bootneck Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 The holidays are more or less over, the evenings are starting to get darker earlier and so this would be a good time to start another WIP. The intention will be to let this one drag out extend over the autumn and winter months as a gentle pastime. The donor kit to be used will be the Trumpeter 1:350 USS Hancock kit I've started with the basic assembly, which takes me up to the hangar deck level First hangar wall starboard side added I shall spend a little time doing a bit of research now. That should keep me busy whilst the forum is down on Wednesday! Mike 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Me too . Can I take it this is an earlier US Carrier by the first picture, WW 2 . foxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 Yes, it is an Essex class carrier that was built during WW2 but I plan to complete it as a postwar carrier. Mike who's going to be building this if we're all sat eating popcorn? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parip Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Hi Mike Are you going for Korean or Cuban time frame? Will be following with interest. Cheers!!! Rade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monkey Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Excellent! We don't often see post-war straight deck Essexes built and, as you know, they are very interesting designs. If interested, 3D-printed modernized Korean War-era Essex islands are available in my Shapeways store. http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey?section=1%2F350+Ship+Superstructures&s=0 They are available in 1/700 and other scales, too. Best wishes on your build! I'll be following with keen interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 Are you going for Korean or Cuban time frame? Hi Rade, I'm going for a bit later than that; how about 1960 - 1965? If interested, 3D-printed modernized Korean War-era Essex islands are available in my Shapeways store. http://www.shapeways.com/shops/Model_Monkey?section=1%2F350+Ship+Superstructures&s=0 Hi Steve, there wasn't much changed to this carrier from it's WW2 fit. Probably the most obvious change was the bridge became enclosed but the rest of the island remained the same. Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monkey Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Ah, yes. Really looking forward to seeing your build. I have a soft spot in my heart for Essexes and it will be great to see one built as she appeared post-war. Not trying to seal your thread, just as a kindred Essex fan, I've been building a 1/350 Yorktown CV-10 as she appeared in April, 1945 in fits and spurts for a while now. The kit is quite a handful but immensely satisfying. Here's a link: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=32648 You may find something there that will help you avoid a trouble spot or two with the Trumpy kit. Making a 1/350 Saratoga CV-3 as she appeared in late 1944 (from scratch), too. Just love the old carriers. http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=157271 Best wishes! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 Hi Steve, some interesting stuff there. Thanks for these links as I'll certainly need some reference stuff when I get to the detailing parts. As you can see by this image, the island has an enclosed bridge and I need to start constructing some bits to fit on the kit island for this. By the way, how did you get on with fitting the flight deck? I find that one piece fits but not all together and the lift openings are not aligning with the marks on the hanger deck. Another thing I noticed was the lift wells appear to have been repainted grey post war, as in this link. All the best Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parip Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Hi Mike Which ship of the class are you building? Cheers! Rade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob 1 Posted September 18, 2016 Share Posted September 18, 2016 This does look a great subject. I also do like the Essexes, and it would be good to see a post war modded Essex built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 18, 2016 Author Share Posted September 18, 2016 On 13/09/2016 at 9:02 PM, parip said: Hi Mike Which ship of the class are you building? Cheers! Rade Hi Rade, I am going to be building this kit as LPH-4 USS Boxer. It will have a few Choctaws and a Chinook on deck. 7 minutes ago, Rob 1 said: This does look a great subject. I also do like the Essexes, and it would be good to see a post war modded Essex built. Hi Rob, The LPH's weren't modified like the postwar CV's therefore this build will be of the straight flight-deck with just the bridge area of the island being modified. There is a postwar modified Essex kit available as the USS Intrepid by Gallery Models cheers Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monkey Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 On 9/13/2016 at 9:55 AM, bootneck said: Hi Steve, some interesting stuff there. Thanks for these links as I'll certainly need some reference stuff when I get to the detailing parts. As you can see by this image, the island has an enclosed bridge and I need to start constructing some bits to fit on the kit island for this. By the way, how did you get on with fitting the flight deck? I find that one piece fits but not all together and the lift openings are not aligning with the marks on the hanger deck. Another thing I noticed was the lift wells appear to have been repainted grey post war, as in this link. All the best Mike When I fit the flight deck to Yorktown, it was with more difficulty than expected for the very reasons you state. After a bit of fiddling, I found that the hangar deck bulkheads were of slightly different heights badly affecting the level of the flight deck (looked more like Akagi than Yorktown!). The bulkheads needed to be sanded a bit so that each bulkhead was the same height and the flight deck rested upon it evenly. This was tricky to make level. A large sanding block was useful and I took it very slowly, checking and double checking. After sanding the bulkheads level, the flight deck elevator openings surprisingly lined up with the hangar deck marks more closely without having to modify them further. Concur that the lift wells were painted gray post-war. Hornet's certainly was. See: USS Hornet CV-12 forward lift well in 1947 If you like, I can make 3D-printed enclosed bridges (navigation and flag bridge) and offer it on Shapeways to save you some trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 Hi Martin, thanks for the advice, I'll have a go with some sanding. With ref to the enclosed bridges, I might have to go for your suggestion, mainly as I have no measurement details, or plan, of the island area of Boxer at all. cheers Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngtiger1 Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I've been thinking about grabbing this kit for a while. Just haven't pulled the trigger, so I'll follow along and see your work helps me twist my arm into getting one soon Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monkey Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Mike, Your 3D-printed USS Boxer CV-21 enclosed bridges are all ready. Cheers! Link: 1/350 scale USS Boxer enclosed bridge decks for Trumpeter Ticonderoga and Hancock Link: Model Monkey catalog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 Thanks Steve. I've just had a look and have one query: would the Pri-fly still be there on the 1960's LPH version? I only have one image of the island on LPH-4 and that is the starboard side, therefore any advice would be appreciated very much. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Monkey Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 (edited) Great question and I am afraid I cannot answer it. My best references of the island only go up to 1959 so made the deck as per her Korean War fit. The one 1959 photo of the port side of the island does show PriFly as I have designed it. If you have good photos of her in 1960, please send. I am happy to adjust the design for you. CV-21 island in 1959, port side. Although the flag bridge looks the same, her navigating bridge window configuration for 1964 (photo you have above) is a bit different than the 1953 design. I'm working on that now. Hopefully, we'll get a better look at the port side. That design will be offered separately from the 1953 design. Edited October 24, 2016 by Model Monkey New information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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