Calling all Gerald R. Ford-class CVN fans

[ozpirate]

OK people see if anyone can help.

Is there a kit available as yet for this class of ship or model ship plans?

[wvtomcat65]

Nothing yet in 1/700 & 1/350. And doubt it until after she is commissioned in March of 2016. A 1/1250 metal kit does exist. But that's it from what I've seen... I'd bet that the first one to have any kind of kit for this class will be Italeri in their 1/720 scale...

Thomas

[ModelMonkey]

There had been some public statements made recently that indicate that CVN-80 will be named USS Enterprise. Can anyone confirm or deny that yet?

[Timmy C]

Confirmed by order of the SecNav himself back in 2012 http://www.defense.gov/releases/release ... seid=15708

[wvtomcat65]

Like Timmy C said, announced in 2012... Actually it was announced on Dec 1, 2012 at the inactivation ceremony of USS Enterprise CVN-65... I was there that day... And it was an just an awesome moment when SECNAV made the announcement by video. There may have been only about 8000-9000 in attendance. But the cheer when the announcement was made CVN-80 would be Enterprise. I'd say it rivaled cheers at major sporting events, and I've been to many...

Thomas

[Mark McKinnis]

I was able to see the Ford last week in Norfolk when I took a drive down the piers. The island and mast are noticeably shorter than the Nimitz Class. Bush was tied up on the other side of the pier so it was a good comparison. Ford also has a crease about half way down on the hull running parallel to the water line. It looked like it has a two gray paint job or it might have been the shadow. I could not tell.

[warspite63]

'Ford also has a crease about half way down on the hull running parallel to the water line' - I know I read somewhere that the forward hull has a distinct change in angle between the waterline and the flight deck. This allowed the use of flat plates - cheaper and easier to fabricate - as opposed to the gently sloping curve used on all US super-carriers

[carr]

..

[Timmy C]

It's a "crease", Bob. Warspite63 is correct - Chris Cavas of DefenseNews covered this back in 2013: http://intercepts.defensenews.com/2013/ ... t-carrier/

Relevant quote:

The forward section of the Ford features a large underwater bulbous bow � a feature similar to that fitted on the last two carriers of the preceding Nimitz class. But the Ford also shows a pronounced inward knuckle at the level of the hangar deck � a feature, according to program officials, intended to reduce costs by making the hull simpler to construct.

The rest of the photos in that article should prove beyond a doubt that any differences in tone is due to shadowing from the physical construction, not paint.

[Mark McKinnis]

'Ford also has a crease about half way down on the hull running parallel to the water line' - I know I read somewhere that the forward hull has a distinct change in angle between the waterline and the flight deck. This allowed the use of flat plates - cheaper and easier to fabricate - as opposed to the gently sloping curve used on all US super-carriers

OK, that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

[ADebroux]

As part of their series Carriers at War, the Smithsonian Channel will have an episode focusing on the Gerald Ford (CVN 78) tonight at 8PM Eastern time.

https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/show ... ar/1005309

[sierra hotel]

Last year I spent two weeks at Norfolk VA and had ample time to photo graph her stem to stern and I now
have a DVD out on her ..... available by direct mail at stillmo@shaw.ca
Ray in Canada ..

[cam]

As part of their series Carriers at War, the Smithsonian Channel will have an episode focusing on the Gerald Ford (CVN 78) tonight at 8PM Eastern time.

https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/show ... ar/1005309

How frustrating when there is no way to watch a show due to where you live. Don't have Smithsonian Channel in Australia and cannot purchase the episodes as they are only available in the USA.

[William Smallshaw]

Maybe in 1/700, advertised by Free Time Hobbies/Squadron.

[navydavesof]

An interesting project would be to build a 1/350 Conventionally powered Ford or a new build KFJ with modern sensors and weapons.

[EJM]

Since I can't afford to buy the 3-D Wild 1/350 scale Gerald Ford carrier model, I've taken the liberty of trying to build my own by heavily modifying a TAMIYA Enterprise carrier kit. One issue I have is the following:
I can't find the following systems on the Gerald Ford carrier. I've looked at dozens of pictures, but can't see these systems anywhere on the ship. Does the Gerald Ford not carry them? But if it does carry them, what locations are they in on the ship?
SLQ-32 electronic countermeasures system
Mk.36 SRBOC chaff/flare launchers
NULKA active missile decoy launchers

[Timmy C]

The SLQ-32(V)6 that Ford is equipped with looks simply like rectangular panels. Fairly certain they're installed embedded onto the top of the mast on that faceted structure.

[Timmy C]

An unboxing of the Magic Factory 1/700 Ford kit has been uploaded:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l40lorW28ao



Nice to see hangar bulkhead detailing! The decision to mould the entire port sponson separately should improve the chances for more accurate depictions of other ships of the class in the future.

[William Smallshaw]

Timmy,

Thank you for posting the open box video. Nice looking kit. But the deck decals look exaggerated. Mr. Surfacer and some sanding to make those tie downs smaller.

[mmaresm]

Thanks, 'Timmy C'...... I must have gotten that model the Same time it was posted here....as I have done a video of an " Unboxing " of the kit...with commentary about the kit itself and how it was packaged ( a VERY interesting and understanding way of protecting the ~Little chutes for un-explosive weaps).

But unless there is a need for a "second opinion", I won't post it here, but you can see it on YT.

Moe