1/350 USS Truman Conversion

[Jon]

Jon, thanks for the tip about the round dome on the chopper, I honestly had no idea!

I am almost certain that my seahawk from trumpeter is the "Knighthawk" varient that they sell. I really was not too concerned which variant I had when I bought them, I just wanted any seahawk version, and the Knighthawk was the cheapest deal I found on ebay.

Here's some great photos I found on-line researching how to make mine look:

HH-60H:
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/micha ... 0h_163797/

SH-60F
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/micha ... cean_hawk/

For the past roughly 20 years, the US carriers have deployed with a mix of SH-60s and HH-60s. Usually more SH-60s than HH-60s.

Here's a site that may lend some help about the airwing:
http://www.gonavy.jp/CV-CVN75f.html

[sgtryan13]

Thanks for the links Jon.

Here are some updated shots of the progress.

First up is my attempt at adding hull plating, which came out horrible!!! First, the thinnest pencil lead I could find was .5mm, which to me still looks WAY overscale. The biggest problem I am consistantly finding though, is that there is something going on with the paint adhering to the hull plastic:

I did everything the same as I always do: I washed the hull and rinsed and dried it thouroughly. Then I lightly sanded the whole thing, primed and let dry for 24 hours. Then sprayed the grey, balck, and red, letting each dry for 24 hours before the next color. Then I coated it with 2 coats of future, with a day between each coat. I then used Tamiya tape to get the plating lines straight, but when I removed the tape, a ton of paint and primer came off with it right down to the bare plastic!!! I have no clue what the problem could be, as I am using the same paints and primers on other projects right now, with now issues at all. All I can think is that it must be an issue with the actual plastic in this particular kit ( I had no issues with the other 2 Nimitz kits I did before). So if anyone has any suggestions here, please feel free to speak up!

[sgtryan13]

On to some areas that are not making me insane here!

I tried to show how I am making replacement canopies, but it is hard to see with all the clear plastic. I am using the clear film that comes on the trumpeter aircraft kits (Thanks to some suggestions from the main forum for an alternative to squadron thermaform), and heating them with a candle and stretching them over the aircraft. It is tedius, and a pain at times, but I am hoping the effort will be worth it.

The island was modified, all the white is styrene, along with bits form a cell phone to add details found in photos of the truman to make it more accurate. If you pay attention to photos, ther is a lot of small details that you can paint to add color and visual interest to the otherwise monotone grey island. All colors I have painted are accurate to pictures of the Truman on the web.

[sgtryan13]

More detailing the island.

Though the actual fiber optic cables are not yet installed, the skies opened and I heard "Let there be light!" the lighting of the island numbers is a success! I was a little worried about this part, but it went pretty smoothly. Once I get the actual fiber cables installed I will take step by step pics to explain, but here I used a #80 drill bitt, which is the smallest I had, to drill around the 75 decals. The actual fiber optic cables are .025 mm in diameter, barely visible in the pic. The drilling was tedius, but patience and a steady hand was all it required.

The modifications to the upper levels of the island are pretty straight forward, a large structure needs to be added to the rear of the first 2 levels, as well as the sea sparrow radar platforms.

I used styrene and photo etch spares to make the stacomm platform for the front of the island, I think it came out pretty good if I don't say so myself!

[sgtryan13]

Here are the detail shots of the island modifications.

To anyone attempting these conversions, both of the GMM and both of the WEM photo etch sets really are needed to do it right, as I discussed in an earlier post. Another example is the sea sparrow missle radar platforms. The GMM one is much bigger than the WEM one, and the WEM one looks to be more accurate when compared to pics of the real thing. Check the 2 sets against eachother and make sure you choose the best part.

Some surgery needs to be done to the rear of the island before you start scratchbuilding the additions, you need to remove a section of the deck on the 0-2 level, and add some catwalk and bulkhead to the 0-1 level.

