USS Carl Vinson, CVN-70 Honor Model.

[Rhino]

I work with a young man who served aboard USS Carl Vinson as a "Hot Popper". The guy in the, hot, shiny suit that puts out fires and rescues Aviators from burning airplanes.

I seek a 1/500 or 1/700 USS Carl Vinson to build as a Sea N' Sky Honor Model for presentation. A donated Kit would be ideal. I am also willing to trade in-stock 1/700 TLAR model kits for this vessel.
I hesitate to ask for your help, as these model projects are usually kept "In House".

Your Thoughts, Model Brethren?

 

[Heavens Eagle]

If I had any 1/700 scale kits I would gladly ship you one.

For those not familiar with the Carl Vinson it is a Nimitz class carrier commissioned in 1982. It went through a refit 2005-2009.

Might have to check through what Nimitz class carrier kits are available and modify one.

 

[Frank]

Chris,
Checked all my lists and could not find a Carrier.
Sorry
Frank

 

[Rhino]

I got the Italeri 1999 upgraded USS Carl Vinson model kit bought. It has the appropriate radar mast.
Thanks just the same, Fellows!

 

[helios]

Glad you found one. I actually went and swung by the LHS to see if they by chance had an inexpensive one to buy and donate to your cause, but alas they didn't have anything suitable.

 

[Rhino]

Bless your heart, Chris.
Hobbylinc in Atlanta GA had a reasonably priced CVN-70. No decals to buy from Starfighter Decals, even though Mark has been a good and faithful supplier for TLAR and other micro model maniac projects for many moons!

I hate to feel like I'm begging. The recent untimely death of a really funny co-worker brought into sharp contrast "At what price Honor?" Spend the $$. Share the laughter. (buy the Beer if you have to!) Hear the stories!
Don't wake up tomorrow with our Lord Jesus handing you a chocolate shake and taking you on a tour of his Dad's house with things unfinished.

Thanks Men, for thinking of me! :salute ldguy :skipper :love

 

[Rhino]

The Game is afoot! I chose a a vintage 1/800 scale Arii USS Nimitz for the Honor Model kit. Starfighter decals are on the way to transform USS Nimitz into USS Carl Vinson. The kit is a fine representation of this class of US Navy aircraft carrier. It comes with a flock of airplanes from F-8 to F/A-18 and Seaking and Seahawk helos. No Belknap pole is included.
I will begin construction after the 1/700 CSS Alabama goes to mold.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I know you will do a fab job on it Chris!

 

[moon puppy]

 

[Rhino]

Decals arrived today! Mark makes good stuff!

 

[helios]

Nice. I think I used Starfighter decals on my Dauntless. Worked really well.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

At the hobby shop this last weekend I spotted a 1/700 scale model of CVN-74 (don't remember the name) Would that kit be better for the build than the Nimitz?

 

[Rhino]

"Bird farm" begins! They shore is a hole big bunch a'parts in theyer! Is been a minute since i built anyone else's model kit.

I fixed the lacking bulkhead in the stern. I notice the hanger deck doors texture detail goes the wrong way. I didn't like that the underside of the flag bridge was hollow. It needed filled, but didn't need to be pretty. There was a big icky gap from the bridge deck to pri-fly level.

The small gap at the clipper bow/flightdeck joint needed a strip of plastic installed.
I like my presentation models to have a little heft to them. USS Carl Vinson will be mounted on her base, so this isn't meant to be ballast for a floating CVN model.
I do ballast my Monogram honor model ships to float at their waterline on a even keel.

She's coming right along. I chose the 1/800 Arii kit based on simplicity and to a lesser degree on price. The fit is pretty decent for a vintage kit. She was originally tooled by Otaki in 1977 and the electronics suite reflects that. Micro Ace is still producing this same tooling in China.

Left to my own devices and given my fondness for model absurdities, this kit may otherwise have become the US Coast Guard high endurance aviation rescue carrier, CGC Carl Musselman WHEARC 70-3/16.
Alas, this one must be a most reverent build, as her prospective new CO is co-worker and Naval Aviation veteran.

 

[Rhino]

Early supercarriers had paired conical antennas all over the superstructure and aerials around the deck edge for ship to air comm's.
"Phasor-90 (AN/SRA-33). Early supercarriers appeared to use the TED/AN/URR-13 at the flight deck edges" Norman Friedman.

This CVN model includes parts for that old system. Cayden left the ship last year, so without making too much fuss, I plan to upgrade the Island and mast with antenna domes. I added the antenna platform at the front of the island. It's an upper mast platform from the TLAR 1/700 CSS Florida kit. The domes are parts from TLAR Models 1/350 USCG Reliance class WMEC kit. Nothing to womp up this time.

1/700 CIWS guns may be snuck on to Cayden's build.
Thanks again for looking in!

 

[moon puppy]

 

[Rhino]

So passes "not too much fuss on this build". Stern Phalanx sponson and vertical details. This is only the beginning, further upgrades in the offing.

 

[Rhino]

How much Fuss?!?
The goal today was to get USS Carl Vinson's CIWS mounts/sponsons made/modified. Model Monkey, out in NC makes all kinds of cool correction and upgrade parts for US Navy ships, but none in 1/800 scale. The portside forward sponson and after platforms are brand new. The box launchers would be Sea RAMs. The missiles may get upgraded.
I don't do very many lower hulls. I'll confess this Arii kit has a troublesome bottom.
Could it be age?

Thanks for looking in again!

 

[Rhino]

Hull and flightdeck assembled! This protects the new sponsons and spray shields. Forward hawsepipes are 1/350 life rings. P/E anchors will replace the imprecise kit anchors. Arii plastic glues up very easily. Not too much clean-up will be needed.
USS Carl Vinson's troublesome bottom still needs more attention.

 

[moon puppy]

 

[Rhino]

Elevators installed and major hull mod's completed. The kit has 3 elevators that install in the lowered position, but the hangar deck doors are molded closed and there is no hangar deck interior. Kinda silly! I don't remember ever seeing the after elevators lowered during flight op's