The Ship Model Forum

If the pics are too big, then let me know and I'll change them back to links or make them smaller.

Either I need a new camera, or I need to time travel back 30 years and retake Photography class in high school. :Mad_6: In my defense as a first timer putting lighting inside a model, I have no other excuse to give other than: I tried. :huh:
Two or three reasons why I added lighting in the upper vehicle deck and the well deck:
a) I wanted to try and replicate what others had done for the well deck.
b) I was concerned about how visible the interior would be at a contest or other place if there was inadequate lighting.
c) I made the mistake of listening to another modeler (Not here on MW.) about putting lighting in the upper vehicle deck. :doh_1:

But the below pics show what the interior would look like in a completely darkened area/room. The first pic (After the diagram.) is what you might see yourself if standing next to the model. The rest of the pics are a little brighter, but that is due to me playing around with the camera settings trying to get decent pics. I've tried taking pics of the well deck while looking through the stern well gate, but no matter how hard I try, the pics turn out like crap, regardless of what camera settings I use.

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8189/29087510220_c212f879c1_c.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8019/29340910136_8c4d73ac0d_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8144/29340910156_eef545291a_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8546/28751220964_43726ca0c8_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8022/28751220984_f9f800f16c_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8357/29340984606_26d18a6369_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8532/29340984626_73a67f34d6_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8069/29294519446_2178e91a38_c.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8127/29040608310_23bd4efa3e_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8378/29040608340_9a8283767b_c.jpg[/img]

Since people want "pictures", I'll try this again. :-|

These two links will have to be clicked. The pics are too big to put within Img tags.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8779/29008567760_67cebd2242_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8210/29188746542_c662ec2b4e_b.jpg

Here's some "sample" shots of the interior upper vehicle deck as well as the well deck filled with vehicles and cargo for a humanitarian mission. There is also an LCU in the well deck.
The very last pic shows a small display I am making to display extra landing craft and vehicles. I'll attach the "water" portion to a slightly bigger base, then add the wording below that, then add the vehicles below the wording. It'll be sorta similar to what Peter Van Buren did here:
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/am/lhd/350-pvb/lhd1-02.jpg
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/am/lhd/350-pvb/pvb-index.html

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8344/29296638305_d8743a70ea_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8421/29296638345_9f429bbe32_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8186/29296638355_65ce82c805_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8206/29008567740_ca1e770f6f_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8087/29008567670_4e7c5988e5_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8113/29188746602_c257b2a08e_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8752/29188746622_becaf5c585_b.jpg[/img]

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8638/29188746662_8c873557fb_b.jpg[/img]

[quote="Koppalakki"]If you use imgur.com (it's also free and you can upload as many and as big pictures as you like) there is an option to link them in thumbnails (different sizes) which you can open for full screen if you like,
if you're thinking how big they will show. Each to their own, just a thought on how to keep the thread tidy and good looking.[/quote]

I'm not going to use a third photo hosting site when I already have Photobucket and Flickr to use. People are just going to have to get used to clicking the links for the time being until I decide to change things later, if I do.

If you use imgur.com (it's also free and you can upload as many and as big pictures as you like) there is an option to link them in thumbnails (different sizes) which you can open for full screen if you like,
if you're thinking how big they will show. Each to their own, just a thought on how to keep the thread tidy and good looking.

[quote]Hey EJM,

just a thought, would be nicer to read and have the pictures already visible in the thread. You can achieve this by clicking the Img button and placing the link inside them so it
will show right here like this instead of clicking on the links.[/quote]

I am aware of that. But the majority of my pics are too big to put in Img tags. Would you want to keep having to use the scroll buttons all the time to see pics very wide or tall? I try to crop down my pics as much as I can before I upload them to Flickr, but they still are a bit big somewhat.

Hey EJM,

just a thought, would be nicer to read and have the pictures already visible in the thread. You can achieve this by clicking the Img button and placing the link inside them so it
will show right here like this instead of clicking on the links.

[img]https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8570/28216130344_35b78e4d7d_c.jpg[/img]

Cheers

1. Aircraft are painted except for the windows. My eyesight is not good enough to paint them, so I gave the aircraft to another modeling friend and asked for his help in painting them. Once I get the aircraft back, then I have to decal them and add the rotors.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8570/28216130344_35b78e4d7d_c.jpg

2. Vehicles are completely done.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8090/28993777712_1107e14860_h.jpg
Whether or not I use all of them, I don't know yet.

