Re: 1/350 Scale Model, Trumpeter Kit# 5617, PLA Navy Aircraft Carrier
Continuing now with progress on my 1/350 scale PLAN Carrier, the ex-Varyag since the 14th:
Finishing the main deck and hull
There was still a lot of work to be done with the main deck. Quite a bit of instrumentation and various equipment. All of the antennae, all of the life rafts and various ship's boats, and finally all of the hand railing for the sponsons, on various levels of the hull and on the deck itself, as well as the webbing.
The boats, life rafts, instrumentation, antennae, webbing, netting, and handrails were made up of probably 300 or more pieces.
When these were complete, it took several days to attach them all and then painstakingly cut all of railings and nettings and attach them. Lots of touch up painting as I went. Some people install most of the parts and pieces and even handrailing before painting...I prefer to paint as I go, installing painted pieces and then touching up any necessary areas either from paint affected by the glue, or glue spots on the paint itself.
Then it was time to attach the Island. The vessel itself still needs the rudders, props, shafs and supports, but otherwise is complete. I have yet to add the decals on the deck, and there are a lot of them which will be painstaking but very gratifying. Then, we'll build the air wing and deck vehicles and equipment, paint them, add decals, and place them. But for right now, she's looking pretty good.
Status as March 18, 2012
This is where I have gotten to date. My plan over the next few weeks is the following, and I will update this posting as I go along:
- By March 25th, 2012: Complete props, shafys, and rudders.Complete all decals and painting of main flight deck.
- By April 16th, 2012: Complete all aircraft and deck equipment building, painting, decals, and aircraft and equipment placement.
- By April 23rd, 2012: Paint and place all all 1/350 scale personnel on the carrier, complete carrier and place on stand.
At that point I will be finished with my PLAN Navy Carrier from Trumpeter. At that point I will do my priniple PLAN Escort for the carrier, Trumpeter's DDG-170, Lanshou Type 052C destroyer. This is the Chinese Arleigh Burke-like destroyer with PARS, battle management and VLS air defense missiles. After that, I will build Hobby Boss's PLAN SSN attack submarine, the PLAN SSN-405, ChangZheng5, a Type 091 Han class SSN, for escort duties. Then, rather than build the other three surface combatants (Trumpeter's DDG-168, Guangzhou; DDG-139, Ningbo; and FFG-570, Huangshan) as part of the Chinese Carrier Strike Group, I will build the initial portion of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group.
That US CSG will be centered on Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65. I will build Trumpeter's USS Bunker Hill, CG-52 an AEGIS Cruiser, Trumpeter's DDG-82, USS Lassen an AEGIS destroyer, and the Los Angeles Class attack sumbmarine, Testor's SSN-764, USS Boise (It was actaully the San Juan, but I built and marked it as the USS Boise) which I have already completed.
Continuing now with progress on my 1/350 scale PLAN Carrier, the ex-Varyag since the 14th:
Finishing the main deck and hull
There was still a lot of work to be done with the main deck. Quite a bit of instrumentation and various equipment. All of the antennae, all of the life rafts and various ship's boats, and finally all of the hand railing for the sponsons, on various levels of the hull and on the deck itself, as well as the webbing.
The boats, life rafts, instrumentation, antennae, webbing, netting, and handrails were made up of probably 300 or more pieces.
When these were complete, it took several days to attach them all and then painstakingly cut all of railings and nettings and attach them. Lots of touch up painting as I went. Some people install most of the parts and pieces and even handrailing before painting...I prefer to paint as I go, installing painted pieces and then touching up any necessary areas either from paint affected by the glue, or glue spots on the paint itself.
Then it was time to attach the Island. The vessel itself still needs the rudders, props, shafs and supports, but otherwise is complete. I have yet to add the decals on the deck, and there are a lot of them which will be painstaking but very gratifying. Then, we'll build the air wing and deck vehicles and equipment, paint them, add decals, and place them. But for right now, she's looking pretty good.
Status as March 18, 2012
This is where I have gotten to date. My plan over the next few weeks is the following, and I will update this posting as I go along:
- By March 25th, 2012: Complete props, shafys, and rudders.Complete all decals and painting of main flight deck.
- By April 16th, 2012: Complete all aircraft and deck equipment building, painting, decals, and aircraft and equipment placement.
- By April 23rd, 2012: Paint and place all all 1/350 scale personnel on the carrier, complete carrier and place on stand.
At that point I will be finished with my PLAN Navy Carrier from Trumpeter. At that point I will do my priniple PLAN Escort for the carrier, Trumpeter's DDG-170, Lanshou Type 052C destroyer. This is the Chinese Arleigh Burke-like destroyer with PARS, battle management and VLS air defense missiles. After that, I will build Hobby Boss's PLAN SSN attack submarine, the PLAN SSN-405, ChangZheng5, a Type 091 Han class SSN, for escort duties. Then, rather than build the other three surface combatants (Trumpeter's DDG-168, Guangzhou; DDG-139, Ningbo; and FFG-570, Huangshan) as part of the Chinese Carrier Strike Group, I will build the initial portion of the US Navy Carrier Strike Group.
That US CSG will be centered on Tamiya's 1/350 scale USS Enterprise, CVN-65. I will build Trumpeter's USS Bunker Hill, CG-52 an AEGIS Cruiser, Trumpeter's DDG-82, USS Lassen an AEGIS destroyer, and the Los Angeles Class attack sumbmarine, Testor's SSN-764, USS Boise (It was actaully the San Juan, but I built and marked it as the USS Boise) which I have already completed.
