# Tamiya's 1/350 CVN-65 Enterprise



## Dave621955

Thought I'd post a few pic's of my in-progress Enterprise. This is my first thread guy's so be gentle. I started this a year ago but would like to get it off da-bench so I can start somethng else, six going at once is enough. The fit has been great and detail is super in some respects and ok in others. In working the hull I kinda wanted it to resemble the ship after the "80" refitment but close up photos are all different. In checking with a couple of people who were on her I found out why, she was modified constantly in port and at sea so, I did the best I could. Looking at the stern I added several levels with bulkhead extensions, ladders, railings and misc stuff. Port and starboard are close enough with the exception of a couple of small changes around the hanger bay doors and just below where the tower will be. And yes those are wires on top of the hull, I put lighting in the hanger bay.
I'll make a couple of other posts with the hanger bay (which Tamiya forgot to put in), the tower and what's the beginning of the airwing.

Dave


----------



## Dave621955

The photo of the stern was pretty bad so here's a couple more.
Dave


----------



## Cro-Magnon Man

Good luck with it. What a neat workshop!


----------



## Dave621955

As I'd mentioned before Tamiya sort of missed the boat with a hanger bay so I made one. You can buy a etched brass kit for the bay floor but don't, it is a miserable piece to work with. I just fabricated a floor out of 1/8" styrene and went from there. Some of the stuff you see is left over brass from the hull, like ladders and railings the rest is just hours and hours of playing. The picture of the ceiling has fuel pods from Tom's, the lights are LED Christmas lights that I fixed in place and run off a battery pack, the rest is styrene. I took a picture of the bay with the ceiling in place and the lights on but my photo skills are about as good as my computer skills so you have to take my word that they do illuminate the bay enough to see quite well.

Dave


----------



## Dave621955

A few pics of the bridge. GMM photo etch has some great pieces for the bridge, they really bring detail to the build. Patience is a important here, especially when you wear trifocals. The photo etch is fantastic but it's so small magnification is necessary to work with it, at least when your old. I'm not sure what it will look like painted since the mesh for the radar is so tight. I'll find out in a week or so and let you know.

Dave


----------



## surfsup

Very nice work so far Dace...Cheers Mark:wave:


----------



## Dave621955

Here's a couple of pic's of some of the deck tractors and tuggers and the airwing with the base coat sprayed. Now for the small detail stuff.



Dave


----------



## Dave621955

The airwing continues. Detailing a dozen 1/350 jets is a challenge but on the bright side, only have 47 more to do! Hope to get the deck equipment and airwing finished in a week so I can button up the hull and start detailing the deck.
Enjoy Dave


----------



## surfsup

You are doing a great job so far Dave. Am enjoying your build...Cheers Mark:wave:


----------



## Fly-n-hi

Dave621955 said:


> The airwing continues. Detailing a dozen 1/350 jets is a challenge but on the bright side, only have 47 more to do! Hope to get the deck equipment and airwing finished in a week so I can button up the hull and start detailing the deck.
> Enjoy Dave


You're doing a great job so far but I have to point out that the flaps on the F-14s, or any plane for that matter, never point upward. In one of these pics it looks like the flaps are reversed. 

Are you trying to make it look like the spoilers are in the extended position after landing? If so the spoilers are on top of the wings just ahead of the flaps. The flaps themselves would be down, not up. Actually, I don't believe that the spoilers were used on carrier landings because that would make a go around much more difficult. I don't know for sure, though.

I mention this because I'd hate to see you build a great model and have an easily preventable error.


----------



## Dave621955

You are right, thank you. The flaps would be full extended down for take off and spoilers wouldn't be lifted for braking on landing. I fixed it, thanks again.


----------



## Dave621955

While I'm at it here are some more pics of the air wing detailed and coated flat.














































And the deck equipment.



















Now all I need to do is paint some guys and I can put the hanger bay together.

Enjoy Dave

And please, I take friendly tips well and will try to correct the mistakes. I was a Marine and never on a carrier.


----------



## Dave621955

Finally have the planes done and am laying out the deck and bay, what do you think. The first two pics would represent two 14's taking off with a few other planes and a couple helicopters getting ready. 


















