The Ship Model Forum

Thanks for the detailed comparison! I'm looking for a candidate to build as CV-5 in 1942, and have been collecting most of the Yorktown class kits to see which is closest, and if there's a mix-and-match approach I can take. I built the Academy CV-6 kit and while it went together great, there's a couple of things I'd have liked to see done better (forward hangar deck under the elevator, something a bit off about the gun galleries in regards to height).

The fact that Flyhawk made the after pri-fly location (not sure what that's called. Secondary-fly?) as a separate piece, makes me hope they may do Yorky at some point. It's a good looking kit in the box, but the more I think on it, the more I believe I'll sand off the hull plating and do that detail with paint and pencil.

TLDR - Flyhawk appears to be under scaled :doh_1:

For this test, I've compared a number of Yorktown class waterline hulls. I've taken the numbers we have for the actual ship, and using the metric system, used my Tamiya hull to check my measurements against those of other members. As others have reported, they have found the Tamiya kits to be at a 1/719 scale. Measuring several difference areas using the cutting mat shown in the images below, I too found results in the 1/714-1/721 range. I measured the length at the waterline, max length of the hull, max length of the flight deck, length of flight deck w/o the ramps, and the overall length of the ship. Now that I have a method in measuring the approximation sizing of the Tamiya hull, I then measured the other hulls and the Flyhawk hull.

For comparison, here's are the 1/700 hulls we're measuring:
Tamiya Enterprise (width modified, but length as it came)
Flyhawk Enterprise
Trumpeter Yorktown (new tool)
Academy Enterprise
Tom's Modelworks Hornet (Resin, "replacement" hull for Trumpeter kit)
MENG Enterprise (Snap kit)
Trumpeter Hornet (older tooling, infamously known for its tanker hull)

Notes on measuring:
- Tom's Modelworks hull was advertised as a replacement for the Trumpeter Hornet kit, but it wasn't actually designed for the kit, but adapted for it. It wasn't a perfect fit, but its works with some modification, and makes for a great improvement. Instructions were provided on modifying the plastic kit to fit the resin hull.
- For overall length, only MENG, Tamiya, and Trumpeter Hornet could be measured accurately, as the hulls were built up enough for the flight deck to fit correctly. For the rest, rubber bands were use to hold the flight deck and hull together, placing the forward and aft elevators in roughly the correct position.

Here are the measurements, based in Centimeters, with comparison of the size of the actual Yorktown hull scaled to 1/700.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/p1Qq74g.png[/img]

Based on my measurements, I estimate the Flyhawk kit to be around 1/715 scale. You can visually see how it compares in size to the Tamiya kit, which as stated above, its known to be under scale. Trumpeter and MENG seems to average very close to 1/700, with Academy just slightly smaller.


Some pictures to show the difference in sizing and shaping :

Here for the overall hull length, the bows are lined up at the 0cm line. Note that each hull has the same assigned number from the above table
[img]https://i.imgur.com/oK0ScGa.jpeg[/img]

Shaping of the upper hull to the waterline. You can see the improvement of more recent toolings since Tamiya and Trumpeters first offering
[img]https://i.imgur.com/pkRQDgO.jpeg[/img]

Comparison of the kits with full hulls with reasonable shaping. No idea why keel of the Flyhawk kit is so flat, that seems like an error. MENG's lower hull seems closest to the old Revell 1/480-487 hull, but I still think it thickens up too far forward. While not perfect, I think all 3 do a reasonable job of depicting a Yorktown class hull.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/g2ve221.jpeg[/img]

Comparison of flight decks
[img]https://i.imgur.com/bsUnJgG.jpeg[/img]

So regarding the new Flyhawk kit
Pros:
- Detail. While some might be inaccurate, the level of detail is incredible. Something you might expect from a 1/200 kit, not 1/700. The individual parts are quite detailed, and the number of things made as individual parts instead of part of a larger piece is very nice.
- Aircraft are probably the best you'll see outside of 3D printing.

