable. You can imagine how difficult is to obtain information from a few photos. I appreciate the information about how the planes are stored in the hangar bay. I am currently working on the fantail and probably i will need more information from you
You are so lucky to have been assigned to the Nimitz. I envy you.
