Adding Main Flight Deck tie down points to the 1/350 Scale USS Enterprise
The Build - Tie Down Holds on the Main Flight Deck (November 7, 2012)
Now it was time to deal with the tie down holds which are located all over the flight deck, well over 1,000 of them. On the Tamiya Enterpise model, these are represented with circles, the outline of which is slightly raised. Most people paint the interior of these circles either a white or off-white color. These circles are approximately 1/16 " in diameter. I decided that the painting did not give the relief of the actual tie downs because they are actually holes in the deck with the tie down "bar" to which the chains are attached mounted inside the hole and flush with the deck. So, I decided to drill them all out. I did not drill out the holes in the middle of the flight deck landing outlines or stripes, or where the catapault lines crossed the deck, but did drill out all of the others.
I initially used a 1/16" drill bit and drilled down about ten revolutions each to about half the thickness of the deck...perhaps to a depth of about 1/8 of an inch. Because this was taking so long, I ultimately utilized my dremel tool. Due to the slight movement of the drill bit as it rotated while I held it, the 1/16" bit was making the holes a little too large. I reverted to a 1/32" bit and this worked very well. I was able to then drill out all of the holes, though it was still took quite a bit of time. After every 6-8 holes you have to stop and clear the plastic out of the drill grooves so as to get clean crisp holes. I ultimately just drilled all the way through the deck in order to speed up the process and because the depth was not nearly as cinsistant with the dremel as it was with the hand-held drill. Here's how that turned out.
Once the holes were drilled, there was quite a bit of scratching and impact on the deck due to the drilling where the deck had already been painted. It was necessary to go back and paint over this, though there were a feew places where the wear and marking on the deck looked a good bit like normal wear, particularly around the landing and take off areas (catapaults). In those area's I simply used a mostly dry brush to "dry brush" the areas and give them the appearance of wear on a painted and non-skid surface.
I will now be able to move fairly rapidly on painting the deck markings and applying decals, and then placing the various small features around the deck, like antennae, fire hose reels, walkways, etc. And then placing the entire flight deck on the hull and adding the Island and the rear landing control tower. That's what I will be doing next and I hope to be back with pictures and progress on that in the next week or two.
SCHEDULE for Future Activities as of October 24, 2012
Once my USS Enterprise, CVN-65, is complete, I will be moving forward with my model building schedule as shown here:
- By Dec 15, 2012: Complete the
- By Dec 10, 2012: Complete the USS Lassen, DDG-82.
- By Jan 31, 2013: Complete PLAN Xuzhao (FFG-53) and Huangshan(FFG-570).
- By Feb 21, 2013: Complete the USS Bunker Hill, CG-52.
At that point I will go back and complete the remainder of the PLAN Carrier group, centered on the already completed
, including Mini Hobby's's PLAN Guangzhou, DDG-168; the PLAN Ningbo, DDG-139; and the PLAN ChangZhang5, SSN-405 by Hobby Boss. If a 1/350 scale model of the PLAN Type 071 LPD, Yuzhao Class, is added, I will add one of those, propbably LPD-999, Jinggangshan.
Then, it will be on to finish the US Carrier Strike group including Trumpeter's, USS Freedom, LCS-1, Trumpeter's USS Iwo Jima LHD-7, Trumpeter's USS The Sullivans DDG-68, Cyber Hobby's USS Independence, LCS-2, Gallery Model's, USS New York, LPD-21, Hobby Boss's USS Texas, SSN-775. (All of which I already own)
When a 1/350 scale USS Gerald R. Ford comes out from Trumpeter, Airfix, Tamiya, Dragon, or whomever else, I will add it to this group along with another AEGIS Cruiser.
Once the US and PLAN groups are built, I intend on building a complete UK Group including the Airfix HMS Illustrious (which I already own), two Airfix Daring Class DDGs (which I have now ordered and should arrive in August), then two Type 23 HMS Duke class Frigates (which I already own), and the Hobby Boss HMS Astute SSN and Airfix HMS Tragalgar SSN, both of which which I already own. One day, when a 1/350 scale HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier and a 1/350 HMS Ocean LPD come out, I will add both to this group.
Then it will be the French CSG centered on the Charles De Gualle (which I already own). All of these models are by Heller and are in 1/400 scale. I have purchased the French De Grasse, D612 DDG, which is an ASW DDG, the French Duquesne, D603 DDG which is an anti-air multi-purpose DDG, 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 Rbin class nuclear sub, like the French Perale S606 SSN comes out, I will add that to the group. Also as soon as the Forbin D620, Horizon class anti-air DDG is available, I will purchase it and add it to the group as well.
Then, finally it will be a complete Russian CSG (centered on Trumpeter's Kuznetsov) the Russian Slava Class cruiser, Varyag by Trumperter, two Trumpeter Udalaoy DDGs, and Hobby Boss's Akula II class SSN (which I already own) and the Russian Alfa Class SSN which I have already completed.