[navydavesof]

Wow, sgtryan13, phenominal build! Great posts. I really look forward to more of your build.

[gtbred]

can't help you on the hull plating. Kelly has done that on his build.

[pingjockey]

Looking great Ryan! I wish I had your skill and patience.

[sgtryan13]

Thanks guys, I was a little nervous about all the scratchbuilding angles, but styrene is really forgiving so I have not had too many problems. I e mailed Kelly about his hull plating, and he gave me a couple pointers I am going to try, just hoping I don't have another issue with more paint and primer lifting off!

The only update at the moment is I corrected the Satcomm sponson for the front of the island. Studying more pics of the real thing, I felt that my sponson stuck out too far from the island, so I shortened it a bit by removing some of the catwalk, and I think it looks much more realistic now.

A big thanks goes to Cliffy B (Mike) for the great set of photos he sent me that he took while touring the HST. He got some really wonderful detail shots that have been a huge help with the island.

[sgtryan13]

Finally got the hull plating to look ok. I used an artist's pencil with a Staedler rotary sharpener (thanks Kelly!), and it gave much finer and more subtle lines. I also found what I think is my new favorite tepe (at least for non complex curves and touch up work) it is 3M "low tack artist's tape" It is a little stickier than an average post-it note, and was a breeze to use to mark these lines. It is also very thick, so it made tracing the lines with the pencil that much easier.

We are still debating weather or not to try to shade some of the individual plates varying colors, or just leaving the lines as is, and weathering along the seams later in the build.

[gtbred]

well done.

[sgtryan13]

Thanks GTB, how's the Gerald Ford coming along?

I think the island uppers are finally ready for paint, then it wil be decals, fiberoptics, and photoetch, in that order I think. Just gonna go over my references a few last times to make sure i have not missed anything else I need to scratchbuild.

Please, if anyone sees anything I forgot on the island (other than the obvious PE and domes that will come later) speak up now!!!

I also added a bunch of details to the stern bulkhead to make it more accurate. It is still not 100% but it is a lot closer anyways. To completely make it accurate, I would probably need to scrap the entire bulkhead and start form scratch, but I think the remaining inaccuracies are close enough to be lived with.

[sgtryan13]

Hangar details are finished, I hand painted the "Fist of the Fleet" logo on the aft hangar door, from the distance it will be viewed through the elevator door it is convincing enough, but up close it shows why I build models and don't paint murals!

LED lighting test fitted, I am going to trim down the "boxes" around the bulbs a little more. THe boxes are not accurate, but do the job of hiding the bulbs. There is just not a lot of room to work with between the roof of the hangar and the underside of the flight deck, so the bulbs need to portrude into the hangar farther than I would like, but the result is still impressive.

[gtbred]

very well done sgtryan!

[Bigdaddy Mark]

Thanks for the heads up on the tape! I'll pick some of that up this weekend.

[NWarty]

Beautiful work Ryan!

[sgtryan13]

The accolades are much appreciated guys, thanks.
And Mark, as long as you are not trying to mask a really complex curve or something, you will certainly not be disappointed with that tape!

The hangar is almost ready to be sealed up, I have a bit more detailing on the aircraft and deck equipment, then it is time to add the crew and seal it up!

I want to make the hangar look busy, but not unrealistically so, so I think I found a decent balance. Maybe AI will add a little more yellow gear, but not much more.

[Bigdaddy Mark]

First off, your hanger bay looks perfect.

Second, I told the wife about that tape, and she called me a few minutes ago, and said it's on my desk!

You guys are making me want to pick up a carrier. I think if I do one it's going to be Wog Day, or maybe Steel Beach. Those are about the only times I spent any time on the flight deck.

Thanks again.

[MartinJQuinn]

Tremendous work - this is coming out great.

[Mark McKinnis]

Nice Work!!!

You are providing some nice references for my Nimitz project 1991!

Keep up the great worrk!!!!!