1/350 scale CVN-90 USS United States Stealth Aircraft Carrier

[seadude]

I can't get over how tiny some of these parts are and how many of them you are dealing with!
Patience and perseverance!

Yeah, it's been a lot of work making all those tiny parts and painting them. But the light is coming at the end of the tunnel when I'll finally be able to add them to the model...........in about another month or two or three I guess. The most difficult tiny parts I ever had to work with were the gun barrels for the Mk.38 25mm guns. VERY TINY AND VERY THIN!   

[NARSES2]

The most difficult tiny parts I ever had to work with were the gun barrels for the Mk.38 25mm guns. VERY TINY AND VERY THIN!   

I'd struggle with them in 1/72 let alone ship building scales. I just admire your pereverence

[seadude]

On the fantail of the model just to the left of the fender docking station are two cone-shaped protrusions (Made from spare model parts) that the NIXIE towed torpedo decoys are lowered from on trailing wires into the water behind the ship. The decoy is designed to emit signals to draw enemy torpedoes away from its intended target. 

[seadude]

Below the aft port and starboard weapon sponsons on my model, but above the black boot stripe waterline mark, are 4 "hatches" (2 port and 2 starboard) that cover what's known as Countermeasure Anti-Torpedo Torpedo (C.A.T.) defense systems. Behind each hatch would be a 6-tube launcher for firing small diameter "micro torpedoes" (About the same size as a missile from a RIM-116 missile launcher.) for hunting and countering larger wake homing (and other types) torpedoes from enemy submarines. The angular hatches are spare model parts from a 1/144 scale Gundam robot model kit. I used the hatches to keep the system hidden and stealthy. The C.A.T. defense system was a real system tested by the US Navy in the 2010's aboard a few carriers. But it was canceled due to poor performance. The real system did not look like the hatches I put on my carrier.

[NARSES2]

I'm learning more about the armament and defensive systems of these "Super Carriers" every day. Thank you 

[seadude]

Next items to do on my list, but which will have to wait until I get back from vacation next week are the following:

Next on the To Do list will probably be painting a bunch of Gold Medal Models photoetch fire hose racks.
I've got a bunch I picked up in the vendor area at the IPMS Nats last year.
I need to add these fire hose racks in the catwalks of the carrier (after the flight deck has been painted) as well as adding a few more to the island superstructure.
I'm also giving consideration to scratch building some very thin aircraft tow bars. How thin you ask?
I'm guessing styrene square rod that's probably .030 x .030 square (roughly .75mm). Evergreen Plastic does make styrene rod that thin.
The tow bars come in different lengths to be used for different aircraft on a carrier.
The information after the pictures further below comes from a post I found on the Aircraft Resource Center forums.








Table 2-8.—Leading Particulars and ALBAR Selection Table

Model Number - 8 ALBAR
Part Number - 1479AS100-1
Length - 108 inches
Width - 14 inches
Height - 10 inches
Weight - 128 lbs.
 
Model Number - 15 ALBAR
Part Number - 1479AS200-1
Length - 180 inches
Width - 14 inches
Height - 10 inches
Weight - 170 lbs.
 
Model Number - 20 ALBAR
Part Number - 1479AS300-1
Length - 240 inches
Width - 14 inches
Height - 10 inches
Weight - 218 lbs.

Model Number - 24 ALBAR
Part Number - 1479AS400-1
Length - 300 inches
Width - 14 inches
Height - 10 inches
Weight - 255 lbs.

AIRCRAFT 8 ALBAR 15 ALBAR 20 ALBAR 24 ALBAR

AV-8, 15 ALBAR Shipboard, 20 ALBAR Land Based
TAV-8, 20 ALBAR
C-2, 15 ALBAR
E-2, EA-6B, 15 ALBAR
F-14, 15 ALBAR
F/A-18, 15 ALBAR Shipboard, 20 ALBAR Land Based
UH-1, AH-1, 15 ALBAR See Note 1
H-2, H-3, 15 ALBAR
H-46 , 8 ALBAR Shipboard, 15 ALBAR Land Based
H-53, CH-53E, 8 ALBAR See Note 2, 15 ALBAR See Note 3, 20 ALBAR See Note 4
SH-60, 24 ALBAR
S-3, 15 ALBAR
T-2, T-34, T-44, 15 ALBAR
TH-57, 15 ALBAR See Note 1
UC-12, 15 ALBAR
V-22, 8 ALBAR See Note 5, 15 ALBAR See Note 5

NOTES:
1. Exchange aircraft attachment fittings, P/N 1479AS103-1 & 2 to mate hooks to helicopter skid rings. See paragraph 19, page 8, (WP-00300) NAVAIR 19-1-137.
2. For shipboard use when not equipped with in-flight refueling probe.
3. For land based use when not equipped with in-flight refueling probe.
4. For shipboard/land based use when equipped with in-flight refueling probe.
5. Use 15 ALBAR when gun pod is installed ashore/afloat, 8 ALBAR may be used otherwise.

[seadude]

And another detail. I'm just full of details, aren't I?     
After everything has been glued, painted, and decaled for this entire model carrier, the next question to ask about this model project is: Will I add crew figures?
The answer is: I don't know yet. Maybe. Possibly. We'll have to wait and see.
I've got two different types. Boxes of carrier deck crew from KA Models which look more three-dimensional and realistic, but lack a lot of different poses.
And then photoetch carrier deck crew from Eduard which are only two dimensional and "flat", but have more variety of poses.
I can either use one type or the other, or use a combination of both? I'm not sure yet.

[seadude]

And I almost forgot. If you're wondering what all the different colored crew do on a carrier, here's a simple chart that explains.

[NARSES2]

  

Enjoy the vacation