3. Completed landing craft. I'll add the cargo and trucks later.
The white structure in the picture is a Personnel Transport Module (PTM). I made it out of 3 pieces of 1/4" x 1/4" Evergreen styrene square rod about 1 3/4" inches long, glued together, then added photoetch doors from Gold Medal Models. The entire structure was painted aluminum since that is what it mostly looks like in real life.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8514/28515995683_2955515eb5_z.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8376/28515995703_a05c0b5e35_h.jpg
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8510/29102031926_3c92a44a63_c.jpg
http://i.vimeocdn.com/video/548609008_1280x720.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/LCAC.JPG
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jeMqffNGaIc/maxresdefault.jpg

4. This is how I'll probably display the model at a contest. Put a few landing craft (On a water base. To be built yet.) in front of the main ship to show what the landing craft look like, their respective sizes, and the various cargo and trucks they can carry. I still need to buy and paint an LCM-8 to add to the display.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8370/29102031956_a54e81ffa5_h.jpg

5. I'm thinking of putting an LCU and an LCAC both in the well deck. Normally, this wouldn't be done in real life on an actual LHD for various reasons. But I'm thinking of combining the two just to "show" what these craft would look like in a well deck and that an LHD is capable of carrying both types. Should I put both types inside, or just one?
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8821/29102031966_ae24eac3a8_k.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8330/29102031986_30a20987a7_b.jpg

5. Worked on most of the humanitarian relief cargo last night. I may not use all of it, but I at least wanted a diversity of different shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. The cargo on the right in the pic which includes larger bulks of boxes and bags, plus loads of piping and lumber, I will finish later today. All of it is from Niko Models and Black Dog.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7555/28528108613_d96624a176_b.jpg

6. Here’s all the aircraft and vehicles I’ll probably use. Why all the HUMVEE’s and other trucks? Thing to remember about this model is that it is a hospital ship first, and secondary role/priority is for humanitarian/disaster relief purposes, hence why I added the different vehicles and cargo.
AIRCRAFT:
4x CH-53 Sea Stallion
4x CH-46/47 Sea Knight/Chinook
4x V-22 Osprey
4x SH-60 Seahawk
2x UH-1 Huey
VEHICLES:
4x Cargo HEMTT’s (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck)
4x Tanker HEMTT’s
5x 5-ton cargo trucks
5x 2 ½ ton cargo trucks
5x HUMVEE Ambulances (With Red Cross markings.)
10x Regular HUMVEES (3 different styles)
2x LARC-V amphibious resupply vehicles (Still have to buy yet.)
2x Generator trailers
FLIGHT DECK VEHICLES:
6x Large forklifts
6x Small forklifts
1x Large crash crane
6x oxygen/hydraulic support trailers
16x Crash/Fire/Tow flight deck tractors (3 different styles)
LANDING CRAFT:
2x LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion)
2x LCU (Landing Craft Utility)
1x LCM (Landing Craft Mechanised) (Still have to buy yet.)

It is looking good! And it is a neat idea!

A few last minute photos. This will be the last update for awhile. I still have to build all the aircraft, vehicles, and cargo, but you won’t see pics of any of that till maybe September.

At the rear of the island superstructure are two doors. One is cut open on the left. The one on the right isn’t. The one on the left is a garage/storage for flight deck support equipment. The one on the right is for access to a cargo elevator that leads down to the hangar bay and aviation cargo holds.
The door on the left “looks” like it is directly overhead the cargo elevator, but it is not. Although it will be hard to see when a person looks at the model, I did add interior bulkheads made from spare model parts for the garage/storage area on the left.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8415/28109814374_f3de5ee9df_b.jpg

The doorway that leads from the starboard underway replenishment area to the hangar bay was cut open.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7703/28728204375_e33546b663_b.jpg

Two finished motor launches at the rear of the island superstructure.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8717/28109814414_f15b4c9c7a_b.jpg

Main motor launch on the port side of the ship hull.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8748/28109814434_9b4ac0dd59_b.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8747/28109869034_5428a9200a_b.jpg

One of the larger personnel utility boats at the front of the island superstructure.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8754/28109869044_584af2bd87_h.jpg

Although the flight deck and hangar bay floor are cut open so that spectators can view the interior of the ship:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8678/28535322661_df2861ab53_z.jpg
.......I was concerned about how well lit the interior would be from light sources overhead such as sunlight, ceiling lights, etc., especially if I had to display the model in any rooms or spaces with minimal lighting and darkened areas. Not only was green EL wire (Explained earlier in this thread.) used for the well deck, but I also placed white (Looks light blue when lit.) EL wire on the ceiling (Underneath the flight deck.) of the upper vehicle deck as backup to help light that area if needed. No EL wiring was placed in the hangar bay as the cutout in the flight deck above the hangar bay should be sufficiently big enough to allow overhead light sources (Ceiling lights, Sunshine, etc.) to illuminate that interior section.

