Hi guys, this is my first time active on this part of the site.(usually on armorama) Just wanted to share my first vessel build, commissioned by a collector. Being an ex-Navyman, I was thrilled when I started this build...and coincidently I've always wanted to build THE ENTERPRISE!!!

With much hours on end scrutinizing the details and works of art of this ship by other modelers...I took the plunge ending last year and with Mk 2 Eyeballs---started all measurements and markings with pencil on paper and on the ship's hull...
I've completed most of the scratch built hanger bay, to be lit with white & red leds thru the hundreds of cut outs on the ceiling- simulating lighting areas approximately 294 square cut-outs!! On the reverse side of the ceiling, sheets of styrene frame work was added for strength thus dividing the 294 lighting cut-outs into 47 sections which each will receive a clear sheet of styrene in order to diffuse the intensity of the leds.
Most of the ongoing detailing is based on the book The USS ENTERPRISE in detail & scale.
As the photos show,I've opened up all elevator openings to the hangerbay, including Elevator No.1.
There's 20% scratch building left to be done-mostly on the exterior of the ship.
I've also prepared most of the carrier's photoetch set from Gold medal Models, including their photoetch elevators set....and many fire hose reels which I'm dreading the monotony..
The Island will be lit subtly and I'm hoping to light the Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System and stern landing light locations with fibre optics.
The ship will also house Eduard's pre-colored photoetch figures.
Follow up photos will show details added to the exterior hull and structures such as the SPN-35,LSO platform,AN/SPN-41,etc..

SUPPORTS


HANGERBAY & CEILING


HANGERBAY WALL DETAILS


CEILINGS (note the weapons racks @20 parts per rack x 15 racks = 300parts!)

Walls in test installation


2-part Ceiling (note cut outs for lighting : estimated count based on references = 294

Looking in..
Note the size and the height of Tamiya's liquid cement bottle as compared to the opening of the hangerbay..the bottle is higher!
In regards to measurements and scratch building the details..at 1/350 scale they are really very small, half the time I was modeling parts too large and had to down-size constantly...Hopefully a lesson learned!





Detailing and scratch building in 1/350 scale is certainly a challenge..such tiny details to scrutinize...thus I will soon need to replace my very used MK 2 Eyeballs Anyone have spares?

Welcome to MSW. So far your Enerprise looks great. you have certianly done a good deal of research.

Thank you for sharing her with us!

Ahoy, Nick, Welcome to Model Shipwrights mate!

Wow, you sure know how to make an entrance, mate...your project looks fantastic, love the details!

Thanks for sharing, Nick, will be looking forward to seeing the build progress....

Hi Nick,

Brilliant bit of work! The amount of detail within the hangar deck is magnificent! I like the perforated ceiling, great way to allow the light through to the deck. Will this be a full hull or waterline build?

Frank

I have read an build review in TMMI a couple of years a go over the enterprise whit also a lot of scratchbuilding. I realy like this topic, and i will follow this to the very end.

Best Regards Manuel

Man that is NO WAY I'm going to do that to the Ranger or JFK . That's masterful work!!

Thank you all very much for the warm welcome and very kind words....

I'll post more pics as soon as I've finished the remaining exterior scratch building.
It's going to be a waterline diorama...although I have not gotten the base and display made yet...the base will hide a small battery pack for all the leds.
I'll be adding another 60 to 70 aircraft some with white ensign's photoetch set..

Cheers
Nick

This is one fantastic build!!! The amount of work you've done on the interior is spectacular and will make this a truly incredible build.

Having done this kit myself (although with no interior details), I know there are a quite a few things you'll need to do to the in-box parts to match the way the ship looks in the photos in the Detail and scale book. But no doubt in my mind, that's the best way to go. One thing that Tamiya got wrong is the sponson on the port side, forward. You'll notice from the photos that at this point in the ship's career, that sponson had been lengthend from the original as built dimensions, which are what I believe the molded sponson represents, but after seeing your prowess with scratch building, THAT won't be a problem. There are also quite a few modifications in the port quarter and stern not found in the kit (not to mention they neglected the LSO platform completely!!!)

If I were starting this project from the beginning, in addition to the PE set for the aircraft, I'd probably buy the Trumpeter planes to replace the Tamiya, and I'd also buy the aftermarket decals for the planes. I purchased enough Tamiya sets to provide for the complete airwing, and then hand painted most of the squadron markings because nothing else was availaible at the time. I won't go back and re-do any of that, but if I were starting fresh, I'd go that route, particularly considering how stunning the rest of the kit promises to be.

Welcome to this part of the site, and I'm really looking forward to watching this build progress!!!

Hi Nick

Welcome to MSW and what a way of making an entry!!
Pretty impressive work on "your" Enterprise! I really like what your are doing on the hanger bay - full of details that really will make a great difference on others Enterprise's!

