Tim,

that looks absolutely fantastic. The way you take the pictures one can forget that it's a model - not to talk about the scale. Absolutely stunning work!!

Jan

Stunning work Tim,

those planes are so small, they're not much bigger than house flies!

I am in total agreement with Jan and Russell. It is amazing work! The fireball and enveloped plane completely look the part.

cheers
Michael

SPECTACULAR

Really looks quite dramatic.

Thanks guys for your kind comments. It’s been fun trying to create a sense of drama in a scene so small!

Months ago I had scratchbuilt and painted what would in a sense be the focal point of the diorama – the Enterprise’s shattered Number 1 elevator.


Now that the explosion plume was painted and secured to the ship, I attached the broken elevator to the top of it to match the famous photograph. I liked the effect, but the photo also shows numerous other, smaller, fragments being blown into the air along with it. To replicate these I painted a piece of .005 inch plastic sheet with the same White Ensign Colourcoats 5-N Navy Blue enamel as the ship and tore off a number of jagged fragments with a pair of tweezers. After touching up the torn edges, I attached them to various points on the plume.


I had initially thought to set them at some distance from the explosion column on little wires, but this didn’t work very well at all, so I settled for attaching them to various spots on the plume itself. They aren’t as numerous as those in the original strike photo, but they do help suggest additional damage from the explosive power of the blast.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better - he does it again!

EJ

Tim,

Most impressive work! I think your plume looks very convincing.

Thanks EJ and Fredrick – as much time as I spent on the ship model, the real focus of the diorama is that explosion!


With the plume done, I finished things up with a simple inscribed brass nameplate. Though not strictly necessary, I like nameplates because they not only let the viewer know exactly what’s going on, but they are also an easy way to give displays a sharper, more polished appearance.


It is fun to compare the completed diorama to the original picture. I don’t usually try to capture specific moments in time, but in this case that single 14 May 1945 photograph was so compelling I just couldn’t resist!

Stunning! Simply Stunning Tim!

You definitely deserve a trophy for this build if you enter a model show!!!

Thanks, Russell – kind as always!


U. S. S. ENTERPRISE (CV6) WAR HISTORY 7 DECEMBER, 1941 TO 15 AUGUST, 1945
WAR DAMAGE REPORT No. 59
Preliminary Design Section, Bureau of Ships Navy Department 30 April, 1947 printed By U. S. Hydrographic Office

SECTION J
SUICIDE PLANE CRASH - KYUSHU, 14 MAY 1945
(page 50) J7-6. The experience of ENTERPRISE in this case illustrates the ineffectiveness of "venting" the detonation of a medium or large bomb. The forward elevator was blown clear of the ship, opening an area of about 2000 square feet; the large volume of the hangar space was available and the two hangar curtains just abaft the elevator hatch provided 1200 square feet more of opening. Yet, a large section of the flight deck was forced upward and rendered useless.

http://ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/WarDamageReports/WarHistoryEnterpriseCV6/WarHistoryEnterpriseCV6.html

Hello All,

I just wanted to thank all of you who have been following my little Enterprise build over the past months, I’ve very much appreciated your generous comments and advice. Here are some pics of the completed diorama:

It's always a pleasure watching your builds Tim! I always learn something new from them. Thank you for sharing

Stunning result! Especially for that scale.

Cheers!
Stefan

Your builds always give me a push to improve my skills. I always learn something new. I usually have a "stalled" build on the bench that is given new impetus to finish. Especially, the new ideas. I've never heard of anyone doing a fire and smoke plume before.

Simply outstanding. Thank you for posting your builds and helping us lesser mortals improve.

EJ

Russell, Stefan, and Eugene - thank you guys!

It was fun trying out unfamiliar techniques. The tiny aircraft were a challenge, and the fire/smoke plume was a first for me – I learned new things during this project, too. Still, managing to turn a planned simple one-month quick build for the ‘Enterprise Campaign’ into an eight-month marathon was not among my most astute moves..!

Anyway, thanks again for your perspectives and encouragement. Here a few more pics:

Awesome! Your hard work really paid off.

Looking forward to the next build, Tim!

Holy kablooey! That's awesome! Fantastic attention to detail.

Jim

Tim,

I'm sorry, I totally missed you finishing this absolutely fantastic build!! It was stunning to watch your progress, and I had to remind myself of the scale again and again. That's a real gem you built there during your 'marathon' - it is well worth the time you spent! Eventually, you got the plume spot on and the impression of your diorama is really great. Not to talk about your 'micro planes'... On your pictures I would never guess the small size of it.

Just one word - fantastic!!

Cheers,
Jan