The below pics show what the white and green EL wire lighted areas would look like in a completely darkened area. In a well lit room with adequate ceiling light and/or sunshine coming through windows, the white EL wire when turned on may not be very noticeable, if at all. The green well deck lighting may be ok because the well deck is a deeper part of the ship under the hangar bay and would require extra illumination. Although the EL wiring may look bright in the pics, this is actually false and is an effect of me playing around with the camera settings to try and get a good picture. The green well deck lighting “spills” into the above hangar bay when reflected off the acrylic gel water in the well deck.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8157/28650160761_8a9b8e7cc9_k.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7785/28650160781_c5cb4ad6a2_k.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8774/28650160791_23f4de38ff_k.jpg

For the links I had to omit in my last post, you can view them here in Post # 196.
http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,35600.195.html
Pic # 7 also has a few additional links too.

Paging the U.S. Navy on the white courtesy phone. Your new hospital ship has come in!

LARGE UPDATE! LOTS OF PICS. I’ll post a few explanations of things to go along with some of the pics. Some stuff may not make sense. Since this is a “what if” ship built for fun, I threw common sense out the window. :heh: The ship [i]itself[/i] is 99% done. I should have it done by this weekend.
What’s next? All the aircraft, vehicles, cargo, and other smaller details and add-ons will be worked on from August to mid-October. With luck, I hope to have this project fully 100% done in time for a late October contest or early November contest. Comments and questions are welcome. :wave_1:

(Pic #'s 1 & 28 had to be omitted as I could only post 50 links within a post.)

PIC # 2 - All the red crosses on the ship are extra decals from spare model kits, specifically modern armor kits like the Boxer, Stryker, etc. I did use a ruler and Tamiya masking tape to get the red crosses “even” above the waterline.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7635/28613851565_4b201c933a_k.jpg

PIC #’s 3 & 4
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8787/28613851575_f18858e98e_h.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8090/28613851595_aac820efe8_h.jpg

PIC # 5
Yes, I painted the life raft canisters orange. Why? White canisters on a white ship just looks too boring and too much white to me. I actually like it and see nothing wrong with it. Also, I put a large red cross decal on the flight deck. The better for overhead aircraft, helicopters, satellites, etc. to see that this ship is marked as a hospital ship.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8860/28581226036_fb7bcb86be_b.jpg

PIC # 6
Large crane placed in the spot where the forward Seasparrow launcher used to be. This crane was from a small toy truck model railroad accessory. This will be the crane for on/off loading of large/heavy cargo as well as some ship’s boats.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8605/28581226066_af6488bc0d_b.jpg

PIC # 7
Yes, I added .50 cal machine guns, SLQ-32 ECM, SBROC chaff launchers, and NULKA decoy launchers to the ship. A hospital ship would be foolish to go into any sort of combat zone ill equipped to defend itself. International laws and treaties prevent hospital ships from carrying any offensive weapons. But what about defensive?
Also, you can see an angled ramp underneath the island superstructure. This ramp leads from the front starboard corner of the hangar bay all the way up to the flight deck where the “angled doorway” is just aft of the cargo elevators. From what I’ve read, this ramp is used by troops, ship’s crew, and small flight deck tractors or other small vehicles to go from the flight deck to the hangar bay and vice versa.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8570/28581226086_41aec69a34_b.jpg

PIC #’s 8 & 9
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8746/28581226096_f8b7beac77_b.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8066/28581281066_ed4469f739_b.jpg

PIC # 10
I still have to add the ship’s launch to the boat cradle here. Also, you can see that I opened up the port side embarkation/debarkation entrance hatch. The doors for that were scratchbuilt.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8587/28581281086_8773a869f6_h.jpg

PIC #’s 11, 12, & 13
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8862/28581281096_c8309d9329_b.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8828/28581281106_b48a629828_b.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8800/28614364725_082d2bd2f9_b.jpg

PIC # 14
Here you can see the large cargo crane better. Also, I scratchbuilt a cargo elevator that you can see transferring cargo from the flight deck to the cargo hold or vice versa.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8861/28614364775_d1ebfc39f6_c.jpg

PIC # 15
I decided to add a second smaller cargo crane at the rear of the island superstructure to facilitate on/off loading of cargo to go to the aviation cargo holds and/or to be used to lowering/raising of some ship’s boats.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8605/28614364825_7ef196982f_b.jpg

