Carrier Builders Yard, whats on the Slipway

[Avery Boyer]

So I don't get it - how is a Nimitz converted into JFK? Someone had mentioned that either here or the Forrestal thread in the Main Fourm.

By kitbashing an America kit and a Nimitz kit. That's how I'll be going about it.

Thanks for the pics John, they invaluable

[kidcurrie42]

Hiya JG, Avery,
You are most welcome Avery, with regards to building JFK, i am taking a different route, i am using parts from a USS Kitty Hawk and a USS America kits, both being 1/720 Italeri, it does involve more work this way, with all the cutting and reshaping aft, but it keeps me out of trouble
I will post pics later

Happy modeling

John

[jgrease]

Has anyone looked at the preview of this kit? I wish those decals had come with the other BHR kit - centerline stripes and NUMBERS! Otherwise it looks like the same kit with new planes and some new PE. I can't blame Dragon for getting as much out of the Essex kit as they can, but let's have a Vietnam-era Essex already!
And as for the BHR kit, let me whine some more and be done with it. The helicopters look HORRIBLE when assembled! The rotors are in bad need of PE replacements - they look about 2 feet thick when placed on the body of the helo. And the props are wrong for the Corsairs - they should be 4-blade, not 3. I'm not usually a rivet-counting type, but it was obvious even to me. So, to summarize my opinion of the BHR kit - poor research, poor instructions, poor aircraft decals, bad PE antennas, and a lack of necessary decals for centerline stripes, etc. That's all from me. Wait 'til I try the Antietam kit...

[Mark McKinnis]

So I don't get it - how is a Nimitz converted into JFK? Someone had mentioned that either here or the Forrestal thread in the Main Fourm.

Tom at Jag had told me awhile back that a 1/720 Nimitz is the same length as a 1/700 JFK would be. I did a 1/720 JFK by combing the Italeri Kittyhawk (which is really the hull of America) and the 1/800 monogram Kittyhawk ( which is really the JFK, complete with the proper island). If I were going to do a 1/700 JFK, I would combine the Fujimi Kittyhawk with the sponsons and elevator mouldings from the Italeri America and splice in the angled landing area of a 1/720 Nimitz or 1/800 Monogram Kittyhawk. The Fujimi Kittyhawk is a great platform to start with because the sponsons all have to be attached to the hull so there is no cutting involved with the stern. You do have to cut off the sponsons under the landing area and island to make room for the correct pieces from America. The elevator mouldings have to be trimmed off of America and sanded down thin to attach to the Fujimi Kit. The flight deck has to be reworked on both the landing area and the stern areas aft of L-3 and L-4. Take the 1/720 America island and rework the back side to incorporate the angle stack and you should have a pretty accurate JFK in 1/700 scale. It sounds hard but I have already done a 1/700 America and it came out fairly well.

I am working on a 1/700 Fujimi Kittyhawk 1998 out of the box now but I may have to do another JFK.

[kidcurrie42]

Hi all,
Here are some pics showing Kitty Hawk/Connie hulls and a Nimitz hull and also my progress to date on my JFK, my route is via the Kitty Hawk hull.











Here is a support ship, it is a JAG Cimarron, i decided that she would depict USS Platte as she was during Desert Storm, i painted the well deck and forecastle deck and then put her to one side and concentrated on my carriers, during my research prior to recommencing work on Platte, i discovered to my horror that she was not Jumboised during Desert Storm, i was in a quandry now as i really wanted a Desert Storm Platte, yet contemplating hacking a kit of JAG quality was hard, anyways i decided to go for it and removed a 4.7 cm section, i was relieved after the task and found my cuts had been straight, holes were drilled and pins inserted and both sections joined together.





just have to reposition a few of the rigs and cut out the boat openings, overall though i am very pleased with the progress.

Any questions or comments are welcome

Happy modeling

John

[simon b]

John

I admire your courage. lol

[jgrease]

So John, your JFK is the Italeri Kitty Hawk hull and a reworked island? Did you use the KH island or the America as Mark had mentioned? I like the idea of building a JFK, but I can see it is literally a project.
Also, I finished BHR's aircraft today. Here is the finished product:

And two more shots. I used some of the kit PE figures - first time for me using them in any scale.