Please keep us posted on your progresses - and btw, one thing is certain: your customer will be very pleased!
Cheers,
Rui

Wow, those thru the hangar shots are photo-real! (and no paint yet). That detail is going to be worth it, it"sells" it. Lovely build - bet you'll be sad to see her go!

I concur wholeheartedly with Tom Hataway about the Trumpeter Aircraft as well as finding a decal set for squadron insignia

As to reference material...2 additional items chock full of pictures would be some old Fine Scale Model magazines dated DEC 2005 and MAR 1997 There is a really old one that probably wouldnt be of too much use MAY 1993. I've got all these stored in the kit box along with the detail and scale book for when I get around to it. I m probaly going to replace all those Tamiya aircraft i bought (Luckily they were only a buck a box) with the trumpeter versions. I've added a hanger deck to my big E but it is mainly just to put some aircraft on near the doors to give some depth. NOt planning on interior alls and definitely no lighting. I just made those pieces and tossed them in the box as well. I spent 4 months on the Nimitz and with so many other kits to do in my stash, probably be a few more years before I do this one. She'll probably be moth-balled or broken up by the time I get around to it.

As for little people you might try L'arsenal's 3-d stuff ...........better than the photo-etch stuff even prepainted IMHO

I'm not one myself for putting figures on my builds, but if the L'Arsenal figures are anything like the rest of their stuff, it's really first class. I got just about everything they make for the Missouri from WEM, and couldn't believe how much better than OOB stuff it is. I just ordered some more stuff from them to go onto my Fletcher Class build.

If you're planning to have a crew, I think you'll be much happier with 3D than with flat PE figures.

Hi Mark,Tom, Rui, Wink and Steve,,,thanks for your kind comments.

Thanks for the heads up on the sponson on the port side, forward, I hadn't scrutinized all the exterior details yet so your input speeds up my research.
I have started modifications on the port quarter and stern. LSO and other details are being tackled slowly.

I've advised my client the use of the excellent trumpeter aircraft sets but he has not yet confirmed the number of aircraft nor the sets..although it'll probably be a combination of both tamiya and trumpeter. Along with the airwing photoetch sets and aftermarket decals for a number of aircraft of both low and high viz markings..The aircraft count so far is 67.

I'll try to look for Fine Scale Model magazines

As for L'arsenal's 3-d figures, they are probably the best and only option for true realism, however a large number of figures will be needed and I am not very keen on painting them, not forgetting adding aditional commission fees to the couple thousands this build already is. So it's up to my client how much detail he wants,is willing to spend, and how long he's willing to wait.... Since I do know that a Nimitz class is next..

Yes, I'm always a little sad when my builds leave for their new owners..but it's my job...and so I hope i'll be able to take really good photos throughout the build and completion..as that's all I'll have left..boo hoo


I do hope to see more modern warship blogs and perhaps another enterprise or nimtiz..

It's going to be exciting to watch this build progress. One other thing Tamyia didn't quite get right, and you'll notice as you go around the Detail and Scale photos, is the structure on the starboard side of the island on which the CWIS is mounted, and if I remember correctly, the small tower on the flight deck on the starboard quarter requires some modification as well. You'll find the detail and scale book very helpful in adding the items not modeled OOB.

Since these photos depict the way the ship was in the mid-80's the composition and marking of the airwing (which at the time would have been CVW-11) should also be consistent, i.e. the fighters would be F-14s and not F-4s and the light attack aircraft would be the A-7 and not the F/A-18. A mix of hi-viz and lo-viz would probably be typical and certainly more interesting, but again, I'd use the photos as a guide. I opted for all lo-viz because that's easier to paint.

Somehere I managed to get a file which lists the exact composition for two cruises during this period, (numbers of A/C per squadron, markings etc) and I'll see if I can find it.

Hey Tom,

I've been having a tough time trying to see all details on the structure on the starboard side of the island, I hope someone can send me some photos...anyone?

Yes the "small tower" scratch parts have been prepared..quite a few varieties of plastic and metal rods. I also noted that the frames sit at different locations compared to the tamiya version.

Yes my client had asked for a mid-80's version compositing a period where both low and high viz markings where seen on the airwing. He had not yet passed me that reference book yet.

There will be quite a few F-14 squadrons to be built as he would like to depict perhaps the changes of high and low viz when he "plays" with the ship. No F-4s.. However he also requested F-18s.. And has supplied me with many Gold Medal Model's decals for the airwings.

As for the different squadrons and ship modifications...I am not very well versed,but I'm trying to stick to the 80s version in the detail and scale book...
On a side note, this is why I opted to cut out the 294 squarish-holes for the hangerbay's lighting, in fact the photos seem to show a couple of round lights in each square-hole... which got me to ponder if I should go the optic fibre way--- but changed my mind since it would be so much more work, and since my client was not too concerned about it as he had just asked for a basic lighting set up---which I couldn't bring myself to step-down and compromise the realism to do so--after all the effort I put into the hangerbay.