PIC # 16
A better view of the cargo elevator I scratchbuilt as well as the interior of the upper vehicle bay/deck.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8614/28614364895_962c5976d3_b.jpg

PIC #’s 17 & 18
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8690/28535322621_ed85fd573a_b.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8678/28535322661_df2861ab53_z.jpg

PIC #’s 19, 20, & 21
I have no idea what radars and sensors a hospital ship should have. When I painted and built the radar masts, I just took a guess on everything. For the radars I did remove, I did re-arrange some of the white domes a bit and put them in other positions.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8855/28535322701_c36e18528f_b.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8621/28535322731_6f498835ee_b.jpg
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8359/28329797590_d32ca859f4_b.jpg

PIC # 22
Looking into the well deck. The angled structures on the ceiling (Left & Right) are the green lighting system for the well deck which I explained/showed earlier in this thread.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8702/28329797630_4f09512b86_b.jpg

PIC #’s 23, 24, 25, & 26
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8557/28329797670_2d6395ab65_z.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8676/28329797690_6947453733_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8371/28329925360_9bdd087d63_b.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8709/28329925370_c088b48e64_b.jpg

PIC # 27
I wanted the well deck to look a bit wet for when I put an LCAC inside, so I brushed a bit of acrylic gel on the floor of the well deck.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8623/27998016013_6314e44a69_b.jpg

PIC #’s 29 to 38
https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7547/28535659821_1d8f9d0f42_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8181/28535659841_548e081203_b.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8774/28535659851_add1f4f945_h.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8664/28535659811_a2ed6fa52e_h.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8752/27997311724_1d5e854467_k.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8001/27997311764_884af53950_b.jpg
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8469/27997311774_9498ad19d6_k.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7483/27997311804_ac1836cb18_h.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8316/28507857912_5b125865ba_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8695/28507857952_510541ee82_b.jpg

PIC # 39
Why so many boats you might be thinking? Not sure really. Guess I just wanted to imitate what the MERCY class hospital ships had with the amount of boats they have. But……if you really think about it, not only are they good for transferring cargo and patients and/or evacuation, but smaller boats can get to places where LCAC’s and aircraft might not be able to go like inland rivers and waterways for example.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8743/27997402774_bc66edd204_h.jpg

PIC # 40
All the island’s windows were painted (Drawn) with a .25mm Sakura Pigma Micron green ink pen.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8732/27997402834_9396b8eb29_h.jpg

PIC # 41
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8724/28581818346_6fc6f8f3ce_z.jpg

PIC # 42
I cut open the doorway that leads from the replenishment area to the hangar bay.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8534/28581818376_817a577c1e_b.jpg

PIC #’s 43, 44, 45, & 46
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8893/28581818436_0e51b664d1_h.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8653/28614868145_619b2f5023_h.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8277/28614868085_66ebba60ef_b.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7762/27998267873_fcbd0fd54e_b.jpg

PIC # 47
In this pic on the right center side, you can see the scratchbuilt ramp I made that leads down to the lower vehicle bay/deck.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8561/27998267943_48d832317a_b.jpg

PIC # 48
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8614/28614957635_91e375d5e1_b.jpg

PIC # 49
A better view of the scratchbuilt cargo elevator on the left side, as well as the angled ramp underneath the island superstructure that leads from the hangar bay to the flight deck and vice versa.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8584/28614957685_983aa592ea_b.jpg

PIC # 50
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8644/28581974006_4a0c8382a5_b.jpg

PIC # 51
This view shows the two aviation cargo elevators (Note the yellow “bars” above the elevator doorframes.). The cargo elevator on the right is open and has cargo inside it.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8796/28581974016_038380a45e_b.jpg

:help_1: :anyone:

I don't know anything when it comes to sensors, radars, and electronics. In the following pages/pics, I'm not sure what Part #'s to keep vs. what Part #'s not to use? Combat systems are a no brainer. For example, I wouldn't need Part #'s J2, J62, and C10 on Page 28.
But what else? What to keep vs. what to get rid of?

