The Ship Model Forum

I am starting a 1/350 scale of the USS Carl Vinson as it was during the 1983 World Cruise. I will be detailing the hanger bay, all 86 aircraft, modifying the island and hull to match the timeline and ship. It will also include illuminating many areas like flight deck, Island, hanger, and catwalks. It will be using 14 LED's and over 400 feet of fiber optics. Goal is to have it completed by December. The first challenge is to add the "as-built" sponsons. She only had the original sponsons for a short time. While there is limited photos (online and personal) for these I have been able to replicate them. I have the port forward and starboard aft sponsons mounted and am working on the port aft double-decker sponson.

I was attached to VA-37 and our squadron was assigned to the ship for the 1983 World Cruise. Leaving Newport News Virginia in March of 1983 and arriving in San Fransisco Bay October of 1983. I previously built a 1/48 scale aircraft of each squadron that was aboard during the cruise. These should be able to assist me with creating the decals for the numerous 1/350 aircraft for this project.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Here is the Port Forward Sponson

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Fantail Sponson

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Port Aft Sponsons

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Starboard Forward Sponson

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Fantail detailing. You may have noticed the large hole. This is only temporary. Needed for the lighting.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Fantail lighting added

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

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Starting on the hangar bay. Here is hangar bay 1

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Forward GSE area and forward tunnel lighting.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Hangar Bay 1 continued

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Hangar bay 2 and internal fire doors.
The Unrep stantion motors will be rigged to the stations on the starboard side later.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Hangar bay 3 and starboard side walls

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

I started this in May so the above is the last month of work. Now that you are up to date. I will continue with weekly updates.
I am getting ready to paint and detail the hangar bays. Unfortunately nobody makes decals for the hangar bays.

I made my own using pictures of the actual hangar bays from the internet.

The decal sheet has the AFFF, first aid, fire extinguishers, and power outlet signs. I also made the Naval Aviation logo that goes on the inside of the hangar bay exterior doors, the ship logo and air wing logos for the interior doors, and the safety stripes (both straight and angled) for the various markings on the deck, doorways, raised decks, etc. I made the stripes one large area so that it can be trimmed to the specific width for the placement.

Just an FYI - If you would like a copy of the art work in a hi-res picture to make your own decal set, Just send me a message your email address. If you tell me the ship and air wing, I can replace the Vinson and CVW-15 with your choices. These are scaled for 1/350 and the actual resolution is 600dpi. I can also print out a sheet and mail it if you pay for the paper (about $1.50) and actual shipping cost.
(Note: the sheet is clear and will require you to cut/trim each decal before placing in water and applying)

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

I would be interested in a USS Truman and CVW3 sheet, especially if you could do the fire door mural in hangar bay 2 in 1/350.

Do you have a picture of the mural? I searched online and can only find 3 of the 6 doors clearly. I have not seen any pictures of the two left side doors and only 1 picture of the far right door which was blurry.
If I had a decent picture (or a group of pictures) I could piece it together and scale it. (I can do a lot with photoshop, but I need something to work with.)

As for the CVW-3 logo and the ship logo, those I have already.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

I had some time tonight to start detailing the hangar bay walls. I started with the small wall between bay 2 and 3. Below are the pictures. How is it looking so far?
(NOTE: I have not painted the fire doors, just put logo on it to see how it looks)

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Looking good! Beautiful detail! Love the way the decals turned out. Can't wait to see how they do in my build! Thanks again!

How are you going to do the overhead?

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Pat Brice
ITC(AW), USN, RET.

Chiefs have considerable managerial and technical expertise and are the linchpin between officers and enlisted.
-Captain Mike Lambert

Thanks!
The overhead is going to be strips of I-beams with fiber optic lines for pipes with LED's for lighting the hangar bay. Since I am lighting the runway it is the easiest way to camouflage the fiber optic lines.

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Website - David's Scale Models - https://www.davidsscalemodels.com

Model Albums - https://www.flickr.com/photos/128642409@N05/albums

Nice work!