The Build - Carrier flight deck Catwalks, Metal Grating and life raft stations - July 19, 2013
Okay, I got the lower hull painted, but will show that as I glue it on in the next installement. For this session, I concentrated on the catwalks around the flight deck, the metal grating that goes on them, and then on the numerous life raft stations all along those catwalks to enable massive evacuation abandonment of ship if necessary.
First, the catwalks had to be painted. I pained them the same Model Master RN Light Gray I have been using for the hull and all vertical surfaces, and then followed that up with painting the flat portion, upon which the metal grates will rest, flat gray.
Then, I added the grating. These provided in the White Ensign Model HMS Illustrious photo etch set I am using. But be forewarned, these WEM parts, are made to replace the plastic parts that come in the Airfix kit. I really like the fit of the plastic parts, as well as the lower structural supports shown on them...so I used both. This meant I had to cut off the tabs on the photo etch parts that otherwise would have fit into the hull in place of the tabs on plastic parts. It also meant I had to trim each metal part to allow for it to fit inside the plastic part, on top of the flat plastic surface where the crew personnel walk. I did so, and then applied each part to its respective place. it is more difficult to see in these pictures, but the contrast between the darker underlying surface and the light gray grating looks really good.
Once they had dried up nice and strong over night, it was time to add these parts to the hull, and then add the numerous lift raft stations to them at all of the cut out locations. The life rafts had been previously painted flat white. That all fit very well into the respective locations and are now giving my Illustrious a much more finished look about her.
Okay, that last pic pretty much shows where I am at.
in the next session, I will add the waterline mark on the upper hull, glue the lower hull to the upper hull with a hole in the very bottom for my lighting system wires, and then add some significat detail to the starboard side of the island, along the edge of the vessel. This will include the large crane, the ships launches and their davitss, etc.). Once that step is complete, it will be time to build the deck handling equipment, and then add the airwing to the deck, and that will complete the vessel. Should be some very nice pictures I can make of the overall vessel at that point.
SCHEDULE for Future Activities - July 19, 2013
- By Jul 31, 2013: Complete HMS Illustrious CVL.
- By Sep 31, 2013: Start the JMSDF Carrier Group centered on Fujimi's JMSDF Hyuga.
- By Nov 30, 2013: Start the French Carrier Group centered on Heller's Charles de Gaulle.
- By Jan 31, 2014, Start the Russian Carrier Group centerd on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov.
The completion of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed
, (in addition to the other escorts already completed) included Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168. I recently pre-ordered a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, announced by Trumpeter and due out in october, 2013. I will end up adding two of those, propbably LPD-998 Yuzhao and LPD-999, Jinggangshan, add the PLAN- DDG-139, Ningbo, and perhaps the PLAN DDG-115, Shenyang, along with the PLAN Weifang, FFG-550, and for a PLAN ARG.
The completion of the US Carrier Strike group, centered on the completed
, (in addition ot the other escorts already completed) included Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Dragon's USS Preble, DDG-88 and Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. When a 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-80 (or any Gerald R. Ford Class) is released from Trumpeter, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser. Whatever the Ford Class coms out in 1/350 scale, I will build the USS Enterprise, CVN-80.
That US ARG will include
[/b] (which I have already completed), Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Gallery's 1/350 scale USS Sommerset, LPD-25, Bronco Models 1/350 Scale USS New York, LPD-21, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Acadamy's 1/350 scale USS Rueben James, FFG-57, and another Flight IIA US AEGIS class detroyer based on Trumpeter's 1/350 scale USS Lassen, DDG-82...all of these models which I already own.
The UK Group will feature the Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Illustrious as its centerp[iece until a 1/350 scale Queen Elizabeth carrier is released, when I will then add that carrier to the group as its centerpiece. It will also include two Airfix 1/350 scale Daring Class DDGs, two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates, and the Hobby Boss 1/350 scale HMS Astute SSN and Airfix 1/350 scale HMS Tragalgar SSN. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will use it to create a Royal Navy ARG.
The French CSG will be centered on Heller's 1/400 scale Charles De Gualle (which I already own). I have purchased the 1/400 scale Heller French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, and the French Aconit F713 FFG and Gueprattet F714 FFGs, both of which are Lafayette class frigates. These five vessels will round out my French CSG. As soon as a French Robin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is released in 1/350 or 1/400 scale, I will purchase two of them and replace the De Grrasse and Duquesne with them, and then save those two for when a Mistral Class LPD is released so I can create a French ARG with those vessels.
The Japanese JMSDF group will be centered on Fujimi's very finely detailed, 1/350 scale Hyuga, DDH-181, which I own. It will be escorted by Trumpeter's 1/350 scale DDG-177, Atago, an AEGIS class DDG and the JMSDF, DDG-174, Kong Class DDG (which I own), Trumpeters's 1/350 scale DDG-114 Susunami and DDG-111 (Both Takanami Class DDGs which I own), and by the 1/350 scale SS-503 Hakuryu (which I own), one of Japans new, very modern and capable AIP Diesel Electric submarines. As soon as a DDG-115 Akizuki in 1/350 scale is released, I will add it to this group. Should a 1/350 scale Osumi Class LPD be relased, I will add two of those vessels and begin building a JMSDF ARG.
Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov which I own) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter (which I own), two Trumpeter 1/350 scale Udaloy DDGs (which I own), Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I own), and the
[/b], which I have already completed. Some time in the more distant future when a 1/350 scale Russian version of the French Mistral class comes out (which is building in real life right now), I will add two of those na dbuild a Russian ARG.
Recently I purchased Heller's 1/400 scale Foch, the Clemceau Class carrier that was sold to the Brazilians in 2000 and in 2002 was refitted and became the Brazilian CV, Sao Paulo, using steam catapaults. I will build the model as the Sao Paulo and thus start a Brazilian group, though the Type 22 DDGs and the FFGs the Brazilians use are not available at present. I have however purchased a set of 1/400 scale A-4 Skyhawks and S-3 Trackers to build a suitable airwing for the Sao Paulo.
Then, again, once the models are available, I'd like to build an Italian Carrier Strike Group centered on the Cavour and their Horizon DDGs, a Spanish Carrier Strike Group centered on the Juan Carlos and their F-100 AEGIS FFGs, and ultimatly an Australian Strike Group centered on the new Canberra Class LPD and the Hobart class AEGIS DDGs. If they ever build the models, an Indian Carrier Strike Group centered on either the Vikramaditya or their new ADS Carrier, the Vikrant, and their Kolkata class DDGs and Shivlak class FFGs would also be nice.
Years more worth of work!
You can see all of these actual carriers, read their histories and specifictions at my site:
...and most of their surface escorts at:
[/b]
