Hi there guys... I need some feedback about the above stated carrier, the USS Enterprise (Scale 1/350). I'm planning to lay my hands on one and would love to know which kit is of a better deal (I.E. Tamiya, etc...)? With regards to the details, quality, etc...

Any site with comparisons of the kits would be most helpful...

Thanks.

Hello, mate, Welcome to Model Shipwrights!
Well, the Tamiya kit is a very good kit, good detail, quality, etc, but no kit is perfect, my friend...there are plenty of A/M accessories available for this subject as well, and you can build this up to a museum quality specimen if you wish...try a Google search, mate, you'll be surprised at what you'll come up with!
~Gunny

Hello JM

As Mark already said Welcome to ModelShipWrights.

Another simple input is this:
- Check the two latest Tamiya Modeling Magazine issues, it has a feature article of Ian Ruscoe's building and upgrading the Tamiya's Enterprise (first part build, second part painting, weathering and making the base).
Ian also states all the AM parts he used in the text
Hope this helps

Skipper

Thanks for the welcome guys.!

I guess i'll have to do a little more "research" before spending... LOL. But so far, I guess Tamiya is a good choice.

Btw, thanks for the simple imput Rui! I'll be keeping a lookout for that issue.

Here is a link for you:
http://www.tamiyamodelmagazine.com
You'll "need" these two issues:





;)

Skipper

Having built this one myself I can recommend it as a good kit, but you will have some work to do. There are a LOT of aftermarket choices which will really enhance the kit. Knowing how much they improve the look, I would always avoid the OOB approach.

The one thing to remember with building a ship like this. Since ships are modified and change their look over time, you need to make sure you've decided on what time period you plan on representing the ship.

The Tamiya kit is reasonably close to the way Enterprise looked in the mid-late 80s. That's TOTALLY different than the way she looked as commissioned, and quite different than the way she looks today.

A must have reference for this is the Squadron Signal Enterprise in Detal and Scale, but it looks like Squadron is out of stock. This book is terriffic and shows the ship as she apeared during the time the model represents. And it ALSO shows several places (port side forward sponson and other places) that the kit got wrong.



http://www.squadron.com/NoStock.asp?
item=SS8239

And we're all here to help if you have questions.

Tom

I've got the kit, the book and a Gold Medal MOdels PE set for it. I would strongly strongly suggest you also invest in replacement aircraft from Trumpeter. The kit aircraft are OK, but the Trumpeter blow them away. I have several other reference recmmendations on top of what has bee listed. They are all back issues of Fine Scale Modeler

December 2005
March 1997
May 1993

I picked up my Big E on ebay for $100 even so search around for a bargain on it. I would also highly recommend the Nimitz as well. I spent 4 months of intenesive building on it, and still look at it every day with delight

I gotta agree with Steve on replacing the aircraft. The Trumpter kits are so much better, the kit ones don't even compare. And there are also a couple of terriffic decal sets as well that Gold Medal Models makes for both the aircraft as well as the ship. These weren't available when I did mine, and while I'm not going to go back and re-do the entire 84 plane airwing I did, if I were starting the project today, I'd do all of that.

(But then I tend to not worry too much about the $$, which CAN add up in a BIG hurry!!!)

Tom

Hey JM,

Here's a good website that has the Enterprise over the years, with good photos of the island from 2004.

USS Enterprse

And don't forget to go to the US Navy's web site. They have the most current photos in their photo stand.

Kenny

Woah... thanks guys... all these imput is going to make my decision difficult. LOL.

I got a question regarding the Trumpeter kit as compared to the Tamiya one.
Both Steve & Tom talked about replacing the Tamiya aircrafts with Trumpeters'. Is Trumps. carrier better than Tamiya? Or only the aircrafts...

Trumpeter does NOT do an Enterprise. They do the Nimitz which is considerably different. But I would say that overall the Nimitz kit is definitly better. It comes to you in its initial late 70's condition and has the F-4 Phantoms, A-7 Corsairs ad A-6 Intruders (as well as several other interesting aircraft. Trumpeter also came out with F-14 Tomcats and F-18 Hornets. Toms model works included in its brass PE set several pieces you can use to update the Nimitz a few years to enable you to use Hornets and Tomcats instead of the Phantoms and Corsairs. One thing I like about the Nimitz over the Enterprise is that on the Tamiya kit it is a two piece full hull with the "break" occuring about 2 /3 of the way down (you hold it together with screws and there is a piece covering part of the joining area seam).. The Nimitz on the other hand has the full hull or waterline choice hence it is basically one piece.

Ahh... thanks mate... it's all clarified now.

hi i know these are old posts but i have bought the 1/350 enterprise and all the after market stuff but can any one tell me where i can get the book by squadron detail ans scaling.many thanks