Also check out the hanger bay - to crowded?










Enjoy and thanks Dave


----------



## Maritain

Great job so far and man does Tamiya make a fantastic product.


----------



## Jafo

nice progress


----------



## DL Matthys

Our IPMS club is building one as a group project.
We have split our labors... I drew the Bridge Island and Gold Medal photo etch duties.

I told my colleagues to keep this thread in mind.
I do like your innovations on how you detailed up the Hangar Bay. 

Don Matthys
IPMS 32708


----------



## Dave621955

Back from a two week trip, eating our way up the east coast!! Nice to return to the bench.
I finished up the hangerbay and flat coated.
















Here's a shot through a couple doors
















and a couple with the bay closed up and the lights on
















It's nice to get that buttoned up, now on to bigger things. Here are a few pics of what the landing deck will look like with aircraft and tractors ( I'll stick the rest of the two hundred little men around later) once done.
















That's all for now, enjoy.

If ya'll have suggestions let me know. Also has anyone seen pictures of aircraft taking off and landing on the Big E at the same time? I think it would be interesting modeling her after that.
Dave


----------



## surfsup

Fantastis Job so far Dave. As to Bow and Stern Air Ops at the same, it is very rare for that to happen as all A/C due for Launch are placed on their spots for Launch. As modern A/C are too large for many to be stored on the Hanger Deck, quite a few of her Air Compliment are parked near the Fantail so it would greatly impede any Landings from taking place during Launch Proceedures....Cheers Mark


----------



## Ace Airspeed

I've never been big on ship models, but this build is looking awesome! :thumbsup:

Going to follow this with interest.


----------



## irishtrek

Nice looking build there!
I've had a 720 Nimitz for a few years now and had a simiular idea for the hangar deck, any way I just pulled it out recently and am starting work on it once again.


----------



## John P

I've got the Tamiya Big E, but the plan is to build it to display next the Polar Light 1/350 starship Enterprise. Of course, it would require me to get crackin' building one or the other some day!


----------



## Vindi

Dave,

AWESOME build!!!!

One thing though...if you REALLY want the hanger to look like a real carrier hanger bay, reposition the F-14s, and other like planes, nose-to-tail. That was they were positioned on the carrier I was stationed on (1997-2002), it maximizes the space available.


----------



## Dave621955

Vindi, 

Wished I'd have known, aircraft, misc stuff in hanger bay and deck are all down with 5 minute epoxy - no breaking that stuff. So I guess it'll have to do. One question though, since you were on a carrier. When landing aircraft do they bunch the aircraft on deck at the front of the ship? Are they bunched in groups of like aircraft? Do they ever land and take off at the same time? Are the pics I have posted of a possible lay out for the deck feasible is modeled with aircraft taking off?

Sorry, lots of questions hope you don't mind.

Dave


----------



## Dave621955

John P said:


> I've got the Tamiya Big E, but the plan is to build it to display next the Polar Light 1/350 starship Enterprise. Of course, it would require me to get crackin' building one or the other some day!


John, I know what you mean about getting crackin', I've been staring at the 1/35 Soar Art DORA and the resin 1/350 Langley for to long. Maybe this winter but first I'm trying a 32nd A-10.

Dave


----------



## John P

Dave, I've been staring at about 1,000 models I want to build for a couple of decades!


----------



## Vindi

Dave621955 said:


> Vindi,
> 
> Wished I'd have known, aircraft, misc stuff in hanger bay and deck are all down with 5 minute epoxy - no breaking that stuff. So I guess it'll have to do


.
Guess not! It still looks AMAZING!!!



> One question though, since you were on a carrier. When landing aircraft do they bunch the aircraft on deck at the front of the ship?


Yup. They line them up on the bow nose pointing either fore or aft and stop at Cats 3 and 4. They line them up at an angle with the noses pointed inboard and either fore aft on both sides. Here is a photo of the Nimitz. You can see how close the place the planes next to each other:
http://www.armybase.us/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The-aircraft-carrier-USS-Nimitz-CVN-68.jpg



> Are they bunched in groups of like aircraft?


Yup



> Do they ever land and take off at the same time?