If YOU or ANYONE would like to share any photos or info for Detailing the ship and/or Information on the Airwing for the particular mid-80s period...I'll certainly appreciate it!! THANKS!


Once I complete more work I'll post more photos..it'll take some time as I am up to my nose in my commission builds..and really am so happily busy!

I know it's very premature to say, but the next Enterprise I build will be MINE! And I intend to go nuts with even drill out holes for fibre-optics to simulate the flight deck's running lights for night landing operations..
Hopefully by that time Tamiya will release an Enterprise-specific 1/350 crew, since they just announced a naval figure set for may release.

Well, as the saying goes, the customer is always right. But for a mid- 80's version, the F/A-18 would not be a part of the airwing. I found my file and determined that I matched my airwing composition to CVW-11 for the WESTPAC cruise from 30 May 1984- 20 Dec 1984. The line up is as follows:

1xx VF 114 with 10 F-14As (For some reason, 103 and 110) were not aboard)
2xx VF 213 with either 11 or 10 F-14As (205 did not embark and 202 was lost off Cubi Point)
3xx VA-22 with 12 A-7Es
4xx VA -94 with 9 A-7E's (406, 410, and 414 were not embarked)
5xx VA-95 with 10 A-6Es and 4 KA-6Ds
VAW-117 flew 4 E2-Cs (600 - 603)
VAQ-133 flew 4 A-6Bs (604-607)
HS-6 flew 6 SH-3Hs (610-615)
and VS-21 flew 10 S-3As (700-707, 710 and 711)

But if your customer wants FA/-18s, you'd have to determine two squadrons equipped with those aircraft that were on the Enterprise (probably with a different Airwing) at a later period of time.

I'll check my references and give some choices.

Awesome stuff Nick!

Gator

I did some checking and here's what I found.

The first deployment Enterprise made with F/A-18s as part of her Air Wing was in June of 1996. This was with CVW 17.

But this poses some problems if you want to be accurate. This deployment occurred after Enterprise completed a very extensive overhaul from October 1990 through September 1994, during which she changed quite a bit from the way she appears in the Detail and Scale photos (including a lengthening of some 20 feet somehow). So the Enterprise with Hornets aboard won't look exactly like the one from the book. If your customer isn't concerned with total accuracy, no problem. But to be totally correct, you'd want to make the ship's appearance match the time period consistent with the Air Wing you're depicting. And that's where it gets interesting.

Before the overhaul, Enterprise deployed in the Pacific from 1982-1990 and operated with CVW-11 with roughly the same composition of aircraft, although there were some squadron changes.

Subsequent to this overhaul she has operated in the Atlantic, and deployed with four different Air Wings (17, 3, 8, and 1) each of which has a different composition and tail code.

The good news is, that the first 4 deployments saw the Air Wing with a mix of F-14s and F/A-18s, althought only CVW-8 during the April 5- November 10, 2001 deployment had two F-14 squadrons. The other three Wings only had one F-14 squadron.

However, the last time that an Enterprise Air Wing operated with the A-6E/KA-6D was from June through December of 1996 with CVW-17, and this would be the only time you'd have F-14's, F/A-18s and A-6 on board at the same time. After that cruise the A-6s were taken out of service.

And there's one other thing. NONE of the Air Wings during any of these deployments operated the SH-3H helicopters. By the time Enterprise went back to sea in 1996, the Air Wings were using the newer SH-60 (basically a Blackhawk).

So you'll need to decide if you want to include F-14s and/or A-6s and then select the correct Air Wing to get the right decals. And by all means you'll need the Trumpeter HH/SH-60 Helicopters rather than the Tamiya SH-3s.

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your is very impressive can't wait to see the progress you make.
jim

Hey Kenny, I'll be using your Gator glue as well..bought it specifically to help with the photoetch railings.

Tom, thanks a zillion for your help and organisation.. I've copied and paste your info on my "Open Office" software, certainly essential for my build.

Hey Jim, thanks for your kind words..

I hope to post photos of the exterior modifications next week .

Just thought I show my preparation of parts... and some little work.
The clear sheets in plastic container left top side is to diffuse the ceiling "lights"
The aircraft were just for reference in measurements for the hangerbay.

I like the way you have organized everything in those trays. Im going to have to try that out.

The details you added look good - and the amount of work you have on the ceiling is MASSIVE, but surely will pay off
Congratulations and (please) Keep us posted,
Rui

Massive build and project, awesome attention to detail, this one is a "Lesson" for rookies like me. Thanks for posting and I look forward to the project!

HI guys and thanks for your comments.

By any chance do you guys know where I can get some colored images of the paintings of the 6 Enterprise predecessors on the fire doors, as well as the one of CV-6 besides it? The detail and scale book photos are in black and white.

THANKS