Wolfman63 Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 The two EA-6B's from VAQ-134 for hangar bay 1 are done. Next are the A-6E's from VA-52 then on to the E-2C's. The decals for these are from Star Fighter. I just added the "NL" and the ship/CVW decals. I really wish Trumpeter would make all their planes the same way. These had the canopy molded into the plane. Makes it difficult to decal and seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Had a nice quiet Friday off of work so I spent the day doing the A-6E's from VA-52 for hangar bay 1. The tail and lance decals came out great. All that is left to do is two E-2C's then I can start assembling and detailing the ship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 This is looking great. Are you going to put some crew down in the hangers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted October 7, 2017 Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 This is looking great. Are you going to put some crew down in the hangers? You beat me to hat question Phil! Way to go! :smiley20: I echo Phil's comments about the quality of this model so far. That hanger bay looks stupendous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2017 Thanks! I have not decided to populate it with a crew yet. I do have one flight deck personnel set and one regular sailors set. Once I finish the E-2C's I will test them and see how they look. I am hoping to finish the E-2C's tonight or tomorrow. They are mostly built just need painting and decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 There is light at the end of the tunnel. The E-2C's from VAW-114 are done. This completes all the aircraft for the hangar bays. Now I can start running the wires for the LED's and assembling the ship. Once I get the main sections together I can start detailing the outside of the ship. Then back to building 62 more aircraft. Anyhow, here are the pictures of the E-2C's. (It helps that I built 1/48 scale models of all the aircraft) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted October 9, 2017 Report Share Posted October 9, 2017 Sweet! Man, this is looking fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 I spent a few hours working on some figures and decided not to add the crew. I made a few of the PE figures thicker with the gel and painted them but they still did not look good. I looked online and they do have 3-D printed ones which look great but with the number of figures I would need and the time delay it would add to my build would not work out for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted October 11, 2017 Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 Well that's too bad. I agree that I have not seen PE figures ever really look right. I know l'arsensl carries injection molded crew and have seen some from Tamiya which can be painted to look like US crew. Free Time Hobbies seems to have a lot of options on their site but I understand it is your model to do how you want and I am loving the air wing so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2017 It appears the host I used at the beginning of this thread has a time limit on linking pictures. I have since changed to Flickr. If you want to see all the build pictures I created an album on Flickr. The album is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums/72157687002588814 All recent photo's go to Flickr so they won't disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Last post I said I could see light at the end of the tunnel. Well tonight I wired everything up and did a light check before gluing down the flight deck. Right at 245 hours so far into this build.What you see lit up is 40 LED's and 500' of fiber optic lines. Here is the light check pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewahl Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Hi, David, Before I open up your latest progress photos, I take a deep breath. That's because I know I will not be breathing for several minutes as I absorb the sheer magnificence of this project in all the minute details you are including. I see you list your location as "Illinois." I sure wish that means you are near the south suburban area of Chicago so we could entice you to join us at our chapter meetings. I am fascinated at the masterpiece you are building. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Ed, thanks for the compliments. Which chapter are you in? I am actually part of the McKinstry chapter. We have our meeting tonight in Arlington Heights. I am in Schaumburg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewahl Posted October 13, 2017 Report Share Posted October 13, 2017 Hi, David, There are actually two Chapters meeting in the same place. IPMS/S.P.A.S.A.M. on the 1st Friday night at 7:30 pm; and IPMS/Will-Cook on the 3rd Friday night at 7:30 pm. The meetings are at: First Presbyterian Church of Homewood, 17929 Gottschalk Ave., Homewood, IL 60430. It's almost all the way on the interstates from Schaumburg to Homewood. I am a native of Arlington Heights. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 (edited) Back to detailing the ship. Working on the catwalks, CIWS, and safety nets. I really like the Veteran Models CIWS parts. They are very detailed and easy to assemble. The photoetch catwalks and safety nets are nice looking. Here are some pictures of the details. Still need paint and add other details to catwalks (hoses and reels, storage boxes, etc.) Edited October 20, 2017 by Wolfman63 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmorrissette Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Hey Wolf: Awesome stuff. I do have a question. With the deck, etc. painted and some decals on, how do you go about painting the photo-etch without messing up the rest? I ask because this same ship is on my to do list for my son Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Hey Wolf: Awesome stuff. I do have a question. With the deck, etc. painted and some decals on, how do you go about painting the photo-etch without messing up the rest? I ask because this same ship is on my to do list for my son Dave I will be using an airbrush (just tape off the surface of the flight deck) and also hand paint. Certain areas that will be hand painted are the CIWS and the landing light array (Fresnel lights). Most other areas can be masked off and painted with an airbrush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Spent some time last night and this morning adding more catwalks. Slow but steady process getting things lined up. Looks like I should be able to start the island detailing next weekend. Still have bow and elevators to do. Here are some pictures of the starboard side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill50 Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Fantastic. No other words. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Magnificent! Simply outstanding! Please show the deck masked off for airbrushing; I want to see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Finished all the catwalks, safety nets, and CIWS's around the ship. Starting to tape the edges and flight deck so I can paint them. Will be detailing the elevators then on to detailing the island. Still on schedule to complete this project by the end of December. Here is a walk around of the catwalks, safety nets, and CWIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmorrissette Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Hey Wolfman Love this so much. Near and dear to my heart as my son served on the Vinson. Can I ask what paint you used for the primary gray color and the deck? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Hey Wolfman Love this so much. Near and dear to my heart as my son served on the Vinson. Can I ask what paint you used for the primary gray color and the deck? Dave The overall color is Light Sea Gray FS36307 and the flight deck is Gunship Gray FS36118. It will be darker once I do the weathering and such closer to FS36076. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman63 Posted October 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 Painting all weekend. All the catwalks and safety nets painted. In process of painting all the flight deck details. (no decals used yet, all you see is painted) I must really compliment Tamiya. Their 6mm masking tape is awesome. It allows you to mask off even the smallest areas and gives you a clean edge when removing. Completed the starboard side, now working on the port side of the flight deck. I still have some detailing to do for the arresting cables. Now onto the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Deliduka Posted October 30, 2017 Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 Oh man.... oh man..... I am overwhelmed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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