Yes the do. In that case the planes you have lined up on the port side would have to be moved as they are in the landing area. IIRC they called it cyclic ops.



> Are the pics I have posted of a possible lay out for the deck feasible is modeled with aircraft taking off?


Yes, but with only Cat 3 and 4 in use. They sometimes launch using all four Cats. In that case the planes are placed on the aft end of the FD.



> Sorry, lots of questions hope you don't mind.
> 
> Dave


No worries!!! 

A few other pointers if you don't mind and the planes on the FD aren't glued down yet...
1) Increase the angle of the planes on the port side a little bit more.
2) the F-14 that is between another F-14 and the elevator, move it behind the third F-14.
3) flip the E-2C Hawkeyes next to the Island to that they are nose out.
4) the aft helo looks wrong, but I can't remember what they would do if there are two helos spooling up at the same time. IIRC they placed them in line. In that case it would go in front of the helo that is on the port side.

I don't want to sound super critical. You model is AMAZING. You have done a fantastic job!!!!

Here are a few sites that have photos of carriers.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/02idx.htm

http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/aircraft-carrier.html

I look forward to seeing the complete ship.

Vindi


----------



## Rocky1775

Looks great! I just want to point out a couple of issues. 1) Don't put A-7s and F-18s on the ship at the same time. The F-18 replaced the A-7. 2) I don't know if this is reasonably fixable, but the kit F-14s don't have the wings swept back far enough. The kit F-14s come at full sweep that would be correct in flight, but parked on the deck they should be at the "oversweep" position, which is even more swept. The wings should actually overlap the horizontal stabilizers somewhat. It seems like a tricky fix to me, and I've been wondering if trying to correct the kit planes would be too difficult and too much work. Has anyone ever tried it?

Right now I am refinishing the Aurora 1/400 scale Enterprise that I built as a child. It will never be right, but it should be somewhat less of a horror to look at. If only I could find 1/400 scale skyraiders and E-1 Tracers...


----------



## ClubTepes

Your build is really impressive.
Nice job.

One critique though (and I may be wrong).
Every picture I see of an US aircraft carrier hangar deck with the lights on has an orange glow, which leads me to believe that the lighting is sodium vapor based.

Both Metal Halide and Mercury Vapor give off a metallic blue glow.

So If you want to have a more realistic lighting look to your deck, you could paint your leds with Tamiya orange.


----------



## EnzoF660

I have to agree with Ace in saying that I've never really been interested in ship builds, but your model is amazing and I may have to try it out in coming years when I have more experience.

Great build, though! Very impressive and I love the detail on all the planes. Did the kit come with decals for the planes and you painted the rest?


----------



## Dave621955

Vindi said:


> .
> A few other pointers if you don't mind and the planes on the FD aren't glued down yet...
> 1) Increase the angle of the planes on the port side a little bit more.
> 2) the F-14 that is between another F-14 and the elevator, move it behind the third F-14.
> 3) flip the E-2C Hawkeyes next to the Island to that they are nose out.
> 4) the aft helo looks wrong, but I can't remember what they would do if there are two helos spooling up at the same time. IIRC they placed them in line. In that case it would go in front of the helo that is on the port side.
> 
> I don't want to sound super critical. You model is AMAZING. You have done a fantastic job!!!!
> 
> Vindi,
> 
> Thanks for the suggestions and your not being critical, your being helpful (there is a difference).
> 
> Dave


----------



## Dave621955

Rocky1775 said:


> Looks great! I just want to point out a couple of issues. 1) Don't put A-7s and F-18s on the ship at the same time. The F-18 replaced the A-7. 2) I don't know if this is reasonably fixable, but the kit F-14s don't have the wings swept back far enough. The kit F-14s come at full sweep that would be correct in flight, but parked on the deck they should be at the "oversweep" position, which is even more swept. The wings should actually overlap the horizontal stabilizers somewhat. It seems like a tricky fix to me, and I've been wondering if trying to correct the kit planes would be too difficult and too much work. Has anyone ever tried it?
> 
> Right now I am refinishing the Aurora 1/400 scale Enterprise that I built as a child. It will never be right, but it should be somewhat less of a horror to look at. If only I could find 1/400 scale skyraiders and E-1 Tracers...


