My first 1:350 build, Trumpeter CVN-68 USS Nimitz

[Neptune]

Somebody should punish you for that

Great job, you raised the bar on plane detailing! Slightly too much wash for those panel lines, but I haven't ever done anything like this myself, so I'll forgive you

Anyhow great work which requires a lot of patience

[NWarty]

After a much needed break, I'm back to finishing up the airwing, specifically wrapping up VF-41.

Finished the last two Cats with open canopies. I ran out of GHQ weapons so I'm stalled for another week until I can get the other two sets needed to complete the ordinance on the F-14's. Only three more birds to finish and I can start the process of gluing everything down topside, and laying out the crew and vehicles.

-Blake

Crummy iPhone photo again.

[Dave from Downunder]

You seriously suggesting that these are 1/350 - i have seen 1/72 with much less detail.
I think these are unbeleivable

[Goodwood]

Incredible detail at that scale, mate! As someone who is much better at aeroplane modeling than ship modeling, I can appreciate how difficult it is to get that kind of depth on such a...tiny...aircraft. Bombs and AA missiles at that scale? Madness!

Dave may be on to something...

[KevinYoung]

Beautiful work on them Tomcats. Kevin

[NWarty]

Dave, Sean and Kevin, many thanks guys

At roughly 6-7 hours per Cat to complete, the work is mind numbing Thank God there's only 10 of them.

[DWD]

Great looking build Blake. Those are some sweet Cats too!!! I was wondering how the GHQ ordanance would look on them. Can't wait to see your finished build.

[NWarty]

Thanks Doug!

Had to go back and fix a couple of missing things on the first two like the red warning stripes behind the wing bags and the dark grey missile stripe on the AIM-9s. If you look at the photos of the JR and Aces Tomcats from three pages back, the red warning stripes are much longer on the Aces' backs that the JR's.

Another thing to note, again the Starfighter decals are a bit inaccurate (but boy I am still glad that somebody is making decals for these). The roundels should be small and low-vis, not the high-vis roundel that came with the sheet. I'm okay with that as I'm just being nitpicky at this point. Believe me, I'm tired of going back and fixing things

Seats, RIO panel and pilot heads done, decals done, canopies are painted, got to shoot Dullcoat, spine aerial and just waiting on the GHQ sets and we're done with the airwing. The Dullcoat as you can see from the photo above, really tones down the wash a good bit. Two of these Cats will be taxiing out towards the Waist Catapults.

We're almost there!!!!

[NWarty]

300+ hours for the topside Airwing....holy carp...the aircraft are finally done...

[LE BOSCO]

......300+ hours .....

hello Blake

300+ hours OK , may be! but for a extraordinary results,I have never seen such a aircraft fleet also convincing at this scale it is very simple, it looks like at of 48em
I do not know if my "English" happens to translate my enthusiasm....... but you make a model worthy of a museum, a true masterpiece
"bravo l'artiste "
cheers
nicolas

[Goodwood]

I think Nick may be onto something. That is flat-out extraordinary aircraft detailing at that scale. Really makes the whole thing come together in an organic, living flight deck.

[NWarty]

Nicolas, merci beaucoup! Your english was just fine sir and many thanks!

Sean,
Thanks man, I'm getting ready to start putting crew members down to have a party on the flight deck

Now the process starts of nitpicking, fixing a few flaws and wrapping her up, gluing down the topside, whip antennas, some extra ladders, an extra decal for efficiency award, etc. Next photo post will most likely be near the end of this build.

[KevinYoung]

That is an awesome build right there truly incredible work and Neil Patrick Harris ? breakdown makes me laugh .regards Kevin

[anyahajobuzi]

So this is what a Nimitz looks like WITH aircraft on it???!!
Well, this is what a Nimitz looks like with an exceptionally detailed airwing!!!!! Very nice work!!!!! Your work is inspiring me to try to better than I planned! Damn you for setting the bar so high!

I am just super-busy with my USS Vincennes, and I see your next ship is a destroyer?! Can't wait!

Cheers: Laci

[NWarty]

That is an awesome build right there truly incredible work and Neil Patrick Harris ? breakdown makes me laugh .regards Kevin

Justin Timberlake

Laci,
Many thanks sir and can't wait to see your progress on the flight deck

[NWarty]

Hey! The party's on the flight deck!

After a much needed break, I glued in the catwalk braces and started placing the flight deck crew. All aircraft on the topside are now glued down! Not shown in this pic, but the port antennas are now glued into place also.

[LE BOSCO]

Hello Blake

I'm just speechless ......this is simply beautiful
Cheers
Nicolas

[NWarty]

Nicolas,
Many thanks my friend.


Spent today nitpicking and finalizing the port and starboard whip antennas, built a couple more boxes, nitpicked some more. Lastly, Ryan generously donated the bow netting from his stash and I was able to completely rebuild it.


And she's done....my God, I never thought I would say that. It's done...

I'll move to the completed builds section with full pictures, write up and what not once the display case arrives in a couple of weeks.


Holy crap, it's done.

[DWD]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! She looks great. I look forward to the photo finish!

[Goodwood]

Don't forget to include a picture of Data fist-pumping and saying "Yes!" from ST: Generations!

And then when he says "...oh $#@&!"