Calling all Gerald R. Ford-class CVN fans

[Timmy C]

And the front a day or two earlier:

[Zad Fnark]

This was posted at StrategyPage the other day.

http://www.strategypage.com/military_ph ... 13031.aspx

Ed-

[Timmy C]

You can see the rest of the photos if you go on the Navy's website and search for "cvn 78" and select the "Exact match" option.

[Cliffy B]

Upon seeing what the isle officially looks like I so want to build a CVN-80 now

[wvtomcat65]

Here's a recent pic(March 2013) of CVN-78 under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding. Looks like she is coming along nicely... She is scheduled to be christened in November of this year(2013). Photo is courtesy of Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo By Ricky Thompson... I had to crop the pic some to fit within the 200KB limit. The full photo can be seen in the NNS website Gallery...
http://nns.huntingtoningalls.com/employ ... 2013/index

If you haven't checked out the NNS website, you might want to. It has a lot of good info on Subs & Aircraft Carriers that us modelers can use for a kit we might be building...

http://nns.huntingtoningalls.com/

[Timmy C]

They just installed the mast today, too: http://ow.ly/i/1J1FU/original

[wvtomcat65]

Very cool pic with the mast in place. Thanks for posting Timmy.

Thomas

[pghgeorge]

Does anyone know why USN carrier island have been migrating back on the flight deck as the classes go? Ths Lexingtons had an island almost forward on the ship, but it has constantly been migrating backwards ever since.

I understand that the Forrestal class port elevator (due to its forward position) was rarely used since it interfered with launching aircraft on waist catapults. So, in the next evolution (CV63), the port elevator was shifted aft of the waist cats. To compensate, the island was shifted aft, and one starboard elevator brought forward. So the forward cats were still served by two elevators, and the waist cats were served by two elevators.

[wvtomcat65]

-CVN-78 now has a Bow. Making her 96% structural complete... With the Bow in place, she measures 1,106ft. in length. After being 100% structural complete, she will still have to fitted out. Christening is scheduled for Nov. of this year(2013), commissioning for 2015... Pic is courtesy of the U.S. NAVY from Huntington Ingalls Industries. I've also posted the link to the NAVY site if you want to see a Hi-Res image...

Thomas

http://www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=147008

[wvtomcat65]

Here's the link to some pics posted on the PCU Ford CVN-78 facebook page. Most of below the waterline....

Thomas

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 355&type=3

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

USS GERALD FORD CVN-78 Christened today 9 Nov 2013

[ADebroux]

Was anyone able to see the christening ceremony either in-person or online? I wasn't able to go to it but I have been able to see the ship whenever I crossed the James River Bridge to and from Newport News.

[Timmy C]

You can see a recording of the christening here: http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2013/11/08/ ... -ceremony/

(the top video shows the whole thing, the bottom just the bottle smashing)

[boomstick68]

So what do you guys think of the USN new Ford Class CVN? I really hope we see a kit soon. I like the new design.

[Timmy C]

Well, Adm. Greenert says she'll carry lasers, so that's pretty cool.

and that massive platform on the port aft corner just screams VLS to me.

[wvtomcat65]

Here's another pic from CVN-78's facebook page. Aft part of her looking down the Starboard side...

There are more on her FB page of her going to Pier 3 at NNS...

https://www.facebook.com/USSGeraldRFord

Thomas

[Goodwood]

I'm still fairly new to this forum and didn't really know much about the coming GRF class supercarriers, but I'm glad to have finally read the CASF thread about it. Much laughter (and a bit of pride, too) was had upon reading that the Secretary of the Navy quoted Captain Jean-Luc Picard when announcing CVN-80's name.

[wvtomcat65]

-I was at the Inactivation Ceremony for USS Enterprise CVN-65 last year. And let me tell you, there may have only been about 8000 in attendance. But, the cheer from all of us when SECNAV announced(by video) that CVN-80 would be named "Enterprise". Was as loud as the fans of any major NCAA F-Ball team or NFL team when they score a touchdown!! It was an awesome moment!!! Navsource has the video of SECNAV making the announcement from the Ceremony on their site... I'm not sure if Navsource allows posting a link to a page on their site.. But here's the link...


http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/80.htm

If link is removed. Go to navsource.org. Click on "aircraft carriers". Scroll down the page to near the bottom to the link for "Enterprise(CVN-80)". The video is the 3rd item of 4...

Thomas

[D-Boy]

http://sploid.gizmodo.com/us-navys-new- ... 1467848241

Interesting graphic at the above link that overlays the Nimitz and Ford Class flight decks and hull profiles upon one another.

[ModelMonkey]

CVN-79 USS John F. Kennedy, under construction:

http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/ ... 99-001.JPG
140305-N-ZZ999-001 NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (March 5, 2014) A unit for the future aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) rests on the assembly platen at Newport News Shipbuilding. John F. Kennedy is the second ship of the Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers being built by the shipyard for the U.S. Navy. (U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries by Chris Oxley/Released)