Page 28
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8564/27694537443_01d56b8dcb_c.jpg
Page 29
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8594/27694537473_fb425f2984_b.jpg
Page 30
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New pics of the progress on my hospital ship. The main hull/flight deck is 98-99% done. Just have a few tiny details to finish this weekend. Now if you’re wondering about a few things in the pics, let me answer that for you right away before you start asking your questions.
1. No, there is no photoetch railing or any other photoetch. Why? My eyesight is wayyyyyyy too bad to deal with photoetch anymore. Not even an Optivisor will help. This whole project is built “just for fun”.
2. Why orange colored life raft canisters? This whole model is going to have enough white as it is since hospital ships are primarily painted white. Might as well “break up” all that white with some other color choices. Frankly, I don’t think it looks too bad. I used Testor Model Master Acryl International Orange for the life raft canisters.
3. Yes, there is armament on the ship in the form of .50 cal machine gun emplacements around the circumference of the ship. Hospital ships may NOT carry any offensive armaments, but they are allowed defensive armaments to protect the crew, patients, and the ship itself. Need proof of armament on hospital ships? See this pic here:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/12/09122066.jpg
4. Using this person’s model as an example:
http://www.modelshipgallery.com/gallery/am/lhd/350-khj/khj-index.html
……you can see two large white radomes, one on the starboard side forward of the refueling area, and the other on the port side slightly aft of the aircraft elevator. I’m not sure what these are or what they’re used for, but I didn’t like the look of them, so I left them off my hospital ship. Also, the extra deck piece (Aft port side above well deck entrance.) that the aft RAM missile launcher sits on has been left off my model as I wasn’t sure what to do with it.
5. The deck where the aft Seasparrow missile launcher normally sits above the well deck entrance might become a crew rest area with a few lounge chairs and an umbrella or two.
6. Will hopefully start work on the bridge island superstructure this weekend or next week.

https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8634/28191675412_6bdbed8d85_k.jpg
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Ohhh, this is looking nice! I vaguely remember seeing life raft canisters painted red-orange (stripes, I think), but I cannot remember where- I think it was on one of the lakers on Lake Michigan.

Regards,
Timothy

Finished up decaling the flight deck last night as well as putting the Red Cross decals on the sides of the ship hull. I think it turned out fairly well. Not too bad at all. The flight deck is not attached to the hull. It is just sitting on top to give an impression of what the deck/ship will eventually look like. Flight deck has been painted in Testors Gunship Grey. Bottom of ship hull painted in Testors Insignia Red. White is Testors Acryl Flat White.
Still have a long way to go on this project. Will next be working on adding the lighting system to underneath the flight deck so that the interior vehicle storage deck is illuminated and more visible. After that, then I'll work on all the life raft racks and canisters. I'm thinking of painting all the life raft canisters bright orange. Maybe Testors Acryl International Orange. I know, it sounds weird, but I don't like having too much of the ship and ship fittings/accessories to be all white. Would make the model look too boring and plain. :P A lot of lifeboats and life rafts are orange. Why not the canisters too?

Comments and questions are welcome.

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Have the flight deck at least 98% done. What I have to wonder next is: How many Red Cross insignias should I put on the flight deck? 1, 2, or 3? And in exactly what areas? Any suggestions?

The Mercy class hospital ship has a Red Cross insignia amidships:
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/19/091919720.jpg
And the Chinese hospital ship has one as well:
http://img.news.sina.com/china/p/2011/1219/U48P5029T2D424653F24DT20111220150432.jpg

Having a Red Cross insignia "on top" of the ship makes the ship more visible to aircraft flying overhead.

Sample pics of my flight deck:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7350/27964176885_a88948bf1a_k.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7323/27350774393_f7ce8ef2a7_k.jpg
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As promised, here is a simple and crude diagram of how I did the EL wiring for the lighting inside the well deck of my model. Pics of my lit well deck are in the second to last post on Page 2 of this thread.

[img]https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1607/24254632580_515b40270a_c.jpg[/img]

Made a scratchbuilt cargo elevator today. The black rectangle you see on the floor represents a silouette of sorts to represent the opening in the floor where the elevator would go through. It's not perfect, but it's the best I could do. I tried to drill/cut open an opening in the floor, but this didn't work out as planned and I had to cover the opening with the black plastic strip rectangle instead.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1509/23514022103_74215c8250_b.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5759/23514022123_38bbf7ec24_h.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

SUCCESS! :woo_hoo: :woo_hoo: :woo_hoo:

Main hull painted red and white - Check. :thumbs_up_1:
Hangar bay floor (Clear acrylic sheet) in place - Check. :thumbs_up_1:
Well deck lighting in place and functional. - Check! :thumbs_up_1:

Well, that's three more hurdles done. 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.

Lighting the well deck with EL wire is complete. I'll have to show and/or explain how I did this a bit later since I'll be off to bed soon. Sorry for the blurriness of the pics 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 pics, I think I nailed the green lighting pretty damn good. :thumbs_up_1: The blue lights I decided not to add. Don't need the added stress. The green lights you see in these 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

And now for my model pics........

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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.

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