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Building Trumpeters 1/350 USS Nimitz
warreni
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Posted: Saturday, July 16, 2016 - 04:52 PM UTC
Hello Everyone.

I decided to build a kit I have had in my stash for a long time now, at least 10 years. So here we go with something you don't see getting built too often, probably because it is so big. Anyway here is the box stuff.







Then you open the box and it has lots of sprues in it and it is all held safe from damage using cardboard sheets and boxes. Oh I am sure there will be a review somewhere of what's in the box but this is a build blog and I shall do building right now!

This will be continued in the morning as I need to get some sleep.

Until then


warreni
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 01:39 AM UTC
OK. Time for the rest of the update before I go to work. I ordered some PE on Ebay for the ship and got the lovely PE but with photo-copied instructions of another brand's PE..



Peculiar eh.. but it wasn't very expensive and the PE quality is excellent. Then when I was rattling around in the large box I found this..



Definitely aircraft on this carrier. This next picture may give you some idea of the size of the hull..



Then how the hull was kept together in the box alomg with cardboard bulkheads etc..



Then the five metal hull braces..



..held in place by 10 tiny bolts with nuts on them. There was a bag for these nuts and bolts but even though it appeared to be sealed they were loose in the box and had found their way into other bags which also appeared to be sealed.. weird!

First job was to cut this big chunk of plastic out of the side so you can glue on a sponson..





Why they didn't just save the plastic and mould it minus that plastic I have no idea. Then it was clamping time to glue in all the massive garage doors on the sides of the ship..



This is a typical well moulded Trumpeter kit which is going together like a snap-tie kit at the moment. And that's it for now.

Cheers
Warren
JJ1973
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 12:59 PM UTC
Hi Warren!

Now that's something completely different for a change! Very nice choice, though - and of course, I will follow you along!!

Cheers,
Jan
warreni
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 01:08 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren!

Now that's something completely different for a change! Very nice choice, though - and of course, I will follow you along!!

Cheers,
Jan


Welcome aboard Jan.

Yes I thought it was time for something a little different.

Cheers and thanks
Warren
warreni
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 01:19 PM UTC
Greetings Everyone.

This afternoon's effort started with removing bits of the hanger deck which you may never see but it is there. I am putting it in to strengthen the hull further. Then I started adding things down the port side. First up were three platforms with mooring parts, including three of these, this one having it's railing added.



Then I added the first piece of PE, a catwalk and railing, etched in one piece..



Oh yeah, and the first of three Sea Sparrow mounts. The launchers are available from Shapeways but $30 for three tiny launchers doesn't seem to add up to me.. plus postage of course. Veteran Models only produces that later Mk.29 whereas the Nimitz needs the Mk.25 mounts. Think I will give the kit ones a go first.

That's all for now.

Cheers
Warren
RussellE
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 05:00 PM UTC
Wow Warren, you haven't even come up for air before starting another build!

And what a topic! I've always wanted to see one of these built up!

BTW: The big chunk of plastic you cut out to fit the sponsoon was intentionally put there by Trumpy, to stop the hull from warping during molding
Littorio
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Posted: Sunday, July 17, 2016 - 10:33 PM UTC
Following along Warren, I have this kit in the stash along with the WEM photo etch, lots of extra aircraft and decals for a 1978 fit. May get around to building it in a few years
RedDuster
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 12:12 AM UTC
Hi Warren,

Nice start on an impressive beast, will be following along.

Cheers

Si
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 11:22 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Wow Warren, you haven't even come up for air before starting another build!

And what a topic! I've always wanted to see one of these built up!

BTW: The big chunk of plastic you cut out to fit the sponsoon was intentionally put there by Trumpy, to stop the hull from warping during molding


G'Day Russell

That makes sense. It is a huge moulding and warping would be a problem.

I love building stuff too much to leave the bench for too long Russell. If I had my way I would be there all day every day.