Rocky,

Wings on the kit F-14's would be very hard to sweep backwards more than they are as they are molded in one piece. There are 8 more f-14's (trumpeter kit) that had the wings positionable and I set two extended and ther rest back for parking on the carrier but even they didn't overlap the stabalizers. As far as the A-7's the ones in the hanger bay are, as I told Vindi "epoxied down" along with the hanger bay ceiling and deck so they will have to stay but I could leave the ones off the deck.

I guess it's another "Wish I'd a known earlier" moment.

But since I've got the Nimitz waiting in the wings I can use the information for the next one.

Thanks Dave


----------



## Dave621955

ClubTepes said:


> Your build is really impressive.
> Nice job.
> 
> One critique though (and I may be wrong).
> Every picture I see of an US aircraft carrier hangar deck with the lights on has an orange glow, which leads me to believe that the lighting is sodium vapor based.
> 
> Both Metal Halide and Mercury Vapor give off a metallic blue glow.
> 
> So If you want to have a more realistic lighting look to your deck, you could paint your leds with Tamiya orange.


Nice catch! I notice that also from the pics on line but painting the leds made it to dark. I tried to wash them with a mix of orange-red and thinner but that was a bust also. It did give a sodium vapor like look but again made the bay to dark. 

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Dave


----------



## Dave621955

EnzoF660 said:


> I have to agree with Ace in saying that I've never really been interested in ship builds, but your model is amazing and I may have to try it out in coming years when I have more experience.
> 
> Great build, though! Very impressive and I love the detail on all the planes. Did the kit come with decals for the planes and you painted the rest?


Enzo,

The decals with the kit are pretty, how can I say it, crappy! I ordered a couple of sets from Gold Medal Models and aside from being very fragile I thought they were pretty nice. 

As for painting I use a Iwata R 4500 revolution air brush for the small stuff and either a DeVilbiss touchup gun (auto painting is another hobby) or rattle cans for the big stuff. A small gravity feed air brush is great for small projects like 1/350 planes or detail but for painting somethng with the surface area of the carrier or a larger plane like your SR71 the small cup is a pain since your filling it constantly.

Thanks for looking and the comments. 

Dave


----------



## Vindi

ClubTepes said:


> Your build is really impressive.
> Nice job.
> 
> One critique though (and I may be wrong).
> Every picture I see of an US aircraft carrier hangar deck with the lights on has an orange glow, which leads me to believe that the lighting is sodium vapor based.
> 
> Both Metal Halide and Mercury Vapor give off a metallic blue glow.
> 
> So If you want to have a more realistic lighting look to your deck, you could paint your leds with Tamiya orange.


The "orange glow" lights are the ones used at night during darken ship while underway if the hanger bay doors are open. Otherwise its white florescent lights during the day and if the doors are closed while underway.


----------



## ClubTepes

Vindi said:


> The "orange glow" lights are the ones used at night during darken ship while underway if the hanger bay doors are open. Otherwise its white florescent lights during the day and if the doors are closed while underway.


Thanks.

Do you know are those lights indeed Sodium Vapor or are they something else that is tinted?


----------



## VicenzaHS

I have heard that in 2015 the navy is going to to launch there next, new class of carriers, and that the Big E will be decomissioned. The first of the new class of carriers will be the USS Gerald Ford. I hope that the navy will name one of the new carriers, Enterprise


----------



## Vindi

ClubTepes said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Do you know are those lights indeed Sodium Vapor or are they something else that is tinted?


Not sure about those lights, but I know that the red and blue overhead lights used at night are just clear red or blue sleeves over regular florescent lights.

Might be the same in the hanger bay for the orange ones.


----------



## Dave621955

Been traveling around doing the holiday grampa stuff, putting a family room in the basement, shoveling snow and filling the woodstove -oh how I love winter!
Anyway it's nice to be back to the bench. Splitting time between things with hulls, rubber wheels, wings and tracks. Did some more on the Big "E" and thought I'd keep you posted.
Finished the photo etch on the flight deck:


















Put down a coat of nato black before color coating, nato black gives a good even color coat to cover. Kind of a super primer.


























flight deck ready with final light gray and nato black primer. Ready to epoxy to hull.










