The Ship Model Forum

I figured my wife's Bonhomme Richard was way overdue so I got things started but hell, if I'm building one LHD I might as well build two, right? Both kits will be OOB with the exception of lighting and minor PE additions to the well decks. The well decks are finished and today I'll start the hangar bay and hangar vehicles and aircraft. So far there have been no surprises except finding a damaged flight deck from the factory. This is a pretty fun project while I'm waiting on parts for the Eisenhower and for paint, glue, and putty to dry on her. More to come.

Two at same time? You gonna burn yourself out man!

Just about have the hangar bays knocked out. Some test fitting and then glued in place. Hangar bay equipment and what few aircraft will be addressed this evening.

Excellent work! You guys building all these modern ships is making me fall in love with them too!

I'm sorry, did you say: "wife's"?! She is one cool customer if she is into stuff like this! (My wife wants to build a Blackhawk with me. Crazy? No! Awesome)

2 of these monsters at the same time? I think you are a genius! Seriously. I admire both your determination AAAND those very sharp, flawless masking lines! Nice paintjob, now I can't wait to see your IKE. ( how are the sponsons coming? )

This undertaking of yours makes me feel VERY-VERY sluggish with my Nimitz. You'll have 3 carriers finished by the time I build the catwalk on mine....After this I wanna have a fleet too, instead of 'a' ship

very impressive!

Cheers: Laci

Yikes, I had my hands full with one of these! Nice work.

Two at a time?!!!! Holy Cow!!

Looking G R E A T!
I'm building one, and it's taking me forever, I can only imagine two.
Keep the posts coming, I'm watching with a pencil in my hand, and a note pad on the desk.
What are you going to do about the flight deck?

Thanks Mark. Building these has been fun thus far. I'm not sure about the flight deck yet. Since I'm doing the Bonhomme Richard for my wife, it will be a little busier than the other.

Got a lot done, most of the aircraft and all of the equipment. I'll upload pics later, have to re take them, somehow I shot them in RAW not JPEG and I don't feel like converting them. I did manage to finally come up with a makeshift spraybooth. It works well enough. Got a nice delivery the other day. Love the black dog stuff.

Finished the well decks. Using LED strips for lighting painted with Tamiya clears. It doesn't look exactly right but it'll do.

It looks freaking awesome!

After a potentially fatal mishap with one of the ships, I took the entire weekend off from modeling. Coming back to it today, I managed to get both flight decks decaled. I had to repair the entire front edge of one of the flight decks after a collision with the concrete floor. I may attempt painting the deck markings on my next carrier, but, for these two I just wasn't confident enough in my ability to pull it off.

Your decals came out perfect.
I had a cruiser take a jump off my desk once. It's very disheartening.

Hi james!

Did you spray your decks with Future by any chance?

anyahajobuzi wrote:Hi james!

Did you spray your decks with Future by any chance?

I used future but I hand brushed it with a fan type artist's brush. I seem to get the best results on large flat surfaces by brushing. Ship's hulls and anything else gets airbrushed. One thing about future is you have to be patient. You can't achieve the smooth glossiness with one coat. It takes several coats with 20-30 minutes dry time between them.


I managed to get the hulls painted and repaired the damaged corner of LHD-6's flight deck.

Did you already glue down your flight decks?

Mark, yeah I attached the flight decks early but it didn't affect installing the railing thingies. There was enough give in the catwalks to slide them in with no problems.

Nice work!

MartinJQuinn wrote:Nice work!

Thanks Martin. All credit goes to the quality of these fine kits.