Cons:
- Underscale
- Hull plating
- Hull shape is close, but it's still not perfect.
- Few aircraft. Standard comes with 3 each of F4F, SBD, TBD. Deluxe gives you a total of 6 each.


Despite its apparent issues, I look forward to building it.

February 7, 1942

[url=https://postimg.cc/9wRd9tXy][img]https://i.postimg.cc/wMF0S0S4/Feb-7-1942.png[/img][/url]

I received the same kit a couple of weeks ago. Overall looks promising in the box, even though the hull plating and some of the flight deck details are overstated. I'm still confused as to why the deluxe kit doesn't have the painting masks, as they're available as a separate item, but otherwise it looks good.

The new Flyhawk 1/700 Enterprise CV-6 kit is out! I went with the deluxe kit and got it shipped from China before the stupid economic situation went south. Flyhawk packaging is good, hull and flight deck wrapped in a cushion for protection. The deluxe kit adds a few extra aircraft (still not enough), a lot more phototech, brass stuff for things like gun barrels, and a small set of 3D printed parts.

Here's everything from the box
[img]https://i.imgur.com/qpaS7IS.jpeg[/img]

Parts look quite detailed. The instructions are a bit too clustered for my taste, but I do love the colored parts that get labeled.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/bV1V6TR.jpeg[/img]

The very detailed 3D parts, nicely protected
[img]https://i.imgur.com/a27Y3aI.jpeg[/img]

The Hangar deck is nicely detailed. To my surprise, we have a raised catapult! Looks like it will be tricky to align, and will probably require filling. This might have been better as a photoetch part (might be, haven't fully checked yet).
[img]https://i.imgur.com/WwfANqs.jpeg[/img]

And an initial look at the lower hull. The forward keel looks very flat :shock:
[img]https://i.imgur.com/x1P0kYJ.jpeg[/img]


When I have time, I place it alongside by other Yorktown class hulls for a comparison shot

If anyone has any requests for close up/detailed shots, let me know

I'm building the 1/200 Hornet at the moment and have the same result so I'm making it up ! I've been looking at other aircraft carriers of the period as inspiration. I've also struggled to find out what colour things like fire extinguishers were at that time on USN aircraft carriers - I know aircraft ones were bronze but someone mentioned they were red on ships. I have little experience of ships (aircraft modeller using this build as mojo restorer), I'm finding so little reference material a great chunk of my build is coming from my imagination however it's enjoyable - I like these floaty things.
neil

[quote="FFG-7"]go thru this link if you haven't already to see what you can find for detail. https://www.navsource.org/archives/02idx.htm[/quote]

Thanks. I have scoped out that site. Only one real take away. Looking for images of fire hose placement, any cable reels, av gas lines. So far not a whole lot.

go thru this link if you haven't already to see what you can find for detail. https://www.navsource.org/archives/02idx.htm

In working on the 1/200 USS Enterprise, the gallery decks with the 20mm cannon are surprisingly barren of any detail. Surely there must have been hose reels for fueling stations, firehoses and hydrants for fire fighting, reels of cable, hoses, rope etc., not to mention the ammo boxes. Are there any clear images of any of this stuff that I could be directed to or have in their personal stash of images?

[quote="Blue Devil"][quote="Brocky"]Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has either the USS Enterprise 1/200 or 1/350 kits in their stash if they could measure the bow anti aircraft part's length and width as in the attached picture. It is part number R5 in the 1/200 kit and T5 in the 1/350 kit.

Thanks and have a very blessed day.
Mark B.[/quote]

Mark,

I have the I Love Kit 1/350 version. I'm seeing just a touch over 15mm in lenght and a touch under 15mm in width.

I'm backdating my kit and so using the earlier mounting without the director. Do you need the part?