Cheers mate
Warren
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 11:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Following along Warren, I have this kit in the stash along with the WEM photo etch, lots of extra aircraft and decals for a 1978 fit. May get around to building it in a few years


Come on Luciano.. you know you are a big collector of stuff rather than a big builder. More power to you!

Cheers mate
Warren
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 11:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren,

Nice start on an impressive beast, will be following along.

Cheers

Si


Welcome aboard Mr Heathwood. (piping music in background).
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 12:53 PM UTC
Does anyone know of any good photo walk-arounds of the Nimitz?
Littorio
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Posted: Monday, July 18, 2016 - 09:13 PM UTC
Let me get home Warren and I'll look for the photo CD I got for the Nimitz and let you know who it's by. They do a load but the name escapes me while I'm at work.
warreni
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Posted: Thursday, July 21, 2016 - 04:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Let me get home Warren and I'll look for the photo CD I got for the Nimitz and let you know who it's by. They do a load but the name escapes me while I'm at work.


Thanks Luciano.

Now for another update. Some more railings. These are on the fantail..



I think that is what they call the back of an aircraft carrier.. sorry.. stern of the carrier. Then it was time for the hanger deck which will be never seen again..



Then some safety rails on the edge of the deck on front of the massive garage doors..



Then some more work on the fantail..



This PE set is not that comprehensive I don't think. I am not 100% sure but I think there should be a railing of some sort around those two platforms. Then it was time to remove the moulded on safety nets..



Gone..



And the rear of the flight deck has to have them removed as well..



Then I had to remove the stairs from these items and a few other moulded in ladders which will be replaced..



Then I noticed a few ejector pin marks on this piece.. Oh the humanity!!



Nassssty...



But like many of jibes levelled at Trumpeter for their kits thses marks are going to be hidden as the part is glued this side up to part of the flight deck. Phew!! That's the part under said clamps..



And that's all for now.

Cheers
Warren
Littorio
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Posted: Thursday, July 21, 2016 - 01:36 PM UTC
Hi Warren, THIS is the company they do a huge amount of Photo CD's on loads of ships. I've got the Nimitz one and a couple on Soviet ships and RN ships, just noticed they've done a Nimitz class of 2012 covering all 10 of the class. Very useful.

You'll need volume 1
warreni
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Posted: Friday, July 22, 2016 - 12:58 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren, THIS is the company they do a huge amount of Photo CD's on loads of ships. I've got the Nimitz one and a couple on Soviet ships and RN ships, just noticed they've done a Nimitz class of 2012 covering all 10 of the class. Very useful.

You'll need volume 1


Thanks heaps for that Luciano. Only problem is I will probably have finished the model before it got to me..
warreni
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Posted: Friday, July 22, 2016 - 01:29 PM UTC
Time for another update. Much of yesterday and today was spent on aerials..



If you think they are finished, you are incorrect..
I looked on the PE instructions and found there are spreaders for some of the aerials so I started by cutting off the plastic bits and adding PEness..



The hole in the centre of that one was too small so I split the spreader in half and glued it on again..



And here is the finished product..



Next up I had to prepare the flight deck by removing the stepped pyramid stairways that are being replaced with PE parts..



That mat is 42cm wide so it gives you some idea of the size of the deck. I did a quick dry fir of the other parts of the deck and they look as though they are going to go together very nicely..



Then I turned my attention to the lower hull. I carefully sands the you-know-what out of it to get rid of a couple of moulding seams..





Then I decided to attach the two hull pieces while I could still turn the hull over without breaking anything..



Clampapalooza .. luckily I have a few of these large clamps.
One side is glued and I will give it a few hours before I attack the other side with the Tamiya Extra Thin glue I use for almost all plastic glueing nowadays.

Cheers
Warren

RedDuster
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Posted: Friday, July 22, 2016 - 01:44 PM UTC
Hi Warren,

Coming on well mate. Hope you don't have to do too much sanding on the flight deck joins.

