Carrier Builders Yard, whats on the Slipway

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

CVN-77 GETTING UNDERWAY

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

One down 3 to go

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

The boat deck

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Just a few shots of the BUSH this is a total new build as the last one didn't survive the move a year and a hafe ago. Hope everyone enjoys them. There will be more to come soon.

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Just a few more to finish.......

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

made it out to work on the BUSH and made good progress. Worked on the fantail mostly and doing some fine detail work around the sponsons, lots of evergreen stock cutting This slowed me down a bit but made good work out of it. Have not taken pics yet since I didn't get as far as I wanted to, but this going to be a good building session this coming weekend. I want to try to get a lot of the mods done on the hull if not all. After this weekend I will post updated pics. I still have work to do inside the hangar bay but the general layout is complete. I still have a LONGGGGG way to go on this build but it is by far the best one yet.

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

I was just thinking about removing the catwalks off the flight deck and scratch building new ones, the kit I'm using is the ITL. REGAN that I'm doing mods. to to make it into the BUSH. I know someone here has done this before or at least attempted it at some point. Is this something I should change my mind about or are the molded one good enouph?
Any thoughts on this one guys?

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Well made a bit of progress on the BUSH today. A a lot of fine details and of course cutting, sanding, filling, making mods as needed, although doing it from memory since I don't have any pics handy to go by, but referencing Ryan's wonderful build, it is by far not perfect but it is a work in progress, doing a lot of things like fine trimming around the sponsons, making grill openings, filling wrong grills. Some odds and ins, as well as planning how to go about fixing and building other things.
I did get some more pics which I will post as soon as I size them.

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Fwr ele 2

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Just fine tuning

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Fillin in some things

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

New vents

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

And another....

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Structurial support

[EX_Birdgunner]

Hi Denis,

I checked a couple of the Naval Aviation News from around 01 / 02. I didn't see any aerial shots that would help with deck spotting. Check this out:

http://www.seaforces.org/usnships/cvn/C ... Vinson.htm

About halfway down the page there are some good shots from late 01 that might help a bit in terms of hull weathering and markings. THey're all unrep shots though, not the flights ops early in Oct 01.

Good luck,
Dan

Hi Dan,

Sorry I missed this post. Thanks for the link, there are some nice pictures in there. I just got back from a Caribbean cruise and with my upcoming move the project has slowed down. Hopefully I can get some new progress pics up in the build thread.

TTFN,

Denis

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Well started working on the FWD STBD sponcon and I was ref. SGTRYAN's build since he made it look SOOOOO easy, Ryan hats off to ya brother, it was hard as hell to get those angles to be remotely close. I scrapped to first six attempts and finally made one more to my liking, not finished yet but its getting there. I still need to build the raised platform area do some filling in and fine tuning. Doing all this while I bang my head against the bench asking why, why, why Ryan had to go and raise the bar, Thanks Ryan
I guess if I want to make it the BUSH I need to follow some good examples, and Ryans is as good as it gets.

[Hippy Ed]

WTG Ryan!! Comin' along thar Jim. Keep up da good work!!

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Thanks Ed, it is coming along, although I love Ryan's build of BUSH, my friend Laci up in Canada is working on a NIMITZ 85' - 86' era that is just unbelievable, "desecting a 350 NIMITZ" is in the form of his build. check it out!!!!!!

[pghgeorge]

I have some carriers to share.

[JimVarnellABH2USN]

Share away George