Michael[/quote]
Hello Michael and thanks for the measurements. I wasn't to concerned about getting the part because I am working on my old Revell 1/487 or so kit which I have pulled off the shelf of doom these past few weeks. But since you offered I think I might take you up on it. The part actually might come in handy as I use my brother's CAD and splicing software to maybe 3D print the part as opposed to scratch building one out of sheet plastic and PE parts.

I will PM you my snail mail address.

Thanks again
Mark B.

[quote="Brocky"]Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has either the USS Enterprise 1/200 or 1/350 kits in their stash if they could measure the bow anti aircraft part's length and width as in the attached picture. It is part number R5 in the 1/200 kit and T5 in the 1/350 kit.

Thanks and have a very blessed day.
Mark B.[/quote]

Mark,

I have the I Love Kit 1/350 version. I'm seeing just a touch over 15mm in lenght and a touch under 15mm in width.

I'm backdating my kit and so using the earlier mounting without the director. Do you need the part?

Michael

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone has either the USS Enterprise 1/200 or 1/350 kits in their stash if they could measure the bow anti aircraft part's length and width as in the attached picture. It is part number R5 in the 1/200 kit and T5 in the 1/350 kit.

Thanks and have a very blessed day.
Mark B.

Measure 11: Per Ships 2. rev.1, September 1941, Measure 11 calls for Sea Blue 5S for all vertical surfaces. It also goes into detail how the paint should be mixed. However, Sea Blue 5S comes with three alpha designators, A, B, and C. Each one is slightly different from the other. So, the question is, when the Per Ship 2 calls for 5S for measure 11, which alpha designator is in mind, or does it matter, any one of the three can be used?

go thru this link to see what you need for Midway time period. http://www.cv6.org/ship/big_e.htm
go thru this link even tho it is of Yorktown which is sistership of Enterprise. CV-5 USS Yorktown Booklet of General Plans (1940) https://archive.org/details/cv5bogp1940

[quote="FFG-7"]who manufactured your model kit?[/quote]

Trumpeter

who manufactured your model kit?

Just getting started on the 1/200 CV-6. I'm thinking Midway timing. Couple questions:

1. I've seen photos of a tilly crane on the flight deck, but can't tell when it would have been added. My assumption is it was sometime after June '42.

2. Aftermarket kits come with 500lb bombs for the SBDs, but some of the planes were armed with 1000lb bombs and some had a 500 pounder and a couple 100s. Only six of the first strike actually went out with just a single 500lb bomb. It's a small detail, but I'd prefer to get it right. I don't do my own 3D printing (yet). Has anyone addressed this, and do you have a source for the different sized bombs?

Thanks all. So much great info here.

[quote="FFG-7"]try this.
"Same deck color (#20 Deck Gray), but pre-war aviation spaces (including cruisers and AV's at least) were painted in an aluminum color and it wasn't until 1942/1943-ish that this changed on the older carriers (we don't have the full details on this yet, but we have textual records that at least confirm the aluminum paint)."
https://members.boardhost.com/Warship/msg/1727704824.html
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=12986&p=957444#p957444[/quote]

And there's the answer! Thank you Oliver (and Tracy!)

Michael

try this.
"Same deck color (#20 Deck Gray), but pre-war aviation spaces (including cruisers and AV's at least) were painted in an aluminum color and it wasn't until 1942/1943-ish that this changed on the older carriers (we don't have the full details on this yet, but we have textual records that at least confirm the aluminum paint)."
https://members.boardhost.com/Warship/msg/1727704824.html
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=12986&p=957444#p957444

OK, I'm finally getting close to painting the hanger deck bulkheads and overheads on the I Love Kit (still making up my mind how many roller doors to have open vs. closed. I don't have a full air group.) I still think some sort of aluminum laquer looks like a good bet (I'm thinking Tamiya flat aluminum) but it could be a semi-gloss light gray as well. Any suggestions would be helpful at this point.

Thanks!

Michael