Cheers

Si
warreni
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Posted: Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 07:34 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren,

Coming on well mate. Hope you don't have to do too much sanding on the flight deck joins.

Cheers

Si


Me too Simon!
warreni
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Posted: Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 09:07 AM UTC
Hello Everyone.

Time for another update. I am now only blogging on this site so if anyone knows anyone on other blog sites that might like this, say from Britmodeller Nazi site, please tell them to come to the light here at Model Shipwrights. Let's see them get upset over that comment.

Anyway, I finally got around to attaching the centre flight deck piece. One first trial fit I noticed that the left hand side wasn't even close to fitting. I had to remove some large parts from the side as I had glued them the wrong way around. I am blaming unclear instructions. How could a fantastic modeller like me make a rookie mistake like that?



See what I mean. Then after removing the items, cleaning up some glue spots and re-glueing them correctly..



Just one or two clamps. I then chucked the big piece of plastic in position and starting applying clamps, glues and candles (see if you can spot it) in strategic spots..





Same as the hull halves I worked down the left hand side first then the right applying pressure wherever it was needed.

And that's where I left it yesterday afternoon. I went to the doctors today and got a week off as I can't put any weight on my left foot for some reason. He said muscular tear or strain.. 6 weeks off that foot.. argh! So I am hobbling around home for the rest of the week and guess what I will be doing most during that time?..

Cheers everyone
Warren
JJ1973
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Posted: Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 09:51 AM UTC
Hi Warren!

Very nice progress here on the big lady, despite some awfully wrong instructions (must be - you're right!! )

That's really an impressive kit, I hope it does not need as much sanding around the hull as my Hood did - just considering the size and the surface requiring work to it...

I guess we can stand by for some solid updates than, during the next days? Nothing bad that doesn't have anything good with it...well, kind of...I hope it's nothing too bad with your foot.

Cheers,
Jan
RedDuster
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Posted: Monday, July 25, 2016 - 01:26 AM UTC
Hi Warren,

Trumpy instructions can be fun and illogical, old hand like you would go making rookie mistakes.

Great job so far, looking forward to more progress.

Cheers

Si
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 25, 2016 - 04:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren!

Very nice progress here on the big lady, despite some awfully wrong instructions (must be - you're right!! )

That's really an impressive kit, I hope it does not need as much sanding around the hull as my Hood did - just considering the size and the surface requiring work to it...

I guess we can stand by for some solid updates than, during the next days? Nothing bad that doesn't have anything good with it...well, kind of...I hope it's nothing too bad with your foot.

Cheers,
Jan


Hi Jan.

My foot is a mystery but every cloud has a silver lining. Definitely more updates.

Cheers
Warren
warreni
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Posted: Monday, July 25, 2016 - 04:29 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Warren,

Trumpy instructions can be fun and illogical, old hand like you would go making rookie mistakes.

Great job so far, looking forward to more progress.

Cheers

Si


Hopefully lots of progress over the next week.

Cheers and thanks Simon
Warren
warreni
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Posted: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 - 10:34 AM UTC
Back again with another update.

After carefully saving the flight deck netting braces moulded onto the flight deck sides I found out that the PE netting has the brace built into them, and the plastic ones were upside down anyway. So I removed the netting from the flight deck and elevators.



All gone. Then I put together the PE anchors but have decided they are too two dimensional and the plastic ones will be better..



Then I had to put some big bracing arms under the flight deck..





They don't look all that big in the photos but in the flesh they would be huge. I used to have a photo editing progrma that made it easy to add arrows etc to photos but I seem to have misplaced it otherwise I would put arrows on the piccy to show where the beams are..

Then I put the crane together..



The three Sea Sparrow launchers..



Since then I have also added a few more things to the flight deck like blast deflectors etc.

Does anyone know where I can get the appropriate paint colours for this ship Haze Grey, Deck Gray and Flight Deck Gray? I know Colorcoats used to have them but I would rather use acrylics if I could.

Regards
Warren
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