The Ship Model Forum

This is my build of the Arii USS Midway kit. The kit scales out closer to 1/730 scale instead of the advertised 1/800. Gold Medal Models 1/720 USN super carrier photoetch used along with L'Arsenal UH-1s, CH-46s (modified to look like CH-47s) and White Ensign CH-53s standing in for USAF birds. I have depicted her with a portion of the the VNAF helicopters that landed on her during the Fall of Saigon on April 29-30, 1975. USAF helicopters evacuated people from the US embassy and other locations, meanwhile the desperate Vietnamese and their families that were lucky enough to have access to aircraft found the fleet off the coast. The build will be a gift for a friend at church who was on board during the operation. No deck weathering, as the board members here agreed that as a gift, weathering should be minimal.

Photos aren't the best. Can't locate my tripod!

My hat is off to you 1/700 builders...this is the first time and the last time that I will build in this scale! My new project is a nice big 1/35 Army HEMTT fuel tanker. And after that, maybe the 1/35 Italeri Vosper MTB!

Dave

Nice work. Definitely a "silk purse from a sows ear" build!

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

That is a very interesting model - clearly telling the story! I had not known (or forgotten) that Midway was involved in the evacuations. The very unusual collection of helicopters for a USN carrier illustrates it well.

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Thank you your remarks Martin and Maxim. Ultimately 45 Hueys and 3 CH-47s flew out to the Midway over the two days. A few Hueys were tossed over the side to clear the deck for the landing of a VNAF O-1 bird dog with the pilot,his wife and children on board (5 total I think) . The Bird Dog is on display at the Naval aviation museum in Pensacola. Either event would have made a great diorama build if i would have made a seascape base. Bu instead my friend can tell his grandkids the story that he witnessed.

Very nice work building that, and even more impressive starting with that model. I have one, also, building to the 1984 version, and salute your skill.

JoeP

Thanks Joe! I highly recommend Ray Bean's Midway CD when tackling this kits. Great photos of all the decades from her commissioning to decommissioning. They are available again through the Floating Drydock page. Good luck on your project!

Very nice model of an interesting subject! Certainly different from the typical supercarrier (and I already love the typical supercarriers...).

Thank you Marijn!