1. I opened up the port side embarkation/debarkation door area. You might be able to see through the opening and see the other starboard side doors on the other side. It may not look like they line up with the port side opening, but they do. I might have had the model at a tiny slight angle when taking the pic while trying to hold the hull.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5780/23646596482_45ab1e0560_b.jpg
2. A closer view of the opening. I used some spare miscellaneous parts from my spares box to try and simulate the overhead crane system above the doorway. It may look cheesy and crappy, but I'm not worried.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4025/4648902260_967258fede_b.jpg
http://www.sddt.com/images/pictures/military/navy-020615_150203-N-EV723-281.JPG
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5772/23646596562_570f7cbcd8_z.jpg
3. Interior port side embarkation entrance.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5628/23126979344_25c1c96a05_b.jpg
4. Ramp to the lower vehicle storage bay.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5821/23128371833_f7c1bc71dc_z.jpg
5. These next pics might be hard to explain, but I'll try. I'm willing to bet that there are cargo elevator doors on the starboard side of the upper vehicle bay forward of the starboard embarkation/debarkation doorway area. Otherwise, how else is cargo going to be on loaded or off loaded on vehicles in the upper vehicle bay? So I got some spare parts from my spares box and built a single cargo elevator underneath the overhang. Not sure if it's right or not, but I'm guessing that's the right location? If I'm wrong, then sorry.
There actually should be 2 cargo elevators, but I could only build one. I hopefully would like to scratchbuild some form of elevator shaft (Pic showing sample Evergreen rod in vertical position.) leading from the vehicle bay cargo elevator to the cargo elevator doorway on the main deck in front of the bridge area. Not sure if this is feasible, but I'm hoping to try. https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/642/23127046624_9f2062f132_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5740/23646596542_8dc2875544_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/761/23127070754_4ef551eb26_b.jpg
I decided to cut open the hangar bay floor so spectators could see down into the well deck. So what's holding up the clear hangar bay floor you might ask? From what I've heard and read, the Wasp class LHD's had (But were removed? ) a cargo monorail type system that transferred cargo from the upper vehicle bay and/or other points in the ship, to the well deck. This monorail system kinda looks like a bunch of I-beams on the ceiling of the well deck in various pics found on the Net. I decided to scratchbuild a few pieces of monorail I-beams from Evergreen plastic strip (Painted yellowish color) which you can see in one of the pics listed much further below.
Lighting the well deck with EL wire is complete. Sorry for the blurriness of the pics listed much further below. My digital camera ain't the best nor do I have any photography skills. You'll just have to deal with it. When compared to these below Internet pics, I think I nailed the green lighting pretty damn good. The blue lights I decided not to add. Don't need the added stress. The green lights you see in these Internet pics are at an angle, appear rectangular, and are overhead the catwalk railing, which is exactly the same effect I was trying to go for.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/images/lhd-1_well-deck_050620-n-7869m-055.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/USS_Wasp_%28LHD-1%29_welldeck_2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/US_Navy_051017-N-1189B-017_A_Landing_Craft_Air_Cushion_%28LCAC%29_awaits_the_loading_of_vehicles_in_the_well_deck_of_the_amphibious_assault_ship_USS_Wasp_%28LHD_1%29.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/USS_Wasp_%28LHD-1%29_welldeck.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/553630/fullsize/well-deck.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5828/23918568475_c44925c427_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5620/23622937050_75fea2cfff_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/727/23550794239_c5adee2b2f_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/658/23622937060_c3466dde56_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5726/23622937080_71ddf45968_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/755/23550794219_2ef9d6652b_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/718/23622937020_d97131a65d_k.jpg
LET THERE BE LIGHT! It's not the greatest, but it's the best I could do. Not too bad for my very first time putting lighting inside a model kit.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5768/23550671889_0f314ac511_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5720/23550671919_30591e13de_z.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5649/23290347264_c927d71ad6_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5623/23550794259_4ffba399fe_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/609/23550794289_6690f973b0_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/727/23550816099_29f04c95ff_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5830/23550816119_b18e9575f9_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/751/23550816129_f88a6c9356_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/757/23550816139_baa8692cde_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/623/23836205951_90c06ee7e4_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/694/23550873079_4dc15bc624_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5632/23550873099_5dbcd44ebf_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5682/23836205961_65dd64f686_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5793/23550873039_9568dd582c_z.jpg
Ok, I need suggestions. I need a good way to hide all the extra EL wiring, plus control switch, in the model display base. The base is the big black thing you see in the pics upside down with a square cut in the middle of it to snake the wiring and control unit through. So I'm wondering what I can do to the underside/inside of the black display base to hold all the wiring and control unit. Clips? Tape? Velcro? Or something else? The top of the display base is completely flat. Also, I have no plans to use those brass lamp pedestal things that most other modelers use. Oh, and one other thing: Cutting the EL wire to shorter length isn't an option. You'll just have to trust me on this.
Pics:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1642/23940438392_a3c29038eb_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1484/23940524512_5733ad6750_h.jpg