Bridge painted and ready for detail. 










Anyone out there know of some "GOOD" closeups of the bridge for running antenas?

Thanks and Enjoy Dave


----------



## Ace Airspeed

Dave,

Your build is looking great! :thumbsup:


----------



## Dave621955

The deck is dark coated and have started the striping - WHAT A PAIN! I did pick up some great decales from GMM so once I've painted on a few more strips around the catapults I'll apply the decales, weather a bit and flat coat. A couple pictures of the masking and main landing stripping.


























I've got the no skid painted on the walkways of the bridge, now to detail it. Still looking for good pics of the radar and guy wires of the bridge??










And some of the missles and stuff for aroung the deck.










Hope to get some more done before the holiday chaos begins.

Till later, enjoy Dave


----------



## scottnkat

looking very good - can't wait to see more


----------



## Dave621955

Hey all,

I have the weathering done on the flight deck. I may have to tone the color down around the blast deflectors. I'll see what it looks like when I place some of the aircraft around. 


































I'm detailing the bridge now and hope to post it's completion in a day or so.

Till then -- Please enjoy. Dave

p.s. still looking for some good pics of the bridge guy wires and such.


----------



## Dave621955

DONE! Except for the display case. 

The deck weathered with stuff on it. The little people are the hardest.


































A few close ups of the bridge, aircraft and elevators


































OOPS - the picture police got me. Second post to follow - Dave


----------



## Dave621955

Second post










And the final hull weathering. I used oils for this, works real well.










































Well I guess that's all for this one. It's been fun and a challenge. Now on to something else. I'll post a pic when I get it housed in the case and such.

Any questions feel free to ask. Please enjoy and thanks again to all for the suggestions. Dave


----------



## Ace Airspeed

Wow! That looks absolutely *great*, Dave! :thumbsup:

My hat is off to you for the patience it must have taken to paint the air wing. How many times did you reshuffle the spots until you had the parking like you wanted?

Fantastic job!


----------



## RallyJack

I love your work! Your carrier is awesome!!

It seems your camera does not have a true Macro setting for real close work. If it has a 10 megapixel capacity, just back-up a bit then crop it and enlarge it for a sharp close-up. If you need photo editing software, I suggest MS Digital Image Pro. Got mine on sale at Besy Buy for about $50. I use it for all sorts of things including creating decals and photo altering. Merry Christmas.


----------



## paulhelfrich

That is a really beautiful model! Well done! :thumbsup:


----------



## Dave621955

*Done!!*

Well here it is COMPLETE with display case. Only problem is it's so big I'll probably get rid of it after the spring contest.


















Notice the port so I can plug in the battery pack to light the hanger bay.










Well folks please enjoy and if you have any questions or comments (never to late to give ideas) feel free to let me know. It's been fun.

I've got the 1/350 USS Langley going on another post and have started the 1/32 A-10 Warthog that I'll also post now that the holidays are over and the house is empty and I can get back on em.

Again Please enjoy and thanks for all the suggestions and comments past, present and future.

Dave


----------



## paulhelfrich

Looks great! Awesome job. Did you make the display case yourself?


----------



## Dave621955

Yup,

Oak with birds eye maple docking timbers. Plexiglass cover. Proweld works great for glueing cover sides together.

Dave


----------



## Antimatter

Great job. My only complaint would be you went too wild on the rust. Tone it down about 1/2.


----------



## surfsup

Beautifully done Dave. I have to agree with the Rust Comment but otherwise you have done her justice.....Cheers Mark


----------



## Vindi

The rust looks great. After about a month underway that is what it looks like. I remember seeing the hull before leaving on deployment; nice little to no rust. Then as we left on liberty launches in Singapore, looking at all the rust on it.


----------



## jdeshl

Dave
Looks good, I started mine about a year ago also. Been working on the hanger bay and guess I'm trying to be to much of a perfectionist according to my better half. I'll try to post some pictures later. A little nervous about using a airbrush for the first time.

Jim


----------