Please pass along comments and snide remarks.
The other John

[Avery Boyer]

John-Your CVs are looking very well. How do you plan to the hull sponsons on JFK? I am not far enough into my project to tell how different they are from America/Kitty Hawk

The other John-Magnificent build, very clean and crisp, one to be very proud of

[Mark McKinnis]

That is a sweet Bonny Dick! Makes me want to divert from my more modern Carriers to the BHR Kit. you are quite correct on JFK. It is a project no matter how you slice it!!

[kidcurrie42]

Beautifully done JG

Mark i think you cutting and changing the plastic as much as i do

Happy modeling

John

[jgrease]

Thanks gents! Also, sorry I thought I had posted it, but great work on the CVs John - looking forward to seeing more pics. Next up for me is a, uh.. helicopter...sorry for the heresy, but I need to work on something I can see a bit better to clear my mind. It will be cool, though. Also have to wrap up Enterprise - a few more planes and I'll post pics here.

[gtb -red]

Well John you did it again. Now I have to make all three in 1/350.

[kidcurrie42]

Well John you did it again. Now I have to make all three in 1/350.

Oops well it keeps you off the streets and outta trouble

i better not post pics of my four Forrestals then

Happy modeling

John

[kidcurrie42]

Tom,
Deck vehicles arrived today , absolutely Awesome work
Fantastic, they will enhance the appearance of my decks very much. i hope when you get time that you will consider making more,
gtb, you would not be disapointed with these in 1/350.

Again Tom Thanks for your time and effort that has been of great benefit to myself and others

Happy modeling

John

[kidcurrie42]

Thanks gents! Also, sorry I thought I had posted it, but great work on the CVs John - looking forward to seeing more pics. Next up for me is a, uh.. helicopter...sorry for the heresy, but I need to work on something I can see a bit better to clear my mind. It will be cool, though. Also have to wrap up Enterprise - a few more planes and I'll post pics here.

Thanks JG,
A change of subject now and again is as good as a rest if not better, at least it keeps the skills going,

What Helo are you building ? i look forward to seeing pics of it, i enjoy building and painting Warhammer 40,000 figures every now and again.

Happy modeling

John

[jgrease]

Prototype photo of my helo project:

This is a UH-1D of the Luftwaffe Search and Rescue. I'm using Dragon's 1/35 UH-1D with decals from HaHen in Germany. I'm going to build it out-of-the-box for Virginia Beach, and if I'm happy with it I will do this one detailed out:

Me likee

[kidcurrie42]

Hiya JG,
Nice subject, when i was in Cambodia with the UN we had a UH-1N, a very nice ride indeed, a lot smoother and felt safer than the assortment of Russian helos we had.

Happy modeling

John

[gtb -red]

Well John you did it again. Now I have to make all three in 1/350.

Oops well it keeps you off the streets and outta trouble

i better not post pics of my four Forrestals then

Happy modeling

John

Naw,thanks John I think I'll just build the Ranger and JFK. Also wait untill the navy finish CVBN Carl Vinson for that project.

[jgrease]

Ok, I put down my Huey build long enough to post some pics of my 1962ish Enterprise. Now this is the look I'm going for:

This is where I am at:

Another shot from the starboard side of the island:

I have a few planes left to build and decal, and some antennas to add. I couldn't find one of the helos specified in Starfighter's directions, so I am using a Chinook from an old Wasp kit instead, painted to match the correct helo. The E1s will be a future purchase from Mark, and the A4s will not be there, as the Revell ones look cruddy, and I have spent enough money on tiny planes for a while. My biggest issue was the color of the flight deck. I should have went for more of a brownish-grey, as many photos give it that look. Please pass along your observations as always.

The other John

[Avery Boyer]

Lovely work John! I am sorry our paths didn't cross at MosquitCon. Hopefully next year then.